Board talk

Citation

(2004), "Board talk", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 53 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijppm.2004.07953dad.004

Board talk

As information technology is now a critical component in the continued success and growth of enterprises, boards of directors and senior management must exercise due diligence by putting IT governance on their agendas. To help business leaders and IT security and audit professionals understand their roles and responsibilities regarding IT governance, the IT Governance Institute (ITGI) has released three new tools: Board Briefing on IT Governance, 2nd Edition (available free at www.itgi.org), along with an IT Governance Implementation Guide and the IT Governance Business Game.

The Board Briefing on IT Governance provides boards and executives with guidance to govern IT’s role in the enterprise. Starting with a background overview, the Board Briefing explains where IT governance fits in the larger context of enterprise governance.

Although it is naturally aimed at US companies, much of the content is more widely relevant. It provides a simple framework for IT governance and its domains, including:

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  strategic alignment of IT with the business;

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  the value delivery of IT;

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  on-time and within-budget delivery of appropriate quality, achieving the promised benefits;

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  the management of IT risks;

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  ascertaining that there is transparency about the significant risks to the enterprise and determining the enterprise’s appetite for risk;

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  performance measurement of IT;

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  utilisation of a balanced scorecard that goes beyond short-term financial measures;

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  IT resources management; and

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  the optimal investment, use and allocation of IT resources.