Enterprise Architectures in E-Governments Studies: Why, What and How?

Part 1: eGovernmentInternational audienceEnterprise Architecture (EA) is an important tool when developing e-governments and smart cities as it can help improve the alignment between business goals and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) implementations. Although some studies have been performed to study the applications of EA in public sectors, governments, and cities, most of such studies are scattered and there is no strong research stream. As a result, it is difficult to effectively accumulate relevant knowledge and experiences. In this research, we attempt to explore research streams and trends by analyzing why existing studies were conducted, what outcomes were produced, and what methods were used in these studies. Starting from these three questions, a thematic framework was developed, and a literature synthesis was presented. The result shows the complexity of this area, the importance of balancing technical factors and non-technical factors, the challenges brought by non-functional requirements. Despite the importance of EA frameworks, few studies have been found in which government or city relevant requirements were addressed in a general way. Such findings are expected to provide useful insights for possible future research in this area

Exploration of the misalignment between business and IT strategic objectives in public-sector organisations: An empirical study in Saudi Arabia

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2018. Understanding business-IT strategy misalignment is an increasingly important area of research in digitalisation of different business sectors. However, there is currently a dearth of research investigations of misalignment between business and IT strategic objectives in public-sector organisations. Considering the nature of business, the structure of organisation, and the organisational resources of public-sector organisations, the investigation of business-IT misalignment can significantly enrich our theoretical exemplification of the relationship between business and IT in the public sector. Moreover, it provides some insights for managers to identify and avoid the possible pitfalls during the IT implementation process. Anchoring on the strategic alignment model, this research aims to identify and analyse the factors that contribute to business/IT strategy misalignment in Saudi Arabian public-sector organisations. Using a qualitative study design that included semi-structured interviews in five public-sector organisations in Saudi Arabia, our findings indicate that the human, operational, and IT system factors lead to business-IT strategy misalignment. This study also finds that those practical approaches for avoiding the misalignment in Saudi public-sector organisations sometimes lack structure and consistency