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In this study, we consider projects in which systems are developed using machine learning (ML) techniques. An ML project canvas has been proposed to represent the project so that stakeholders can have a common understanding of the project. In many cases, this canvas must be constructed by business division practitioners without sufficient support from data scientists and the quality of the canvas model is dependent on the skills or experience of the practitioner. Therefore, we propose a method for constructing a project-specific project canvas model using the business–AI alignment model, and confirm the effectiveness of the method through the analysis of ML project practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategic significance of IT architecture has been recognized for decades. However, the roles of IT architects and their importance to IT-business alignment are still underrated in theory and practice. This article provides a literature review, classifies the roles of IT architects, and describes their influence on IT-business alignment. The main aims of IT architects are effective and efficient selection and integration of IT components/services to meet the business requirements by providing guidance and standards. Eight types of IT architects were found that perform at the strategy/business level and the project/solution level. Enterprise architects are essential for achieving IT-business alignment; they can shape an organization's IT landscape towards business flexibility or standardization in order to differentiate on the market or lead on costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we consider the construction of a model for representing an artificial intelligence (AI) service system project. When developing a system using AI technologies to support a business task in a company, all project members from both business and IT divisions must have common understandings on the project before starting it. For this purpose, a business–IT alignment model for AI service systems is proposed as a business–AI alignment model. However, we need to substantiate this business–AI alignment model for each project, because it is a generic model. To address this problem, we propose a method for constructing the business– AI alignment model and apply it to a real project for developing an AI service system in a case study, and confirm that we can construct the project-specific business–AI alignment model–without support of data scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Business-IT alignment (BITA) continues to be important for organizations and has received a considerable attention during the last 25 years from academic research. The organizational size has already been found to affect business-IT alignment but there are still a fewer research studies exploring BITA in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) compared with those studies done on large-size companies. Moreover the previous research studies have less focused on understanding the existing factors hindering BITA in SMEs particularly in China. Especially in regards to China, where there are millions of SMEs that are facing different challenges in achieving and sustaining their business-IT alignment. Therefore, case studies have been conducted in three SMEs in China that have no more than 250 employees and their turnover does not exceed 50 million annually. The data has been collected through semi-structured interviews with managers in these SMEs and also from SMEs internal documents and then analyzed thematically. The results of this study are a number of 26 factors hindering BITA in SMEs in China including seven new factors that are hindering BITA in these SMEs. The findings of this study could help researchers but also business and IT practitioners to understand the factors that are hindering BITA in Chinese SMEs and the actions to be taken for aligning business and IT strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As other investments within an enterprise, information technologies should support the business strategy of a company and provide value to it. IT projects and their requirement engineering must include aspects of competitive gains in accordance to the strategic position of the company. I suggest that IT managers and engineers must take competitive strategy into account when specifying the requirements for a new IT product and check that its operation supports competitive objectives. This paper introduces the concept of IT value planning that portrays the relation between competitive advantage as defined in enterprise strategy and requirements collections as part of IT projects. Furthermore, hypotheses on the links between both variables are presented along with the research approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business-IT Alignment (BITA) has been an issue for researchers of Information and Systems Technology (IST) area for the last three or four decades. Many authors refer to BITA as a concern subject of IST managers, in what regards its achievement, but also its maintenance. Nevertheless, all approaches seem to be time and resources consumers, contrary to what would be desirable nowadays: achieve and maintain BITA quickly, efficiently and sustainably. Enterprise Architecture (EA) construction, as a way to BITA, especially when a Business Process Management (BPM) approach is used, a list of best practices should be obtained. Using Case Study methodology, with a data set content analysis, this paper intends to highlight benefits of using it, in process oriented approaches’ to EA construction aiming BITA. Besides contribute to EA construction using process oriented methodologies, it is also important to consider the contribution to the Academy, with the scientific knowledge’ increase in this area. And also the contribution to both involved consultancy companies, as well as to the organizations, in this case Municipalities, deserves attention: organization's processes are improved and real problems can be solved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than a decade Business-IT alignment (BITA) has been constantly ranked among the top-ten management issues for IT leaders. Many organizations value the advantages obtained when they are able to align their business and IT strategies. Although considerable models and frameworks have been developed to support organizations in their quest of achieving and sustaining BITA, still many of them face challenges because of some influential factors. While factors influencing BITA in organizations have been widely studied, the barriers in achieving BITA in the banking sector of a developing country remain largely unexplored. In this study we aim at exploring the factors that hinder BITA in the banking sector of a developing country. A case study research was conducted in four commercial banks in Burkina Faso with branches in more than ten other African countries. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and also from internal documents and has been thematically analyzed. The main findings in this study shows that the delay in task execution, the lack of time to acquire new knowledge, the insufficiency of cross-sectional trainings, the dependency on telecom operators, the heavy workload of banking staff and the reluctance to hire more personnel considerably hinder BITA within the banks in Burkina Faso as a developing country. The results contribute to research in BITA and the limited knowledge about the factors hindering BITA in the banking sector of a developing country. Moreover the results of this research can help IT and business practitioners to further elaborate organizational skills training programs necessary for banks to improve their personnel's performance throughout their journey towards BITA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]