Home // International Journal On Advances in Systems and Measurements, volume 4, numbers 3 and 4, 2011 // View article

The strategic role of IT as an antecedent to the IT sophistication and IT performance of manufacturing SMEs

Authors:
Louis Raymond
Anne-Marie Croteau
François Bergeron

Keywords: IT sophistication; IT performance; SME; strategic alignment; strategic role; e-business applications

Abstract:
The business value of IT (information technology) applications for SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) is dependent upon how such applications “fit” with the strategic orientation of these firms. Based on the strategic alignment of IT, this study uses a systemic approach to test the contribution of three predictors of IT performance in an organization: the strategic role of IT as well as the sophistication of the management and the use of IT. A multivariate mediation perspective is used to conceptualize alignment. The results of an empirical investigation of 44 manufacturing SMEs establish an important mediating effect of IT management and IT usage sophistication between the strategic role of IT and IT performance.

Pages: 203 to 211

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2011. Used with permission.

Publication date: April 30, 2012

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-261x