IT strategy is a term that is casually mentioned these days, and quite often it is misquoted. In the strictest sense, a process that aligns IT capability with business requirements is called IT strategy. As it is after all a process, it remains an ongoing exercise and may be constantly changed or updated. In fact, in order to be successful, some IT strategies can go through a long cycle of trial and tribulations and start stop approaches, until the right one is finally identified. Also important is to make sure that business requirements and IT capability are aligned. What this entails is that IT not only addresses the needs of a business as they arise; but also it is responsible for driving the business forward as well. What IT strategy is, is a comprehensive plan for developing IT capabilities, which are then used to further guide the running of the company.
IT strategy is concerned mainly with technology policies, and outlining the vision of how the demand an organization has for information and systems will be supported by technology – essentially; it is concerned with IT supply. It addresses the supply of IT capabilities, services and resources such as developments of system, IT operations and user support (Ward, 2002). In essence, IT strategy basically deals with the methods which are preferred, level of security, mandated systems, platforms and applications, the facts about how information is provided. Hence it is concerned with the technological infrastructure that is necessary to fulfill all the requirements of the information strategy.
IT strategy can best be described as an iterative process involving technology that is used to align the IT capabilities with the business concerns. IT strategy is mainly used to enhance shareholder value which in other words can be stated as helping in maximizing the return on the investments made by the Company on information technology (Cio-Index, 2009).
IT Strategy can also be expressed in documentary from so that it explains how technology can be used as part of the company’s overall strategy and each business strategy. In the case of Information Technology, the strategy is usually formed by a group of members from both the business and from IT.
A well deployed IT strategy, which provides actual benefits to the company has multiple components, the most important of which is people. Having the right number of and the right type of people is essential to having a successful IT strategy. Another factor is culture, which directly impacts the level with which the IT strategy affects the company (Zaki, 2011).