Guided Research Anna Gschwendtner

Motivation

Literature suggests that IT standardization is a core task of enterprise architects. For example, Ross et al. mention Standardized IT as the first stage of maturity of EAM. Likewise, practitioners literature is is full of similar proposals. Usually, establishing and adhering to enterprise-wide IT standards is considered to increase IT efficiency, i.e. reduce IT costs. Nevertheless, a deep understanding of all respecitve consequences - including negative consequences - is still missing. These might include increased risks, increased costs for changing the IT architecture and decreased organizational agility.

Goal

The goal of this research endeavor is to develop a deeper understanding about the consequences of establishing enterprise-wide IT standards based on large empirical data. The hypotheses to be verified include at least:

• Standardization decreases flexibility in terms of time-to-market due to technology introductions
• Standardization increases risks/fragility (e.g. price increase, product failure, …)
• Standardization increases project sizes (cost increase, more difficult, longer)
• Standardization hinders innovation
• Standardization decreses costs for IT operations

In addition, the following questions should be explored:

1. What are intensions for defining and implementing standards?
2. Which measures are used for implementing standards (platforms, black and white lists, to-be modeling)
3. Are processes standardized in order to standardize IT?

Approach

1. Develop hypotheses based on literature review
2. Design questions for each hypotheses
3. Develop online survey
4. Conduct online survey
5. Analyze results
6. Write paper

Outcome

• A quantitative model indicating the consequences of implementing enterprise-wide IT standards

Literature

Ross, Jeanne W.; Weill, Peter; Robertson, David C. (2006): Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution: Harvard Business Press.

Christie, Mike; Hanley, Nick; Warren, John; Murphy, Kevin; Wright, Robert; Hyde, Tony (2006): Valuing the diversity of biodiversity. In: Ecological Economics 58 (2), S. 304–317.

Boh, Wai Fong; Yellin, Daniel (2007): Using enterprise architecture standards in managing information technology. In: Journal of management information systems 23 (3), S. 163–207.

Taleb, Nassim Nicholas (2013): Antifragilität. Anleitung für eine Welt, die wir nicht verstehen. 1. Aufl. München: Knaus.