Individual Assignment IT Governance week 1 (Submit in Week 2)

1. Which constituent elements discerns Weill, Subramani & Broadbent (2002) in their concept
of IT Architectures?

The paper of Weill, Subramani & Broadbent (2002) argues that an integrated IT infrastructure has ten
clusters. By using this framework for describing IT based business initiatives, they identified IT
Architecture as a cluster. In this cluster they discusses 5 important elements in their concept of IT
Architectures. These elements are

o Technologies (hardware and software)

o Data
o Communication
o Application
o Work (work processes and workflow)

1. Which constituent elements discerns Ross (2003) in her concept of IT Architectures?

J. Ross (2003) discusses four IT architectural stages. To develop a synergy between business strategy
and IT architecture, firms must develop organizational competencies in IT architecture (Ross, 2003).
According to J. Ross (2003) the logical sequence for developing an entries IT architecture is that at
first you must define the firm’s strategic objectives. After that, define key IT capabilities for enabling
those objectives. At last, you have to define the policies and technical choices for developing the IT
capabilities. This process is not as orderly as assumed. Most firm’s experience in evolving their IT
architectures four distinct stages of increasing enterprise IT architecture competency. These stages
differ in the logical design of their applications, data and infrastructure (J. Ross, 2003). J. Ross (2003)
thinks that firms can generate significant business value at each stage when they capitalize on the
architectures benefits. These four stages refer to the constituent element of IT architectures.

1. Application Silo (IT architectures of individual applications)

2. Standardized Technology (Resources are shifted into a shared infrastructure)
3. Rationalized Data (Data management and infrastructure development. It extends the
enterprise-wide IT standards to data and processes.)
4. Modular (builds onto enterprise-wide global standards with loosely coupled IT
components to preserve the global standards while enabling local differences)

2. Which constituent elements discern Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush (2010) in their concept of IT
Architectures?

Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush (2010) looks at IT architecture as a platform. They study the properties of
platform architecture from three distinctive perspectives. The elements (perspectives) that they
discuss in their concept of IT Architectures are:

o Decomposition (Decomposition refers to how the form and function of a platform’s

ecosystem are broken down into constituent atomic subsystems. A platform ecosystem can
by decompose hierarchically into smaller subsystems. It minimizes interdependence.)
o Modularity (Modularity refers to the degree to which changes within a subsystem do not
create a ripple effect in the behavior of other parts of the ecosystem. It can be achieved by
standardization the platform-module).
o Design Rules (These are the rules that rules that platform owners expect module developers
to obey to ensure interoperability with the rest of the eco system. Stability and versatility are
two critical properties of design rules.)
3. Identify common elements in these definitions

In this table you can find the common elements between the different authors.

Authors Weill, Subramani & Broadbent (2002) J. Ross (2003) Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush (2010

Weill, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Both authors links IT Architecture - Both authors identify time as an
Subramani & with strategic agility important factor. Weill, Subramani &
Broadbent Broadbent (2002) specify the
(2002) blueprint of how the technologies will
be implemented in the future.
Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush (2010)
discuss that platform architecture
have to adapt over time, which
requires that they also have to be
versatile.

J. Ross (2003) Both authors links IT Architecture with XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - Individual applications. Ross and
strategic agility Tiwana (2010) identify advantages of
own data systems. It makes problems
less complicated and it encourages
innovation. However, both authors
think that over time expanding
individual systems is a costly process.
- Both authors identify modularity as
an important factor of IT architecture.
Both papers look at the effect that
changes on one sub-system has on
the other systems.

Tiwana, - Both authors identify time as an
Konsynski & important factor. Weill, Subramani &
Bush (2010 Broadbent (2002) specify the blueprint
of how the technologies will be
implemented in the future. Tiwana,
Konsynski & Bush (2010) discuss that
platform architecture have to adapt
over time, which requires that they also
have to be versatile.
- Individual applications. Ross and XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Tiwana (2010) identify advantages of
own data systems. It makes problems
less complicated and it encourages
innovation. However, both authors
think that over time expanding
individual systems is a costly process.
- Both authors identify modularity as
an important factor of IT
architecture. Both papers look at the
effect that changes on one sub-
system has on the other systems.

Common elements in all three papers

 All the authors look at the workflow in a process. It’s for all three authors important to look at the
whole enterprise and not just at an individual part if you investigate in IT Architecture.
 All authors mention data as an important factor for IT Architecture.
 All authors identify the standardization process. They all mention that standardization leads to
cost savings. On the other hand, Ross (2003) mentioned that standardization increases risks in
managing the new standardized environment as different units need different shared
infrastructures. This problem is also identified by Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush (2010). They mention
that a module in one ecosystem might be a problem of another. Weill, Subramani & Broadbent
 (2002) also identified standardization as an important factor of IT architecture. They discuss that
IT architecture and standards allows linking of independently developed functional systems to
reduce the number of technical platforms and data architectures to manage.

4. Identify distinct elements in these definitions

Distinct elements in all three papers

 Ross looks at IT Architecture in different stages. If firms take advantages of the stages they can
benefit. Weill, Subramani & Broadbent (2002) seems not to think about IT architecture in
different stages, but in clusters. Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush (2010) thinks about IT architecture in
platform architecture. So, all authors use different “things” to describe IT architecture. These
“things” are platforms, stages and clusters.
 Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush (2010) look at IT Architecture by defining design rules. This way of
looking at architecture seems new. The other papers don’t mention this.
 Weill, Subramani & Broadbent (2002) make a distinction between IT architecture on the supply
side and on the demand side. The other papers do not make a distinction.

Summarize in a table:

Authors Distinct elements Common elements Assessment

Weill, Subramani & They linked IT Architecture
Broadbent (2002) with IT management and IT
research and development
They mentioned nothing
about modularity
They make a distinction
between IT architecture on
the supply side and on the
demand side
They all mention the
process of standardization
They all mention data
management as an
important factor of IT
architecture
They all look at the whole
enterprise by investing in IT
architecture
In this paper IT Architecture
is only a small part of the
research. They investigate
more about IT
infrastructure. To achieve a
high integrated
infrastructure they need
high capabilities in all
infrastructure clusters. The
clusters are all very
important in this paper and I
can see why. However, in my
opinion he missed the point
about the advantages of an
individual system.

J. Ross (2003) The paper does not say In my opinion this paper is
anything about technology quite interesting since she
changing over time and how divided IT architecture in
to deal with this. different stages, each with
She defines IT architecture its own competencies. This
in different stages. gives companies a better
understanding over the
whole process and the
different stages they can
achieve. She also identified
pros and cons at every
stage. So companies can
think deeply about which
stage is the best for them.
Tiwana, Konsynski & Bush This paper mentioned the In this paper they identify
(2010 importance of designing time and standardization as
rules to changes technology important factors. The
of time and to make a stable factor time is missing in
platform. Ross’ paper. I think it is
They look at IT architecture useful that this paper sees IT
in a platform. architecture as a stable
platform. However this
platform has to design rules.
Ones the platform is stable,
companies can expand their
IT.

5. Which of your (combined) definition provides the best definition of IT Architecture? Explain
your analysis.

In my opinion the paper of J. Ross (2003) gives the best definition of how to implement IT
Architecture. She discusses four IT architectural stages. Most firms that evolve in IT architecture walk
along these stages. By going through these stages correctly, firms can generate significant business
value at each stage when they capitalize on the architecture’s benefits. This could even lead to
synergies as the applications improve each other. When firms look at these different stages, they can
understand how to realize the benefits. They will understand the whole process that IT architecture
involves. So for example, small firms start at stage one where they have many different systems. Since
it is a small firm they benefit due to local optimization. At one point, the firm will grow and
maintaining all these different systems will become too expensive. So the firm will standardize its
software and moves to stage 2. So, in my opinion firms will benefit by going through these stages.
However, in the other papers the factor time is discussed as an important factor of IT architecture. I
think, since technology adopts fast, that it is important to look at how technology can be adapted in
the future. J. Ross (2003) doesn’t discuss this factor. I believe that we have to think about how to
adapt our system in the future (consider time) to define the best definition of IT Architecture.