Information technology governance: an investigation about the concept representation

Abstract

This paper is focused on what is advocated by Information Technology Governance (ITG) and what is actually implemented in organizations. The Social Representation Theory (SRT) is applied to verify the representations of ITG, because, according to this theory, the way people perform their everyday actions is determined by the representations they make of a particular social object, or concept. This is an interpretive study, and the research strategy comprised case studies of two large transnational companies of different sectors. The social representation analysis indicates that the focus of ITG is the internal IT environment. The representation was anchored on concepts that are familiar to the respondents, for example ITIL in Alpha company and control in Beta company, creating a simplified representation. These representations were influenced by the history of ITG's implementation in both organizations. It was not possible to find mechanisms related to the structure. Few mechanisms related to business areas were also identified. In conclusion, the concept of ITG in the organizations under study is strongly anchored in process mechanisms and IT control, causing ITG to lose value in professional practice and in the performance of IT professionals.