Decision archetypes in the information technology governance: Reflections concerning small and medium-sized enterprises

Abstract

Objectives of the study: to understand and analyze the configuration of decision archetypes, proposed by Weill and Ross (2004), in the context of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The study is justified by the increased organizational dependence on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and its high costs, which requires a close alignment between business strategies and the adoption of these technologies. Methodology / Approach: qualitative approach, under an inductive logic; and data collected through semi-structured and in-depth interviews, involving five owner-managers of ICT service providers and 16 directors / managers of Information Technology (IT), in SMEs. Main results: it was observed that SMEs have characteristics that facilitate the integration between business and IT, with the duopoly decision archetype prevailing. The greater concentration of power in the owner-manager or the absence of structural power of the key IT professional in these companies can, however, favor archetypes of the type of federalism or monarchy, influencing misaligned decisions between IT and business. Theoretical / methodological contributions: the findings of the study suggest that, within the organizational structures of SMEs, key IT professionals with decision-making power are supported by metrics based on quantitative aspects, supported by business intelligence systems and empirical knowledge of those involved in the process. Relevance / Originality: by proposing mechanisms for configuring decision archetypes in the Information Technology Governance (ITG) of SMEs, this study contributes significantly to the advancement of this theme, still incipient in the literature, as well as supporting new research.