IT Business Value and Competitive Advantage: Integrating a Customer-Based View

ABSTRACT This research expands our understanding of IT value by adding a customer-based view (CBV) to the prevalent resource-based view (RBV). Founded on a template analysis, this article suggests an integrated definition for IT value consisting of two complementary facets: monetary customer value and non-monetary organizational value. Value from IT investments can have direct or indirect effects on firm performance. This research also discusses the relationship between IT value, firm performance, and competitive advantage. Abbreviation: CBV: Customer-based view; CI: Customer intimacy (customer-value category); ER: External relations (initial organizational-value category); ESC: Enhanced skills and capabilities (organizational-value category); FX/A: Flexibility, agility (organizational-value category); IS: Information systems; IT: Information technology; K/C: Knowledge and control (initial organizational-value category); OE: Operational excellence (customer-value category); PL: Product leadership (customer-value category); RBV: Resource-based view; SA/SR: Strategic alliances/supplier relationships (organizational-value category); SP/DM: Strategic planning/informed decision-making (organizational-value category)