Taxonomy of organizational alignment: implications for data-driven sustainable performance of firms and supply chains
Journal of Enterprise Information Management
ISSN: 1741-0398
Article publication date: 30 June 2020
Issue publication date: 28 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify, characterize, classify and conceptualize different perspectives on strategic alignment still in use, propose a taxonomy and definitions that allow understanding the various coexisting concepts, as well as investigate the implications of strategic alignment for data-driven sustainable performance of firms and supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
Bibliographic review was used.
Findings
The taxonomy proposes two classes of strategic alignment: (1) Align – more rigorous types of alignment: structure alignment, strategic congruence and strategy alignment; (2) Fit – less rigorous types of alignment: contingency strategic adjustment, strategic coalignment and strategic consistency. Companies are accumulating large amounts of data, which relevance varies widely. The strategic alignment can define criteria to select only the data that have strategic value, which restricts the amount of data to be analyzed. Each of the six types of strategic alignment is appropriate for a given situation in companies and/or supply chains.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations stem from the exclusive use of the taxonomy of strategic alignment, without considering the most diverse perspectives of strategy.
Practical implications
Decision makers will be able to identify more objectively which classes of data should be explored in each situation.
Social implications
Theoretical implications – The taxonomy proposal and the definition of each of the strategic alignment perspectives solve generalized misunderstandings resulting from the lack of a clear delimitation between the perspectives and the conceptual divergence between authors, who use them as equivalent or synonymous.
Originality/value
From 1961 to 2019, no paper was found proposing taxonomy, typology, systematization, ranking, distribution or classification of strategic alignment. The strategic alignment can define criteria to select, within the large amount of data accumulated by the company, only those that have strategic value, what restricts the quantity of data to be analyzed and facilitates the decision of the leaders.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
We are thankful to Mrs. Dinan Dhom Pimentel Satyro for providing linguistic help.Declarations of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Citation
Contador, J.C., Satyro, W.C., Contador, J.L. and Spinola, M.d.M. (2021), "Taxonomy of organizational alignment: implications for data-driven sustainable performance of firms and supply chains", Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol. 34 No. 1, pp. 343-364. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-02-2020-0046
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited