Effect of Retiring Custom Web Applications on Business and Information Technology Alignment

194 Pages·2017·1.63 MB·English

Walden University
ScholarWorks
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Collection
2015
Effect of Retiring Custom Web Applications on
Business and Information Technology Alignment
Shubhashree Thekahally
Walden University
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Walden University

College of Management and Technology

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Shubhashree Thekahally

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,
and that any and all revisions required by
the review committee have been made.

Review Committee
Dr. Diane Stottlemyer, Committee Chairperson,
Applied Management and Decision Sciences Faculty

Dr. David Gould, Committee Member,
Applied Management and Decision Sciences Faculty

Dr. Raghu Korrapati, University Reviewer
Applied Management and Decision Sciences Faculty

Chief Academic Officer
Eric Riedel, Ph.D.

Walden University
2015
Abstract
Effect of Retiring Custom Web Applications on Business and Information Technology
Alignment
by
Shubhashree Thekahally

BA, Nizam College, Osmania University, 1989
MS, Champlain College, 2005

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Management

Walden University
February 2015
Abstract
Web applications provide the information technology (IT) implementation of business
and align IT with business. Retirement of IT applications should ensure stability of
business and IT alignment. The current study investigated the alignment gaps created
between business and IT resulting from retiring IT software applications. The purpose of
this study was to identify IT integration points with business and provide a process-based
solution that sustained IT alignment with business after retiring IT applications. The
theoretical framework strategic alignment model aided in identifying 3 IT domains as the
IT integration points with business: enterprise architecture, configuration management
database, and service-level agreement. The research methodology was grounded theory
method. A process-in-operation facilitating application retirement generated the data. The
grounded theory approach revealed the core category as IT and business alignment and
established that the identified IT domains enabled IT alignment with business. The
research findings revealed that structured decommissioning, timely repository updates,
and 2-way communication between IT and business ensured continued accuracy and
reliability of the repositories so business made valid interpretations. The findings may
enable employees to realize their self-worth and dignity, leading to increased
collaboration and coordination. The positive social change implications of these findings
are in the increased alignment between IT and business, resulting in improved overall
employee performance.
Effect of Retiring Custom Web-Applications on Business and Information Technology
Alignment
by
Shubhashree Thekahally

BA, Nizam College, Osmania University, 1989
MS, Champlain College, 2005

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Management

Walden University
February 2015
Acknowledgments
The beginning of this journey was a childhood dream that I wanted to realize.
Along the way, many well-meaning people have supported me, and I would like to
acknowledge a notable few by name. My heartfelt gratitude goes to my mentors and
chairs, Dr. Louis Taylor, Dr. William Brent and Dr. Diane Stottlemyer. Dr. Diane
Stottlemyer was a committee member and later the chair of my dissertation committee. I
thank her for supporting me during the proposal and dissertation stages. Dr. David Gould,
my honorable committee member was very affable and supportive. I am grateful to Dr.
Stottlemyer, Dr. Gould and Dr. Korrapati for their support, time, and understanding
throughout this tedious but educative process. Thank you Dr, Korrapati for your patience
and guidance in steering in me in the right direction.
I also wish to thank my academic and career advisor Ms. Denise Pranke and my
residency faculty and program director, Dr. John Nirenberg. A special thanks to the
writing lab and all their tutors for their patience and expertise. Finally, my warm and
loving thanks to my family for their understanding, continued support, and patience,
which ensured the achievement of this goal. Special note of thanks to my son Upendra
Prasad, as it is uncommon to receive such understanding and support from a child.
Table of Contents
List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... vi
List of Figures ................................................................................................................... vii
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1
Background ................................................................................................................... 4
Application Retirement Process .............................................................................. 7
Overview ................................................................................................................. 7
Process Development .............................................................................................. 9
Process Description ............................................................................................... 10
Limitations and Constraints .................................................................................. 13
Problem Statement ...................................................................................................... 14
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................... 15
Significance of the Study and Social Change ............................................................. 16
Gaps From Previous Research .................................................................................... 19
Nature of the Study ..................................................................................................... 21
Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 22
Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................... 23
Evolution of Alignment Models ........................................................................... 23
The Strategic Alignment Model............................................................................ 25
Role of Alignment Perspectives in This Study ..................................................... 29
Assumptions ................................................................................................................ 29
i
Scope and Delimitations ............................................................................................. 29
Limitations .................................................................................................................. 30
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................33
Literature Review Strategy Overview ........................................................................ 34
Literature Search Strategy..................................................................................... 35
Literature Sources on Application Retirement ........................................................... 36
Guidelines and Practices ....................................................................................... 36
Application Retirement Tools ............................................................................... 38
Application Retirement Methodology and Framework ........................................ 40
IT and Business Alignment ......................................................................................... 41
SAM Alignment Perspectives ............................................................................... 45
Enterprise Architecture ............................................................................................... 47
History and Frameworks ....................................................................................... 47
Benefits of EA....................................................................................................... 49
EA and IT Alignment............................................................................................ 50
Configuration Management Database......................................................................... 53
History................................................................................................................... 53
Benefits of CMDB ................................................................................................ 54
Service-Level Agreements .......................................................................................... 58
History................................................................................................................... 58
ii
Benefits of SLA .................................................................................................... 60
SLA and IT Alignment ......................................................................................... 61
Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 63
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 65
Chapter 3: Research Method ..............................................................................................68
Qualitative Analysis .................................................................................................... 68
Overview ............................................................................................................... 68
Grounded Theory as the Choice of Inquiry .......................................................... 70
Grounded Theory Methodology ................................................................................. 72
Overview ............................................................................................................... 72
Data Analysis and Theory Development .............................................................. 73
Validity and Reliability ......................................................................................... 78
Grounded Theory and IS Research ....................................................................... 79
The Role of the Researcher in the Study .................................................................... 81
Grounded Theory Methodology and This Research ................................................... 82
Aligning Conceptual Framework With Grounded Theory Approach .................. 83
Population and Sample Size.................................................................................. 85
Data Collection and Analysis................................................................................ 86
The Initial Sample ....................................................................................................... 88
Open Coding ......................................................................................................... 90
Theoretical Sensitivity and Sampling ................................................................... 96
iii
Axial Coding ......................................................................................................... 98
Concept Map ....................................................................................................... 104
Interpreting Data Fields ...................................................................................... 106
Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................ 110
Summary ................................................................................................................... 110
Chapter 4: Results ............................................................................................................113
Review of Data Analysis .......................................................................................... 115
Application Retirement ............................................................................................. 116
Applications and IT and Business Alignment .......................................................... 117
Applications and EA ........................................................................................... 118
Applications and SLA ......................................................................................... 120
Applications and CMDB..................................................................................... 123
Summarized Analysis ............................................................................................... 127
Implementation of Grounded Theory Method .................................................... 128
Applications and the IT Domains (EA, CMDB, and SLA) ................................ 130
Observations ....................................................................................................... 132
Inferences within the Context of Application Retirement .................................. 132
Research Findings ..................................................................................................... 134
Responses to Research Questions ....................................................................... 135
Solution: Revised ARP Process ................................................................................ 137
Benefits of Process-Level Alignment ................................................................. 138
iv