Alignment within the software development unit: Assessing structural and relational dimensions between developers and testers

  • Authors:

  • Jasbir Dhaliwal;Colin Gabriel Onita;Robin Poston;Xihui Paul Zhang

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of MIS, 426 Fogelman College Administration Building, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA;Department of MIS, 363 Fogelman College Administration Building, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA;Department of MIS, 300 Fogelman College Administration Building, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA;Computer Information Systems, College of Business, University of North Alabama, Keller Hall 251 One Harrison Plaza, Florence, AL 35632, USA

  • Venue:
  • The Journal of Strategic Information Systems
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

Just as business-IT alignment has received significant focus as a strategic concern in the IS literature, it is also important to consider internal alignment between the diverse subunits within the IT organization. This study investigates alignment between developers and testers in software development to understand alignment within the IT unit. Prior evidence of tension between these sub-groups (and others as well) suggests that all is not necessarily well within the IT organization. Misalignment within the IT unit can certainly make it difficult for the IT unit to add strategic value to the organization. This study is an important initial step in investigating IT subunit alignment which can inform future research focusing on the alignment of other IT subunits such as architecture, operations, and customer-support. Using theoretical concepts from strategic business-IT alignment, we test a research model through a survey of professional software developers and testers. Results suggest that relational but not structural dimensions influence IT subunit alignment.