1. ¹The Monieson Centre, Queen's School of Business, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
2. ²Segal Graduate School of Business, Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada

Correspondence: YE Chan, Queen's School of Business, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6. Tel: +1 613 533 2364; Fax: +1 613 533 2321; E-mail: ychan@business.queensu.ca

Abstract

We provide a review of the alignment literature in IT, addressing questions such as: What have we learned? What is disputed? Who are contributors to the debate? The article is intended to be useful to faculty and graduate students considering conducting research on alignment, instructors preparing lectures, and practitioners seeking to assess the 'state-of-play'. It is both informational and provocative. Challenges to the value of alignment research, divergent views, and new perspectives on alignment are presented. It is hoped that the article will spark helpful conversation on the merits of continued investigation of IT alignment.