15 15 15 15 15 Jan-Mar 1999 Jan-Mar 1999 Jan-Mar 1999 Jan-Mar 1999 Jan-Mar 1999 Information Resources Management Journal Information Resources Management Journal Information Resources Management Journal Information Resources Management Journal Information Resources Management Journal Vol. 12, No. 1 Manuscript originally submitted September 4, 1995; Revised September 6, 1996; Accepted December 17, 1996 for publication. Copyright ©1999, Idea Group Publishing. Background Background Background Background Background For a long-time relationship between information sys- tem functions and corporate strategy was not of much interest to top management of firms. Information Systems were thought to be synonymous with corporate data processing and treated as some back-room operation in support of day-to-day mundane tasks (Rockart, 1979). In the 80's and 90's, however, there has been a growing realization of the need to make information systems a strategic asset to an organization. Consequently, strategic information systems planning (SISP) has become a critical issue. In many industry surveys, im- proved SISP is often mentioned as the most serious challenge facing IS managers (Pavri and Ang, 1995; Beath and Orlikowski, 1994; Martin, 1993; Porter and Miller, 1985). King (1995) in his recent article has argued that a strategic capability architecture - a flexible and continuously improv- ing infrastructure of organizational capabilities - is the pri- mary basis for a company’s sustainable competitive advan- tage. In fact, the concept of core competence in corporate competitiveness has further highlighted the significance of Information Systems in a world that is increasingly relying on information technology (IT) , since IS has the promise of producing core competencies. SISP is the analysis of a corporation's information and processes using business information models together with the evaluation of risk, current needs, and requirements. The result is an action plan showing the desired course of events necessary to align information use and needs with the strate- gic direction of the company (Battaglia, 1991). There is a growing realization that the application of IT to a firm's strategic activities has been one of the most common and effective ways to improve business performance. In this paper, we review the existing methodologies for An Integrated Framework An Integrated Framework An Integrated Framework An Integrated Framework An Integrated Framework for Strategic Information Systems for Strategic Information Systems for Strategic Information Systems for Strategic Information Systems for Strategic Information Systems Planning and Development Planning and Development Planning and Development Planning and Development Planning and Development SOMENDRA PANT SOMENDRA PANT SOMENDRA PANT SOMENDRA PANT SOMENDRA PANT Clarkson University Clarkson University Clarkson University Clarkson University Clarkson University CHENG HSU CHENG HSU CHENG HSU CHENG HSU CHENG HSU Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Information has emerged as an agent of integration and the enabler of new competitiveness for today's enterprise in the global marketplace. However, has the paradigm of strategic planning changed sufficiently to support the new role of information systems and technology? We reviewed the literature for commonly used or representative information planning methodologies and found that certain insufficiencies exist. There are six major such methodologies and all of them seem to lack an ability to connect IS strategy to corporate strategy or IS planning to IS development. An integration of strategy with planning and development through enterprise information resources - which capture and characterize the enterprise - will shorten the response cycle for employing and deploying IS to achieve competitiveness. A reference model and the outline of a methodology is towards that end is proposed in this work.