Abstract
More and more firms urge their procurement departments to optimize their processes and leverage IT in order to reduce costs, increase quality and sustainability of received products and services, and shorten delivery times. Already in the nineties of the previous century Henderson and Venkatraman (IBM Systems Journal 32(1):4–16, 1993) identified business/IT-alignment as a key to organizational performance. Many maturity and IT-alignment models have since been developed, yet, specific procurement maturity models, including business/IT-alignment principles, are scarce. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of procurement maturity models that include IT-alignment. We start with a presentation of business/IT-alignment principles, detailing dimensions (areas of concern) for alignment, specifically for the procurement domain. Subsequently, maturity principles are discussed, resulting in maturity levels for the procurement domain. Finally, an in depth study of a specialized procurement model for the construction industry is presented, in which simulation techniques for testing are successfully applied. The discussed models and application justify a business/IT-alignment approach for procurement departments.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barriball, K. L., & While, A. (1994). Collecting data using a semi-structured interview: a discussion paper. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 19, 328–335.
Batenburg, R., Helms, R., & Versendaal, J. (2006). PLM roadmap: stepwise PLM implementation based on the concepts of maturity and alignment. International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management, 1(4), 333–351.
Batenburg, R., & Versendaal, J. (2004). Business alignment in the CRM domain: Predicting CRM performance. Paper presented at the 12th European conference on information systems. Turku, Finland.
Batenburg, R., & Versendaal, J. (2008). Maturity matters: Performance determinants of the procurement business function. Paper presented at the 16th European conference on information systems. Galway, Ireland.
Becker, J., Niehaves, B., Pöppelbuß, J. & Simons, A. (2010). Maturity models in IS research. Paper presented at the 18th European conference on information systems, Pretoria, South Africa.
Beukers, M., Versendaal, J., Batenburg, R., & Brinkkemper, S. (2006). The procurement alignment framework: construction and application. Wirtschaftsinformatik, 48(5), 323–330.
Bresnen, M., Goussevskaia, A., & Swan, J. (2004). Embedding new management knowledge in project-based organizations. Organization Studies, 25(9), 1535–1555.
Bresnen, M., & Marshall, N. (2000). Partnering in construction: a critical review of issues, problems and dilemmas. Construction Management and Economics, 18(2), 229–237.
Brinkkemper, S., Saeki, M., van de Weerd, I., & Versendaal, J. (2008). Process improvement in requirements management: a method engineering approach. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 5052, 6–22.
Brynjolfsson, E. (1993). The productivity paradox of information technology. Communications of the ACM, 36(12), 67–77.
Consulting, C. (2008). Supplier relationship management solutions: SRM research 2008–2009 solution analyses and business insights. Utrecht: Capgemini.
Cheng, J. C. P., Law, K. H., Bjornsson, H., Jones, A., & Sriram, R. (2010). A service oriented framework for construction supply chain integration. Automation in Construction, 19(2), 245–260.
Clemens, E. K., Reddi, S. P., & Row, M. C. (1993). The impact of information technology on the organization of economic activity: the ‘move to the middle’ hypothesis. Journal of Management Information Systems, 10(2), 9–35.
Croom, S., & Brandon-Jones, A. (2007). Impact of e-procurement: experiences from implementation in the UK public sector. Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management, 13, 294–303.
De Boer, L., Harink, J., & Heijboer, G. (2002). A conceptual model for assessing the impact of electronic procurement. European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 8(1), 25–33.
Dubois, A., & Gadde, L.-E. (2002). The construction industry as a loosely coupled system—implications for productivity and innovatively. Construction Management and Economics, 20(7), 621–631.
Eadie, R., Perera, S., & Heaney, G. (2010). Identification of e-procurement drivers and barriers for UK construction organizations and ranking of these from the perspective of quantity surveyors. Journal of Information Technology in Construction, 15.
Gann, D. M., & Salter, A. J. (1998). Learning and innovation management in project-based, service-enhanced firms. International Journal of Innovation Management, 2(4), 431–454.
Gann, D. M., & Salter, A. J. (2000). Innovation in project-based, service-enhanced firms: the construction of complex products and systems. Research Policy, 29(7–8), 955–972.
Griffee, D. T. (2005). Research tips: interview data collection. Journal of Developmental Education, 28(3), 36–37.
Henderson, J. C., & Venkatraman, N. (1993). Strategic alignment: leveraging information technology for transforming organizations. IBM Systems Journal, 32(1), 4–16.
Hevner, A. R., March, S. T., Park, J., & Ram, S. (2004). Design science in information systems research. MIS Quarterly, 28(1), 75–105.
Hobday, M. (2000). The project-based organization: an ideal form for managing complex products and systems? Research Policy, 29(7–8), 871–893.
Hutchinson, S., & Skodol-Wilson, H. (1992). Validity threats in scheduled semi structured research interviews. Nursing Research, 41(2), 117–119.
Kroese, E., Teuling, J. den., Versendaal, J., Batenburg, R. & Kamp-Slootweg, H. van de (2008). Aligning procurement: An e-procurement mapping and deployment model. Paper presented at the 17th Annual conference of the international purchasing & supply education and research association, Perth, Australia.
Law, A. M. (2009). How to build valid and credible simulation models. Paper presented at the 37th Conference on winter simulation, Austin, USA.
Lawinski, J. (2011). Business, IT alignment a top priority for CIOs. CIO insight newsletter. retrieved 2012-09-10, from http://www.cioinsight.com/c/a/IT-Management/Business-IT-Alignment-a-Top-Priority-for-CIOs-547064/.
Leech, L. B. (2002). Techniques for semi structured interviews. Political Science and Politics, 35(4), 665–668.
Loggen, R., Havenith, M., Spekschoor, J., Versendaal, J., & Ravesteijn, P. (2011). Business process management in The Netherlands (In Dutch). Utrecht: Capgemini Nederland.
Luftman, J.N., Papp, R. & Brier, T. (1999). Enablers and Inhibitors of Business-IT Alignment. Communications of the Association for Information System, Vol 1. Article 11.
Maes, R., Rijsenbrij, D., Truijens, O., & Goedvolk, H. (2000). Redefining business-IT alignment through a unified framework. Amsterdam: Universiteit van Amsterdam.
Mettler, T., & Rohner, P. (2009). Situational maturity models as instrumental artifacts for organizational design. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology, Philadelphia, PA.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Minahan, T. & Degan, G. (2001). Best practices in e-procurement. Boston: Aberdeen group. The abridged report. Retrieved 2010-03-01 from http://www.hedgehog.com/resources/e-ProcurementAbridged.pdf.
Monczka, R. M., Petersen, K. J., Handfield, R. B., & Ragatz, G. L. (1998). Success factors in strategic supplier alliances: the buying company perspective. Decision Sciences, 29(3), 553–573.
Paulk, M. C., Curtis, B., Chrissis, M. B., & Weber, C. V. (1993). Capability maturity model, version 1.1. IEEE Software, 10(4), 18–27.
Plomp, M. & Batenburg, R. (2009). Procurement maturity, alignment and performance: A Dutch hospital case comparison. Paper presented at the 22nd Bled eConference, Bled, Slovenia.
Pollice, F. & Fleury, A. (2011). The link between purchasing and supply management maturity models and the financial performance of international firms. Retrieved 2011-11-03 from http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/cim/symposium2010/proceedings/3_pollice.pdf.
Pooley, R. (2007). Behavioral equivalence in simulation modeling. Simulation Modeling Practice and Theory, 15, 1–20.
Rankin, J. H., & Luther, R. (2006). The innovation process: adoption of information and communication technology for the construction industry. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 33(12), 1538–1546.
Raschke, R.L. & Ingraham, L.R. (2010). Business process maturity’s effect on performance. Paper presented at the 16th Americas conference on information systems, Lima, Peru.
Rosemann, M. & de Bruin, T. (2005). Towards a business process management maturity model. Paper presented at the 13th European conference on information systems, Regensburg, Germany.
Rozemeijer, F. (2000). How to manage corporate purchasing synergy in a decentralized company? Towards design rules for managing and organizing purchasing synergy in decentralized companies. European Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management, 6(1), 5–12.
Scheper, W. (2002). Business IT alignment: Solution for the productivity paradox (In Dutch). Utrecht: Deloitte & Touche.
Schiele, H. (2007). Supply-management maturity, cost savings and purchasing absorptive capacity: testing the procurement-performance link. Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 13(4), 274–293.
Stalenhoef, K., Goedhart, E., van de Kamp, H., & van der Heijden, G. (2007). World-class purchasing. Utrecht: Berenschot.
Thiry, M., & Deguire, M. (2007). Recent developments in project-based organizations. International Journal of Project Management, 25(7), 649–658.
Treacy, M., & Wiersema, F. (1996). Discipline of market leaders: Choose your customer, narrow your focus, dominate your market. London: Harper-Collins.
Turban, E., McLean, E., & Wetherbe, J. (1999). Information technology for management: making connections for strategic advantage. Chichester: Wiley.
Versendaal, J., & Brinkkemper, S. (2003). Benefits and success factors of buyer-owned electronic trading exchanges: procurement at Komatsu America Corporation. Journal of Information Technology Cases and Applications, 5(4), 39–52.
van Weele, A. J. (2005). Purchasing and supply chain management: Analysis, strategy, planning and practice. London: Thomson International.
Weele, A. J. van, Rozemeijer, F.A. & Rietveld, G. (2000). Professional development of purchasing in organizations: Towards a purchasing development model. Global purchasing & supply chain strategies. Retrieved 2011-10-03, from http://www.touchbriefings.com/cdps/cditem.cfm?nid=977&cid=9.
van de Wijngaert, L., Versendaal, J., & Matla, R. (2008). Business IT alignment and technology adoption; the case of RFID in the logistics domain. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 3(1), 71–80.
Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Yitmen, I. (2007). The challenge of change for innovation in construction: a North Cyprus perspective. Building and Environment, 42(3), 1319–1328.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Hans-Dieter Zimmermann
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Versendaal, J., van den Akker, M., Xing, X. et al. Procurement maturity and IT-alignment models: overview and a case study. Electron Markets 23, 295–306 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-013-0130-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-013-0130-x