Business Alignment in Agile/Virtual Enterprise Integration

Abstract

The concept of strategic alignment between business strategy and technology is essential for improving competitiveness. The driving force of business is to fully satisfy customer needs with the right products/services, at the right price, and with the required quality and responsiveness in a global competitive market. In this context, by alignment we mean the actions to be undertaken to gain synergy between business, that is, a market opportunity, and the provision of the required product, with the required specifications, at the required time, with the lowest cost and with the best possible return. In this chapter we focus on a leading organizational model, the Agile/Virtual Enterprise model, characterized by a fast reconfigurability or adaptability face to the dynamically changing market and introduce the concept of a Market of Resources as the environment able to assure a permanent alignment of the networked structure with market. We also propose alignment strategies between business opportunities and the creation/reconfiguration of the Agile/Virtual Enterprise that is expected to meet that opportunity.