Transcript of KPMG's Dan Manley on IT and Security Governance

Management Guidelines

Swart: There are a lot of issues that are gaining prominence in IT management today, and one of the most interesting seems to be IT governance. I was wondering if you could summarize IT governance and why it is getting so much attention lately.

Manley: Richard, IT governance helps make sure that companies have the right systems and software in place to accomplish corporate goals. It drives efficiency and effectiveness of controls in a consistent manner, essentially making sure that the IT department and the operations department are dancing the same dance. IT governance can help align the IT strategy with the business strategy. As a result, KPMG has observed that companies are having more effective conversations related to risk management and the financial investment needs they require to develop a specific operating capability that meets the needs of the business within the overall organizational structure. It’s getting a lot of attention right now because the marketplace environment has changed so significantly, and business models continue to evolve as a result of merger and acquisition activity, alliances and outsourcing. More than ever, companies need to take stock of what IT capabilities exist in the organization, how it operates, how it is controlled, and whether it needs to be monitored on an ongoing basis.

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