What does ITIL suggest about the relationship between IT and business strategy?

The relationship between IT and business strategy is crucial for the overall success and effectiveness of an organization. ITIL emphasizes that IT should be aligned with business strategy to ensure that IT services are designed, delivered, and managed in a way that maximizes value for the organization. This alignment helps in understanding business needs and goals, ensuring that technology and services support and drive these objectives effectively.

When IT and business strategies are aligned, it allows for a more coordinated effort in delivering products and services that meet customer demands and adapt to changing market conditions. This alignment not only facilitates better resource allocation but also enhances communication and collaboration between IT and other business units, ultimately leading to improved outcomes and increased organizational agility. Organizations that embrace this alignment can more readily respond to changes in the business environment, innovate, and improve service delivery.

In contrast, operating IT independently from business strategy, focusing solely on technology, or mirroring past strategies can lead to a disconnect between what the organization needs and what IT delivers, resulting in inefficiencies, decreased value, and possibly the failure to meet organizational goals.