IT governance is the process of ensuring that IT supports and enables the achievement of the enterprise’s goals and objectives, and delivers value to the stakeholders1. Stakeholders are the individuals or groups that have a stake in the success or failure of IT governance, such as board members, senior management, business units, IT function, customers, suppliers, regulators, and society1. By considering stakeholders’ support, an enterprise can ensure that the IT governance framework is aligned with and driven by the stakeholders’ needs, expectations, and interests1. Stakeholders’ support can also help to facilitate the communication, collaboration, and decision-making processes among the IT governance participants, and to gain their commitment and buy-in for the IT governance implementation and improvement1.
The other options are not as important as stakeholders’ support, as they are either specific aspects or outcomes of IT governance, but not comprehensive factors. Information technology risk is the potential for negative consequences due to the use or misuse of IT within an enterprise. Information technology risk can affect the IT governance framework, but it is not the most important factor to consider, as it is only one of the many elements that influence ITgovernance2. Framework development cost is the amount of money and resources required to design and implement the IT governance framework. Framework development cost can affect the IT governance framework, but it is not the most important factor to consider, as it is only one of the many criteria that evaluate IT governance3. Information technology strategy is the plan that defines how the IT function supports and enables the overall business strategy and objectives of an enterprise. Information technology strategy can affect the IT governance framework, but it is not the most important factor to consider, as it is only one of the many components that constitute IT governance
