By Johna Till Johnson, Network World, 11/28/05

When working with clients, one of the things I try hard to assess is how the organization views technology: Is it a strategic competitive advantage or a necessary evil?

There's no right answer - for some companies, technology is a necessary evil, and the right amount to spend on it is as little as possible. For others, IT can be the critical component in overall success or failure. The true challenge of assessing an IT culture is making sure it's in line with the company's business drivers - that is, making sure that there's a fit between the company's business drivers and the way it views technology.