COBIT is the best known and most widely used framework for IT governance. Using COBIT, organisations can design a governance system to make sure that the use of Information Technology delivers value to the organisation and thus contributes to the achievement of the strategic objectives. The UGentMIS team has been involved in the development of COBIT’s latest version, i.e., COBIT 2019.

Enterprise Architecture is concerned with creating and assuring the coherence of the difference components of an organisation, with a specific focus on the more formal process and technology oriented components, to ensure that the organisation behaves as a system that is directed towards achieving the organisational goals. Enterprise architects use frameworks like TOGAF and modelling languages like ArchiMate to analyse and integrate current and future projects aimed at enhancing or developing new capabilities, in line with the strategic direction set out for goal achievement. The UGentMIS team has extensive experience and expertise in Enterprise Architecture research, with an emphasis on Business Architecture, strategic fit, and model-based analysis.

During our participation in the COBIT 2019 development, we noted that the goals of COBIT are not that much different of the goals of Enterprise Architecture, though the way to achieve these goals is different. As both implementation of governance and Enterprise Architecture is expensive, this raises the question why two separate approaches are needed.

This thesis therefore explores the similarities and differences in IT Governance (via COBIT) and Enterprise Architecture (possibly via TOGAF/ArchiMate) to find out what the opportunities are to further align these approaches, e.g., how can these approaches strengthen each other? Are there opportunities for integration of both approaches? The purpose of this explorative research is to come with well argued suggestions for further research.

The type of study is primarily theory-oriented (= desk research), though a field testing of the findings (e.g., by means of an expert panel) could be a valuable element in the research methodology. Both themes (Enterprise Architecture, Governance) are at the core of the Business Engineering discipline, and thus a suitable thesis topic for MSc. Bus. Eng. students.