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Innovations rapidly evolve
industry, and sometimes, change occurs too quickly for companies to
keep pace and remain integrated. A prime example is technology
governance. The author has studied the issue of technology governance
since 1980, making him well-suited to proposing a framework for change.
His book establishes a solid foundation of knowledge for executives. It
provides straightforward explanations of how the author defines
governance, corporate governance, industrial technology, and technology
governance, among others. It should be noted that the author uses a
broad, old-fashioned definition of technology, which he explains using
the Streams Model of Technology.
After establishing the groundwork, the author covers the
“Conglosphere,” which refers to the Corporate Governance Ecosystem of
conglomerates. Here, he argues that all systems within a corporate
ecosystem must be fully integrated, such as through the use of a
secure, online board portal. Later, Zia-ur-Rehman moves on to an
in-depth look at technology governance through the lens of the Streams
Model of Technology. He provides several hypothetical case studies,
which readers should find particularly useful for improving their
understanding of the need for each stream of technology to keep pace
with the others.
In the rest of the book, the author delves more deeply into such
critical issues as risk management, independent governance, data usage
and security, continual and cross-compliance, and COBIT 5 (Control
Objectives in Information Technology). Zia-ur-Rehman’s work is an
exhaustive and intensive proposal for best practices in mid-size and
large companies, and it ought to be considered required reading for
top-level management and board members. The author explains governance
matters in a clear, convincing way that should serve as a clarion call
to nurture growth by implementing technology governance.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review