CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
An organization is implementing a new IT governance framework. Which of the following is the PRIMARY benefit of aligning IT strategy with business strategy?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is choosing a tangible, operational benefit like reduced costs or increased efficiency, which are outcomes of good IT management but not the primary benefit of strategic alignment; the exam expects you to recognize that alignment drives resource allocation toward business value.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Improved resource allocation
Aligning IT strategy with business strategy ensures that IT investments and initiatives directly support business objectives, leading to more effective prioritization and allocation of resources (budget, personnel, technology) to areas that deliver the most value. This alignment is a core goal of IT governance frameworks like COBIT, which emphasize value delivery and resource optimization.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increased technical efficiency
Why it's wrong here
Technical efficiency concerns how well systems perform, not whether IT initiatives match business goals. Alignment's primary benefit is ensuring IT delivers business value and supports objectives. Increased efficiency tempts because governance often improves operations, yet efficiency can rise while IT remains misaligned with business strategy.
- ✓
Improved resource allocation
Why this is correct
Aligning IT strategy with business strategy ensures IT investments, staffing and budgets target the organisation's actual priorities. This directly produces improved resource allocation, since resources flow to initiatives that demonstrably support business objectives rather than isolated technical goals.
- ✗
Reduced IT costs
Why it's wrong here
Cost reduction is a possible outcome of good governance, but not the primary benefit of aligning IT with business strategy. Alignment chiefly ensures IT investments deliver business value and support objectives. Reduced costs tempt because efficiency gains often follow, yet alignment can justifiably increase spend on strategic initiatives.
- ✗
Enhanced security posture
Why it's wrong here
Security posture improves through controls, risk treatment and monitoring, not through strategy alignment itself. Alignment's primary benefit is directing IT investment toward business objectives and value delivery. Enhanced security tempts because governance frameworks include security components, but that is a by-product, not the stated primary benefit.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
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