easyMultiple Choice
CISA Practice Question: Is a key principle of corporate governance of IT…
Which of the following is a key principle of corporate governance of IT according to ISO/IEC 38500?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the principles of specific IT management frameworks (like Agile, ITIL, or COBIT) with the high-level corporate governance principles defined in ISO/IEC 38500, leading them to select a familiar-sounding but incorrect option.
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
✓
Responsibility
ISO/IEC 38500 defines six key principles for the corporate governance of IT: Responsibility, Strategy, Acquisition, Performance, Conformance, and Human Behaviour. The 'Responsibility' principle mandates that individuals and groups within the organization understand and accept their responsibilities for the supply of, and demand for, IT. This is the foundational governance principle because it establishes clear accountability, which is necessary for all other governance activities to function effectively.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Progress iteratively
Why it's wrong here
ISO/IEC 38500 principles are evaluate, direct, and monitor; iterative progress belongs to ITIL or agile delivery. It is tempting because iterative working is a genuine service-management practice, which would be correct if the question asked about continual improvement rather than board-level governance.
- ✗
Optimize and automate
Why it's wrong here
ISO/IEC 38500's principles are responsibility, strategy, acquisition, performance, conformance and human behaviour. Optimise and automate belongs to ITIL's four dimensions, so it addresses service management practise rather than board-level governance of IT direction and accountability.
- ✗
Focus on value
Why it's wrong here
ISO/IEC 38500 lists responsibility, strategy, acquisition, performance, conformance, and human behaviour; value focus is not one of them. It is tempting because value delivery is a recognised governance outcome, which would be correct if the question asked about COBIT objectives rather than 38500 principles.
- ✓
Responsibility
Why this is correct
Responsibility is a core ISO/IEC 38500 principle, requiring that individuals and groups within the organisation understand and accept their responsibilities for IT supply and demand. It directly satisfies the stem's requirement by naming the governance principle governing accountability for IT.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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