How Enterprise Architecture Loses Momentum: A Case of Delegitimization

Owing to the necessity of effectively establishing enterprise architecture (EA) in an organizational context, there is a growing stream of research to examine the assimilation and institutionalization of EA in organizations. Our study aims to contribute to this stream by giving rise to the legitimacy of EA as the cornerstone of its institutionalization. To this end, we investigate four criteria of legitimacy, namely regulatory, pragmatic, normative, and cultural-cognitive legitimacy, in a case organization that lost legitimacy for its EA practices. We found criticality of regulatory and pragmatic legitimacy that need to be obtained effectively and promptly in order to grant sufficient time for normative and cultural-cognitive types of legitimacy to be attained.