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22 CHAPTER 3 Overview of a data governance program

then making sure you are very clear as to the definition of data governance’s reach and span in light of
these factors. The three factors to consider that affect the scope of DG are:
• Business modeldThe type of organization, its corporate hierarchy, and its operating environment.
• Content being governeddThe type of content (data, information, documents, etc.), its location, and
its business relevance.
• Degree of federationdThe extent or intensity by which different content is governed.

Business Model

For example, a large multinational company does not have to deploy a global DG program from the
initial mention of the word governance. The scope can be a self-contained line of business. Suppose
you are a large international chemical company. Your business model may contain pharmaceutical,
agricultural, and refining divisions. All of these would operate on a more or less self-contained basis.
You may then have three DG “programs” that are each similar in makeup, but separately accountable.
Then again, what if you are a global retailer with a tightly woven international supply chain? The
scope of your data governance is most likely global.
In Figure 3-1, Company A is a large multinational organization, but all regions share its data
and content. DG would therefore be applied across the entire entity. Remember, applied is not the

FIGURE 3-1
Data Governance Scope.