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Why Information Systems Projects are Abandoned: A Leadership and Communication Theory and Exploratory Study
Abstract
It is estimated that about one third of all information systems (IS) development projects are abandoned before completion. The resulting financial damage in the United States alone is about $100 billion annually. Numerous articles in trade journals, and some in academic journals, have pointed at many different reasons for project failures. Data regarding reasons for IS project abandonment were collected from a sample of chief information officers and their immediate subordinates, all of whom have several years of IS development experience and have experienced at least one abandoned project Results of factor analysis of a 30-item list of reasons for IS project failures produced five major factors: lack of corporate leadership, poorly communicated goals/deliverables, inadequate skills and means, poor project management, and deviation from timetable/budget We then proposed a model of the underlying relationships among these factors based on the leadership and communications literature. Results of partial least squares data analysis method provided some support for a model of the underlying relationships among these factors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
... Developers who were motivated and committed to a project were more likely to ensure that the project was successfully completed. According to Oz & Sosik [2000], developer motivation is likely to be influenced by both the organizational context and the composition and culture of the project team. Developers may be motivated by effective leadership, a positive working environment, a sense of being involved, positive feedback, and where they enjoy a reasonable level of autonomy or responsibility. ...
... Similarly, lack of top management support is considered an important project risk factor [Kappelman et al., 2006;Keil et al., 1998;Schmidt et al., 2001;Sumner, 2000] and has been implicated in challenged, abandoned or failed projects [Oz & Sosik, 2000;Martin & Chan, 1996]. In a survey of UK and New Zealand project managers, Yetton et al. [2000] found support for the hypothesis that a project with senior management support was more likely to be completed and not redefined or abandoned. ...
... Communication between participants in a project can be informal or formal, direct or indirect, one-way or twoway [Amoako-Gyampah & White, 1997;Butler, 2003;Butler & Fitzgerald, 2001;Gallivan & Keil, 2003]. Communication is influential through the role it plays in facilitating information exchange, mutual understanding and collaboration, and in identifying and resolving conflicts [Amoako-Gyampah & White, 1997;Keil et al., 2002;Oz & Sosik, 2000]. It has been suggested that establishing a shared language or vocabulary between participants is important for achieving effective dialogue [Marion & Marion, 1998]. ...
Determining the factors that have an influence on software systems development and deployment project outcomes has been the focus of extensive and ongoing research for more than 30 years. We provide here a survey of the research literature that has addressed this topic in the period 1996-2006, with a particular focus on empirical analyses. On the basis of this survey we present a new classification framework that represents an abstracted and synthesized view of the types of factors that have been asserted as influencing project outcomes.
... All Planning success factors are listed in Table 1. [5], [18], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31], [32], [33], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44], [45], [46], [47], [48], [49], [50], [51], [52], [53], [54], [55], [56], [57], [58], [59], [60], [61], [62], [63], [64], [65], [66], [67], [68], [69], [70], [71], [72], [73], [74] 49 56% ...
... Requirement specification and scope [11], [12], [18], [20], [26], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [43], [45], [47], [49], [50], [52], [53], [55], [56], [58], [60], [62], [67], [68], [69], [70], [71], [74], [75], [76], [77], [78], [79], [80], [81], [82], [83], [84] 41 47% ...
... Definition and understanding of project goals, mission and vision [5], [11], [12], [18], [26], [28], [30], [32], [33], [34], [37], [43], [45], [47], [48], [50], [52], [58], [60], [61], [63], [66], [67], [68], [69], [72], [74], [75], [76], [77], [81], [83], [85], [86], [87], [88], [89], [90], [91] 39 44% ...
The purpose of this paper is to identify and collect most commonly discussed project
success factors in the context of information systems (IS) projects. Through the process of review of
88 books, relevant studies and scientific works 72 success factors were detected, with a total of 689
appearances, which are then classified into six factor groups: Planning, Project team, Project
management, Development, Customer, Project facilitation. The paper reveals that factors that were
recognized as the most critical ones for the success of information systems projects by majority of
authors belong first to Planning, and then to Project team and Project management groups of factors.
Findings in this paper are expected to serve as a valuable theoretical basis for future empirical
research of success and failure of projects in modern information technologies (IT) organizations,
and development of related IS project success models.
Keywords: Project success, project success factors, information systems, literature review.
... Seven studies conducted by renowned authors in the field of project risk management were identified from the research literature (Boehm, 1989;DeMarco & Lister, 2003;Schmidt et al., 2001;Keil et al., 1998;Addison & Vallabh, 2002;Oz & Sosik, 2000;Jiang et al., 2001). ...
... In a survey of IS executives, Oz and Sosik (2000) collected quantitative and qualitative data about reasons why IS projects are abandoned in an extensive literature search (Kloppenborg & Tesch, 2004). Thirty items were identified as reasons for IS project abandonment from trade and academic journals. ...
... • 'Lack of team expertise/ Lack of required knowledge/skills' was present in 5 of the 7 lists (Jiang & Klein, 2001;Schmidt et al., 2001;Keil et al., 1998;Addison & Vallabh, 2002;Oz & Sosik, 2000). ...
This paper reports on an analysis of risk factors relevant to South African software projects. Seven of the most widely cited studies in the research literature regarding software project risk were evaluated along with a detailed examination of the 53 risk factors developed by Schmidt, Lyytinen, Keil Cule (2001). Forty completed questionnaires, submitted by software project managers, were analysed.
The main findings of this research were: Project managers of varying experience perceived different software risks to be important
Risks relating to quality, cost, time, requirements or methodology were not perceived to be more important than risks relating to people, relationships or change) by project managers
The top ten most important risks as perceived by project managers were: Lack of top management commitment to the project
Unclear/ misunderstood scope/ objectives
Schedule Flaw
Lack of client responsibility, ownership and buy-in of the project and it’s delivered systems
No planning or inadequate planning
Project not based on sound business case
Lack of available skilled personnel
Not managing change properly
Lack of adequate user involvement
Poor risk management
From this list it was noted that risks number 5, 6, 7 and 8 were unique to this study and were not found in prior studies in the research literature. It was concluded that the importance of these risks may be unique to South African software projects.
... Seven studies conducted by renowned authors in the field of project risk management were identified from the research literature (Boehm, 1989;DeMarco & Lister, 2003;Schmidt et al., 2001;Keil et al., 1998;Addison & Vallabh, 2002;Oz & Sosik, 2000;Jiang et al., 2001). ...
... In a survey of IS executives, Oz and Sosik (2000) collected quantitative and qualitative data about reasons why IS projects are abandoned in an extensive literature search (Kloppenborg & Tesch, 2004). Thirty items were identified as reasons for IS project abandonment from trade and academic journals. ...
... • 'Lack of team expertise/ Lack of required knowledge/skills' was present in 5 of the 7 lists (Jiang & Klein, 2001;Schmidt et al., 2001;Keil et al., 1998;Addison & Vallabh, 2002;Oz & Sosik, 2000). ...
This paper analyses the risk factors relevant to South African software projects. Findings included the fact that project managers of varying experience perceive a different set of important risks.In addition, hard risks were not perceived as more important than soft risks (people related). Lack of top management commitment was the highest risk.
... Schmidt et al. (2001) propose a risk framework comprising of 14 factorscorporate environment, sponsorship/ownership, relationship management, project management, scope, requirements, funding, scheduling, development process, personnel, staffing, technology, external dependencies, and planning. Oz and Sosik (2000) proposes a five-factor modellack of corporate leadership, poorly communicated goals/deliverables, inadequate skills and means, poor project management, and deviation from timetable/budget. Nidumolu (1995) discusses risks related to project coordination. ...
... This factor underlies the risk variables, allocation of core team, allocation of whole team and team competency (Addison and Vallabh 2002;Oz and Sosik 2000;Schmidt et al. 2001;Thomas and Bhasi 2012). PM must be competent in understanding the overall software requirements, resource requirements, estimating the effort and preparing the project plan. ...
Global software development (GSD) is an area that receives much attention from researchers today. In this context, we undertook an investigation of the variation of risk profile in offshore-outsourced software projects, across the software life cycle. The scope of the investigation was limited to risks associated with technical aspects, methods, and procedures used in software development. Based on literature survey, we developed a questionnaire to measure the risks and outcomes in software projects. Using the questionnaire, we conducted a survey of 145 software projects executed by global IT companies. We built a structural equation model showing the interdependence of underlying risk factors and their influence on project outcome. We further explored how the risk profile varied across the software life cycle stages such as development, maintenance, and modernization.
... ( Barki, Rivard, & Talbot, 1993) [40] Less expertise, technological advancement, size of application, Application complexity and environment of organization 3 ( Nidumolu, 1995) [41] Coordination in project 4 ( Wallace, 1999) [42] Environment of organization, Users and Development team 5 ( Oz & Sosik, 2000) [43] Leadership faults, inappropriate communication, absence of skills, less project management and deviation from actual scope line 6 ( Schmidt, 2001) [44] Project Management, Relationship Management, Scope, Planning, Development process, Requirements, Funding, Scheduling and Technology 7 ( Tesch, 2007) [45] Relationship Management, Ownership, Funds and Schedules, Scope and Requirements ...
... ( Barki, Rivard, & Talbot, 1993) [40] Less expertise, technological advancement, size of application, Application complexity and environment of organization 3 ( Nidumolu, 1995) [41] Coordination in project 4 ( Wallace, 1999) [42] Environment of organization, Users and Development team 5 ( Oz & Sosik, 2000) [43] Leadership faults, inappropriate communication, absence of skills, less project management and deviation from actual scope line 6 ( Schmidt, 2001) [44] Project Management, Relationship Management, Scope, Planning, Development process, Requirements, Funding, Scheduling and Technology 7 ( Tesch, 2007) [45] Relationship Management, Ownership, Funds and Schedules, Scope and Requirements ...
... Well formulated ICT strategies make it possible to identify and define the right ICT projects, however defining the right projects do not imply that the projects will be successful. Studies suggests there are several reasons for ICT project failure (Aladwani, 2002;Oz & Sosik, 2000). Research that contributes to identify factors to improve ICT strategy and project processes can have normative as well as economic implications for organizations. ...
... However, in studies of ICT project success the rarity of the user perspective is more surprising. Oz and Sosik's (2000) study of why information system projects are abandoned provides an example of such. They gathered data from ICT management in organizations to explain the phenomenon. ...
This study adds to the body of knowledge in research of ICTs in organizations by exploring the relevance of alignment between ICT users and managers responsible for the ICT strategy and ICT project processes. Alignment research is usually conducted at an organizational analytical level, but this study explores alignment between individuals by addressing ICT managers and ICT users, considering both the organizational and individual perspectives. Data was collected by interviewing ICT users and the CIO in a Norwegian entrepreneur corporation. Using a grounded theory analytical approach, the findings provide support for an emerging User Management Alignment Model (UMAM) where the outcome is better ICT strategy and project processes.
... Information systems (IS) project management has been seen as a challenging task, with critical reasons for failure including a lack of top management engagement and support, a weak project champion, inadequate information requirements determination, communication issues, organisational politics, lack of user involvement and participation, and change management problems generally (Flowers 1997;Kappelman, McKeeman and Zhang 2006;Oz and Sosik 2000). Given that political issues are among the critical causes of failure of IS implementation projects (Kappelman et al. 2006;Oz and Sosik 2000), power and how it is exercised are important factors in successful IS projects (Jasperson et al. 2002). ...
... Information systems (IS) project management has been seen as a challenging task, with critical reasons for failure including a lack of top management engagement and support, a weak project champion, inadequate information requirements determination, communication issues, organisational politics, lack of user involvement and participation, and change management problems generally (Flowers 1997;Kappelman, McKeeman and Zhang 2006;Oz and Sosik 2000). Given that political issues are among the critical causes of failure of IS implementation projects (Kappelman et al. 2006;Oz and Sosik 2000), power and how it is exercised are important factors in successful IS projects (Jasperson et al. 2002). IS implementation projects redistribute information and power in organisations, and thus power relations are implicated in such projects and affect both project progress and ultimately project success (Backhouse,Hsu and Silva 2006;Silva and Fulk 2012). ...
This paper explores the nature and exercise of power in an interpretive case study of a troubled information systems (IS) implementation in a university in the Asia Pacific region using Turner’s Three-Process Theory of Power based on Social Identity Theory and Self-Categorisation Theory. The findings demonstrate the value of Turner’s theoretical lens as well as its insufficiency for explaining all power related activities. This research has led to the development of an extended Three-Process Theory of Power by adding the alternative components that emerged from the data in the case study in relation to the nature and exercises of power. Based on the findings, we further recommend specific guidelines for IS theoreticians and practitioners including advice to project managers on a range of key issues. Thus, this paper contributes theorising the sources of power and tactical applications of power in given situations, particularly in IS implementation projects.
... A review of the literature suggests that existing studies limit their attention to conflicting stakeholder interests (Ahn & Skudlark, 1997;Oz & Sosik, 2000;Pan, 2005), but these studies either lack empirical evidence or they focus on one particular process or stakeholder group (e.g., Greenhalgh et al., 2010). Therefore, health professionals representing four major stakeholder groups, (1) primary care providers, including nurses (PCP), (2) auditors, (3) administrators, and (4) patients, were surveyed on their perceived expected satisfaction with EHR data availability and perceived expected satisfaction with EHR data portability. ...
... Care delivery in the healthcare industry involves conflicting viewpoints of users (Ahn & Skudlark, 1997;Oz & Sosik, 2000;Pan, 2005) and the support of collaborating inter-professional teams, practice administrators, patients, and practice auditors. Consequently, designing a system that supports all stakeholders' expectations has been a challenging task. ...
A central premise for the creation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) is ensuring the portability of patient health records across various clinical, insurance, and regulatory entities. From portability standards such as International Classification of Diseases (ICD) to data sharing across institutions, a lack of portability of health data can jeopardize optimal care and reduce meaningful use. This research empirically investigates the relationship between health records availability and portability. Using data collected from 168 medical providers and patients, we confirm the positive relationship between user perceptions of expected satisfaction with EHR availability and the expected satisfaction with portability. Our findings contribute to more informed practice by understanding how ensuring the availability of patient data by virtue of enhanced data sharing standards, device independence, and better EHR data integration can subsequently drive perceptions of portability across a multitude of stakeholders.
... With new systems and new technology to be embedded in organisations, IT projects are facing many challenges since they involve organisational changes to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in organisations (Avison and Torkzadeh 2008;Iacovou et al. 2009;Keil and Mahring 2010;Seddon et al. 2010;Standish Group 2004). The commonly identified factors of interest and influence regarding IT project success/failure include: project size and complexity; use of methodology; top management engagement or support; user liaison (or even user resistance); stakeholder communication; organisational politics; and other change management concerns (Gillard 2005;Grainger et al. 2009;Kappelman et al. 2006;Liebowitz 1999;Liu and Deng 2015;Liu et al. 2010;Oz and Sosik 2000;Reich et al. 2008). These factors are related to how to enable change by effectively managing the relationship between corporate management/users and the project, with little attention on IT Project Manager (PM) skills. ...
... Our findings from these stories confirm the importance of particular IT PM skills that have been previously described in the literature (Grainger et al. 2009;Kappelman et al. 2006;Liebowitz 1999;Oz and Sosik 2000), including hard skills, in particular project management expertise, skills for business requirements elicitation and analysis, project planning skills, and soft skills, in particular hands-on management style, communication, and persuasion skills. Moreover, we discovered the need for the additional focus on how an IT PM's personality encourages or inhibits the IT project outcome. ...
As project managers (PMs) play an important role in project success, assigning PMs with appropriate skills and personalities to projects is a crucial task. Empirical research on skill requirements for information technology (IT) PMs is limited and little information systems literature focuses on the role of internally recruited IT PMs. This paper presents a case study of a troubled IT project which was led by three consecutive PMs, all with different backgrounds, skill sets, and personalities. Lessons learned from the three PMs confirm the importance of some skills previously described in the literature, and the need for an additional focus on how an IT PMs personality encourages or inhibits IT project outcomes. Internally recruited PMs usually lack IT project management expertise and experience but were found to have advantages in understanding organisational culture and business processes. Nevertheless, IT project management expertise was found to be a necessity of project success.
... With new systems and new technology to be embedded in organisations, IT projects are facing many challenges since they involve organisational changes to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in organisations (Avison and Torkzadeh 2008;Iacovou et al. 2009;Keil and Mahring 2010;Seddon et al. 2010;Standish Group 2004). The commonly identified factors of interest and influence regarding IT project success/failure include: project size and complexity; use of methodology; top management engagement or support; user liaison (or even user resistance); stakeholder communication; organisational politics; and other change management concerns (Gillard 2005;Grainger et al. 2009;Kappelman et al. 2006;Liebowitz 1999;Liu and Deng 2015;Liu et al. 2010;Oz and Sosik 2000;Reich et al. 2008). These factors are related to how to enable change by effectively managing the relationship between corporate management/users and the project, with little attention on IT Project Manager (PM) skills. ...
... Our findings from these stories confirm the importance of particular IT PM skills that have been previously described in the literature (Grainger et al. 2009;Kappelman et al. 2006;Liebowitz 1999;Oz and Sosik 2000), including hard skills, in particular project management expertise, skills for business requirements elicitation and analysis, project planning skills, and soft skills, in particular hands-on management style, communication, and persuasion skills. Moreover, we discovered the need for the additional focus on how an IT PM's personality encourages or inhibits the IT project outcome. ...
As project managers (PMs) play an important role in project success, assigning PMs with appropriate skills and personalities to projects is a crucial task. Nevertheless, empirical research on skill requirements for information technology (IT) PMs is limited and little information systems literature focuses on the role of internally recruited IT PMs. This paper presents a case study of a troubled IT project led by three consecutive PMs, with a range of backgrounds, skills, and personality types. Across subjects, IT project management was found to be a necessity of project success. Additionally, it was observed that internally recruited PMs showed advantages in understanding organisational culture and business processes. Lessons learned from the three PMs confirm the importance of particular skills previously described in the literature, and the need for an additional focus on how an IT PM's personality facilitates or inhibits IT project outcomes.
... With new systems and new technology to be embedded in organisations, IT projects are facing many challenges since they involve organisational changes to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in organisations (Avison and Torkzadeh 2008; Iacovou et al. 2009; Keil and Mahring 2010; Seddon et al. 2010; Standish Group 2004). The commonly identified factors of interest and influence regarding IT project success/failure include: project size and complexity; use of methodology; top management engagement or support; user liaison (or even user resistance); stakeholder communication; organisational politics; and other change management concerns (Gillard 2005; Grainger et al. 2009; Kappelman et al. 2006; Liebowitz 1999; Liu and Deng 2015; Liu et al. 2010; Oz and Sosik 2000; Reich et al. 2008). These factors are related to how to enable change by effectively managing the relationship between corporate management/users and the project, with little attention on IT Project Manager (PM) skills. ...
... Our findings from these stories confirm the importance of particular IT PM skills that have been previously described in the literature (Grainger et al. 2009; Kappelman et al. 2006; Liebowitz 1999; Oz and Sosik 2000), including hard skills, in particular project management expertise, skills for business requirements elicitation and analysis, project planning skills, and soft skills, in particular hands-on management style, communication, and persuasion skills. Moreover, we discovered the need for the additional focus on how an IT PM's personality encourages or inhibits the IT project outcome. ...
As project managers (PMs) play an important role in project success, assigning PMs with appropriate skills and personalities to projects is a crucial task. Nevertheless, empirical research on skill requirements for information technology (IT) PMs is limited and little information systems literature focuses on the role of internally recruited IT PMs. This paper presents a case study of a troubled IT project led by three consecutive PMs, with a range of backgrounds, skills, and personality types. Across subjects, IT project management was found to be a necessity of project success. Additionally, it was observed that internally recruited PMs showed advantages in understanding organisational culture and business processes. Lessons learned from the three PMs confirm the importance of particular skills previously described in the literature, and the need for an additional focus on how an IT PM's personality facilitates or inhibits IT project outcomes.
... Com relação aos sistemas ERP, os poucos estudos sobre o abandono destes projetos focam nos fatores internos como a dificuldade de ajuste dos processos de negócio à lógica do sistema, falta de clareza nos objetivos do projeto, falta de apoio e envolvimento da alta gerência, pouco domínio e experiência da equipe de implementação, problemas no gerenciamento e métricas de controle do projeto, infra-estrutura técnica inadequada e crescimento do custo e tempo de implantação (Ewusi-Mensah, 1997;Huang Et Al., 2004;Oz;Sosik, 2000;Sauer, 1993;Sumner, 2000;). ...
... Com relação aos sistemas ERP, os poucos estudos sobre o abandono destes projetos focam nos fatores internos como a dificuldade de ajuste dos processos de negócio à lógica do sistema, falta de clareza nos objetivos do projeto, falta de apoio e envolvimento da alta gerência, pouco domínio e experiência da equipe de implementação, problemas no gerenciamento e métricas de controle do projeto, infra-estrutura técnica inadequada e crescimento do custo e tempo de implantação (Ewusi-Mensah, 1997;Huang Et Al., 2004;Oz;Sosik, 2000;Sauer, 1993;Sumner, 2000;). ...
This paper examines the external influences on ERP project abandonment. The recent literature supposes that the adoption of ICT can be motivated by external institutional pressures, in a process called isomorphism. To gain legitimacy, some firms accept mimetic, coercive, and normative pressures arising from its organizational field to adopt some structures and technologies. Same process is expected to occur in ICT abandonment situations. To investigate this proposal, a single case study about a ERP abandonment process was performed. The results show that abandonment field movement was followed by the organization in focus. This confirms that mimetic pressures have significant influence on project abandonment. Finally, contributions and implications for research and practice are discussed.
... Path-goal theory also included linkages of clear direction and efficiency (e.g., Olowoselu et al., 2019). Finally, communication theory, as applied to leadership, includes elements such as clarity of message and the role it plays in improving subordinate efficiency (Oz & Sosik, 2000). Although other examples exist, the point here is that a pragmatic leader use of rational approaches with a focus on logic will result in clearer expectations for followers that, in turn, result in an effort mechanism of efficiency. ...
The charismatic, ideological, and pragmatic (CIP) theory of leadership emphasizes an equifinality approach to leading, where a diverse set of styles are theorized to serve as viable routes to leader influence and success. The theory has received substantial support and attention over the past 15 years, yet there is a need to address key limitations and expand on insights from recent reviews to offer a revised and extended version of the CIP theory. We offer that each leader type emphasizes varying influence mechanisms resulting in differing dominant reactions from followers. In addition, we discuss the importance of considering mixed pathways as a key avenue for future iterations of the framework. Our proposed model addresses several criticisms of modern leadership theories by specifying how different leadership approaches elicit varying dominant follower motivational and effort mechanisms.
... This includes being a 'seller' of the project to the stakeholders, coach, and mentor of the project manager, motivating and protecting the project team from any unnecessary bureaucracy that may destruct the project team. [6,25,26,27,28] Ensures that the project is consistent with the business's strategic objectives. [22,29] Alignment of project outcome with the business case. ...
Project sponsors play significant roles at the stage gates of project life cycle models (PLCMs). However, research on the roles that sponsors play at stage gates, and the attributes required of the sponsor, are sparse. This study investigated the roles played by government and municipal sponsors at the PLCM stage gates of a water utility, and identified the attributes that the sponsor should have as well as the challenges they face. A case study approach was employed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders. The findings could assist the senior management of water utilities, national government departments, and municipalities when appointing suitable project sponsors.
... In situations where an organization is confronted with financial or resource limitations, the prioritization of investing in artificial intelligence (AI) may be overshadowed by more pressing and urgent considerations. (Oz and Sosik, 2000;Wei and Pardo, 2022). ...
... A team that receives the support of the top management increases its commitment and involvement in the project. The main risk factors are lack of corporate leadership, deviation from vital pillars of project management (e.g., time and budget), and inadequate skills [62]. ...
Highly secured forensic document examiners are devices of great demand with the advancement of artificial intelligence and processing power. In most cases, it can be seen that there exists a rush from law enforcement agencies and criminals to utilize new methods for the discovery of fraudulent acts or for the achievement of a perfect fraudulent act. This work aims to extend the abilities of the forensic document examiner device Fordex by proposing the use of Blockchain technology to eliminate trust issues in the field of forensics. Fordex is a device that is currently used in forensic document analysis. It is developed by TÜBİTAK, BİLGEM, UEKAE, and Bioelectronics Systems Laboratory. It is intended to use Hyperledger Fabric, a permission Blockchain platform, in the Blockchain environment. In the proposed system, the Fordex software and the Fordex-Forensic-Chain (FFC) Blockchain system will interact within the Hyperledger Fabric platform in a reliable and scalable manner. The proposed architecture allows the system administrator to access and examines records of case studies tested by the Fordex device. The designed control mechanism protects the forensic images using the SHA256 hash algorithm while keeping them in the traditional database and alerts the system administrator in case of any unauthorized change in the recorded data. To the best of our knowledge, the FFC will be the first Blockchain application in which forensic devices are used.
... Il donc intéressant d"exposer même brièvement une définition du concept d"échec d"un projet SI à travers une revue de littérature. En effet Oz et Sosik (2000), Ewusi-Mensah et Przasnyski (1991) ont parlé de l"échec lorsque le projet SI est abandonné avant même son achèvement. Pour Doherty et King, 2001 ;Robertson et Williams (2006), l"échec revient surtout à des complications imprévues engendrant le disfonctionnement qui peut amener par la suite à la suspension du projet SI. ...
Cet article propose d"étudier les facteurs d"échec du projet SI de VAS après sa mise en place par les entreprises industrielles tunisiennes. Il s"appuie sur une étude approfondie du système de VAS à travers une recherche fondée sur une approche inductive qui a duré plusieurs mois. Ceci nous a permis de réaliser 8 entretiens semi-directifs dans les locaux de sept entreprises avec une durée moyenne d"une heure et demie. L"analyse de ces entretiens en rapport avec les données propres à chaque entreprises, nous a permis non seulement d"examiner les comportements, les fonctionnements et les échanges d"informations au sein de chaque dispositif, mais aussi de comprendre les facteurs d"échec du processus de VAS. L"étude a fait ressortir plusieurs facteurs qui ont abouti au disfonctionnement et voir même à l"abandonnement du projet de VAS. Certains facteurs sont identiques à ceux qui ont été évoqués dans la littérature, comme le facteur temps, le manque de volonté et d"implication organisationnelle, l"indisponibilité des outils souhaités et l"instabilité de l"équipe de projet de veille par contre d"autre semble souvent nouveaux et qui n"ont pas été traités dans la littérature, comme la veille est considérée comme une tâche secondaire, absence de poste de veilleur, l"absence de poste de l"animateur, absence de collaboration et du travail du groupe, la pénibilité de la phase de sélection, l"asymétrie d"information, les problèmes hiérarchiques, la méfiance, absence de communication, le climat hostile, le refus de l"autre, difficulté à convaincre les nouveaux entrants, formation PCAM plutôt théorique et enfin la standardisation du contenu de la formation. Abstract This article proposes to study the factors of failure of the IS project of Strategic Scanning after its establishment by the Tunisian industrial companies. It is based on a thorough study of the S. Scan system through a research based on an inductive approach that lasted several months. This enabled us to carry out 8 semi-directive interviews in the premises of seven companies with an average duration of one and a half hours. The analysis of these interviews in relation to company-specific data enabled us not only to examine the behavior, functioning and exchange of information within each device, but also to understand the factors of failure Of the S. Scan process. The study highlighted several factors that led to the dysfunction and even to the abandonment of the S. Scan project. Some factors are identical to those discussed in the literature, such as the time factor, the lack of will and organizational involvement, the unavailability of the desired tools and the instability of the S. Scan team. Often seem new and have not been treated in the literature, as the S. Scan is considered a secondary task, absence of a S. Scanning Man's position, absence of animator's position, lack of collaboration and team work, difficulty in selection, information asymmetry, hierarchical problems, mistrust, lack of communication, hostile climate, refusal of the other, difficulty in convincing new entrants, PCAM training rather theoretical and the standardization of training content.
... Indeed Oz and Sosik (2000), Ewusi-Mensah and Przasnyski (1991) spoke of failure when the SI project is abandoned even before its completion. For Doherty and King, 2001; Robertson and Williams (2006), failure is mainly due to unforeseen complications leading to the dysfunction which can later lead to the suspension of the IS project. ...
This paper proposes to define the factors of failure of the environmental scanning(ES) project after its enactment by Tunisian industrial companies. It is based on an in-depth study of the ES through research based on an inductive approach that spanned several months. This enabled us to carry out 8 semi-structured interviews in the premises of seven companies with an average duration of one and a half hours. The analysis of these interviews in relation to the data specific to each company, allowed us not only to observe the behaviors, the operations and the exchanges of information within each device, but also to understand the factors of failure of the ES process.We were able to identify several factors that led to the malfunction and even to the abandonment of this project.
... The man-agement should choose hierarchical structures by combining business and organization to transform IT investments into organizational success. Failure to align would lift production costs and ultimately decline competitive capabilities [74,75]. IT investments obtain firm performance by developing "alignment", which is the connectivity of conception, formulation, coordination, acceptance, and operational support between information technology and the business strategy [73,76]. ...
Information technology (IT) is a competitive path and offers the entrepreneurial opportunity of accumulating business knowledge in capturing consumer behavior. This study employed a conceptual framework to investigate the information processing facet of IT–business alignment under the impact mechanism of transactional leadership in the manufacturing sector of Yunnan Province, China. Specifically, organization culture is taken as a moderating factor extracted from situational theory and has been highlighted as important in previous organizational research. This study aimed at investigating the impact of transactional leadership on IT–business process alignment and studying the moderating effect of organizational culture on the relationship between transactional leadership and IT–business process alignment. The empirical findings reveal that contingent reward and management by exception behaviors of entrepreneurs are significant drivers of IT–business process alignment. Furthermore, market culture had a moderating effect on the relationship between entrepreneurs’ transactional behaviors and IT–business process alignment. Similarly, hierarchy culture exerts a moderating effect on the path between contingent rewarding behavior and IT–business process alignment. Here, it exerts an insignificant moderating effect on the management by exception behavior and IT–business process alignment path. The study findings mainly reveal the association of transactional leadership with IT–business process alignment, along with the moderating role of organizational culture. This study contributes to the literature on business knowledge by showcasing empirical evidence—how information processing aids entrepreneurial behavior to capture market opportunities and consumer behavior.
... It was also found that only one in every eight ICT projects in SMEs could be considered as truly successful (McManus & Wood-Harper, 2007). Among the problems identified are limited managerial abilities, poor project management, and lack of technical resources (Oz & Sosik, 2000). Stansfield & Grant (2003) identified the lack of knowledge, skills and support as the main barriers of ICT adoption in SMEs. ...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the information and communication technology adoption among rural based SMEs in Malaysia and identify the problems facing these SMEs in the implementation and usage of ICT. In addition, the study also attempts to determine whether significant relationships exist between owners’ attitude, knowledge and innovativeness, and the ICT adoption. Questionnaire survey was used to obtain data from rural based SMEs in Malaysia. A total of 1000 questionnaires were distributed and 167 usable responses were received. The findings reveal a relatively high adoption of ICT among rural based SMEs while lack of funds and financing were the main problems to the success of its adoption and implementation. It was also found that only attitude had significant positive relationship with the ICT adoption. The findings of this study assist to owner/managers of rural based SMEs and also policy makers in Malaysia in finding strategies to cultivate culture of adopting and implementing of ICT for betterment of SMEs in Malaysia.
... The remainder (n ¼ 105), often those pre-dating 2001, were classified as relating to traditional projects. Following this, broader categories of CSFs were developed with their relative rankings of CSFs within agile and traditional studies displayed in Table IV Oz and Sosik, 2000;Schmidt et al., 2001;Sauer and Cuthbertson, 2003;Baccarini et al., 2004;Charette, 2005;OGC, 2005;Standish Group, 2001). Based on our examination, 37 distinct CSFs have been identified with the most frequently cited by about 70 per cent of the publications and 28 CSFs cited in over 40 per cent of the publications. ...
Purpose
While the choices available for project management methodologies have increased significantly, questions remain on whether project managers fully consider their alternatives. When project categorization systems and criteria are not logically matched with project objectives, characteristics and environment, this may provide the key reason for why many software projects are reported to fail to deliver on time, budget or do not give value to the client. The purpose of this paper is to identify and categorize critical success factors (CSFs) and develop a contingency fit model contrasting perspectives of traditional plan-based and agile methodologies.
Design/methodology/approach
By systematically reviewing the previous literature, a total of 37 CSFs for software development projects are identified from 148 articles, and then categorized into three major CSFs: organizational, team and customer factors. A contingency fit model augments this by highlighting the necessity to match project characteristics and project management methodology to these CSFs.
Findings
Within the three major categories of CSFs, individual factors are ranked based on how frequently they have been cited in previous studies, overall as well as across the two main project management methodologies (traditional, agile). Differences in these rankings as well as mixed empirical support suggest that previous research may not have adequately theorized when particular CSFs will affect project success and lend support for the hypothesized contingency model between CSFs, project characteristics and project success criteria.
Research limitations/implications
This research is conceptual and meta-analytic in its focus. A crucial task for future research should be to test the contingency fit model developed using empirical data. There is no broad consensus among researchers and practitioners in categorizing CSFs for software development projects. However, through an extensive search and analysis of the literature on CSFs for software development projects, the research provides greater clarity on the categories of CSFs and how their direct, indirect and moderated effects on project success can be modelled.
Practical implications
This study proposes a contingency fit model and contributes towards developing a theory for assessing the role of CSFs for project success. While future empirical testing of this conceptual model is essential, it provides an initial step for guiding quantitative data collection, specifies detailed empirical analysis for comparative studies, and is likely to improve clarity in debate. Since previous studies have not rigorously assessed the impact of fit between project characteristics, project environment and project management methodology on project success, additional empirically robust studies will help to clarify contradictory findings that have limited theory development for CSFs of software development projects to date.
Originality/value
Previous research for software development projects has frequently not fully incorporated contingency as moderation or contingency as fit (traditional vs agile). This research sets out to develop fully a contingency fit perspective on software development project success, through contrasting traditional plan-driven and agile methodologies. To do this, the paper systematically identifies and ranks 37 CSFs for software projects from 148 journal publications and holistically categorizes them as organizational, team, customer and project factors.
... Baccarini, Salm and Love, 2004;deBakker, Boonstra and Workman, 2009;Bannerman, 2008;Benamati and Lederer, 2001;Beynon-Davies, 1999;Boehm, 1991;Jones, 2004;Charette, 2005;Curtis, Krasner and Iscoe, 1988;Drummond, 1998;Oz and Sosik, 2000;El Emam and Gunes Koru, 2008;Ewusi-Mensah, 1997;Glass, 2006;Goh and Kauffman, 2004;Grenny et al., 2007;Hass, 2007;Humphrey, 2005) is showing that success is becoming increasingly rare in IT project delivery, irrespective of whether or not that success rate should be measured at the Standish defined metrics, or by some other indicator. ...
Cobb’s Paradox (Bourne, 2011) asks: ‘We know why projects fail; we know how to prevent their failure—so why do they still fail?’ This study immerses itself into a major Australian IT project in order to unearth the drivers of project failure. Several new and novel findings have emerged. Using Multi-Grounded Theory this research has developed models and rich descriptions of new phenomena. The phenomena identified in this research, are drawn from social psychology and economic theory and highlight the issues of project execution as a social undertaking. This paper addresses one of those findings, namely the lack of domain expertise by senior management and vendor representatives. This paper examines the consequences of ‘actors-working-in-organisations’ (Manning, 2008, p. 678) and in particular looking at individual interactions, decisions and consequences (Goffman, 1959) through the lens of the Kruger-Dunning Effect (1999).
... Behavioral uncertainty results in rising opportunism cost (Pisano, 1989;Williamson, 1991) and coordination cost (Gulati and Singh, 1998). Effective alliance governance structure can reduce these costs and costs attached to miscommunications between the partners (Oz and Sosik, 2000). ...
This study investigates the effect of partner alignment on the choice of using equity versus non-equity alliance governance mode in information technology (IT) software alliances. Using 485 IT software alliances established in six developed Asia Pacific countries in the period 1998 to 2004, this study proposed and found that non-equity governance mode is adopted when the partners are of the same nationality and when the number of partners in the alliance is smaller. The choice of governance mode is however not affected by whether the partners come from similar or related industries and whether the alliance is established in the same industry as the partners. These results partially support the behavioral uncertainty arguments in transaction cost economics (TCE), as opposed to the need to maintain control and protect knowledge and technologies. This observation can be partially attributed to the nature of activities in the IT software sector where ex ante specification of activities is difficult and thus the need to maintain flexibility to allow for uncertainty and emergent opportunities. Various implications are discussed.
... La subjetividad de los observadores puede afectar incluso al propio concepto de éxito y fracaso en proyectos de software. En algunos proyectos este concepto depende exclusivamente de la percepción de las personas que participan en él como el jefe de proyecto, desarrolladores y usuarios [31][32][33]. La diferencia puede explicarse por la importancia relativa que unos y otros otorgan a aspectos como el cumplimiento de la planificación, de los requisitos de usuario, la satisfacción final de este, y otros [34][35][36][37] Para [30] las dificultades más comunes con las que se encuentran los grupos de trabajo para aplicar los métodos de gestión de riesgos son: la falta de definición de riesgos, la ausencia de una clasificación de riesgos completa, la falta de una definición del proceso de riesgos y la falta también de definición del proceso de comunicación de riesgos. ...
Software is today a critical element in every system. The development and implementation of computer programs is influenced by many varied risks which should be managed properly. Risk management in software projects is an activity addressed in several software methodologies, but the different workgroups and organizations apply it in practice in many different ways. A preliminary study has been conducted among Spanish software professionals and developers. It reveals interest in risk management and its techniques, but it also shows that serious deficiencies as well as attitudes which do not help to this activity. These preliminary data represent a basis for a deeper and more detailed analysis of risk management practices which might lead to more effective and practical solutions.
This study examines the role of passive project leadership in project success. The article deduces a theoretical model implying that passive project manager leadership behavior affects the success of information technology projects, directly and indirectly, via employees’ creativity. Self-regulation is proposed as a mitigating factor to minimize the destructive effects of passive leadership on creativity. The current study is based on a quantitative research design. A time lag design was used to collect data from 347 respondents working on information technology projects in Pakistan. SmartPLS was used for data analysis. The findings demonstrated that although passive leadership appears in flat organizations, it can have a negative impact on project success via creativity. Additionally, if the person is self-regulatory, it will not alter the results. The study added to the project management body of knowledge by confirming that a strong leadership role, instead of a passive one, is essential to boosting the creativity of project personnel. A passive leader remains inactive during situations where a strong leader is needed; however, self-regulation on the part of employees proved insufficient to propel a project toward success.
Existe muchos motivos por los cuales un proyecto de desarrollo de software resulta fracasado o exitoso, el presente trabajo hace una revisión de la literatura para conocer cuáles son los motivos determinantes y comunes del fracaso y éxito de un proyecto genérico (independiente del tamaño del proyecto, sea grande, mediano o pequeño), conociéndolos nos permite evitarlos o potenciarlos según sea el caso, así aumenta la posibilidad de éxito en el desarrollo de nuestros proyecto.
The construction industry (CI) is the environment of the project, which is complex, fragmented, and dynamic in nature and involves many parties. It is proven that most of the problems in CI occur due to poor communication. Based on previous research, nonverbal communication (NVC) constitutes a large part of the communication process. However, the nonverbal side of communication and its influence on organizational outcomes is rarely put in the spot light of research. Therefore, this study aims to provide insight into clues and patterns of nonverbal behavior that correlate with leadership, performance, and productivity in a project setting. This study highlights the importance of attention to NVC in the construction sector.
Offshore Software Maintenance Outsourcing (OSMO) is increasing by leaps and bounds. In offshore outsourcing, most of the highly-paid countries outsource software development and maintenance projects to such developing countries where skilled human resources are available at economical packages. The OSMO clients get quality-oriented services and OSMO vendors earn valuable foreign exchange if the OSMO process is executed successfully. But the existing literature advocates that all the OSMO business deals do not end successfully. The right combination of vendor and client plays a vital role. For a vendor, it is important to find a more suitable client among multiple options. The scope of the current paper is to find out such critical success factors which can help out OSMO vendor to select a more suitable OSMO client among many options. This practice will provide ease to OSMO vendors in the OSMO client selection and decision-making process to select a suitable client. The method used to conduct this study is the Literature Review (LR). The literature review found different critical success factors related to the research question. Some of these factors include the client's contract, the client's required team size, the domain of the required project, the size of the software maintenance project, etc. OSMO vendor organizations can use this information in the decision-making process to select more suitable OSMO clients for successful offshore business. This study also recommends the implementation of any suitable machine learning technique on the critical success factors (founded in the current study) in the decision-making process.
Organizations have been trying to reshape their business processes and transform them into a smart environment to attain sustainable competitive advantage in their markets. Data science enables organizations to define interconnected and self-controlled business processes by analyzing the massive amount of unstandardized and unstructured high-speed data produced by heterogeneous Internet of Things devices. However, according to the latest research, the success rate of data science projects is lower than other software projects, and the literature review conducted reveals a fundamental need for determining success drivers for data science projects. To address these research gaps, this study investigates the determinants of success and the taxonomy of antecedents of success in data science projects. We reviewed the literature systematically and conducted an expert panel by following a Delphi method to explore the main success drivers of data science projects. The main contributions of the study are twofold: (1) establishing a common base for determinants of success in data science projects (2) guiding organizations to increase the success of their data science projects.
Sustainability as a business phenomenon has occupied the attention of academicians, practitioners, and consumers for more than three decades. While some firms emphasize on their own internal sustainability initiatives, there is a growing trend to implement sustainability across the supply chain. This increasing interest makes implementation of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices very important for focal firm’s sustainability; however, the ability to create innovative products, processes, and ways of operating is crucial if an organization is to be sustainable. Although there have been studies that investigate innovation in the context of sustainability, their scopes are limited to a single perspective which often obscures the big picture of innovation, its creation, and its effects on firm performance. In this study, we will adopt a multi-level innovation perspective to explore the symbiotic relationships between innovation creation and the development of SSCM practices, and resulting sustainability performance. This research will contribute to supply chain management and innovation literature and practice by identifying the different innovation types that emerge when SSCM practices are being implemented and explaining the effects innovation patterns and SSCM practices have on sustainability performance.
The most asset to any project, regardless of the industry is the project manager. Research has shown whether the project fails or succeeds depends on the project manager, and the skills they bring to the table. The research problem in this study is the lack of research regarding the relationship between the interpersonal skills of the project manager and the success and / or failure of large-scale IT systems development projects. The existing literature indicated a strong positive relationship between the interpersonal skills and leadership traits of senior managers who manage with a passive leadership style and the primary IT systems development project success factor of cost. There was also a strong positive relationship between the interpersonal skills and leadership traits of senior managers who manage with leadership outcomes and the primary IT systems development project success factor of scheduling.
Many companies experience IT project failures in relatively new areas such as Big Data, Data Science, Enterprise Systems, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, IT security, and IoT. Because of inadequate research in identifying critical success factors for these projects, we conducted a Delphi study employing separate panels for each of two kinds of project implementations, those using a predictive lifecycle approach and those using an adaptive lifecycle approach. We found common critical success factors: user/client involvement, senior management support, effective monitoring and control, effective communication and feedback, good change and configuration management, having a competent project manager, proper project leadership, and excellent vendor performance. Both predictive and adaptive lifecycle IT projects had certain unique critical success factors. The findings provide guidance to IT Project Managers.
Purpose
While several warehouses are now technologically equipped and smart, the implementation of real-time analytics in warehouse operations is scarcely reported in the literature. This study aims to develop a practical system for real-time analytics of process monitoring in an internet-of-things (IoT)-enabled smart warehouse environment.
Design/methodology/approach
A modified system development research process was used to carry out this research. A prototype system was developed that mimicked a case company’s actual warehouse operations in Indonesia’s manufacturing companies. The proposed system relied heavily on the utilization of IoT technologies, wireless internet connection and web services to keep track of the product movement to provide real-time access to critical warehousing activities, helping make better, faster and more informed decisions.
Findings
The proposed system in the presented case company increased real-time warehousing processes visibility for stakeholders at different management levels in their most convenient ways by developing visual representation to display crucial information. The numerical or textual data were converted into graphics for ease of understanding for stakeholders, including field operators. The key elements for the feasible implementation of the proposed model in an industrial area were discussed. They are strategic-level components, IoT-enabled warehouse environments, customized middleware settings, real-time processing software and visual dashboard configuration.
Research limitations/implications
While this study shows a prototype-based implementation of actual warehouse operations in one of Indonesia’s manufacturing companies, the architectural requirements are applicable and extensible by other companies. In this sense, the research offers significant economic advantages by using customized middleware to avoid unnecessary waste brought by the off-the-shelves generic middleware, which is not entirely suitable for system development.
Originality/value
This research’s finding contributes to filling the gap in the limited body of knowledge of real-time analytics implementation in warehousing operations. This should encourage other researchers to enhance and develop the devised elements to enrich smart warehousing’s theoretical knowledge. Besides, the successful proof-of-concept implementation reported in this research would allow other companies to gain valuable insights and experiences.
Information systems development (ISD) is a complex process involving interconnected resources, stake holders, and outcomes. Understanding factors contributing to ISD success has attracted keen interest from both researchers and practitioners, and many research studies have been published in this area. However, most studies focus on one or two factors affecting ISD success. A holistic view of factors impacting ISD success is missing. This paper synthesizes past research on the topic and proposes a unified model on ISD success through a systematic and comprehensive literature review. The unified model highlights that ISD is a complex and interactive process involving individual, team, and organization factors, as well as ISD methodology. These factors impact the ISD process as well as its success.
The leadership behavior of the immediate supervisor is found to contribute to subordinate job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The purpose of this study is to assess leadership styles that are significantly correlated with software developer job satisfaction. The participants were software developers from 24 organizations in higher education, consulting, defense contracting, and local government. Correlations were assessed through multiple linear regressions. The results indicate a significant predicting relationship between project manager leadership styles and software developer job satisfaction. Contingent-reward, active management-by-exception, and laissez-faire leadership styles are found to be significantly related to overall job satisfaction when controlling the effects of the other independent variables. Implications of these findings are discussed along with recommendations for IT professionals and researchers.
This chapter begins with a discussion of whether information technology (IT) changes leadership and proceeds to discuss leadership in three IT-mediated contexts: same-place IT-supported meetings, virtual teams, and the age of social media. It discusses how leadership affects IT by influencing its adoption and assimilation and ends with topics for future research and conclusions. With the advent of massive open online courses or MOOCs, forms of social learning are emerging as ways to make online learning more engaging. Social learning is based on active and peer learning through team-based exercises, peer evaluation and feedback, and visible student work. When physical, social, and power distances reduced on the Internet during initial years of the twenty-first century, organizations turned their attention to online communities, which are allowing external stakeholders such as customers and others who share an interest with an organization to influence it and wield power in unprecedented ways.
Achieving successful project performance is still a challenge in Uganda, though it can be improved through proper Project communication which clarifies project task and enables stakeholders to be wholly involved in the projects. However, despite the importance of project communication many projects in higher institutions have not performed to their expectations. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between project communication and project performance in Public Universities in Uganda. A cross sectional survey design was used in this study to provide an in-depth investigation of the relationship between the variables. In order to achieve the objectives, a correlation design was adopted to determine relationships between different variables and the questionnaires were formed on that basis. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed and study results revealed a positive significant relationship between project communication and project performance (r = 0.577**, p<0.01) which implies that when communication increases project performance is enhanced.
Clients of health informatics systems were surveyed to investigate the relationships between satisfaction with system characteristics and their effect on openness to frequent use of the health record systems. The study found that positive relationship exists between satisfaction with health informatics system availability and portability and between portability and usability. The findings interestingly highlight negative relationships between portability, security/accountability, and confidentiality on openness to use because of portability, confidentiality, and usability. The findings suggest that higher expectations of certain health informatics characteristics can often reduce client use of a health record system.
This paper describes the methodology and results of research designed to extract useful professional project management information from recent research literature in the information systems and information technology (IS/IT) fields. The resulting database of 784 journal, thesis, and conference proceedings abstracts represents research from 1999 through 2001 in the IS/IT field related to project management. A lessons learned executive seminar was conducted to allow experienced, active project managers to examine selected findings for lessons learned and research opportunities that might benefit project managers.
This paper reviews a completed product development project at a semiconductor manufacturing firm. The data gathered is organized using a Risk Categorization Framework and Behavior Model. Key questions explored include the unpredictable nature of R&D as related to semiconductor manufacturing and the manner in which risk can be better managed in an R&D setting. The research was accomplished through an action research methodology. The researchers have been a part of the development team for over 2 years starting with the planning of the product and ending with the launch of the product. A post launch process helped gather the final data used in this paper
This article relates an experiment in strategic scanning project management. During one year, researchers have studied six strategic scanning implementation projects in six public organisations. Based on an action research, the goal is to identify factors which lead strategic scanning project to success or failure. This article illustrates three specific results. The first one is the leading role that middle management could play in the support of strategic scanning project implementation. The second is the importance of the right time to implement a strategic scanning system. The last one is the importance of face to face communication in a context not inclined to use such a media. In a managerial way, this research allows to construct useful actionable knowledge to strategic scanning project managers and their hierarchy in the public sector.
Improving the quality of work life in order to reduce alienation, anomie, physical and mental stress has been a focus of human service professionals for many decades. In the past twenty years much of this work has been in Quality of Work Life and Quality Circles (Theory Z) designed to increase worker participation. These efforts have centered around increasing the participation and involvement of lower level employees in decisions that affect their daily working lives. This paper takes the position that good training is not enough. If employee participation is to really take hold, it must be supported by appropriate organizational structures and procedures. Human service professionals who want to increase their influence on organizations must augment their knowledge and skills in social relations with an understanding of organization theory and design. The paper concludes by suggesting directions for the 1980s, pointing out the need for techno-structural intervention strategies and highlighting potential entry levers for those concerned with improving the quality of work life in organizations.
This article describes three efforts to design research on aspects of innovation in organization, along with the theoretical and empirical assumptions behind them. Each study occupies a different, progressively more macro-oriented tier in terms of level of analysis—from the innovation project as the unit, to the organization, to the extraorganizational environment.
An abstract is not available.
This review chronicles prior approaches to research on small groups, critiques contemporary theories and methods, and notes some future possibilities. Early group researchers worked in isolated "schools," treating groups as social systems for influencing members, for patterning interaction, or for performing tasks. Assumptions of those 3 schools are blended in some contemporary approaches, treating groups as systems for processing information; for managing consensus and conflict; and for motivating, regulating, and coordinating member behavior. Past and contemporary approaches are limited by their analytic focus, limited temporal scope, and failure to treat groups in context. The article points to an alternative theoretical approach that treats groups as complex, adaptive, dynamic systems and notes some methodological issues and possibilities raised by that approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Examined the effects of rewards for pinball competence on subsequent interest in the game in 3 studies with 219 Ss in which 3 components of performance-contingent reward structures—an evaluative contingency established before playing, performance feedback, and the receipt of a reward—were identified. The symbolic cue value of the reward may affect interest independently of evaluation and competence feedback. To isolate its effect, groups receiving a performance-contingent reward were compared with groups that experienced the same evaluative contingency and feedback and with feedback-only controls (Studies 1 and 3). Results show that evaluation reduced intrinsic motivation, compared with controls, whereas reward enhanced intrinsic motivation relative to evaluation. In Study 2, groups receiving rewards for attaining competence but differing in whether the evaluation was anticipated before playing were compared. Results indicate that unexpected performance-contingent rewards enhanced interest, compared with expected rewards. Findings suggest that the 3 reward properties have separate effects on intrinsic motivation. Anticipation of evaluation was responsible for negative reward effects, whereas competence feedback and due value had independent positive effects (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Many studies of small group leadership have reported a positive relationship between leadership status and the rate of verbal participation. The leadership/participation relationship has been attributed to (a) the performance of task leadership behaviors, (b) task skill and knowledge, (c) social status characteristics, and (d) the presence of observers. Hypotheses based on these 4 explanations were generated and tested using 72 correlations reported in the literature as data points. The relationship of a large number of situational variables to the leadership/participation rate relationship was also examined. In a multiple regression analysis, 4 variables accounted for 63% of the variance in the leadership/participation rate correlations. The 1st 3 explanations were supported. They can be integrated if the moderating effect of task competence and social status on the performance of task leadership behavior is recognized. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Developed behaviorally-based rating scales for programer/analysts and systems analysts. The scales exhibited adequate Guttman scaling properties and also demonstrated reasonably good convergent and discriminant validity. In an attempt to identify relatively poor raters using Guttman scaling procedure, 103 supervisors rated 113 programer/analysts and 87 systems analysts. There was only slight evidence that supervisors who rate poorly on 1 dimension also rate poorly on other dimensions, or that supervisors who rate 1 individual poorly also rate another individual poorly on the same dimension. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Hundreds of articles in statistical journals have pointed out that standard analysis of variance, Pearson product- moment correlations, and least squares regression can be highly misleading and can have relatively low power even under very small departures from normality. In practical terms, psychology journals are littered with nonsignificant results that would have been significant if a more modern method had been used. Modern robust techniques, developed during the past 30 years, provide very effective methods for dealing with nonnormality, and they compete very well with conventional procedures when standard assumptions are met. In addition, modern methods provide accurate confidence intervals for a much broader range of situations, they provide more effective methods for detecting and studying outliers, and they can be used to get a deeper understanding of how variables are related. This article outlines and illustrates these results.
Project failure in the information systems field is a costly problem and troubled projects are not uncommon. In many cases, whether a troubled project ultimately succeeds or fails depends on the effectiveness of managerial actions taken to turn around or redirect such projects. Before such actions can be taken, however, management must recognize problems and prepare to take appropriate corrective measures. While prior research has identified many factors that contribute to the escalation of commitment to failing courses of action, there has been little research on the factors contributing to the deescalation of commitment. Through deescalation, troubled projects may be successfully turned around or sensibly abandoned. This study seeks to clarify the factors that contribute to software project deescalation and to establish practical guidelines for identifying and managing troubled projects. Through interviews with forty-two IS auditors, we gathered both quantitative and qualitative data about the deescalation of commitment to troubled software projects. The interviews sought judgments about the importance of twelve specific factors derived from a review of the literature on deescalation. Interviews also generated qualitative data about specific actors and actions taken to turn troubled projects around.The results indicate that the escalation and deescalation phases of projects manifest different portraits. While there were no factors that always turned projects around, many actors triggered deescalation, and many specific actions accounted for deescalation. In the majority of cases, deescalation was triggered by actors such as senior managers, internal auditors, or external consultants. Deescalation was achieved both by managing existing resources better and by changing the level of resources committed to the project. We summarize the implications of these findings in a process model of project deescalation.
First Page of the Article
Information technology (IT) projects can fail for any number of reasons and in some cases can result in considerable financial losses for the organizations that undertake them. One pattern of failure that has been observed but seldom studied is the IT project that seems to take on a life of its own, continuing to absorb valuable resources without reaching its objective. A significant number of these projects will ultimately fail, potentially weakening a firm's competitive position while siphoning off resources that could be spent developing and implementing successful systems. The escalation literature provides a promising theoretical base for explaining this type of IT failure. Using a model of escalation based on the literature, a case study of IT project escalation is discussed and analyzed. The results suggest that escalation is promoted by a combination of project, psychological, social, and organizational factors. The managerial implications of these findings are discussed along with prescriptions for how to avoid the problem of escalation.
The statistical tests used in the analysis of structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error are examined. A drawback of the commonly applied chi square test, in addition to the known problems related to sample size and power, is that it may indicate an increasing correspondence between the hypothesized model and the observed data as both the measurement properties and the relationship between constructs decline. Further, and contrary to common assertion, the risk of making a Type II error can be substantial even when the sample size is large. Moreover, the present testing methods are unable to assess a model's explanatory power. To overcome these problems, the authors develop and apply a testing system based on measures of shared variance within the structural model, measurement model, and overall model.
In this study, we examined the links between leadership style, the use of humor, and two measures of performance. Results indicated that leadership style was moderated by the use of humor in its relationship with individual and unit-level performance. Implications for further research on the use of humor by leaders are discussed.
Survey research is used to determine what kind of post-mortem appraisals companies undertake concerning their abandoned IS development projects. The data suggest that most organizations do not keep records of their failed projects and do not make any formal effort to understand what went wrong or attempt to learn from their failed projects. A learning paradigm is suggested which companies could use as a guide to undertake post-mortem analysis of their abandoned IS development projects.
This paper argues for the further development of work motivation theories to include better links between the individual and the collectivity, in order to more adequately explain individual contributions to collective work efforts. Three co-determinants of collectivistic work motivation are discussed: calculative considerations, moral commitments, and the affirmation of identities. It is argued that perceived collective efficacy and social rewards and sanctions should be given a central place in calculative models of collectivistic work motivation. It is further argued that moral commitments and identity affirmation should not be reduced to cost-benefit calculations because doing so denies the social origins of collectivistic motivation, and masks the potential importance of these factors in explanations of collective action.
This laboratory experiment studied the effects of source and participant anonymity, and differences in initial opinions in an electronic meeting system (EMS) context. Results indicated that (a) inhibition to participate did not mediate the effect of anonymity on participation as suggested in prior deindividuation and EMS literature; and (b) the effect of anonymity on participation, satisfaction, and postdiscussion agreement depended on the level and type of anonymity involved and whether initial opinions among group members were similar or different. A mechanism that suggests that anonymity may cause participants to focus more on their task by turning attention away from other participants partly accounts for the effects of source and participant anonymity on participation in this study. Future work should focus on determining how different types and levels of anonymity influence process and outcomes in different types of groups.
This study investigated the communication behaviors and performances of 50 R&D project groups that varied in terms of group longevity, as measured by the average length of time project members had worked together. Analyses revealed that project groups became increasingly isolated from key information sources both within and outside their organizations with increasing stability in project membership. Such reductions in project communication were also shown to affect adversely the technical performance of project groups. Furthermore, variations in communication activities were more associated with the tenure composition of project groups than with the project tenures of individual engineers. These findings are presented and discussed in the more general terms of what happens in project groups with increasing group longevity.
The study identified several factors as contributing to the abandonment of IS development projects. Organizational-related issues which ranged from senior management involvement to end-user participation in the project development process were the most widespread and dominant of the factors. Organizational issues were also found to influence factors dealing primarily with economic and technological matters in project development.
Explains how social scientists can evaluate the reliability and validity of empirical measurements, discussing the three basic types of validity: criterion related, content, and construct. In addition, the paper shows how reliability is assessed by the retest method, alternative-forms procedure, split-halves approach, and internal consistency method.
Information technology (IT) projects can fail for any number of reasons, and can result in considerable financial losses for the organizations that undertake them. One pattern of failure that has been observed but seldom studied is the runaway project that takes on a life of its own. Such projects exhibit characteristics that are consistent with the broader phenomenon known as escalating commitment to a failing course of action. Several theories have been offered to explain this phenomenon, including self-justification theory and the so-called sunk cost effect which can be explained by prospect theory. This paper discusses the results of a series of experiments designed to test whether the phenomenon of escalating commitment could be observed in an IT context. Multiple experiments conducted within and across cultures suggest that a high level of sunk cost may influence decision makers to escalate their commitment to an IT project In addition to discussing this and other findings from an ongoing stream of research, the paper focuses on the challenges faced in carrying out the experiments.
The user-analyst liaison function in system development was studied in thirty-eight large firms using a structured interviewing process. The study revealed that the most prevalent form of liaison is still the traditional systems representative and that the liaison function is generally performed much less formally than the IS literature would suggest. However, a trend toward greater formalism was detected. Other aspects of the liaison function, such as perceptions of the role, relevant career paths, and attitudes toward function were also studied.
In the present study we investigate alternative specifications of the relation-ship between user influence and the success of the management information system (MIS) project. The aim is to learn if success varies with the influence of different types of users, the phase of the development process during which influence is exerted, the effectiveness of the communication process, the characteristics of the task that the system is designed to support (task environment) and the characteristics of existing computer-based systems (system environment). Data are collected by structured interviews of key actors in the development process. The results indicate that the factors specified above are important contingencies for the relationship between user influence and the success of MIS projects. Tentative causal models are proposed to relate the important variables.
The importance of leadership practices has often been emphasized by writers in the area which has become known as total quality management. Despite such consideration, little has been espoused regarding the theoretical mechanisms by which leadership and total quality management are related. This paper provides a focus on such theoretical issues with the hope of stimulating more systematic research efforts. Emphasis is placed on the mutual influence of leadership and organizational culture on the development of TQM policies and behaviors.
An abstract is not available.
"Designing Team-Based Organizations" [addresses] organizational design issues related to the implementation of teams, with a specific focus on the new designs required to support the knowledge-work components of organizations. The authors offer a field-tested design framework to help managers, consultants, human resource specialists, and students of organization design understand and develop structures and systems necessary to support the strategic deployment of teams. They present a detailed, 5-step design process for creating new organization designs that empower teams so that they make a real difference.
The authors present guidelines for the new leadership roles required of managers in team organizations and process diagrams that describe the learning and transitions that must occur. Numerous sample designs and case examples illustrate different kinds of teams, various integrating mechanisms, and nested hierarchical systems to help ensure that design decisions support the development of team-based organizations that will prosper in the 21st century. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Successful implementation of OR/MS is increasingly becoming a concern of researchers and practitioners in the field. Research efforts to date have resulted in various conceptual models of the implementation process. While offering general insight, these conceptual models provide little assistance to an OR/MS implementor in managing the implementation process or more specifically assessing the nature and extent and resolving implementation problems. This paper proposes a project-risk assessment methodology which could assist the OR/MS implementor in this determination, pointing out the need for development of relevant implementation strategies directed at increasing the chances of successful implementation. Specifically, the methodology involves the use of a discriminant function to: (1) identify high, marginal, or low risk implementation situations; and (2) point out particular "risk factors" that reduce the chances of successful implementation. The paper emphasizes that knowledge of the risk factors specific to an implementation situation is essential for developing relevant strategies to mitigate their influence. It is suggested that the search for viable implementation strategies by the OR/MS implementor would lead to selective review of existing theories of implementation and their use. An illustration of the proposed methodology is provided by the development and use of a discriminant function based on case study data.
Although total quality management scholars, including W. Edwards Deming, consider leadership to be important, there has been little work which considers linkages between specific leadership styles and TQM behaviors/policies. This paper examines the relationship between a full range of leadership styles (Bass & Avolio, 1994) including laissez-faire, management-by-exceptionpassive, management-by-exception-active, transactional and transformational leadership, and five specific TQM behavior factors derived from Deming's (1986) Fourteen Points, i.e., change agency, teamwork, trust-building, short-term goal eradication and continuous improvement.
Criteria for evaluating structural equation models with latent variables are defined, critiqued, and illustrated. An overall
program for model evaluation is proposed based upon an interpretation of converging and diverging evidence. Model assessment
is considered to be a complex process mixing statistical criteria with philosophical, historical, and theoretical elements.
Inevitably the process entails some attempt at a reconcilation between so-called objective and subjective norms.
This paper studies synergism in project management for information systems (IS) development. The quantitative output from group synergy is a structured and on-task team with synchronized productivity. Qualitative factors in group synergy include morale, supportiveness, participation, co-ordination, integration and commitment. It is believed that both qualitative and quantitative aspects of group synergy are complementary to each other and together they can generate greater effectiveness in IS project management. On the basis of substantial literature review, the author formulated a model of group synergy in IS project management. In scholarly terms, the suggested model provides greater understanding of how technical and organizational factors inhibit/facilitate the success of information systems development. Practically, the qualitative and quantitative aspects of IS project management are brought together in a complementary manner under the umbrella of synergism. Being equipped with a broader framework, IS professionals can perform a better job in the field of systems development.
Inadequate system requirements specifications reflect ineffective communication transactions between system users and developers. Today, effective communication between developers and users is more important than ever as organizations redirect resources to the development of decision/expert and communication support systems and to helping users develop their own systems. This paper reports on an exploratory study which tested the use of the Precision Model, a generalized communication model that draws upon a set of communication behaviors to facilitate effective communication between users and developers. These behaviors were incorporated into a general format for running design team meetings. The findings indicate that the new meeting format improved the communication between users and developers and enhanced their ability to develop shared, accurate and complete system requirements. In addition, the use of this format led to a reduction in the number of and length of meetings. It also demonstrated that developers were better able to develop and maintain rapport with users and that team members felt more productive and satisfied when meetings concluded. This research identifies specific behaviors and guidelines that can be used to improve the requirements definition process in any systems development project.
This study integrated theories of group effectiveness with social identity and social categorization theory to develop and test a model of team performance. The sample included 42 product and process development teams employed in three divisions of a Fortune 500 manufacturing firm. Performance data was collected at project midpoint and at project completion through both managers' and team members' assessments. The study found that team social identification was an important predictor of team performance, explaining variance beyond that explained by cohesiveness and external communication. Team social identification was influenced by top management support and recognition, project leader organizational influence, the extent to which members" time was dedicated to the team, and team functional diversity. Implications for scholars and professional managers are discussed.
The major report setting forth major curricular recommendations for graduate professional programs in information systems appeared in 1972. The context of the report was an information systems environment and developmental process distinguishing between two analyst activities: information analysis and design analysis. Figure 1 seeks to draw the ACM distinction. And that distinction is carried forth into skill sets identified as desirable for graduates. Six clusters or groupings of skills are offered (people, models, systems, computers, organizations, and society) and thirteen courses are proposed to impart those skills. The thirteen courses are set forth as a two-year graduate core curriculum for both information and design analysts.
Computer systems1 have become an important part of today's businesses. These systems are commonly used to support the major business functions --- accounting, finance, management, marketing, and production. In the past, professionals relied on data processing (and computer science) personnel to successfully develop computer systems currently used in the decision making process. As computer system utilization increased in business applications, problems developed concerning the acceptability and performance of these systems. The widespread integration of computer systems into areas of business has resulted in a need for clear communication between the user/client and data processing personnel.
Despite the introduction and use of a wide variety of system development methods and tools, software projects are still plagued by time and cost overruns, and unmet user requirements. To avoid these problems, it is frequently recommended that the risk associated with a software project be managed. A task that is critical to the proper management of software development risk is the assessment of the risks facing the project. Based on previous research, this paper proposes a definition and a measure of software development risk. Subsequently, data collected in a survey of 120 projects is used to assess the reliability and validity of the instrument.
CONFIRM was meant to be a leading-edge comprehensive travel industry reservation program combining airline, car rental, and hotel information systems. The CONFIRM project was canceled after three-and-a-half years and after a total of $125 million had been expended. According to a member of the consortium which spearheaded the project, CONFIRM management did not disclose the true status of the project in a timely manner, causing complex problems concerning business ethics and finance. Apparently, the clients were misled into continuing to invest in an operation plagued with problems on database, decision-support, and integration technologies. Asof now, no conclusive data can explain the reasons for the failure in systems development. This incident must prompt IS organizations to adopt detailed codes of professional standards.
A two-phase study concerned with the factors of success associated with the development of computer applications by end users was conducted in 10 large organizations. During the first phase, in-depth interviews were used to refine a preliminary model of the factors of success for user development of computer applications (UDA). In the second phase, a questionnaire was administered to 272 end users experienced in developing applications. Statistical tests of the relationships in the model indicated that all but one of the derived hypotheses were substantiated. The result of this study is a field-verified model of the factors of success of UDA that provides a basis for implementation of UDA practices and policies in organizations, as well as for further research in end-user computing.
Executive support is often prescribed as critical for fully tapping the benefits of information technology (IT). However, few investigations have attempted to determine what type of executive support is likely or organizationally appropriate. This article puts forward alternative models of executive support. The models are tested by examining chief executive officers' behaviors in and perceptions of IT activities. CEOs and information systems executives are surveyed and further data collected from industry handbooks and from chairmen's annual letters to shareholders. The results suggest that executive involvement (a psychological state) is more strongly associated with the firm's progressive use of IT than executive participation (actual behaviors) in IT activities. Executive involvement is influenced by a CEO's participation, prevailing organizational conditions, and the executive's functional background. CEO's perceptions about the importance of IT in their firms were generally positive, although they participated in IT activities rather infrequently.
Information systems failure is a widely recognized problem in the IS community. However, abandonment of IS projects is an aspect of IS failure that has not gained much attention in either IS practice or research. This article examines the organizational practices resulting in the underlying characteristics of IS project abandonment. The results of a survey show IS project abandonment to be a complex multidimensional issue defying easy explanations. IS projects may be abandoned for any combination of factors including cost overruns and/or schedule slippages, technological inadequacies, and behavioral, political, or organizational issues. The last set of factors emerged as being the most dominant in most companies' decisions.
In spite of the attention it has received, there is still much that is not understood about the management of systems development efforts. This research examines one aspect of the management process: the function of control. In this paper, control is viewed broadly, encompassing all attempts to ensure individuals in organizations act in a manner that is consistent with meeting organizational goals and objectives. Control is categorized into formal modes (behavioral, outcome) and informal modes (dan, self). Formal and informal control modes are implemented via a variety of mechanisms, such as linking pay with performance, socialization, and team-building. Relatively little is known about the modes of control used to manage information systems development efforts. The objective of this research is to address this lack of understanding in the literature by exploring how control modes are implemented during systems development projects and by investigating why IS and user stakeholders implement particular combinations of control modes. To meet this objective, a series of four case studies of systems development projects was conducted. The results reveal that users, as well as IS managers, play a critical role in controlling systems development projects. Moreover, the results suggest that all stakeholders implement a portfolio of control modes that typically includes both formal and informal modes. This portfolio contains a mix of overlapping and redundant mechanisms used to exercise these modes of control. The results also suggest that constructing a portfolio of control modes is a process that includes selecting appropriate preexisting mechanisms of formal control; designing new mechanisms with which to implement formal control, if necessary; and supplementing the mechanisms of formal control with mechanisms of informal control. Throughout this process of construction the choice of particular control mechanisms depends on task characteristics, role expectations, and project-related knowledge and skills.