The Nature of Adherence to Planning as Criterion for Information System Project Success

JAIS Theory Development Workshop (Pre-ICIS), International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS 2011), Shang­hai, December 3, 2011

Sprouts: Working Papers on Information Systems, 11(142)

32 Pages Posted: 28 Sep 2012 Last revised: 25 Oct 2012

See all articles by Dirk Basten

Dirk Basten

University of Cologne

Ali Sunyaev

University of Cologne; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Date Written: December 3, 2011

Abstract

Derived from engineering, adherence to planning (ATP) is the central and most often used criterion for the evaluation of information system (IS) projects. Although this evaluation is questionable as ATP does not account for all of IS projects' particularities, a systematic approach for the assessment of ATP's suitability in the context of IS projects is still missing. We propose a theory to explain the suitability of using ATP as success criterion for IS projects. Thereby, we use the project life cycle's processes and their outcomes as the theory's primary constructs. We argue for the constructs' interdependencies corroborated by a systematic literature review. Our results show that ATP's suitability is not given or at least questionable in many cases. Researchers and managers should adapt the way of evaluating IS projects to avoid misleading implications.

Keywords: explaining theory, adherence to planning, information system, project success, literature review

Suggested Citation

Basten, Dirk and Sunyaev, Ali, The Nature of Adherence to Planning as Criterion for Information System Project Success (December 3, 2011). JAIS Theory Development Workshop (Pre-ICIS), International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS 2011), Shang­hai, December 3, 2011, Sprouts: Working Papers on Information Systems, 11(142), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2152943 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2152943

Dirk Basten (Contact Author)

University of Cologne ( email )

Albertus-Magnus-Platz
Cologne, 50923
Germany

Ali Sunyaev

University of Cologne ( email )

Albertus-Magnus-Platz
Cologne, 50923
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.isq.uni-koeln.de

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology ( email )

Kaiserstraße 12
Karlsruhe, Baden Württemberg 76131
Germany

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