ABSTRACT

Information and communication technology (ICT) projects still suffer from high failure rates, especially in emerging markets. This paper investigates existing trends and influencing factors for this failure in such a context, using a representative sample of organizations in Saudi Arabia (SA). To this end, two sources of data collection are used, a corporate survey on local and multinational organizations working in SA including a qualitative analysis of the participants’ answers, and archival data of a real-world case study of a challenging software project. The management/organization factors including lack of planning, resistance to change, misunderstanding user requirements, government regulations, poor business process reengineering, and lack of training were found to be the key indicators that influence ICT project failures. However, technical factors (e.g. redesign required for government compliance such as the use of the Hijri calendar) and financial reasons tend to have reduced influence because of extensive government subsidization in such countries. To generalize our findings, we compare and discuss our results with another Middle Eastern market. The comparison found that the lack of planning is the most important factor of failure between the two countries. The results may also apply to other emerging markets.

摘要

信息和通信技术（ICT）项目的失败率仍然很高，尤其是在新兴市场中。本文使用沙特阿拉伯（SA）组织的代表性样本，研究了在这种情况下这种失败的现有趋势和影响因素。为此，使用了两种数据收集来源：对在SA工作的本地和跨国组织的公司调查，包括对参与者答案的定性分析，以及对具有挑战性的软件项目进行的真实案例研究的存档数据。发现管理/组织因素，包括缺乏计划，对变更的抵制，对用户要求的误解，政府法规，业务流程再造不佳以及缺乏培训，都是影响ICT项目失败的关键指标。然而，技术因素（例如，政府法规要求的重新设计，例如使用回历日历）和财务原因，由于在这些国家/地区受到广泛的政府补贴，因此影响力降低。为了概括我们的发现，我们将与另一个中东市场进行比较并讨论我们的结果。比较发现，缺乏计划是两国之间失败的最重要因素。该结果也可能适用于其他新兴市场。比较发现，缺乏计划是两国之间失败的最重要因素。该结果也可能适用于其他新兴市场。比较发现，缺乏计划是两国之间失败的最重要因素。该结果也可能适用于其他新兴市场。