Title: Organisational influences impacting user involvement in a major information system project: a case study in a governmental organisation

Authors: Bassam A. Hussein; Kristin H. Hafseld

Addresses: Department of Production and Quality Engineering, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway ' Department of Production and Quality Engineering, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway

Abstract: This paper explores the impact of organisational influences on user involvement in relation to a major information system project at a governmental organisation in Norway. The results suggest that one major obstacle to end-user involvement is a combination of a conformist working culture and the total lack of project management competence in the organisation. The career promotion mechanism in the organisation may have created a culture of diffidence, forced conformity and loyalty moving upwards and this turn have reduced the organisation ability to adhere to structured approach to project requirements management. The findings indicate that a combination of an authoritarian style and inherent culture of resistance to change have impacted on the organisation ability to effectively prepare and commit users to the project and the changes it will create in the organisation. This study demonstrates that some of these organisational influences are addressable through applying structured methods for determining requirements.

Keywords: requirements management; end user involvement; organisational influences; organisational culture; information systems projects; governmental organisations; Norway; conformist working culture; project management competence; career promotion; diffidence; loyalty; authoritarian style; resistance to change.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPOM.2016.075786

International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2016 Vol.8 No.1, pp.24 - 43

Received: 04 Mar 2013
Accepted: 11 Dec 2013

Published online: 05 Apr 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article