Assessing project selection methods for information systems projects
- Authors: Chauke, Hlayiseka
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Information technology projects - Management , Project management
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/448630 , uj:39367
- Description: Abstract: The world of business is influenced by the use of information systems to drive better business results. Most organisations use project management as a discipline to deliver these information systems. Before a project is selected, an organisation will go through some steps which will guide it through the investment decision for a potential information systems project. The processes followed in making a project selection decision are mostly isolated because organisations rely on limited selection methods, which are mostly financial. This research contributes by investigating a more holistic approach to how information systems projects should be selected. This is done by discussing variables which influence the decision-making process. The problem statement discussed in the research is addressed by investigating variables which influence the types of project selection methods used for information systems. The main methods investigated are strategic methods and financial methods. The study found that individual influences and formalised business processes are the main variables which lead to the use of financial methods during the project selection process... , M.Com. (Business Management)
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- Authors: Chauke, Hlayiseka
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Information technology projects - Management , Project management
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/448630 , uj:39367
- Description: Abstract: The world of business is influenced by the use of information systems to drive better business results. Most organisations use project management as a discipline to deliver these information systems. Before a project is selected, an organisation will go through some steps which will guide it through the investment decision for a potential information systems project. The processes followed in making a project selection decision are mostly isolated because organisations rely on limited selection methods, which are mostly financial. This research contributes by investigating a more holistic approach to how information systems projects should be selected. This is done by discussing variables which influence the decision-making process. The problem statement discussed in the research is addressed by investigating variables which influence the types of project selection methods used for information systems. The main methods investigated are strategic methods and financial methods. The study found that individual influences and formalised business processes are the main variables which lead to the use of financial methods during the project selection process... , M.Com. (Business Management)
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Effective use of the business case to enhance the success rate of business / information technology projects
- Authors: Einhorn, Frank
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Information technology projects , Information technology projects - Management , Project management , Business enterprises , Success in business
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/271762 , uj:28910
- Description: Ph.D. (IT Management) , Abstract: This thesis is about what needs to be in place for the business case to be used effectively in business projects that use information technology (referred to as ITB projects) and hence contribute to their success. Success in this context refers to project success, product success, business success and often also strategic success. The thesis is based largely on a review of representative literature. It outlines the purposes of a business case for individual projects as well as for a portfolio of projects. It shows how sound governance is not only mandated for organisations in South Africa via the King IV provisions, but also contributes to project success. The business case emerges as a key input to such governance. Simply put, the organisation needs to understand the ongoing justification for projects and also to prioritise multiple projects to optimise strategic objectives. The word ‘ongoing’ is important, as literature emphasises that business requirements, which apply to all organisations, including government, are constantly changing. It is found from literature that it is difficult to follow business case processes and that in practice the business case is seldom used effectively throughout the lifetime of the project from inception to benefits realisation. The remainder of the research sought to determine what organisations can do to rectify the situation and enhance their success rate. This was done progressively by getting a better understanding of business case processes and then the information that the processes interact with. The research shows how additional information is needed during planning, execution and benefits realisation. However, knowing the business case processes and the information required is necessary but not sufficient. There are many organisational factors that need to facilitate the effective use of the business case and hence sound governance. Having researched the facilitating factors from literature, a business case effectiveness model is proposed showing how the processes, information and factors combine. The aim of the model is to increase awareness and understanding and hence enable organisations to get value, at acceptable cost, from use of the business case. Field research was then done to assess the presence and importance of the factors and to relate them to the use of business case processes. It was possible to reduce the facilitating factors to eight major factors and to use the major factors to validate the business case effectiveness model.
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- Authors: Einhorn, Frank
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Information technology projects , Information technology projects - Management , Project management , Business enterprises , Success in business
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/271762 , uj:28910
- Description: Ph.D. (IT Management) , Abstract: This thesis is about what needs to be in place for the business case to be used effectively in business projects that use information technology (referred to as ITB projects) and hence contribute to their success. Success in this context refers to project success, product success, business success and often also strategic success. The thesis is based largely on a review of representative literature. It outlines the purposes of a business case for individual projects as well as for a portfolio of projects. It shows how sound governance is not only mandated for organisations in South Africa via the King IV provisions, but also contributes to project success. The business case emerges as a key input to such governance. Simply put, the organisation needs to understand the ongoing justification for projects and also to prioritise multiple projects to optimise strategic objectives. The word ‘ongoing’ is important, as literature emphasises that business requirements, which apply to all organisations, including government, are constantly changing. It is found from literature that it is difficult to follow business case processes and that in practice the business case is seldom used effectively throughout the lifetime of the project from inception to benefits realisation. The remainder of the research sought to determine what organisations can do to rectify the situation and enhance their success rate. This was done progressively by getting a better understanding of business case processes and then the information that the processes interact with. The research shows how additional information is needed during planning, execution and benefits realisation. However, knowing the business case processes and the information required is necessary but not sufficient. There are many organisational factors that need to facilitate the effective use of the business case and hence sound governance. Having researched the facilitating factors from literature, a business case effectiveness model is proposed showing how the processes, information and factors combine. The aim of the model is to increase awareness and understanding and hence enable organisations to get value, at acceptable cost, from use of the business case. Field research was then done to assess the presence and importance of the factors and to relate them to the use of business case processes. It was possible to reduce the facilitating factors to eight major factors and to use the major factors to validate the business case effectiveness model.
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A holistic approach to information technology project management auditing
- Authors: Mukendi, John Nyabadi
- Date: 2012-10-25
- Subjects: Project management , Information technology projects - Management , Corporate governance
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:10446 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7911
- Description: M.Tech. (Information Technology) , Increasingly, more now than before, the corporate world has been paying more attention to the prominent topic of “governance”. The absence of governance in an organisation or ineffective governance has become synonymous with all that is wrong. It is regarded to be the root cause of all evils – not only in the corporate environment, but also in society. Following corporate scandals of recent years that have exposed corporate malpractices and mismanagement, corporate governance is increasingly being recognised worldwide as a best practice and an effective mechanism that not only promotes corporate efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability, but is also a tool for combating corporate corruption. The audit function is considered one of the main supporting pillars of corporate governance, as it plays an important role in helping management attain its business goals and strategic objectives. This is realised through a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of the organisation’s system of internal control, risk management and governance processes. The failure of the audit function is said to have been one of the critical contributors to recent global corporate scandals. Robust auditing is believed to be the cornerstone of modern corporate governance. The use of auditing in project management processes increases the probability of project success. Using corporate governance as a best practice and audit as one of its sub-sets, this research study deals with the topical issue of failures in Information Technology (IT) projects. The study strives to address this problem by adopting a holistic approach to IT project management auditing that includes corporate governance principles over and above the traditional principles and processes for auditing IT projects. Over the past 15 to 20 years, the rate of failure of IT projects has changed little in continual surveys, showing that more than half of all IT projects overrun their schedules and budgets. This situation has continued in spite of new technologies, innovative methods, tools and different management methods. Although most organisations heavily rely on IT-enabled projects for competitive advantage, it is estimated that worldwide over $6.2 trillion is being wasted annually on IT project failures. One of the reasons for this situation has allegedly been the failure of project governance. Thus, the importance and added value of this research study lies in adopting a holistic approach to IT project management auditing. The study involves corporations and not government agencies or other institutions. The study adopts a qualitative research approach and uses semi-structured face-to-face interviews as the primary method for data collection. It is intended that this study fills a gap in the research literature on the topic.
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- Authors: Mukendi, John Nyabadi
- Date: 2012-10-25
- Subjects: Project management , Information technology projects - Management , Corporate governance
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:10446 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7911
- Description: M.Tech. (Information Technology) , Increasingly, more now than before, the corporate world has been paying more attention to the prominent topic of “governance”. The absence of governance in an organisation or ineffective governance has become synonymous with all that is wrong. It is regarded to be the root cause of all evils – not only in the corporate environment, but also in society. Following corporate scandals of recent years that have exposed corporate malpractices and mismanagement, corporate governance is increasingly being recognised worldwide as a best practice and an effective mechanism that not only promotes corporate efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability, but is also a tool for combating corporate corruption. The audit function is considered one of the main supporting pillars of corporate governance, as it plays an important role in helping management attain its business goals and strategic objectives. This is realised through a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of the organisation’s system of internal control, risk management and governance processes. The failure of the audit function is said to have been one of the critical contributors to recent global corporate scandals. Robust auditing is believed to be the cornerstone of modern corporate governance. The use of auditing in project management processes increases the probability of project success. Using corporate governance as a best practice and audit as one of its sub-sets, this research study deals with the topical issue of failures in Information Technology (IT) projects. The study strives to address this problem by adopting a holistic approach to IT project management auditing that includes corporate governance principles over and above the traditional principles and processes for auditing IT projects. Over the past 15 to 20 years, the rate of failure of IT projects has changed little in continual surveys, showing that more than half of all IT projects overrun their schedules and budgets. This situation has continued in spite of new technologies, innovative methods, tools and different management methods. Although most organisations heavily rely on IT-enabled projects for competitive advantage, it is estimated that worldwide over $6.2 trillion is being wasted annually on IT project failures. One of the reasons for this situation has allegedly been the failure of project governance. Thus, the importance and added value of this research study lies in adopting a holistic approach to IT project management auditing. The study involves corporations and not government agencies or other institutions. The study adopts a qualitative research approach and uses semi-structured face-to-face interviews as the primary method for data collection. It is intended that this study fills a gap in the research literature on the topic.
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