Dimensions of power and IS implementation

doi:10.1016/j.im.2003.02.001

Information & Management

Volume 41, Issue 5, May 2004, Pages 635-644

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2003.02.001 Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper analyzes the failure of an initiative of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Public Safety. It argues that an inability to understand power relationships during systems analysis, design, and implementation has serious implication on the well being of an organization and its business processes; thus, it is a key factor in IS’s project failure. The argument is conducted by evaluating various dimensions of power. Lessons are drawn that return to the importance of considering organizational power issues in implementing a successful computer-based system and in realizing an information technology enabled strategic change initiative.

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to show the value of applying the dimensions of power framework to understand the failure of a Project, specifically an initiative of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Public Safety. It is important to analyze IS project failures from a power perspective, since power provides the energy to realize change; when computer-based systems are implemented, they either cause or enable change. Furthermore, an organization’s inability to mobilize power results in ‘strategic paralysis.’ Power within organizations should not necessarily be looked upon as negative, but as a force that affects outcomes. Knights and Morgan [19] call this—the productive side of power that results in positive outcomes.

Project Genesis affords an interesting and a rich context in which to analyze power relationships within an organization and their impact on the success and failure of IS implementations. This case study was chosen for two reasons. First, Project Genesis has not been designated a failure per se, neither is the project a complete success. There were considerable problems when the system went live on 7 September 1999, but since the system still exists and shall continue to do so, any analysis of the situation is valuable both for theory and practice. Second, it affords a rich context, marred with political undertones. In all certainty, it is the power and politics that have resulted in DMV’s inability to implement the IS successfully.

The sequence of events that unfolded at Nevada DMV following the insertion of Project Genesis positions the implementation in the same category as a majority of other IS implementation disasters. Prominent examples of such projects are the baggage handling systems at Denver (USA) and Chep Lap Kok (Hong Kong) airports [28], the London Ambulance Dispatch Systems (UK) [2], and the BP Chemicals global integrated system [15].

Section snippets

Interpreting power

This section presents a broad classification of previous studies in understanding power within organizations.

There is little consensus among researchers and practitioners about the relationship of organizational power and IS analysis and design. Power has been considered to reside in the organizational resources and hence connotes the ability to get others to do what is wanted of them. This conception of power considers conflict to be central to a situation when power is exercised. Research

Analyzing Project Genesis

Project Genesis at Nevada DMV affords a rich context for analyzing the impact of organizational power relations on the implementation of computer-based IS. The situation was particularly relevant for undertaking a study, since Project Genesis was part of a larger strategic change initiative.

The implementation of IS at the DMV caused significant inconvenience to the public. There was also much negative publicity linked with Project Genesis. As a consequence, many stakeholders were unwilling to

Summary

It is not our intent to underplay a range of technical and organizational project management issues that are critical for the success of an IS project. As Jiang and Klein [16] note, system success is a multi-dimensional trait and cannot be described by a single measure. So, clearly the success of any project and implementation of IS in particular is founded on addressing a broad spectrum of both technical and organizational issues.

At a technical level, the Genesis system was marred with ‘bugs.’

Conclusion

Good project management goes far beyond the technical development of a system. Indeed it is far more important to understand the human behavioral aspects of analysis, design and management of systems. In particular, an understanding of power in the resources, processes, and meanings needed to align changes in the structure, systems, people, and culture. It goes without saying that had the DMV administration carefully analyzed and understood the various dimensions of power, they would have been

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements are due to Becky Solomon, a graduate student at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who helped with the data collection.

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Gurpreet Dhillon is an associate professor of Information Systems in the School of Business, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA. He holds a PhD in IS (1995) from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. He is an author of five books and has published in several journals including Information Systems Research, Communications of the ACM, Computers & Security, European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, and International Journal of Information Management among others. His research interests include management of information security, ethical, and legal implications of information systems and aspects of information systems planning and project management.

View full text

Dimensions of power and IS implementation

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Interpreting power

Analyzing Project Genesis

Summary

Conclusion

Acknowledgements

European Management Journal

Information & Management

Information & Management

The two faces of power

American Political Science Review

Information systems failure: the case of the London ambulance service computer aided dispatch project

European Journal of Information System

Human resource management: the right hand of strategic implementation

Human Resource Planning

Understanding power: bringing about strategic change

British Journal of Management

Review: power and information technology research: a metatriangulation review

MIS Quarterly