IT projects are temporary organizations of strategic importance. Companies invest large amounts of money, time, and resources into business-embedded IT projects in order to change and gain a competitive advantage. Extreme cases of failures were previously only analyzed as case studies, e.g., Denver Airport, London Stock Exchange Taurus, London Ambulance Service. The research poses an important question: What is the risk of these outliers, that is markedly deviant observations of IT project performance? What causes outliers in IT project performance? Only very few studies problematized the frequency of outliers directly. Reported numbers range from 33% to as low as 0.2%. The variation has been explained through biases in planning processes of organizations and as artefact of data collection. An alternative explanation is that the true nature of IT projects contains more variation than commonly assumed. A rich body of organizational, project management, and IT project management literature offers antecedents of outliers. The extant literature falls broadly into three schools of thought: (1) system-centric, (2) event-centric, and (3) process-centric theories of why outliers occurred. System-centric explanations focus on the question of system design, based on theories of normal accidents and high reliability organizations. Event-centric explanations focus on how organizations respond to rare events that impact the organization, based on theories of crisis management, management of organizational turbulence, and strategic surprises. Process-centric explanations focus on the role of managing uncertainty and risk over time, based on theories of man-made disasters, escalation of commitment to a failing course of action, and the normalization of deviance. The study is based on the archival research of 4,307 IT projects from 190 organizations. The findings show that the tail of the cost, schedule, and effort performance distributions is best fitted by a power law, with overwhelming goodness of fit. Moreover, the findings show that system-centric explanations and process-centric theories offer explanations for the thickness of the tail and the odds of an outlier occurring. In particular five variables were associated with outliers: estimated cost and duration, perceived uniqueness of the project, the qualification and motivation of the project team, and the effectiveness of monitoring and controlling. The results show that outliers are not chance events; they follow patterns that are describable. The study showed how design factors, that are often conceptualized as system complexities, and execution factors, that are often conceptualized as the effectiveness of project processes, explain project outliers. Lastly, the thesis draws implications for research and practice.

Land information management in Ghana, as in many developing countries, remains a practice monopolised by public sector land administration agencies, which are known for being inefficient in delivering services that satisfy the needs of citizens. Under this monopolised regime, landed property related data gathering, processing through land registration, storage and dissemination of the information as final product for public use is entirely based on expert knowledge. Meanwhile, reliance on this kind of knowledge for land information management has continuously failed to promote smooth flow and a broad based access to reliable information for decision making by citizens. This failure has created a huge land information gap between market participants’ especially genuine and fraudulent landed property owners on one hand and potential buyers, lenders, and investors on the other hand. Thus, there is information asymmetry, which this study identifies as a major contributory factor to the challenges of uncertainties and high transaction costs that characterise dealings in urban real estate markets in Ghana. In order to verify how the information gap can be closed, this research adopts quantitative research methodology. The research mainly explores multinomial logistic regression model to test Economic Theory of Knowledge propounded by Hayek (1945) using Ghana as the context of study. Primary data was collected from potential land information suppliers within the private sector and existing users of land information as likely beneficiaries of an efficient land information management regime. Interrater agreement index and Pearson’s bivariate correlation analysis were used to analyse primary data gathered from users of land information in relation to land information needs and competition in land information harnessing. Following verification of the relationship between competition and economic knowledge, the key research finding is that there are two kinds of land information management knowledge and these are expert and entrepreneurial land information management knowledge. Thus, the research presents empirical evidence that out of four types of entrepreneurial knowledge verified, two types namely adaptive and cost-efficient knowledge are most likely to influence competition in land information supply. Also, competition is likely to deliver land information services that satisfy the needs of users of land information. Altogether, the research findings converge with the theory verified. The research outcome suggests that deregulation of state monopoly of land information harnessing for competition among private economic actors in Ghana is due. Removing this barrier is likely to promote dynamic competition in which licensed land information suppliers can use adaptive and cost efficient knowledge in gathering and disseminating land information at competitive prices. The study also provides evidence that all-in-one land information, which is broadly accessible at competitive prices is likely to be required to help address the problem of information asymmetry in the context of Ghana. For purposes of practice in the context of urban real estate markets in Ghana, a framework based on the research findings is developed and validated. The framework is proposed to inform policy decision on deregulation for competition in land information harnessing to enable the real estate sector function well. To kick start the process, deregulation in land data gathering and dissemination of land information is suggested.

This quantitative research study investigated the impact of organisational context on the process and success of strategic IS planning (SISP) in post-implementation information systems in Libyan organisations. A set of direct and indirect relationships were investigated in the research model. The organisational context presented as a contingent situational variable mediated by SISP process and predicted by SISP success (the criterion variable). The causality of the relationship set was developed from the contingency theory of information systems and supported by fit models in strategic management research. The study deployed multivariate analysis represented in the structural equation modelling (SEM) to develop robust construct measurements and analyse data collected from executives responsible for information systems planning in both public and private Libyan organisations. Multi-dimensional multi-items constructs were used in the path analysis model after they were extensively validated. The path analysis model represented as mediation model, where hypothesise suggest that SISP context has an impact SISP success, through the influence of the SISP process. In the model, four dimensions of the SISP context construct were found to have a significant impact on SISP success directly and indirectly through the SISP process. Two of these dimensions are components of the leadership orientation construct, namely “Creative and Controlling” leadership. The other two dimensions are “Organisation centralisation structure and the Riskiness of organisation strategies”. The environmental uncertainty and planning resource constructs were found to have no impact on SISP success in Libyan organisations. Furthermore, this study validated six out of seven dimensions of SISP process construct measurement; only five exhibited acceptable fit level in the path analysis model and all were affected by the SISP context. However, just three out of five SISP process constructs had an impact on SISP success namely “Comprehensiveness, Focus and Intuition planning process”. Different SISP processes were associated with different levels of SISP success, “Intuition” was the most effective SISP process approach. The second most effective SISP process approach was the “Focus on innovation”, followed by “Limited comprehensiveness”. The SISP success measured by the fulfilment of key objectives that has three measurements constructs namely “Analysis, Alignment, and Cooperation”. The research suggest that under the effect of organisation context the most successful SISP produced by (CIO, CEO, or top executives) who rely less on personal judgment, focus more on innovation rather than control and limit their comprehensiveness of information systems planning process.

Risk management is a process through which organizations are methodically devoted to the risks associated with their activities in order to get the biggest benefit from their business. It is also a rapidly developing field, where there is a variety of different approaches, methods, methodologies and standards in which may be little confusing. Therefore, this work offers a comprehensive and systematic view on the issue of risk analysis and management. Risk analysis is a cornerstone for effective security management of each company used for identification, description and quantification of risks, which should lead to acceptance of suitable measures for risk treatment. That is the reason why it requires a careful and methodical procedure described in this work. The main objective of this work is to analyse different approaches to risk analysis and management and thus highlight the importance of information security and protection of corporate assets. This approaches need to be understood as a different levels of detail of conducted risk analysis which will depend on initial maturity level (according to the CMM -- Capability Maturity Model) of information security process. The theoretical part of this thesis will explain relevant methodologies, techniques and procedure of risk analysis based on the ISO 27005 standard. From this part reader should learn what risk analysis is, what is it used for, how can it be carried out and what standards and methods can be used. The practical part will solve a real risk analysis project, which will demonstrate application of information obtained in the theoretical part.

Esta pesquisa propôs-se a analisar a capacitação do Profissional da Informação na área de Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços de Informação, para tanto foi verificado, por meio de uma pesquisa de campo, o nível de atuação do Profissional da Informação, bibliotecário, na área de Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços da Informação em empresas e também foram pesquisados e identificados as ofertas de cursos stricto e lato-sensu com foco na Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços de informação. Refletiu-se sobre as carências no processo de formação e qualificação do Profissional da Informação e inserção no mercado, analisando-se as exigências de conhecimentos baseados nos estudos internacionais da Special Libraries Association, SLA, competências essas voltadas para a Gestão da Qualidade. Concluiu-se que a pesquisa de campo confirmou a demanda do profissional por capacitação na área da qualidade. Com relação às buscas por ofertas de capacitação, foi possível constatar a diversidade de formas do profissional adquirir este conhecimento, mas também se demonstrou a importância de a Ciência da Informação oferecer tal formação em seus cursos de Pós-graduação. / This research analyzed the Information Professional in the Quality Management in Information Services, for this, was verified through a field research the level of performance of the information professional, librarian, in the Quality Management in Information Services in companies and it was also searched and identified. It offers courses stricto and broad sensu with focus in the Quality Management in information services. It was reflected on the lacks, in the formation process and qualification of the information professional and insertion in the market, analyzing the requirements of based knowledge in the international studies of the Special Libraries Association, SLA (1996; 2003), abilities these directed to the Quality Management. Concluded that, the field research confirmed the demand for qualification in quality area, exactly the professional to demonstrate that already acts with sights to the quality in services. With regard to the searches for qualification offers, the diversity of forms to the professional can be evidenced to acquire this knowledge, but it also demonstrated importance of the Information Science to offer such formation in its courses after graduation.

Esta pesquisa propôs-se a analisar a capacitação do Profissional da Informação na área de Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços de Informação, para tanto foi verificado, por meio de uma pesquisa de campo, o nível de atuação do Profissional da Informação, bibliotecário, na área de Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços da Informação em empresas e também foram pesquisados e identificados as ofertas de cursos stricto e lato-sensu com foco na Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços de informação. Refletiu-se sobre as carências no processo de formação e qualificação do Profissional da Informação e inserção no mercado, analisando-se as exigências de conhecimentos baseados nos estudos internacionais da Special Libraries Association, SLA, competências essas voltadas para a Gestão da Qualidade. Concluiu-se que a pesquisa de campo confirmou a demanda do profissional por capacitação na área da qualidade. Com relação às buscas por ofertas de capacitação, foi possível constatar a diversidade de formas do profissional adquirir este conhecimento, mas também se demonstrou a importância de a Ciência da Informação oferecer tal formação em seus cursos de Pós-graduação. / This research analyzed the Information Professional in the Quality Management in Information Services, for this, was verified through a field research the level of performance of the information professional, librarian, in the Quality Management in Information Services in companies and it was also searched and identified. It offers courses stricto and broad sensu with focus in the Quality Management in information services. It was reflected on the lacks, in the formation process and qualification of the information professional and insertion in the market, analyzing the requirements of based knowledge in the international studies of the Special Libraries Association, SLA (1996; 2003), abilities these directed to the Quality Management. Concluded that, the field research confirmed the demand for qualification in quality area, exactly the professional to demonstrate that already acts with sights to the quality in services. With regard to the searches for qualification offers, the diversity of forms to the professional can be evidenced to acquire this knowledge, but it also demonstrated importance of the Information Science to offer such formation in its courses after graduation.

University of Macau / Faculty of Business Administration / Department of Accounting and Information Management

Darbas yra aktualus, nes viešojo sektoriaus įstaigose ir organizacijose kol kas nėra pakankamų žinių apie informacinių technologijų valdymo procesų tobulinimo metodus. Dažnai informacinių technologijų plėtra ir strateginis valdymas yra suprantama kaip technologinis, o ne kaip vadybinis uždavinys, todėl tampa atskirti nuo pagrindinių įstaigos veiklos procesų ir vyksta nepriklausomai nuo pagrindinės įstaigos veiklos. Šiame magistriniame darbe išanalizuotos Lietuvos viešojo sektoriaus informacinių technologių strateginio valdymo problemos nustatytas Lietuvos viešojo sektoriaus strateginio valdymo lygis. Šio darbo tyrimo objektas – Lietuvos Respublikos viešojo sektoriaus informacinių technologijų strateginis valdymas. Tikslas – nustatyti Lietuvos Respublikos informacinių technologijų strateginio valdymo galimybes, taikant tarptautinį standartą COBIT. Iškeltam tikslui pasiekti ir išspręsti tokie uždaviniai, kaip: informacinių technologijų strateginio valdymo svarba, atlikta teisinės bazės, reglamentuojančios viešojo sektoriaus informacinių technologijų valdymą, analizė, išanalizuotas tarptautinį standartą – COBIT ir sugretintas su Lietuvos teisine baze, tai pat atlikta ekspertų apklausa. Taip pat atliktas tyrimas patvirtino keliamą hipotezę: Lietuvos Respublikos viešojo sektoriaus informacinių technologijų srityje strateginio valdymo reglamentavimas teisės aktais neatitinka reglamentavimo pagal tarptautinį standartą – COBIT. Pirmoje dalyje pateikiama lietuvių ir užsienio mokslinės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The work is important, because the lack of knowledge on improvement methods of the information technologies management processes exists in organisations and institutions of public sector. Information technologies development and strategic management is often understood as technological, but not administrative task and due to that it becomes desintegrated with the main institutional processes and goes independently from main institutional activities. In this master work problems of the strategic management of information technologies in public sector of Lithuania are analysed and the maturity level of the strategic management of public sector of Lithuania is determined. Analysis object of this work - strategic management of information technologies in public sector of the Republic of Lithuania. The objective – to determine strategic management of information technologies in public sector possibilities using international standard COBIT. For the analysis object reaching goals were solved - such as importance of the strategic management of information technologies, analysis of the legal basis, which regulates management of the public sector information technologies, analysed international standard COBIT and mapped with Lithuanian legal basis, performed interview of experts. Analysis performed confirmed raised hypothesis: regulation of the strategic management in area of public sector information technologies in the Republic of Lithuania does not meet regulations if to compare... [to full text]

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Wollongong, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: p. 87-93.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- Universiteit Leiden, 2004. / Added thesis title page inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. [175]-183).