It is widely known that many large-scale change management projects involving new information technology (IT) fail for reasons unrelated to technical feasibility and reliability.1 It is also well known that good technology “implementation” and “change management” techniques can substantially increase the chances of success.2 Why, then, do so many organizations fail at IT-enabled transformation? What can line executives and IT specialists do to increase the odds of success?
In fact, there is a lengthy list of good techniques and methods for successful IT-enabled change projects. While we have nothing new to add to this list, we explain why the techniques and methods are not always used, and we challenge common notions about who should use them. In our experience, both IT specialists and line managers frequently have and hold onto failure-promoting beliefs about their roles in change. Success requires different beliefs and team-work in applying the best practices of change.
We view IT-enabled transformation as a business process that crosses several functional lines. Because there are handoffs in the process, some things get done twice, while others fall through the cracks. Even if each function performs its role exactly as prescribed, the outcome may not meet customer expectations for timeliness or quality. And when the different functions do not even agree about who is supposed to do each task, only... To read the complete article, login or sign-up using the form below.
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