Paper Type
Complete Research Paper
Description
Information systems (IS) programs, i.e., temporary organizations consisting of a coherent group of interrelated projects that are jointly coordinated for achieving a common set of goals and objectives, are growing in importance for implementing strategic IT-driven organizational initiatives. Yet we hardly understand the specific challenges associated with them. In this paper, we draw connections between the nature of an IS program and the concept of complexity, arguing that a deeper understanding about the nature of complexity in IS programs is needed. Du to the lack of research in this area, we opted for an exploratory Delphi study. Our results point to three key themes: (1) the importance of organizational complexity in IS programs, (2) the role of organizational dynamic complexity, and (3) the challenges of coordinating and controlling IS programs. These findings offer a practically grounded foundation for exploring the specific challenges of managing IS programs. \ \
COMPLEXITY IN IS PROGRAMS: A DELPHI STUDY
Information systems (IS) programs, i.e., temporary organizations consisting of a coherent group of interrelated projects that are jointly coordinated for achieving a common set of goals and objectives, are growing in importance for implementing strategic IT-driven organizational initiatives. Yet we hardly understand the specific challenges associated with them. In this paper, we draw connections between the nature of an IS program and the concept of complexity, arguing that a deeper understanding about the nature of complexity in IS programs is needed. Du to the lack of research in this area, we opted for an exploratory Delphi study. Our results point to three key themes: (1) the importance of organizational complexity in IS programs, (2) the role of organizational dynamic complexity, and (3) the challenges of coordinating and controlling IS programs. These findings offer a practically grounded foundation for exploring the specific challenges of managing IS programs. \ \