Abstract

Implementations of large scale information systems are complex and problematic with a reputation for being delayed and going over budget. A critical factor in the success of these implementations is trust in the system, in the project and between the various stakeholders. As problems and delays mount, trust relations become strained, leading to a circle of suspicion and disbelief which is both destructive and hard to break out of. This case study analyses trust relations during a problematic period of time in the implementation of the Faroese integrated healthcare information system, using a framework based on Giddens´ theory of modernity. The framework theorizes dynamic elements of the evolution of trust, not previously investigated in this context. The data collection involves 4 actors interviewed twice in 2006 and 2007; and the data analysis strategy is content analysis using Nvivo software. A major contribution is that if an implementation project interacts with many or complex abstract systems, the managers must focus on continuous embedding and re-embedding by interacting directly with representatives of the abstract systems in question to maintain trust. Also we observe that actors’ perceptions of trust relations influence future actions, and in this way have both negative and positive consequences. We also conclude that Giddens’ theories of trust provide a promising insight into the dynamic aspects of trust relations in implementation projects, which go further than trust theories currently used in the IS field.

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