Book Description

Information systems projects in developing countries continue to fail. My research aims to understand some of the major issues that negatively impact the success of public sector information systems projects in developing countries. I conducted a qualitative study of a state agricultural marketing board in India. The board initiated an information systems project in 2003. The objective of the project was to connect the various agricultural markets spread across the state by deploying hi-tech information and communication technologies. Unfortunately, by 2011-12 the project was abandoned because of the growing conflicts between the government and private vendors implementing the project. The major stakeholders in the project included the government, private vendors, farmers and traders. The data for this critical study was collected over a period of eight months from 2009 to 2012 using semi structured interviews, field visits and observations. The findings of the research suggest that the lack of trust and resignation (to certain unfair practices being virtually impossible to change) are the core issues that impede success of information systems implementation in developing countries. Also, a lack of honesty and behavioural hegemony led to mistrust amongst the stakeholders. Following, the analysis of the problems posed by the mistrust-resignation framework, this research suggests some solutions. Commodity information systems, stakeholder accreditation system, transaction feedback systems and stakeholder security systems are suggested as possible mechanisms for fostering trust.