Abstract:

Lay summary: The article investigates why and how certain public sector information technology (IT) projects are successfully implemented whilst others are not. The article discovers that, in public organizations, bureaucrats, technologists, and politicians form coalitions with a shared technical interest. These coalitions develop concrete project agendas and are the driving force behind successful IT projects. Publication significance: The failure or success of IT projects in the public sector is a key challenge to the ability of public organizations to operate effectively and utilize technological innovations. Therefore, it is critical to understand what factors drive these projects. The article draws on original research to make a surprising discovery: the successful implementation of IT projects in the public sector depends on the influence of interest-based coalitions of bureaucrats, technologists and politicians.