Pessimism, computer failure and information systems development in the public sector (article)
by Shaun Goldfinch
from Public Administration Review Vol. 67 No. 5 September/October 2007
The majority of information systems developments are unsuccessful. The larger the development, the more likely it will be unsuccessful. Despite the persistence of this problem for decades and the expenditure of vast sums of money, computer failure has received surprisingly little attention in the public administration literature. This article outlines the problems of enthusiasm and the problems of control, as well as the overwhelming complexity, that make the failure of large developments almost inevitable.