One reason is that performance measurement information is more readily available and part of the culture. If an investment cannot be shown contributing to sales or production or other set measures, the executive in charge is willing to walk away from the project. The 1993 Government Performance and Results Act holds the hope of creating a measurement culture that will give federal managers the metrics they need to make such hard decisions. Another reason private sector projects are kept in check is keen competition for scarce investment money, Kapur says. If a project is not panning out, other managers are eager to claim the resources for higher return projects.
Less stigma is attached to trying and failing in the private sector, unless one does so repeatedly.
Executives often think that once they have approved a concept and a budget, the project can become someone else's problem. But they really don't want to know. Managing an IT project is tough, especially in the early stages, which are fraught with bad news or at least uncertainty. That is precisely when senior management attention and support are most needed. If you see yourself in this picture, you need to get out.