The politics of post-implementation reviews
Abstract.? The post-implementation review (PIR) literature emphasizes the benefits of ex post evaluations of information technology (IT) projects. However, empirical studies of actual practice show that few organizations undertake any substantive form of ex post evaluation. This article presents the results of case study research in the Australian offices of two global corporations. These results support the findings reported in the literature and contribute new insights into the political factors that discourage the undertaking of PIRs in organizations. Furthermore, the results reveal a significant gap between theory and practice with respect to IT investment and IT governance practices, with no evidence found of such practices influencing ex post evaluation behaviour in these two organizations.
post-implementation review ex post evaluation it governance organizational leadership strategic it investments