Investigating the socio-technical risks associated with Information Systems Planning (ISP) in governmental organisations (Case study of The Sultanate of Oman)

This action research study aims to explore and resolve the extant problem situation relating to the Social Benefit System (SBS) development project involving two different Ministries within The Sultanate of Oman (i.e. Ministry of Social Development (MOSD); Ministry of National Economy (MONE)). The intention is to propose an appropriate approach to Information Systems Planning (ISP) intended to increase the success rate of Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) projects within Omani governmental organisations. The underlying purpose concerns identifying Socio-Technical risks at the ISP stage and how these could influence the success rate of governmental IS.

The literature review confirmed the suitability of utilising Leavitt's (1964) Socio-Technical Model of organisational change as an appropriate methodology to investigate and analyse the reasons behind the problem situation in the research context.

Using Leavitt's Model, the first action research, which involved two cycles, put forward an extended model aimed at identifying how resistance evolved during ISP stages within one organisational context (MOSD) while applying change. The second action research involved the two different environments (MOSD; MONE) through an Integrated Steering Committee. Therefore, Leavitt Model required an extension due to the effect of cultural and organisational differences before using it as a tool to define and place the gaps. Using the proposed extended Model the second action research, which also involved two cycles, puts forward a Model aimed at identifying how conflict evolved within Integrated Steering Committees.This study concludes with presenting an approach to ISP intended to increase the success rate of IS/IT projects in Omani governmental organisations. In this way, this study endeavours to contribute to the body of knowledge within the IS management domain in DCs and provides rich insights into how socio-technical risk factors evolve during the ISP stage of IS/IT projects within DCs.