The document summarizes two research articles about reducing failures in IT project management. The first article recommends adopting Value Driven Change Leadership (VDCL) to focus on value added over budget/schedule, business solutions over frameworks, and learning from mistakes. The second emphasizes the importance of scope management in specifying requirements and boundaries to address common failure factors. Both recognize high rates of IT project failure and identify factors like leadership, resources, objectives, and personnel that affect success or failure.

1. Reducing I.T. project management failures: an evaluation of leadership roles in
successfully managing projects
Adib Chehade
Swiss Business School
Dosctoral Management Research Perspectives
June 29, 2014

2. Project failure among information technology projects is one of the many problems that
firms across the world encounter in their day-to-day activities. A project is considered a failure
when it fails to meet its required expectations and requirements. Indicators of project failure
include failure to attain the required cost and time specifications. Further, the success or failure
of a project is also determined by its ability to deliver the benefits specified in its initial project
development documents.
The causes of failure among these information technology projects ranges from the lack
of skills and competence of the project management team to the inadequacy of resources needed
to guarantee the successful implementation of a project. Further, factors such as the lack of top
management support, lack of clear objectives and skilled personnel among others.
The paper examines a research proposal by Gezinus J. Hidding, Ph.D. and John Nicholas,
Ph.D. from the Loyola University Chicago and a research by Ato Kwamena Dum Acquah from
the Haaga Helia University of Applied Sciences.
The research proposal by Gezinus J. Hidding, Ph.D. and John Nicholas, Ph.D. from the
Loyola University Chicago intended to highlight the causes of the high rate of failure among
information technology projects. Firstly, the article attributes the high rate of failure to the
traditional project management approach as perpetuated by the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK). The article explains that PMBOK represents a rigid and ineffective way
of managing projects since it does not recognize the effects of changing business environments
and technology on project management activities. According to the article, PMBOK defines
project success as measured by the cost and schedule performance, which only caters for the
efficiency aspect of the project. The research article, however recommends the adoption of the

3. new Value Driven Change Leadership (VDCL) to reduce effectively the cases of failure among
information technology projects.
The VDCL approach developed based on three themes
i. Value added over the budget or schedule
The theme emphasizes the need for project managers to focus on the overall value added
and created for the organization because of investing in a particular project. It involves
examining all areas affected by the proposed project to determine both tangible and
intangible benefits accruing from the project.
ii. Business solution over architecture framework
The business solution over architecture framework involves driving all respective human
resource action towards the attainment of the initial project specifications as determined
by the client. It involves managing all employee actions towards providing the desired
business solutions.
iii. Human change over repeated activities
Human change over repeated activities emphasizes on the need for employees or the
project implementation personnel to learn from their past mistakes thus reducing the
chances of project failure. In this regard, the project implementation team scrutinizes past
project implementation procedures to determine the cause of project failure. Following
successful completion of the process, the team devises corrective action mechanisms to
prevent the failure of subsequent projects undertaken by the firm. It entails encouraging
the personnel to learn from their previous mistakes, thus facilitating the desired human
resource change.

4. The second research by Ato Kwamena Dum Acquah from the Haaga Helia University of
Applied Sciences emphasizes the importance of scope management in reducing Information
Technology project management failures. Scope management refers to the set of actions and
processes undertaken with a view to ensuring the streamlining of project activities to attain the
set of pre-determined objectives. The set of actions and processes further aim at preventing
deviations from the already established course of action, therefore reducing project delays and
waste of resources occasioned by the allocation of resources to non-value adding project
activities.
The scope of a project entails the specification of the combined requirements and
objectives of the intended project in question. It entails specifying the activities that the project
intends to carry out with a view to meeting the final user specifications on the required output.
Further, the article also defines the project scope as that which clarifies the boundaries of the
project. The project specifies that effectively defining the scope of a project addresses most
project management failure factors such as lack of executive support, lack of user input,
changing and incomplete client requirements, technological incompetence and unrealistic
expectation.
The research article further explains that the effective management of a project entails
determining and focusing on a set of project management control processes. The control
processes summarize the set of essential activities that constitute successful project management
and implementation activities. The set of control processes include:

5. i. Planning processes
Planning processes involve the set of activities undertaken by the project implementation
team to define the scope, establish the project objectives and goals. It involves
specifications regarding the quality and quantity of work, required resources, projected
time, and an evaluation of the various risks associated with the implementation of the
project.
ii. Initiating processes
It involves the set of activities undertaken with a view to defining a new project while at
the same time acquiring the necessary authorization. It is mainly concerned with the
initial scope specifications relating to the initial resource requirements, projected time
and cost estimates, as well as the assignment of respective duties and responsibilities
among the project implementation team.
iii. Executing processes
It relates to the set of processes undertaken in the course of implementing the project in
question. It involves the actual organization and utilization of resources as necessitated
by the different project implementation activities. Further, the step involves the taking up
of duties and responsibilities as necessitated by the project implementation process.
iv. Monitoring and control processes
Monitoring and control processes refer to the set of activities undertaken with the
objective of tracking, reviewing and regulating the performance of the project. It entails
comparing the actual status of the project against the projected budget estimates. The
processes enable the project management team to determine any deviations from the

6. expected line of operations. The processes also provide an opportunity of renewing and
updating the project to reflect current and anticipated changes.
v. Closing processes
Closing processes refer to the set of activities undertaken upon the successful completion
of the project in question. The activities involve the submission of project details and
specifications, communication of the project’s closure to the different stakeholders,
delivering of project documents to the respective customers as well as the termination of
the respective supplier contracts.
Similarities between the two articles
The Two articles covered by this paper have a variety of similarities. Firstly, they both
recognize that failure among information technology projects is a problem common to
organizations across the world. In this regard, the two articles cite researches carried out by
individuals such as Hank Lucas and organizations such as the Standish group in the US.
The first research article by Gezinus J. Hidding, Ph.D. and John Nicholas, Ph.D. from the
Loyola University Chicago, cites a research partaken in the late 1980’s which identified that
16.5% of I.T projects rarely or never experienced cost overruns while 41% of the remainder
usually experienced the identified cost overruns attributed to project failure. The article further
highlighted a conference by NATO held to discuss issues relating to software failure among
large I.T projects.
Further, a report by J. Licklider in the first article identified that a particular point in time,
the US military carried out at least two or three dozen complex electronic projects. Of these, 29%
were paid for but not delivered, 46% delivered but not successfully used, 20% were used but
underwent constant change and reworking before abandonment, 3% were used with changes

7. while 2% used as delivered. However, most of these identified projects were never completed.
Completed projects on the other hand exceeded the estimated budget and time requirements. The
second research highlighted a 2006 research by the Standish group aimed at identifying the
causes of failure among Information Technology projects. Further, the research identified
different incidences of failure among I.T projects. The research determined that there was a
cancellation or abandonment of 19% of all undertaken projects before their completion. Further,
46% of the said projects exceeded their required budget estimates and were not delivered on
time. The research ranked the causes of project failure, according to their importance, thus
emphasizing the need tackle the highlighted issues.
Secondly, the two research articles also highlight the factors that affect project success
and failure in then information technology field. The two articles attribute project success to
factors such as, the use of clearly defined goals, top executive and management support, project
leadership, scope management, proper planning, project organization, communication with
stakeholders, user involvement, smaller project milestones, realistic expectations, competent and
skilled staff, and timely progress feedback among others.
The two articles further identified factors leading to project failure. They included lack of
general agreement on project goals, the use of inappropriate software development methodology,
the use of inadequate technology or infrastructure, insufficient user input, unrealistic time
specifications, lack of executive support and inadequate allocation of resources.
Thirdly, the two articles focus on reducing project failures in the information technology
sector. The article by Gezinus J. Hidding, Ph.D. and John Nicholas, Ph.D. recommends the use
of the new Value Driven Change Leadership Approach to solve the problem of project
management failure.

8. The VDCL approach recognizes the weaknesses of the traditional project management
approaches and therefore emphasizes the need to adopt a flexible project management approach.
It also emphasizes the need to adopt, plan and incorporate change in the course of project
management. Incorporating change therefore ensures that organizations learn from previous
project management failures thus reducing the possibility of failure in the future. Further, the
approach recommends that organizations should adopt project evaluation tools that recognize
both traditional cost and budget tools alongside other tangible and intangible benefits to the firm.
In this regard, the article recommends that the ranking of projects on the basis of the total net
benefit realized as a result of investing in and carrying out the project. The approach therefore
reduces the overall cases of project failure by ensuring that firms adequately plan and prepare for
expected project management changes.
The second article recommends the use of scope management with a view to reducing I.T
project management failures. In this regard, the article effectively creates a link between the
critical project success factors and scope management. The research explains that there is a
relationship between scope management and factors like top executive support, the existence of
clear objectives, user involvement, realistic expectations, proper planning, smaller project
milestones, and the existence of qualified and competent staff.
The article clarifies that managing each of the above-mentioned factors increases the
likelihood of a project to realize its expected objectives. In this regard, proper and efficient
communication between the various stakeholders, the adequate involvement of the different
users, proper planning, and clarification of the project objectives helped to determine the scope
of the project which eventually contributed to the success of the information technology project.

9. The fourth similarity between the two articles lies in their emphasis on the need for
ensuring that the individual project management activities guarantee that the product will meet
the required end user or client specifications. The first article through the business solution over
architecture framework explains the need for this. The principle clarifies that organizations need
to model all their project management activities towards attaining the specific architectural
designs of the respective output. Further, the identified set of activities should aim at increasing
the overall business value while at the same time facilitating the adoption and implementation of
change within the organization.
The second article emphasizes the need for guaranteeing and meeting the required end
user specifications through the adoption of clear planning mechanisms. The planning
mechanisms include budget and scheduling of the project, user specifications and expectations
and the final setting of project milestones. The project specifies that addressing the above factors
increase the stakeholders’ commitment towards the implementation of the project while at the
same time ensuring that all project activities guarantee the quality and architectural design of the
final output.
Differences
The two articles reviewed by the paper, however, differ in a variety of respects. Firstly,
the research by Gezinus J. Hidding, Ph.D. and John Nicholas, Ph.D. from the Loyola University
Chicago clearly highlights the inadequacy of the traditional project management approaches as
adopted by firms throughout history. It explains that the traditional Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK) is inadequate in that it only caters for the efficiency aspect of project
management as measured by costs and budgets. It therefore emphasizes on the adoption of the
Value Driven Change Leadership Approach (VDCL). In this case, the researchers emphasize that

10. VDCL by modelling human resource activities based on the architecture of the product increases
the value added to the organization and that of its customers by guaranteeing the success and
effectiveness of the final output.
The second research, on the other hand, emphasizes the effectiveness of the traditional
project management approach in reducing I.T project management failures. Through its
emphasis on the importance of scope management in reducing project management failures in
I.T, the research highlights the importance of managing costs and meeting budgetary
requirements during project implementation. The research further explains that all essential
project success factors should be managed towards ensuring that the project operates within the
necessary scope, thus avoiding project failure as caused by budget and cost overrides.
Further, the two researches differ in that they advocate for two different approaches
towards solving the problem of consistent project failures. The first article highlights the need for
transformational and change leadership within an organization as a way of solving the problem
of project management failures. The article through its emphasis on the VDCL principle of
human change over repeated activities solves the problem of project failure by identifying the
need for organizations to learn from their previous mistakes. In this regard, failures attributed to
failed projects should provide the employees with a learning opportunity thus guaranteeing the
success of future projects. The employees avoid the mistakes undertaken in the past, thus
facilitating change driven leadership and transformation.
As part of the VDCL approach, the research also emphasizes the adoption of the double
loop learning technique as a means of tackling project management problems. In this regard, the
project implementation team conducts a critical assessment of the underlying success and failure
factors with a view to understanding the problem at hand. The research by the double loop

11. learning technique therefore ensures a total change in the project managers’ thinking thus
facilitating transformational change and leadership.
The second research by Ato Kwamena Dum Acquah from the Haaga Helia University of
Applied Sciences emphasizes on the need for project managers to invest in scope management
with a view to reducing the problem of I.T project management failures. In this regard, the
researcher identifies the need for project managers to specify the objectives, resource
requirements, as well as activities due for undertaking in the course of project implementation.
Scope management ensures that the project implementation team is able to measure the project
progress against the previously set milestones. It therefore provides the team with an opportunity
of implementing corrective measures in the case of any deviations from the expected project
results. It therefore provides the project management team with an opportunity of tackling any
challenges hindering the successful implementation of the project in question thus ensuring
project success.
Scope management being a traditional project management approach, however relates to
the single loop learning approach of project management. The single loop learning approach
focuses on implementing change by changing the project implementation team’s course of
action. The single loop learning approach may however be applicable only in specified
situations, thus limiting its applicability to a variety of situations.
The two academic articles also differ in the scope of success or failure factors as regards
project management activities. The first research classifies offers different classifications of
factors that affect the success or failure of an I.T project. They include factors related to the
project management perspective, such as PMBOK, bottlenecks in critical resources such as the

12. product based planning, budget and on time completion, stakeholder perspectives, system, and
transaction cost perspectives as well as leadership perspectives.
Leadership perspectives include team effectiveness and leadership styles; transaction
costs perspectives include the goal commitment of the implementing team while the system
perspective relates to the appropriate technology or infrastructure base relating to the project. As
a result, the project adequately covers the different factors that are likely to affect the success or
failure of a project. It therefore guarantees the success of the designed measures as regards
tackling the different project management issues.
The second research on the other hand, provides a single approach in an attempt to
address the different project management issues. In this case, the research, unlike that mentioned
above case only caters for factors relating to scope management. The factors include executive
support, user involvement, incomplete requirements, unrealistic expectations, as well as
technology incompetence. Despite being essential in determining the probability of success of a
project, the above factors do not effectively represent the project implementation environment
and may therefore be inadequate in addressing the related problems.
Conclusion
Despite the development of a variety of approaches with a view to reducing the number
of failed information technology project, the problem remains common therefore creating the
need for investing in the management of the issues affecting project management. As a result,
organizations need to design and implement a variety of strategies aimed at combining the
different strengths of the traditional approaches such as the PMBOK as well as the new VDCL
approach.

13. Further, in recent years, there has been a growing need among organizations to adopt
effective project management strategies with a view to facilitating the attainment of long-term
business goals and objectives. As a result, organizations need to ensure that they adopt flexible
project management strategies to facilitate the incorporation of current technology and other
changes in the design of the project in question. It works effectively towards reducing the
chances of failure among I.T projects.