Managing top management support in complex information systems projects. An end-user empirical study
| Date | 13 March 2017 |
| Pages | 151-164 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JSIT-06-2017-0043 |
| Published date | 13 March 2017 |
| Author | Salvador Bueno,M. Dolores Gallego |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information systems,Information & communications technology |
Managing top management
support in complex information
systems projects
An end-user empirical study
Salvador Bueno and M. Dolores Gallego
Department of Management and Marketing, Universidad Pablo de Olavide,
Sevilla, Spain
Abstract
Purpose –Top management support(TMS) is considered as a critical factor for the successof information
systems (ISs) projects. The literature shows that TMS has a positive impact on achieving success in ISs’
projects in differentaspects. However, the enabling factors for TMS in complex ISs’projectshave barely been
tested, somethingwhich this study aims to rectify.
Design/methodology/approach –This study has designed a research model based on structural
equation modelling (SEM) with the intentionof analysing the perception of IS end users regarding the effect
on TMS of the following factors:technological complexity and training and organizationalcommunication.
The applicationof the study has focused on an enterprise resource planning–opensource software (ERP-OSS)
environment.
Findings –The findings show how end users have a perception that organizational communication and
training have a positive relation with TMS. Based on these findings, the authors have suggested several
practicalconsiderations.
Research limitations/implications –There are two limitationsto this study. First, this study is based
on the perception of complex IS/IT users. It would be interesting to add the perception of top managers to
provide more solid findings. The second limitation is that this study has not suggested any additional
potentialfactors which could affect TMS.
Practical implications –First, this article providesa study of the key role of TMS when an organization
needs to implement a complexIS/IT. Second, organizations must develop mechanisms for increasingtraining
and communication relating to the new complex IS/IT projects. Finally, the complexity of an IS/IT project
does not constitute an enablingfactor incentivizing TMS and should therefore not be a determining factorin
increasingTMS within an organization selecting anIS/IT.
Originality/value –This study contributes to advancing theory in the field of TMS in information
systemsprojects.
Keywords Training, Top management support, Organizational communication, End users,
Technological complexity
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Top management support (TMS) is considered, in the literature, as one of the most relevant
critical success factors when a company aims to implement an information system/
information technology (IS/IT) project (Boonstra, 2013;Young and Poon, 2013). In this
context, TMS can be defined as the active participation of organizational managers in
matters linked to IS/IT implementation success(Bueno and Salmeron, 2008). Following this
definition, Sila (2013) affirms that with TMS “a positive attitude on the part of managers
Complex
information
systems
projects
151
Received9 June 2017
Accepted5 August 2017
Journalof Systems and
InformationTechnology
Vol.19 No. 1/2, 2017
pp. 151-164
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1328-7265
DOI 10.1108/JSIT-06-2017-0043
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