Executive Summary
Since informational technology is a relatively new field, it is important to examine it from multiple aspects. In particular, various companies that operate within different industries and markets either have or are willing to implement IT projects in their structural organizations. However, IT project management is a challenging field since many complex processes need to be addressed. It is essential to evaluate the possible challenges that may occur before, during, and after the appliance of such strategies. Furthermore, such barriers may correlate with both the internal and external environment. The assessment of these issues is vital due to the possibility of mitigation of such factors by project managers who are determined to achieve positive outcomes and both long and short-term success.
The aim of this paper is to examine the challenges that may occur in the field of project management. In order for the objective to be fulfilled, the literature review methodology was used. Moreover, a critical review was performed to examine how different researchers approached this topic. On the other hand, the methodology review allowed for a clear understanding of the type of research used by examiners. It has been concluded that researchers approached this subject from various objective points. Several peer-reviewed papers rely on literature review, which involves the assessment of existing examinations of the subject. This allows examiners to compare results and come to a broad conclusion. Moreover, this method contributes to evaluating multiple data points that can be impossible to gather through surveys or interviews. On the other hand, other researchers examined IT project management challenges from a quantitative perspective. Such measures are obtained through conducting interviews, questionnaires, and surveys completed by either employees or project managers. This approach allows for a detailed examination of one or several particular companies within various fields. Moreover, a quantitative method encourages a more complex vision and overview of the subject. This contrasts with the quantitative method, which is based on less direct and more general concepts.
Both approaches give relevant information yet contrast in terms of predisposed notions. The findings suggest that several different fields appear to influence projects in IT. First, ineffective and unmotivated teams are linked to poor outcomes and overall failure. The workforce is an essential aspect that can either compromise or contribute to the implementation’s success. Moreover, autocratic leaders are significant challenges in terms of project success. These issues affect project management and compromise positive results.
Introduction
The field of informational technology (IT) has relatively recently become an essential domain. Due to the fast digital advancement, IT plays a major role in every person’s life (Deb, 2014). Researchers mention that projects within the IT field are more prone to failure (Md Sarif et al., 2018). However, certain studies concluded that the success of a project in informational technology does not always depend on PM strategies. Several external factors influence effectiveness, such as the national environment (Carvalho, Patah and de Souza Bido, 2015). Guo (2019) has also concluded that project management success is not always equal to project success based on literature reviews and interviews with PM specialists.
A common trait of successful projects is a collective effort towards the prolific implementation of the IT project in question (da Cunha et al., 2016). On the other hand, mixed research showed that lack of communication among employees in global software projects is one of the biggest issues (Niazi et al., 2016). Furthermore, another research aimed to assess PM success factors illustrated the issue of having an unmotivated team, among other factors (Correa et al., 2018). However, quantitative research based on data gathered from 8000 employees concludes that employees who have experienced failure in IT projects in the past show better results in other organizations (Pflügler et al., 2018). Such findings refer to the complexity of finding and inspiring team members to be efficient.
Evidence also shows that the project manager can significantly impact organizational outcomes in IT projects. Quantitative research illustrates that project failure is linked to controlling and authoritarian managers (Müller, 2019). The same conclusions have been drawn from a qualitative study highlighting that IT operations may fail due to project management based on control rather than innovation (Fernandes, Ward and Araújo 2015). While researchers are willing to analyze the topic of project management failure in the IT field due to the growing industry, there is a lack of data on the global market. Literature review of articles mentioning PM challenges in IT leads researchers to realize that most information illustrates the experience of organizations from the US, UK, and China (Fonseca et al., 2017). However, the existing data and literature suggest the most significant project management challenges in IT are a lack of a motivated team, authoritarian project managers, and inefficient risk assessment.
Critical Review
Challenges in project management, specifically IT, are being analyzed and examined since there is a demand for new information regarding minimizing project failures and maximizing success. According to Hornstein (2015), project managers need to assess the failures and successes of different companies when implementing projects to understand the underlying risks and challenges. Moreover, Rivera and Kashiwagi (2016) mention IT projects as often going over budgets and deadlines. It is vital to point out that most researchers have examined companies from countries with robust IT infrastructures (Fonseeca et al., 2017). While the factor might seem redundant, evidence shows that the country where the IT project operates can either benefit or compromise the business.
Research with data gathered from international resources suggests that the national environment can be a significant negative factor for project management in information technology (Carvalho, Patah and de Souza Bido, 2015). The concept is linked to risk assessment, which is an essential step in mitigating challenges in PM. Evidence shows that managers who assess and predict certain obstacles and crises are more likely to see beneficial results (Correa et al., 2018). The same research points out that another beneficial factor is leadership, which means that the project managers themselves are essential for project success. Lind and Culler (2011) also highlight the importance of a skilled and experienced project manager for organizational outcomes. Moreover, the leader has been found to contribute to the long-term efficiency of the implementations on all structural levels (Peslak, 2012). Other researchers concluded that regulations compromise innovation (Fernandes, Ward and Araújo 2015). The leader’s traits that correlate with project failure have been assessed by Müller (2019), who found a link between authoritarianism and organizational risks.
Furthermore, studies have shown that the relationship between project managers and employees also plays a crucial role in the failure or success of the IT plan (da Cunha et al., 2016). Employees are important for meeting the IT project’s goals and objectives (Md Sarif et al., 2018). Researchers also focus on the dynamics within the workforce, especially communication (Niazi et al., 2016). However, the problems that project management faces do not always correlate with the initiative itself. Two examples are the researches project management success and employee failure. One study shows that employees’ lack of success turns into productivity in the following projects (Pflügler et al., 2018). Another one suggests an initiative can lack efficiency even if prolific PM management strategies were applied (Guo, 2019). While the literature mainly focuses on leadership and employees, contrasting opinions ought to be examined.
Critical Appraisal of Literature
The literature used in this research is peer-reviewed and touches upon a multitude of topics related to project management challenges in IT. Carvalho, Patah and de Souza Bido (2015) researched different companies operating in three countries, which allows for a more comprehensive view of the effects of project management on organizational outcomes. Since, according to other researchers, such reviews are based on US and UK businesses (Fonseca et al., 2017), analyzing data from multiple markets is a nuanced and valuable study. Several researchers focused on analyzing success factors based on results rather than implying a concept and following up with evidence. For example, a study showed that having a project scope, a skilled team and a leader who assesses risks minimize challenges in IT (Correa et al., 2018). The same findings were concluded by Adzmi and Hassan (2018), which support the validity of the study. Moreover, other sources also mention risk assessment in IT projects (Taylor, Artman and Woelfer, 2012). Sudhakar (2016) also supports the importance of having a well-thought scope, which aligns with the initial examination.
Researchers used surveys and detailed literature reviews to observe the challenge of having unmotivated employees (Md Sarif et al., 2018). Another research that examined a global software department reviewed questioners and literature to assess the problems in inclusive teams with employees from various backgrounds (Niazi et al., 2016). The study allows for multiple points of view to be examined and structured. Moreover, according to Tohidi (2011), employees often mention leaders as a possible challenge that compromises effectiveness. Fernandes, Ward and Araújo (2015) supported the same idea through literature review and interviews, confirming that the findings are valid. The studies examined in this paper appear to be well-founded and backed up by legitimate papers, interviews, surveys, and data.
Critical Evaluation of Research Methods
Researchers use various methods of examining a topic due to access to resources, convenience, and objectives. Both qualitative and quantitative studies can be used to assess the challenges within project management in IT. However, while the qualitative one often helps understand the topic, the quantitative one is often chosen to confirm the preliminary hypothesis. Furthermore, mixed reviews can operate both functions, which is why multiple researchers mentioned prior picked this particular method.
Mixed Method
Md Sarif et al. (2018) conducted nine interviews and an online survey to assess what causes IT projects to fail. The findings show that managers are less likely to succeed if they monitor the staff instead of giving direct instructions. Correa et al. (2018) also concluded that unmotivated teams are major risk factors for such projects. Moreover, the findings illustrate other challenges such as a lack of project scope, risk management, and efficient leaders can result in adverse organizational outcomes. The conclusions were formulated after in-depth research through 19 interviews and more than 55 surveys. Furthermore, a mixed-method was used by Niazi et al. (2016), who reviewed existing literature and provided questioners to the employees of a global software company regarding project problems. The method illustrated how a lack of communication could drastically change the implementation’s possibilities for success. All authors used an appropriate mixed approach since assessing the different types of information creates a broader overview of the subject.
Qualitative Method
In contrast, some researchers chose to conduct qualitative researches with a focus on literature review. This method allows for an assessment of the domain based on existing documents and data gathered from multiple resources. Fonseca et al. (2017) did not examine the topic itself but rather the coverage of the issue in terms of which companies are being examined and where they operate. A literature review contributed to the conclusion that there needs to be more data in this field, especially regarding less technologically developed countries. Most researchers used qualitative data since it covers a spectrum of possible challenges within IT project management.
Specifically, two qualitative researchers analyzed project managers are the most significant success or failure factors of projects. Da Cunha et al. (2016) conducted semi-structured interviews with managers in software departments, which means that each individual could share objective and subjective data regarding their strategies. The findings illustrate how leaders who do not share their vision and ideas with employees are less likely to see beneficial results. Assessing objective data using a qualitative method allows for a core creative vision in the challenges in PM, making this approach appropriate.
As mentioned before, leaders have been analyzed in another research, but from another perspective. Fernandes, Ward and Araújo (2015) have conducted a qualitative study by reviewing literature and interviewing employees from 20 different companies where IT projects are often operated. The researchers noticed a pattern in project unsuccess and controlling leaders. In contrast, the most beneficial outcomes have been observed in environments where managers encouraged innovation instead of focusing on regulations. Multiple studies concluded the same thing, which is that authoritarian managers cannot avoid challenges and issues due to a lack of communication and job satisfaction in their teams. Since more than one researcher found the same driving factor, it is certain that the qualitative approach led to truthful results.
While most qualitative studies analyzed leadership, another example portrays the notion of project success. Guo (2019) also chose literature review, interviews, and surveys as data-collecting tools. The research aimed to assess how management success can be measured and what the notion itself means. The findings gave a unique overview of the situation. Based on the information received using the qualitative method, Guo found out that effective project management does not always correlate with project success, and other factors also significantly influence the outcomes. The same conclusion can be noticed in the research that illustrates how the project’s maturity can influence IT implementations (de Oliveira Moraes and Barbin Laurindo, 2013). The results refer to the fact that proficient project management, in some cases, still cannot avoid challenges linked to internal and external factors. The qualitative approach was appropriate due to the broad and somewhat open-ended question, which correlates with this method.
Quantitative Method
As mentioned prior, some researchers chose to apply the quantitative method based on objective data such as numbers, percentages, and reliable stats. Extensive quantitative research operated by Carvalho, Patah and de Souza Bido (2015) focused on data gathered from over 1300 projects in three countries. This is the most extensive study reviewed in this paper since it examines various IT businesses within different environments. It was concluded that the country’s technological and industrial potency could be an issue for IT implementations. Using the quantitative method is an excellent choice due to the high sample size needed to be assessed.
Furthermore, complex projects that are difficult to operate meet multiple challenges in areas where the industry is not developed enough. Pflügler et al. (2018) examined project failure from another perspective using quantitative data gathered from more than 8000 employees who participated in the operations related to IT projects that ended up failing. Instead of assessing why the strategies have failed, the researchers focused on employees and how they perform after the barriers met in previous companies. According to the examiners, team members who have dealt with failure in the past are more likely to be successful in new projects. The quantitative method is, again, the appropriate one due to the large sample size and the need for factual information in comparison to objective data.
Such conclusions correlate with the workforce’s aim to perform better and avoid previous mistakes. On the other hand, Müller (2019) came to the same realization as the researchers mentioned above. The quantitative study consisted of more than 250 surveys illustrating that overly controlling and regulating managers negatively impact teams working on IT projects. This method is appropriate due to the anonymity of the responses in regards to complaints and the relatively broad sample size.
Critical Research Methods Evaluation. Results
The literature review consists of researches based on qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. The mixed ones are based on assessing how a team’s motivation and satisfaction can impact IT project management, and the findings show that low morale is a significant challenge. On the other hand, qualitative ones focus on more general topics such as literature on IT PM success and certain leadership traits that become adverse to outcomes. The conclusions mention a lack of enough data and the importance of management based on innovation. Qualitative research also shows a correlation between autocratic leaders and failing implementation in information technology.
Conclusion
IT project management is challenging and has many barriers that need to be mitigated for the implementation to be successful. However, project management strategies do not always correlate with project success. Some factors that cannot be addressed are the technological environment of the country and other national challenges depending on where the company operates. However, some challenges have been observed in the internal environment. Multiple researchers mention teams as a driving factor for success in the IT domain. Moreover, unmotivated teams are issues that result in adverse outcomes for the businesses in question.
Based on the findings, communication and involving employees in decision-making processes can mitigate the risks linked to a lack of beneficial organizational results. Another common theme referred to by researchers is autocratic management. Remarkably, the conclusions portray all the challenges that follow up after the leader implements strict rules and regulations. Such leadership style correlates with employee dissatisfaction and inefficiency, which goes back to the previous topic. Risk assessment is another common finding within the realm of literature that examines challenges in project management in the field of information technology. This is also related to the project managers who may skip this important step and cause the projects they operate to fail in the short or long run.
Informational technology is a domain that is more challenging in terms of PM strategies due to the complexity of the implementation. Such barriers as strict leadership, inefficient teams, and a lack of risk assessment can further worsen the situation and affect the department that applies the strategy and the company as a whole. More research is needed, especially literature that examines IT project management from different countries with contrasting national environments. While there is a lack of data, it is certain that autocratic managers, unmotivated workforces, and a lack of adequate risk assessment measures are the most significant challenges affecting an organization on multiple levels.
Reference List
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Appendix A – Search Plan and Data Gathering
The following steps were followed during the data gathering and further examination of the topic:
- Step 1: Identifying key words further used during the literature research process
- The first essential step was identifying the notions of project management, PM, informational technology, IT, barriers in IT, etc. The words were used during the research phase and the online data gathering.
- Step 2: Identifying Platforms for Research
- After the keywords were established, the process of data gathering continued with the identification of online platforms with peer-reviewed articles from reliable scientific journals. The phrasing of the request involved supplementary articles for a more direct search method (Barriers in IT project management, challenges in IT project management, IT PM failures, etc.). It has been established that Google Scholar is the only platform with information on this specific topic. While challenges in Project Management were often examined in articles on other websites, IT projects specifically were covered in articles found on Google Scholar.
- Step 3: Examining the Literature Results
- The objective was to use reliable articles published in scientific Journals. After such articles were found, a detailed examination of the material was performed regarding the subjects covered, the findings, and the methods used in the research.
- Step 4: Manage the References
- While writing the paper, newer references were examined in regards to possible data added by researchers useful for the assignment.
Appendix B – Notes
- Mixed – Md Sarif et al. (interviews, surveys), Niazi et al. (questioners, li. review), Correa et al.(interviews, surveys, focus group session ).
- Qualitative – Fonseca (lit. review), da Cunha et al. (semi-structures interviews), Guo (lit. review), Fernandes et al., (interviews, lit. review).
- Quantitative – Carvalho et al. (stats + objective data), Müller (survey), Pflügler et al. (quantitative data).