Pessimism, computer failure, and information systems development in the public sector
Abstract
The majority of information systems developments are unsuccessful. The larger the development, the more likely it will be unsuccessful. Despite the persistence of this problem for decades and the expenditure of vast sums of money, computer failure has received surprisingly little attention in the public administration literature. This article outlines the problems of enthusiasm and the problems of control, as well as the overwhelming complexity, that make the failure of large developments almost inevitable. Rather than the positive view found in much of the public administration literature, the author suggests a pessimism when it comes to information systems development. Aims for information technology should be modest ones, and in many cases, the risks, uncertainties, and probability of failure mean that new investments in technology are not justified. The author argues for a public official as a recalcitrant, suspicious, and skeptical adopter of IT.
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Since the issues were not products of tool design, timeliness, nor budget, but with end users' reluctance to use it, the process can be labeled a clear instance of 'user failure'.
“Since these issues were not products of tool design, timeliness, nor budget, but with end users' reluctance to use it, we can -with termi nology borrowed from the study of information system implementation -label the process a clear instance of ' user failure ' (Goldfinch, 2007).”
From Creating a workforce of fatigued cynics? A randomized controlled trial of implementing an algorithmic decision-making support tool (2024) · cites this paper as Goldfinch, 2007
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- Authors
- Goldfinch, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Otago (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Goldfinch, Shaun
- ORCID
- Goldfinch, Shaun
- Venue
- Public Administration Review
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-09
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 917-929
- ISSN
- 0033-3352 (ISSN-L)
- 1540-6210
- OpenAlex
- W1966931213
- Cited by
- 283
- References
- 75
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 49.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Public Administration Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › E-Government and Public Services
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Information Systems Theories and Implementation
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Management Information Systems › Information Technology Governance and Strategy
- Keywords
- information system development, public sector IT, project failure, computer system failures, pessimism, enthusiasm, control, complexity, risk and uncertainty, IT investment, public officials, technology adoption, information technology in public administration
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