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Cited by 23E-Government and Public ServicesSoftware Engineering Techniques and PracticesInformation Systems Theories and Implementation

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E-Government Information Systems (IS) Project Failure in Developing Countries: Lessons from the Literature

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Nyansiro, Joseph B, Mtebe, Joel S, Kissaka, Mussa M·2021·The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC)
DOI 10.23962/10539/32210
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Abstract

E-government information systems (IS) projects experience numerous challenges that can lead to total or partial failure. The project failure factors have been identified and studied by numerous researchers, but the root causes of such failures are not well-articulated. In this study, literature on e-government IS project failures in developing-world contexts is reviewed through the application of qualitative meta-synthesis, design–reality gap analysis, and root cause analysis. In the process, 18 causal factors and 181 root causes are identified as responsible for e-government IS project failures. The most prevalent of the 18 causal factors are found to be inadequate system requirements engineering (with 22 root causes), inadequate project management (19 root causes), and missing or incomplete features (16 root causes). These findings can be of use to future researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to identify methods of avoiding e-government IS failures, particularly in developing-world contexts.

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  • These issues are further compounded in decentralised systems where project governance can vary significantly across regions.

    “These issues are further compounded in decentralised systems where project governance can vary significantly across regions (Nyansiro et al., 2021).”

    From PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN PUBLIC SECTOR IT: A CASE STUDY IN PALU (2026) · cites this paper as Nyansiro et al., 2021

    The sections on inappropriate organisational management structure and integration failure discuss governance and coordination challenges, but do not say that decentralised systems compound them or that project governance varies across regions. Searches for decentralised systems and regions found no passage addressing that specific claim; page numbers were unavailable in the indexed passages. (LLM, conf=0.72)

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Metadata

Authors
Nyansiro, J. B., Mtebe, J. S., & Kissaka, M. M.
Affiliations
University of Dar es Salaam (TZ)
ORCID
Venue
The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC)
Publisher
Wits School of Literature, Language and Media (SLLM)
Published
2021-12-06
Issue
28
ISSN
  • 2077-7205 (ISSN-L)
  • 2077-7213
DOI
10.23962/10539/32210
OpenAlex
W4200607347
Cited by
23
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 3
FWCI
6.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Institutional Repository on DSpace (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › E-Government and Public Services
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Software Engineering Techniques and Practices
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Management Information Systems › Information Systems Theories and Implementation
Keywords
e-government, developing countries, design-reality gap, project management, failure prevention

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