Determining the significance of decision criteria in the selection of it investments in South Africa

Abstract

This study replicates the research by Bacon (1992), drawing its sample from major companies operating in South Africa (SA). Questionnaires were distributed to those managers responsible for making the basic go‐ahead decision for investment in Information Technology (IT). The results from the questionnaires were analysed to reveal that SA managers place emphasis on managerial type decision criteria such as the support of business objectives and the support of managerial decision making over financial or development type decision criteria. Overall, the results obtained for the SA survey compare with the results obtained from the original overseas survey group. The emphasis, however, placed by the SA managers differs from that placed by their counterparts in the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand.