Critical Success Framework for Implementing Effective IT Governance in Tanzanian Public Sector Organizations

Abstract

In public sector organizations, the use of Information information technology (IT) has become important for sustaining and extending public service delivery. This has resulted in critical dependency on IT, which calls for a focus on effective IT governance. Accordingly, the success factors for effective IT governance must be determined and adhered to for increasing the contribution of IT towards achieving organization objectives. Much research has been carried out on the effectiveness of IT governance, but without focusing on the public sectors organizations of developing country such as the Tanzanian Public Sector Organizations (TaPSOs). Therefore, in this research a CSFs framework - with guidelines for implementing effective IT governance in TaPSO, was developed taking into account the TaPSOs environment, which on one hand is characterized by constraints in IT resources, knowledge, and culture and on the other hand by the increasing IT investment and application. It was developed based on design science research and was mainly achieved using previous studies in these TaPSOs and a survey of IT/business people from these organizations and industry. The evaluation was conducted with an organizational case study.

Keywords:

• Critical Success Factors
• IT Governance
• Public Sector Organizations
• Developing Country

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Edephonce N. Nfuka

Edephonce N. Nfuka is a Director of Institute of Educational and Management Technologies and Lecturer in Information Systems/Technology at Open University of Tanzania (OUT). He holds a PhD in Computer and Systems Sciences, from Stockholm University, Sweden. He has over twelve years of industrial and academic experience in the area of IT management. His current research focuses on IT management/governance, specifically on approaches to IT governance effectiveness in a developing country's environment/setting.

Lazar Rusu

Lazar Rusu is Associate Professor at Stockholm University, Sweden. He holds a Degree in Electrical Engineering from Cluj-Napoca Polytechnic Institute, a Degree in Management from Babes-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, a PhD in Management from West University of Timisoara, Romania and a Docent in Information Systems from Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Sweden. He has over 25 years of industrial and academic experience in the area of information technology. His current research interest is in IT governance, Business-IT Alignment and IT Outsourcing.