Information Technology for Local Administration Support: The Governorates Project in Egypt.

Author List: Nidumolu, Sarma R.; Goodman, Seymour E.; Vogel, Douglas R.; Danowitz, Ann K.;
MIS Quarterly, 1996, Volume 20, Issue 2, Page 197-224.
Experience with information technology (IT) implementation in the local administrations of less developed countries (LDCs) has been largely disappointing. Conventional wisdom suggests that such implementation efforts are usually inappropriate to the information-poor environments of many LDCs. This study describes the Governorates Project in Egypt, which seems to have been an encouraging exception to such "wisdom." The project, which was initiated in 1987 by the Egyptian Cabinet's In formation and Decision Support Center (IDSC), represented a significant administrative and technological innovation because it sought to implement an IDSC in each of the 27 governorates of Egypt. The purpose of each governorate IDSC was to provide computer-based information and decision support to the governor and other local administrators. Based on our findings, three stages of the project are identified -- implementation, evaluation, and transformation of the innovation. Three theoretical perspectives derived from past research, i.e., functional, political/symbolic, and social information processing, were used to explain the project outcomes, such as the governors' perceptions and behaviors concerning their IDSCs. Results suggest that the symbolic/political and social information processing perspectives had considerable power in explaining the outcomes during implementation, whereas the functional perspective was particularly effective in explaining the out-comes during evaluation and transformation. The theoretical framework and findings suggest considerable potential for understanding IT implementations in both business and administrative settings.
Keywords: IS implementation; IS technology transfer; local government
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List of Topics

#35 0.173 technology organizational information organizations organization new work perspective innovation processes used technological understanding technologies transformation consequences perspectives use administrative economic
#292 0.123 information research literature systems framework review paper theoretical based potential future implications practice discussed current concept propositions findings provided extant
#251 0.121 implementation erp enterprise systems resource planning outcomes support business associated understanding benefits implemented advice key implementing scope functional post-implementation implementations
#92 0.088 equity conventional punishment justice wisdom focus behavior fairness compliance suggest theory significant certainty misuse reward settings behavioral mandatory drawing widely
#282 0.084 power perspective process study rational political perspectives politics theoretical longitudinal case social rationality formation construction shows multiple instead understanding fact
#291 0.081 local global link complex view links particularly need thought number supports efforts difficult previously linked achieving simple poor individual rise
#113 0.077 support decision dss systems guidance process making environments decisional users features capabilities provide decision-making user paper findings systems.decision components computer-based
#135 0.074 project projects development management isd results process team developed managers teams software stakeholders successful complex develop contingencies problems greater planning
#170 0.072 information processing needs based lead make exchange situation examined ownership analytical improved situations changes informational examine developed receive perceptions facilitates
#126 0.054 data database administration important dictionary organizations activities record increasingly method collection records considered perturbation requirements special level efforts administrators analyzed