Executive Information System Failure: A New Zealand Case Study

Abstract

It is well known that executive information systems (EIS) are high risk systems to implement and maintain. Factor research is the most commonly used framework for studying the causes of EIS failure yet there is no conclusive evidence that the factors suggested in the information systems (IS) research literature ensure system success. This paper reports on a case study of a failed EIS in a large New Zealand organization and compares this case with the success factors found in the research literature. One of the findings is that the broader issues surrounding the failure were more significant than the more narrowly focused factors suggested by the factor research approach. These broader issues include the social, cultural, political and economic context of the system as a whole. Another finding was that many of these broader contextual issues were not directly controllable by the EIS project team. This paper will have implications for all those who have to develop or are involved with the development of EIS.