Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Information Technology Projects in Public Organizations: The Case of the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63990/2020ajoldvol5iss1pp69-87Keywords:
Project, Project management, Sustainability, E-government, Information technologyAbstract
The project environment in the 21st century is characterized by a high level of uncertainties mainly as a result of faster technological changes, involvement of various stakeholders with their diverse and ever-changing needs and requirements, and required an outlay of huge amounts of money. Therefore, in the dynamic environment, satisfying the needs and requirements of project stakeholders sustainably is challenging. The study aims to investigate the factors that affect the sustainability of information technology (IT) projects in the Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority (ERCA). In order to meet the objectives of the study, a descriptive research design and mixed research approach were employed. The result of the study has shown that the alignment of the introduced systems with the vision and mission of the Authority, the establishment of a department that can provide technical support for users and others are the identified factors that positively influence the sustainability of IT projects in ERCA. Some of the factors that negatively affect the sustainability of the products of IT projects include the absence of organizational policy and guidelines which can govern the utilization of IT, incompatibility of the existing technologies with some of the national proclamations and so forth. However, it is difficult to say as IT projects introduced to administer tax in ERCA are sustainable to some extent rather they are “challenged projects.” Therefore, to address the identified gaps, designating organizational policy and guidelines to govern the products of the IT projects scientifically is critically needed by ERCA. Also, the Authority should work with the concerned federal stakeholders to create alignment between the national frameworks and the introduced IT systems.
References
Ahmed. Nawi, H.S., Abd.Rahman, A. and Ibrahim, O. (2012). Government ICT Project Failure Factors: Project Stakeholders’Views. Journal of Research and Innovation Systems. pp. 69-77.
Ali, M., Shifa, A., Shimeles, A., & Woldeyes, F. B. (2015). Information technology and fiscal capacity in a developing country: evidence from Ethiopia. Available at https://cega.berkeley.edu/assets/miscellaneous_files/17-ABCA_-_Information_Technology_and_fiscal_capacity.pdf
Blume, J. and Bott, M. (2015). Information Technology in Tax Administration in Developing Countries. KfW Development Bank. Available at https://www.taxcompact.net/documents/IT-Tax-Administration-Study.pd
Carboni, J.B. (2014). Sustainability in Project Management Governance and Integration of the P5 Standard. International Project Management Association. Available at https://www.ipma-usa.org/articles/Sustainability.pdf
Carbrera, J. (2015). IT Project Management. LinkedIn Corporation.
CRC Sogema, Inc., (ND) Ethiopia - The Automation of All Taxes Project. Available at http://crcsogema.com/fiches/68/475/Ethiopia---The-Automation-of-All-Taxes-Project.html
Davis, F.D. (1989). Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology. Management Information System Quarterly. Vol.13, No.3. pp.319-340. Management Information Systems Research Center, University of Minnesota. Available at http://www.jstor.org/stable/249008
Dawit E. (2015). Ethiopia: Tax Authority to Advance to E-Payment System in September. Addis Fortune. July 27 2015. Available at http://allafrica.com/stories/201507280971.html
ERCA (2014.).Automation in ERCA. Available at http://www.erca.gov.et/index.php/about-us
FDRE (2002). Income Tax Proclamation: Proclamation No. 286/2002. Federal Negarit Gazeta, 8th year, No.34.
FDRE (2002) Value Added Tax Regulations: Council of Ministers Regulations No. 791/2002. Federal Negarit Gazeta, 9th year, No.19. Addis Ababa
FDRE (2011). Private Organization Employees Pension Proclamation. Negarit Gazeta. Proclamation No. 715/2011. 17th year, No.79.
FDRE (2016) Federal Income Tax Proclamation No.979/2016, Federal Negarit Gazeta Extra Ordinary Issue.
Fkadu T. (2014). Civic Engagement for Effective Service Delivery in Ethiopia: Tools, Opportunities and Challenges. UNDP: Working Paper No. 2. Available at http://www.et.undp.org/.../UNDP%20Ethiopia%20Working%20Paper%20Series2updated.p.
Ganapathy, V.B., and Kumar, V.K. (2014). E-Government: Concepts and Applications. International Journal of Computer Science (IIJCS). Vol, 2, Issue, 8, pp. 16-19
Getaw S. A. (2017). Post Completion Sustainability of Ethiopian Railway Project: The Case of Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit Project (AALRTP). Vol, 7(1), Issue, 7- Scientific and Academic Publishing. Available at http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.mm.20170701.02.html
Gichoya, D. (2005). Factors Affecting the successful implementation of ICT Projects in Government. The Electronic Journal of e-Government. Vol. 3 Issue, 4, pp 175-184, Available at http://www.ejeg.com
Harrow, M. and Oblinger, D. (2015). Technology in higher education: defining the strategic leader: A joint report between Jisc and EDUCAUSE on the changing role of the IT leader. Available at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/reports/technology-in-higher-education-defining-the-strategic-leader
Hutaserani, S. and Bayley, J.S. (2010). Evaluation Approach: Special Evaluation Study on Post-Project Sustainability of ADB Projects. Available at https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/evaluation-document/35410/files/eap-ses-reg-2010- 46.pdf
ICF (2013). Ethiopia develops an e-tax filing system. Available at http://www.icfafrica.org/news/ethiopia-develops-an-e-tax-filing-system
IFAD (2009) Sustainability of rural development projects Best practices and lessons learned by IFAD in Asia. Available at https://www.ifad.org/documents/10180/538441f4-bb55-4e99-9e23-854efd744e4
Jimenez, G., Mac an tSionnaigh, N. and Kamenov, A. (2013). USAID’S Leadership in Public Financial Management: Information Technology for Tax Administration. Available at http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pnaea485.pdf
Jarocki, T.L. (2014). One Solution for Project Success: Project and Change Management in the PMBOK® Guide. PMI. Available at https://mosaicprojects.com.au/PDF/PMI-one-solution-project-success.pdf
Kariuki, E. (2013). Automation in Tax Administrations. African Policy Research Institute Limited (APRIL). Available at http://www.april-ssa.com/assets/april--automation-in- tax-administrations.pdf
Kasule, O. H. (1996). Project Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. Islamic Medical Education Resource 01. Available at http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1607&context=libphilprac
Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (10th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Lemma, L., Solomon, N. and Mesfin, B. (2012). Lessons Learned from an e-Government Implementation: The Case of Ethiopia. In: Proceedings of the Eighteenth Americas Conference on Information Systems. Seattle: Washington, August 9-12, 2012.
Martino, M.D., Farruggia, S., Monti, M., Ostlaender, N. and Roccatagliata,E (2011). Bottom-up Approach for the Identification of Requirements and ICT solutions for Environmental Information Sharing. Available at https://agile-online.org/conference_paper/cds/agile_2011/contents/pdf/shortpapers/sp_62.pdf
NPC (2016). Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Growth and Transformation Plan II (GTP II) (2015/16-2019/20). Volume I: Main Text. Addis Ababa.
Nigussa, F.(2013). Reconsidering Civil Service Reform in Ethiopia. Available at https://www.devex.com/news/reconsidering-civil-service-reform-in-ethiopia-81470
Nurdin, N., Stockdale, R. and Scheepers, H. (2012). Internal Organizational Factors Influencing Sustainable Implementation of Information Systems: Experiences from a Local Government in Indonesia. Australasian Conference on Information Systems.3-5 Dec 2012, Geelong. Pp.1-11. https://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30049058/nurdin-internalorganizational-2012.pdf
Nwakanma, C. I., Asiegbu, B.C., Ogbonna, C.A. and Njoku, P-P.C. (2013). Factors Affecting Successful Implementation of Information Technology Projects: Experts’ Perception. European Scientific Journal. Vol. 9, No. 27, pp 127-137.
Oino, P.G., Towett,G., Kirui, K.K. and Luvega, C. (2015). The Dilemma in Sustainability of Community-Based Projects in Kenya. Global Journal of Advanced Research. Vol, 2, Issue-4,PP. 757-768. Available at http://gjar.org/publishpaper/vol2issue4/d177r18.pdf
Pinto, J.K. and Slevin, D.P. (1987).Critical Success Factors in Effective Project Implementation. PP.167-190. Available at http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.454.853&rep=rep1&type=pdf
PMI (2008). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®Guide) (4th Ed.). USA: Project Management Institute, Inc.
PMI (2012). PMI’s Pulse of the Profession: Driving Success in Challenging Times. Project Management Institute, Inc. Available at https://www.pmi.org/~/media/PDF/Research/2012_Pulse_of_the_profession.ashx
Putnam, A. (2007). Factors Influencing Project Success, Challenge or Failure. PMI. Available at https://pmierie.org/index.php/repository/presentations/31-200701-putnam/file
Salla, A. (2014). Assessing Project Sustainability in Development Cooperation- Case Msunduza Dry Sanitation Project. Available at https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/79670/Salla_Anni.pdf?sequence=
Samuel E.T. (2015).The Practice, Challenges, and Prospects of e-Government: The case of Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority (ERCA) Large Taxpayers Office (LTO). A Masters Thesis in Public Management and Policy. Available at http://etd.aau.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/8226/1/Samuel%20Eshetu.pdf
Schwalbe, K. (2014). Information Technology Project Management (7th Ed.).Course Technology, Cengage Learning.
Soliman-Sabbil, A.A. & Mastour-Adam, O.H. (2015) Factors Affecting Project Sustainability beyond Donor’s Support. The Case of Ares Development Scheme (ADS) in Umkadadada Licality, North Darfur Sate, Western Sudan. International Journal of Technical Research and Applications Vol. 3, Issue 3, PP. 94-101 Available at http://docplayer.net/28375948-International-journal-of-technical-research- and-applications-e-issn-volume-3-issue-3-may-june-2015-pp.html
Steinfort, P. and Walker, D. (2007). Critical Success Factors in Project Management Globally and how they may be applied to Aid Projects. 4th Annual Project Management Australia Conference, 28-31 August 2007.
Teklu K. (2011). Challenges of Tax Administration in Arada Sub-City of Addis Ababa City Administration: Unpublished Thesis in Addis Ababa University,
Temtim, A., Solomon, N., and Amoroso, D. L. (2009): ICT Assimilation in Ethiopian Institutions. In: AMCIS 2009 Proceedings. Available at http://works.bepress.com/donald_amoroso/13
Tesfaye Debele and Atkilt Hagos (2011). The Design and Implementation of Business Process Reengineering in the Ethiopian Public Sector: An Assessment of Four Organizations. OSSEREA.
Theuri, B.G, (2014). Determinants of Project Sustainability among Selected Non-Governmental Organizations in the Health Sector: A Case of Nairobi Country. Available at
Winstead, C. (2012). Critical Success Factors for Project Managers (Part 1). Nao Media.
Zuofa, T. and Ochieng, E.G. (2014). Project Failure: The Way Forward and Panacea for Development. International Journal of Business and Management. Vol. 9.No. 11, pp. 59-71.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Abay Akemachew
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
