The performance of information systems implementation outcomes: The case of an enterprise system implementation in a South African University

Akin-Adetoro, Adedolapo

The performance of information systems implementation outcomes: The case of an enterprise system implementation in a South African University

Thesis / Dissertation

2025

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Information Systems

Faculty

Faculty of Commerce

Abstract

Problem statement: The existing landscape of research on the outcomes of information systems (IS) development and implementation suggests that this domain has been extensively researched. Results indicate that most IS implementations fail, yet uptake of these systems is still on the rise. In response to the alarming failure rates, researchers and practitioners have extensively researched the concept of IS success and failure by prescribing and promoting a cumulative list of critical success factors which they believe should improve the success rate. These efforts, however, have not yielded much improvement considering the vast amount of research in this domain. This inconsistency might be as a result of the representational (rational/objective and narrative/subject) approach, which characterises how IS success and failure are currently defined, framed and assessed in research. By adopting a performative view, this study challenges the dominant representational approach which downplays the information technology (IT) system in focus and views outcomes as static and fixed. Purpose of the study: The main purpose of this study was to provide understanding on how the realities of IS success and failure are performed within an organisation. This was necessary given that the performative approach eliminates the idea of the metaphorical middleman (representations) in understanding reality. The performative perspective puts forward IS outcomes as relational consequences enacted by sociomaterial practices of an IS implementation actor-network. Research Question: This research addresses the question: "How are the competing realities of ES implementation outcomes performed?". Research methodology: This study adopted an explanatory purpose guided by the agential realism theoretical perspective. This study employed the actor-network theory as a theoretical lens because it allows researchers to examine the complex network of relationships and intra-actions that shape the performance of IS implementation outcomes. This study used the implementation of an enterprise system at Ìwádí University as a case study to elucidate the phenomenon. We employed semi-structured interviews, documents, system event log, observations, and field notes to gather data. The data was analysed using ANT analysis and event log analysis. Key findings: The findings reveal a multi-step process where competing realities of success and failure emergently unfold across different actor-networks through distinct sociomaterial practices shaped by ontological politics. Implementation outcomes are not pre-given, but relationally co constituted via entangled sociomaterial intra-actions between technologies, organizational actors, vii discourses and situated practices within each network. Coordination mechanisms like meetings and reports perform agential cuts, selectively including/excluding issues to stabilize particular realities aligned with network interests. Originality/contribution: This study challenges binary success/failure notions, providing a performative perspective on how these outcomes manifest as multiple, divergent, relationally enacted realities across organizational actor-networks. Theoretical propositions offer insights into the sociomaterial complexities, ontological politics and constitutive relations underlying competing assessments. It integrates ANT and process mining analyses to capture sociomaterial entanglements and technology performativities. For practice, it highlights adopting inclusive, iterative approaches bridging strategic aims and localized end-user realities through participative translation during implementations

Keywords

Information Systems

Reference:

Collections

PhD / Doctoral

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