Factors influencing information system project success among higher education institution in Indonesia

Abstract

It is inevitable that information and communication technology (ICT) has been the enabler in higher education (HE) sector. The implementation of this technology has been a catalyst to develop the quality of the sector. Institutionally, it is relevant to providing the affordability, accessibility, and the quality of the higher education institutions (HEIs), in regard to ensuring the performances of their management and academic functions. The improvement of the performances is a necessity, especially for the developing countries like Indonesia. It is related to the significant role of the institutions in the development agenda of the country in this knowledge economy era. Despite the fact that, the development projects have been performed since 1980s, many studies reported that the technological developments and its implementation are still low. In addition, besides the ICT project management discipline remains several theoretical gaps, the methodological issue of the research field also presents the imbalance tendency. It is an interesting phenomenon for practitioners and researchers, in the context of its continuous studies. Accordingly, this study was performed to respond the phenomenon. The purposes of the study were to explore the current state of the project performances and to explain factors that influence the performances. Its objectives were to understand the state and to examine the factors based on the internal project stakeholders. The used research model was developed by adopting, combining, and adapting the DeLone and McLean’s information system (IS) success model and McLeod and MacDonell’s project classificatory framework based on the five selected theories. Methodically, a sequential mixed method approach was implemented across the stage of the study by focusing on the quantitative part. The population was a number of the internal project stakeholders and the samples were chosen based on the multi-stage purposeful random sampling. The 296 valid survey responses were then analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method in the quantitative study and the manuscripts of the focus group discussions with 22 participants were analyzed thematically in the qualitative one. The results of both stages were then interpreted by implementing the confirmed interpretation. The hypothetical point of the findings revealed that the seven of 24 examination paths are rejected. Besides the findings practically contribute towards the exploration and explanation of the IS project implementations among HIEs in the country, and the proposed model can be one of the theoretical considerations for the next IS project model developments, the implementation of the mixed method may encourage the methodological diversity of the IS research field.