The origins of failure: seeking the causes ofdesign–reality gaps

Masiero, Silvia (2016) The origins of failure: seeking the causes ofdesign–reality gaps. Information Technology for Development, 22 (3). pp. 487-502. ISSN 1554-0170

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Abstract

The theory of design–reality gaps is an extant framework to explain failure of information systems in developing nations. This paper problematizes the nature of failure, with a particular focus on situations in which well-implemented systems, apparently corresponding to users’ views of reality, still fail to meet the expectations of their key stakeholders. To extend existing theory on this phenomenon, I advance a diagnostic model to identify the root causes of design–reality gaps. The model is illustrated through a case study of the Ration Card Management System in Kerala, South India: by capturing the causal chains underlying design–reality gaps, the model sets to trace the origins of failure, and the processes through which it is ultimately determined. The model I propose is both explanatory and normative, as it elicits causes of failure and serves as a basis to combat them.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/titd20#.VwZ3FvkrLGg
Additional Information:	© 2016 Commonwealth Secretariat
Divisions:	Management
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA76 Computer software
Date Deposited:	07 Apr 2016 15:26
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2024 01:09
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/65982

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