Loughborough University
Browse
Manuscript ITD.pdf (133.34 kB)

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

Download (133.34 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2016-10-14, 13:06 authored by Silvia Masiero
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.

History

School

  • Business and Economics

Department

  • Business

Published in

Information Technology for Development

Volume

22

Issue

3

Pages

487 - 502

Citation

MASIERO, S., 2016. The origins of failure: seeking the causes of design–reality gaps. Information Technology for Development, 22 (3), pp. 487-502.

Publisher

© Commonwealth Secretariat. Published by Taylor & Francis

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publisher statement

This work is made available according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. Full details of this licence are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Publication date

2016-02-25

Notes

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Information Technology for Development on 25 Feb 2016, available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2016.1143346

ISSN

0268-1102

eISSN

1554-0170

Language

  • en