1. E-Government Project Failure: Myth and Reality An Epic Tale of the Sri Lankan IFMIS
Carolyne Stanforth
Centre for Development Informatics
University of Manchester, UK
Centre for Development Informatics

2. Research Overview Research Aim: To investigate the
perceived failure – and later success
– of an e-government project
targeted at improved governance
Research Undertaken:
Interpretive case study of the
Ministry of Finance’s Modernisation
Programme (1999 – 2004), designed
to be driven by an integrated financial
management information system (IFMIS)

3. Research Findings Academic Finding:
Longitudinal analysis of the building
of the actor-networks reveals a more
complex situation than a snapshot
evaluation of project failure
Practical Recommendation:
Careful consideration needs to be given
to the management of the interface
between the global (resource providing)
network with the local network of implementing agents

4. Further Information
Heeks, R. and Stanforth, C. (2007), Understanding e-government project trajectories from an actor-network perspective, European Journal of Information Systems, 16(2), pp
eTransparency case studies prepared by two Ministry of Finance officials (case numbers 6 and 10 on
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