An Analysis of Failure in a Government-to-Government E-Government Context via the Updated Delone and McLean Model - Information and Communication Technologies in Public Administration - page 171

theory for intergovernmental IS failure. Starting from scratch holds the disadvan-
tage that many cases need to be studied to obtain a valid and reliable theory. On
the other hand, we can follow a top-down, deductive approach to examine whether
(proven) IS success models resulting mainly from research in private sector IS can
be extended to examine G2G IS failure (Al Khatib, 2013; Scott et al., 2009).
We take a deductive approach to answer the first research question. We will test
whether the Updated D&M model can be transferred to assess the perceived causes of
failure of two G2G IS. An inductive approach will be conducted to answer the second
research question. We will do a check of completeness of the Updated D&M model
for assessing the perceived causes of failure of two G2G IS. The collected data are
coded in NVivo to identify possible causes of failure. NVivo is a digital software tool
that helps a researcher to connect, organize, and analyze qualitative data in depth. We
will then eliminate the causes covered by the Updated D&M model and look whether
additional causes are identified. An exploratory case study approach is an appropriate
way to study both research questions. We study two cases to develop a more in-depth
understanding of the phenomena than a single case could provide (Mills, Durepos, &
Wiebe, 2010). This approach is well suited to IS research because it is helpful in identi-
fying the causal chain that led to the success/failure of an IS (Benbasat, Goldstein, &
Mead, 1987). The approach is suitable to study an area in which few previous studies
have been carried out and to generate theories from practice. Inevitably, an element of
subjectivity is involved in nonrandom sampling (Yin, 1994).
8.3.2 Selected Cases
In 2012, we created an inventory of Flemish intergovernmental IS because an over-
view was lacking (Van Cauter et al., 2013). From this inventory of 100 intergov-
ernmental IS in Flanders, the cases of the Road Sign Database (RSD) and the
Environmental Complaints Registration and Monitoring System (ECREMOS)
were selected because of the following:
◾ They are operational for at least 5 years, and the added value of an IS reveals
itself only after a number of years.
◾ The Flemish government asked municipalities to deliver data. How munici-
palities could be convinced to do so is far from evident and is dependent
highly on the user's perspective of (the utility of ) a system.
◾ Scientifically little is known about the voluntary use of systems (Elbanna &
Linderoth, 2013).
◾ The cases showed interesting similarities: First, in both cases, project leaders of
a troubled unpopular IS wanted to turn a failure into a success by renewing the
IS. Second, both systems are for free. Third, the cases have the same kind of
actors involved: A Flemish department created an IS and asked municipalities
and another Flemish agency of the same policy domain to keep this up-to-date.
Fourth, in both cases, the police might take up part of the municipal task.