The relationship among power types, political games, game players, and information system project outcomes — A multiple-case study

This paper presents a study of the information system project development (ISPD) process by examining 56 cases through the lens of McClellandʹs power type/political behavior (games) relationship theory. In this research, 192 political games were drawn from the 56 cases. These political games were categorized into 23 kinds and 4 types of power. The study found that the types of player power are complex and that the relationship between the types and kinds of political games displayed depends on the ISPD context. In addition to producing 4 major adverse effects, various kinds of games were found to be instrumental in successful IS project outcomes, the major players in which being MIS professionals. It is hoped that the detailed descriptions obtained from the data will be able to reduce, or even prevent, negative consequences arising in the ISPD process of other similar enterprises.