Owner capabilities in information systems project organising in the public sector: The case of UK central government

An information systems project is an inevitable approach to cope efficiently with technological change that leads to improved organisational excellence. Yet managing information systems projects is more of a challenge to project owners than suppliers. As a universal truth, a project is a temporary event, but its management is the project owner’s permanent challenge even after a project. This paper aims to examine owner capabilities in information systems projects in the UK public sector through the empirical investigation of project owner’s management issues. National Audit Office reports published between 2006 and 2013 are explored to analyse narratives of information systems projects in the UK public sector. A total of 15 UK government reports covering 31 information systems projects are analysed by content analysis. The findings highlight the significance of organisational capabilities amongst others, and the results draw our attention to the importance of ensuring operational continuity in project organising.