The institutionalization of information system project management practices

Considering that current structures are the result of choices made in specific contexts in the past, we adopt a historical perspective in order to understand how some information systems (IS) project management practices evolved and became norms. Using historical methods, we analyze sources of data spanning 52 years of IS project management (1945–2007) – interviews with IS project managers and academics, IS project management textbooks, curricula, and the scientific and professional literature – to: (1) determine whether some IS project management practices may now be considered institutionalized, and (2) understand their institutionalization processes over time. Based on this analysis, three groups of IS project management practices may now be considered institutionalized: formal control, external integration, and project risk management.

► Some IS project management practices (PMP) are now institutionalized. ► Institutionalized PMPs are: Project planning and control, external integration, project risk management. ► Their institutionalization process (historical perspective: 1945-2007) is described. ► Some adjustments to Greenwood, Suddaby & Hining’s (2002) model of institutionalization are proposed.