The imperatives of e‐business: case study of a failed project

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to take a critical look at a recent e‐business initiative (eCRM) undertaken by a global technology solutions organization. After significant time and money invested in the initiative the project was cancelled. This paper will identify factors that the organization should have considered as part of the development and deployment of the initiative. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is explorative in nature, and based on the case study methodology. The data was collected via an on‐line questionnaire of over 300 employees across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) involved with the delivery of eCRM. Findings – The research has highlighted what the author believes are ten imperatives organizations must consider when embarking on major e‐business projects. The imperatives support an e‐business strategy framework that was developed through the research findings. Research limitations/implications – This research was conducted across one organization only. Although the organization was large (in excess of 300,000 employees) the research findings have not been corroborated through comparative research across other, similar organizations. Practical implications – However, the findings have allowed the organization to refine the way they define and develop future e‐business projects. Originality/value – The findings as presented in this paper are a result of looking at theory relating to change, technology, strategy, and knowledge enablement. This holistic view has allowed the author to identify a broader set of impact factors for consideration when driving significant technology integration. It is the belief of the author that these impact factors (imperatives) can be applied to other organizations.