Project failures in information technology is a costly problem and troubled projects are not uncommon. Leaders so strongly committed to a specific project, a technology or process that they persist in committing their companies continue to pour more resources. The escalation of commitment to a course of action without, particularly common in technologically complex projects with strong IT components. There is little research to de-escalate, or the process to break the vicious circle of escalating commitment to no action. Through de-escalation, managers can successfully turn around or reasonably refuse troubled projects. In the past eight years, we examined 40 cases of IT project escalation. The authors present a framework for the process of de-escalation. The structure shows that the de-escalation consists of four stages: problem recognition, review prior course of action, alternative courses of action and the implementation of an exit strategy. To show its general application, the authors apply the foundation for a well-documented case study of de-escalation: Taurus system the London Stock Exchange. The authors offer a number of recommendations to disconnect from the failure of a course of action. "Hide
by All Keil, Ramiro Montealegre Source: MIT Sloan Management Review 16 pages. Publication Date: April 1, 2000. Prod. #: SMR045-PDF-ENG
Related Case Solutions & Analyses:
Organizational Ambidexterity: IBM and Emerging Business Opportunities
Echoing Green
Risk Management at Wellfleet Bank: All That Glitters Is Not Gold
New Life: Scaling Up Social Enterprise Start-Ups
How to Become a Better Manager…..By Thinking Like a Designer
Building Competitive Advantage Through a Global Network of Capabilities
Robert Little and the Kinship Fostercare Program in NYC
Jack Stack (A)
Lululemon Athletica’s Product, Employee and Public Relations Issues
Jones Schilling Employee Coaching Workshop
