Date of Award

1993

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Business Administration

Department

Business

First Advisor

Daniel W. Kemper

Second Advisor

Joseph Ancona

Third Advisor

Victor Beck

Abstract

The purpose of this study is the development of a project management handbook, as a guide for Information Systems (I.S.) projects at St. John's Mercy Medical Center. The need for this study was supported by inconsistencies in project management methods observed at St. John's.

A review of project management literature revealed that there has been very little empirical research in this area, and suggested that the nonspecific nature of project management literature may be contributing to the problem observed at St. John's. The literature review supported the view that a project management handbook should be developed, containing commonly accepted project management practices and principles for I.S. projects.

A project management handbook was developed, and evaluators for the handbook were selected. Criteria for selection of the evaluators were: knowledge of project management principles and practices, experience in I.S. project management at St. John's, and knowledge of industry trends for I .S. projects. Evaluators were chosen from the I.S. Department, and a user department, to obtain both views of the handbook. The data collection instrument was a self-developed questionnaire.

The results of the evaluation supported the need for a project management handbook, as a guide for I.S. projects at St. John's. The results suggested an immediate need, and a future need for the handbook. The future need indicated that the handbook should eventually become part of a larger I.S. document, including standards, policies, and procedures, for I.S. projects at St. John's. As the standards, policies, and procedures were not yet developed for I.S. at St. John's, their inclusion in the handbook was stated as a suggestion for future research in this area.

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