Developing a CSF Causal Loop Model for Managing IT Projects: A Case Study of an Inter-Organisational Healthcare Pathology IT System

This research aims to develop a causal loop model using a Critical Success Factors (CSF) approach to investigate the organisational and IT project management issues concerning the planning and adoption of inter-organisational IT systems. The researchers adopted an interpretive research approach utilising template analysis. Categories were initially derived from a review of the literature based on CSF analysis from Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Projects. Causal loop modelling, using CSFs, was examined in order to assess the process of adoption of large scale integrated IT systems. The discussion and conclusions assess the appropriateness and utility of using a CSF approach, and an adapted causal loop model, to inform more effective approaches to IT planning and adoption. The findings indicate that CSF analyses may be combined with causal loop modelling and has the potential to be used for future research studies and also as a practical heuristic for IT project teams.