Potential of Actor-Network Theory for Theory Development on IT Project Escalation in Contemporary Organizations

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The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0959-3845.htm Trojan actor-networks and swift translation Bringing actor-network theory to IT project escalation studies
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Magnus Mahring
Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden and J. Mack Robinson
College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

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Jonny Holmstrom
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Umea University, Umea, Sweden

Mark Keil
J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta,
Georgia, USA, and

Ramiro Montealegre
Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado,
USA and Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Spain
Keywords Information networks, Case studies, Technology led strategy, Management failures
Abstract This study investigates the potential of actor-network theory (ANT) for theory development on information technology project escalation, a pervasive problem in contemporary organizations. In so doing, the study aims to contribute to the current dialogue on the potential of
ANT in the information systems field. While escalation theory has been used to study “runaway”
IT projects, two distinct limitations suggest a potential of using ANT: First, there is a need for research that builds process theory on escalation of IT projects. Second, the role of technology as an important factor (or actor) in the shaping of escalation has not been examined. This paper examines a well-known case study of an IT project disaster, the computerized baggage handling system at Denver International Airport, using both escalation theory and ANT. A theory-comparative analysis then shows how each analysis contributes differently to our knowledge about dysfunctional IT projects and how the differences between the analyses mirror characteristics of the two theories. ANT is

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