Date of Award
11-2003
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis
First Advisor
Dr. Dwight Haworth
Second Advisor
Dr. Yong Shi
Third Advisor
Dr. Lotfoliah Najjar
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Gary Marshall
Abstract
This study focuses on the merger process of Information Technology (IT) departments within local government. The research that exists indicates that local government mergers, in general, have a high rate of failure. In addition, the political, managerial, cultural, and behavioral aspects that impact these mergers are ignored.
The importance of computers to the departments/agencies housed within local government has made the IT departments a critical part of the local government structure. This study looks at the problems faced by the merging IT departments within local government in order to gain a better understanding of this process and to increase the success rate of these types of mergers.
A case study of a merger between a county IT department and a city IT department within a mid-western local government structure was performed. In addition, a nationwide survey was distributed to IT Directors of local government units.
A model was tested using five variables that may have an impact on a successful local government IT merger. The tests revealed a revised model: variables “commitment of appointed/elected officials” and “employee support from appointed/elected officials” are related to “quality of the decision-making process”; and “quality of the decision making process” is related to “perceived merger success.”
Recommended Citation
Patton, Angela, "A Study of the Factors Related to the Successful Merger of Information Technology Departments Within Local Government" (2003). Student Work. 3067.
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/3067
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Comments
A Thesis Presented to the Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Management Information Systems University of Nebraska at Omaha. Copyright 2003 Angela Patton.