Implementation of Information Systems in Local Government Authorities: Understanding of the Role of Reforms in the Designing Process

Government reform implementations are often a catalyst for system implementation within public sectors. However, their influence on the information system design process in the public sectors have not been explained extensively in the literature. This study used actor network theory as the lens to examine the interactions of actors during the information systems design process in the reformed public sectors. The main research aims were to extend the understanding of how government reforms influence the information system design processes of local government authorities in Tanzania. The study employed the interpretive approach and the case study strategy when analyzing the phenomena. Qualitative data were collected from 33 interviews with 23 participants who were purposively selected from three local governments in Tanzania. The findings show that the implementations of reforms have triggered the formation of actor-networks during the IS design process. Also, these reforms were found to affect the structural information flow in the organizations, which in turn affects the requirement elicitation process in the local context. The study has made both theoretical and practical contributions that are of value to researchers, policy makers and those involved in the IS implementation process in local governments of Tanzania.