CALL FOR PAPERS

* Special Section of the Journal of Management Information Systems *

IT Project, Portfolio, and Program Management  

Special Section Co-Editors

James J. Jiang, Australian National University

Gary Klein, University of Colorado Colorado Springs

In the past two decades, IS project management, as a system for accomplishing information technology development and deployment, has advanced in its application.  Project management theory and practice need to be further refined, to achieve a goal of managing change with greater efficiency and lower realized risk in rapidly evolving environments.    The need for rapid change under controlled situations dictates the requirement for newer and better practices in defining the projects and their management to achieve desired goals.  Project portfolio and program management – the selection and management of projects as a collective – consider the aspects of managing multiple projects to make the best use of limited resources to implement organizational strategies.  The complexity of managing individual and multiple projects is inherent due to the variety of stakeholders involved and geographic separation of project components which can often span functional, organizational, cultural, and international boundaries.    

The goal of this Special Section is primarily to foster theoretical development regarding these refined practices of IS project, portfolio and program management. However, methodologically innovative and significant studies of practice aligned with success are also encouraged.   As project management covers a broad range of areas (e.g., risk management, benefits management, control design, stakeholder analysis), the scope of this Special Section will be broad in shaping future studies in IT project management.  

 SPECIAL SECTION EDITORIAL BOARD

Walter Fernandez, The Australian National University

Laurie J. Kirsch, University of Pittsburgh

Carol Saunders, University of Central Florida

Bernard Tan, National University of Singapore

Amrit Tiwana, University of Georgia

Rodney Turner, Europrojex & Université Lille Nord de France

TOPICS

All topics related to IT project, portfolio and program management research are welcome. The following are a few sample research issues:

Models of project, portfolio and program success

External influences on projects, portfolios and programs

Cultural impacts in the areas of project, portfolio and program management

Organizational fit of IT project, portfolio and program structures

Project governance and decision rights configuration

Control mechanism design

Risk management in project programs and portfolios

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Submitted papers must make a significant and novel contribution to theory, or practice well-grounded in theory, and be supported by appropriate evidence. All research paradigms and methodologies are welcome. Interdisciplinary collaboration is encouraged. Strong preference will be given to papers that contribute distinctive, non-trivial IS-centric insights to theoretical perspectives in IT or its reference disciplines, rather than to the applications of existing theories to an IS context.

Interested authors are required to submit extended abstracts of no more than two pages for their planned submissions. This will give the editorial team an opportunity to determine if a planned submission is appropriate for expedited handling and review. Abstracts and full papers should be submitted by email to JMISprojectmanagement@gmail.com. Submissions should follow standard formatting and style guidelines for the Journal of Management Information Systems.

REVIEW PROCESS:

Inappropriately targeted or underdeveloped papers will be returned promptly to the authors after a review by both Special Section Co-editors.  Review of paper submissions will be double-blind.  Both a blinded manuscript without identifying author information and a non-blinded cover page with author information and acknowledgements should be submitted.

IMPORTANT DATES

- Abstract submissions: May 1, 2012

- Full paper due: October 1, 2012

- First round of reviews provided to the authors: January 1, 2013

- Paper revisions due: April 1, 2013

- Final decision on acceptance of papers: June 2013