Understanding the pre-evaluation process of information system investment : a case of the Jordanian banking sector

The general purpose of this research is to close a gap in knowledge by generating new knowledge and understanding of the pre-evaluation structures, procedures and practices adopted by a large Jordanian bank in justifying information system (IS) investment projects, since limited attention has been given to this topic, particularly in the Jordanian banking sector (JBS). It investigates the organisational context and its influence on the process of IS investment pre-evaluation within the JBS. It also seeks to determine the level of formality of the evaluation techniques used.The study extends the existing knowledge in IS evaluation research by drawing on the interpretive case study approach and actor-network theory (ANT) combined with content, context, process framework (CCP) also known as interpretive contextualism to trace pre-evaluation practices in order to understand how IS proposals are developed and assessed in Jordan, a developing country. It makes important contributions to knowledge in the IS discipline, by applying existing theories to theorise IS pre- evaluation in a more novel and sophisticated way than before, by providing rich insight and by drawing specific implications. In combining ANT with CCP, the study offers a novel theorisation of pre-evaluation practices. For this reason, it is argued that ANT can be extended with CCP to offer explanations for contextual factors that are beyond the scope of an actor network.The findings show that there are important contextual factors in all development and implementation activities that affect or frame the evaluation process. IS proposals come into being and are made to work because of their characteristics, such as being dynamic and relational. The IS proposal has thus been re-conceptualised to represent the vision of future business activities and its functions associated with the IS in question. The study also finds that more flexibility in pre-evaluation methodology would be preferable, as it would allow the innovative capacity of the actors to play a significant role in articulating the future of these practices in banking. Among other recommendations, the study calls for research into evaluation throughout the IS lifecycle