Stakeholder management in selected it fourth industrial revolution projects in South Africa

Abstract

This study aimed to explore stakeholders’ role in the success or failure of IT projects, identify the complexities of stakeholder management in IT development projects, and develop a robust stakeholder management process specifically tailored to the context of developing economies. This study offers valuable insights and practical recommendations for optimising stakeholder management processes and enhancing overall IT project performance in this ever-evolving business landscape. This was conducted within South Africa to help bridge the gap between stakeholder management and project performance. In a technologically changing world, the roles and expectations of stakeholders are continuously evolving. It behoves project practitioners to understand and appreciate the dynamics of stakeholder management in this new world order. The study was scoped within South Africa to investigate the factors influencing stakeholder management and project performance. A quantitative approach was used, and inferential factor analysis statistics were applied to analyse responses from a questionnaire distributed online using the Lime Survey platform. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS® Amos® Version 29. The research aimed to identify factors that influenced IT project stakeholder management in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) in South Africa and develop a project stakeholder framework. “Communication and engagement practices”, which focus on strategies and tools that facilitate effective stakeholder communication and involvement, and secondly “, data-driven stakeholder engagement”, which emphasises the use of data and application of technology to enhance stakeholder engagement, were identified as significant factors impacting stakeholder management. The model demonstrates a good fit with the data, supported by strong fit indices and robust path coefficients. This suggests that the model was well constructed and effectively captures the relationships between the variables. The model emphasises that ethical practices, stakeholder communication, proactive engagement, and effective risk management are key to project success. Projects should be adaptable, transparent, and inclusive while focusing on achieving meaningful outcomes for stakeholders.