Top management support and information systems implementation success: a meta-analytical replication

Abstract

Factors that contribute to the success or failure of information systems implementation have received extensive attention in the literature. Top management support is considered one of the most, if not the most, critical factors for implementation success. However, the positive effect of top management support is not always borne out in empirical data, prompting a quest for moderator variables. A classic meta-analysis shows that the effect of top management support on implementation success is moderated by task interdependence, a claim refuted in several more recent meta-analyses. Drawing from the lessons learned from these meta-analyses, the current research reanalysed the top management support literature with a larger sample while controlling for the effect of common method variance and systems success measurement issues. The results reaffirm the significant and substantial effect of top management support on systems success. At the same time, evidence also supports the moderating role of task interdependence, common method variance, and how systems success is measured. Implications for systems implementation are discussed.