Leadership and the Recovery of Troubled IT Projects

The impact of specific types of leadership behaviors on recovery processes and the success of troubled information technology projects was investigated. A theoretical model of leadership for troubled IT projects is proposed. Control and transformational leadership behaviors are hypothesized to affect different recovery processes and through these processes affect project success. A survey instrument based on previously validated theoretical constructs from the IT troubled projects and leadership research was used to gather data from project managers, team members, and project sponsors. The results indicate strong support for the proposed model. Implications for practitioners and researchers are suggested.