Impact of the Implementation of ICT Projects, Case Study: E-Learning Projects

The implementation of any ICT project involves two components: the investment and the implementation of the respective change, which can be personal, at the department/organization level, a change of behavior, etc. Both components strongly depend on the leadership of the organization. Leadership includes here the combination among the personalities of those leading the organizations, their knowledge and abilities, regulations, procedures and organizational policies as well as the organizational culture. In most cases, the implementation of a new ICT system allows the managers' access to valuable tools and information. The analysis of the international approaches of assessing the impact of ICT investment projects clearly shows that this area is new and it is currently developing. Generally accepted ICT assessment methods and mechanisms have not been identified yet, not even for parts of the ICT use (public administration, health, e-learning, etc.). Using ICT is just a tool for achieving specific goals. Achieving an ICT infrastructure should not be an objective in itself, but a resource the user needs to achieve certain goals (higher efficiency, better access to knowledge he would have been unable to reach otherwise, etc.). Consequently, the fact that at the end of the project implementation the ICT infrastructure is functional and does not require interventions is compulsory, yet insufficient for a successful project.