Systematic Review of Risks in Domestic and Global IT Projects

Abstract

The development of information technology projects is no longer limited to the domestic sphere. This study identifies the differentiation of risk categories between global and domestic projects through an exploratory research carried out by means of a systematic literature review. 1367 risks were identified in 37 articles and classified within 22 categories. The major concern regarded in domestic project management was the client (external risk) and scope (internal risk) and, in global project management, the psychic distance (external) and coordination and control (internal). The main difference between the risk categories for each project type refers to the psychic distance category, which was identified almost exclusively in global projects, thus making the external risks more relevant than those in domestic projects. On the other hand, it makes risks such as client, supplier and stakeholders be underestimated. The results indicate that project managers should focus on different risks depending on the type of IT project: global or domestic.