An Action Research Approach to Strategic Information Systems Planning in a Non-Profit Organisation

Abstract

Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) in non-profit organisations (NPOs) has not received adequate attention in the research literature. This study addressed questions of how (and how well) Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) could be employed for conducting SISP in an NPO. Action Research (AR) was used as the primary research method in this study, supplemented by a survey of participants at the end. This paper exemplifies AR through the description and analysis of the use of SSM and other tools both for the provision of benefit to the organisation and for qualitative data collection and analysis in support of the research.