Requrements management in Irish IT small and micro-sized enterprises

This research is focused on the IT Small and Micro sized Enterprise sector in Ireland. This sector is very significant both socially and economically and utilises significant project management efforts. The main aim of this research is to assess how small and micro sized firms are currently managing requirements with a view to considering the Value Management (VM) approach as a foundation for a micro-lite approach. Recent research from the Central Statistics Office (2012) reports that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ireland accounted, in 2009, for 99.8% of enterprises in Ireland, 69% of private sector employment, 52% of turnover and 51% of Gross Value Added. Over 185,000 of Ireland’s 190,000 companies (98%) employ less than 50 people (Harrigan and Ramsey 2009). SMEs account for a significant portion of projects, Turner et al (2012) state that more than 40% of turnover for SMEs is undertaken as projects, and that this increases to more than 60% for SMEs in their first two years of existence. If these figures are extrapolated to the Global Economy one could state that $10 Trillion dollars are spent on SME projects annually. Based on recent research carried out by Turner et al (2009, 2010, 2012) it is proposed that small and micro sized firms need a micro-lite Project Management method based on having a requirements management core and a focus on people rather than systems. An initial review of the literature, reviewing SMEs; SMEs and Project Management; Requirements Management and Value Management (VM), suggested that a VM approach may provide a basis for the requirements management core needed for a micro-lite Project Management Method. Therefore, progress in helping this sector can have a big consequence. Academically, it can provide further insight into how small and micro sized firms manage requirements and provide directions for future research and practically, findings may have a significant influence on the millions of people and thousands of companies which make up this sector. Besides the potential contribution to a Project Management micro-Lite solution for SMEs, the ‘Value’ elements of this research are in line with recent research directions identified for the Project Management Profession as a whole. Winter et al (2006) propose five directions for future Project Management Research and Direction 3 suggests a move from Product Creation as a primary focus to Value Creation as a primary focus for the overall focus in the management of projects. Hanisch and Wald (2011) propose an integrated framework for future Project Management Research and their third dimension – the Goal Dimension - incorporates Value Added as a sub category. They proceed to state that value is “probably the primary reason to execute a project, regardless of the industry considered.”