Multi-objective IT Project Selection Model for Improving SME Strategy Deployment

Abstract

Due to the limited financial resources of small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the proven approaches for selecting IT project portfolio for large enterprises may fail to perform in SMEs; SME top management want to make sure that the corporate strategy is carried out effectively by IT project portfolio before investing in such projects. In order to provide automated support to the selection of IT projects, it seems inevitable that a multi-objective approach is required in order to balance possible competing and conflicting objectives. Under such an approach, individual projects would be evaluated not just on their own performance but on the basis of their contribution to balance the overall portfolio. In this paper, we extend and explore the concept of IT project selection to improve SME strategy deployment. In particular, we present a model that assesses an individual project in terms of its contribution to the overall strategic objectives of the portfolio. A simulation using the model illustrates how SME can rapidly achieve maximal business goals by deploying the multi-objective algorithm when selecting IT projects.