An Enterprise-Wide Intervention at IRS: A Longitudinal Analysis of Stakeholder Sentiments

The Internal Revenue Service Business Modernization Project undertaken by the Tax Agency of the US Government has been singled out as an example of a massive failure. As envisioned, the project was intended as an Enterprise-wide intervention that would provide modern services and effective data access to citizenry and several government agencies. After more than a decade and 3 billion dollars later, the results appear to be less than exemplary. This paper identifies different stakeholders who participated in the project, and analyzes the sentiments and confidence each expressed with a view to understanding what and how things may or may not have worked. We conclude with lessons learned from our investigation including recognizing the importance of multiple stakeholders for Enterprise-wide initiatives.