The high rate of unsuccessful IT projects has been examined by many researchers world-wide in order to identify IT project critical success factors (CSFs). Using a framework from previous literature, this research examines four organizational factors (Top management support, project team competencies, communication management, and project management) that affect IT projects success in Saudi Arabian public organizations and compares the outcomes with findings in Malaysian multinational companies. Furthermore, organizational culture as a moderator has been deployed in the model to examine its impact on the relationships between CSFs and IT project success. A quantitative approach using a survey questionnaire method was used to collect the data. The questionnaires were distributed to CIOs in Saudi Arabian public organizations. PLS-SEM was used to analyze the collected data and test the relevant hypotheses. The outcomes showed that there were some similarities and differences between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. In both countries, IT project success was influenced by project management; however, it was not influenced by project team competency. Furthermore, the outcomes showed that IT project success in Saudi Arabia was influenced by top management support while it is influenced by communication management in Malaysia. Finally, it was found that organizational culture moderates the relationships between top management support and project management and IT project success in Saudi Arabia, while the organizational culture moderates the relationships between communication management and project management and IT project success in Malaysia

Despite of the huge investments in information technology (IT), IT project success rates are unsatisfactory and still remain very low. This issue has been investigated by many researchers all over the world to identify the critical success factors. However, there is no universal agreement on which factors are significant to success. This paper presents an investigative study of the main factors that affect IT projects success in Saudi Arabian public organizations. A two-phase approach has been adopted combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. In phase I, a qualitative approach using semi-structured interview method was used to collect and analyze the data, and the findings of this phase proposed seventeen factors. Then, in phase II, a quantitative approach using questionnaire method was used to assess and validate the outcomes of phase I. The findings of the questionnaire confirmed the importance of those seventeen factors, and the critical success factors (CSFs) of IT projects in Saudi Arabian public organizations to be found are: top management support and commitment, project management, project team competency, communication management, strategic planning, training and education, partners and suppliers management, and stakeholders management.