Abstract:
Compared to other projects, information technology (IT) projects, characterized by emergency and uncertainty, are
unique. To implement an IT project successfully, many aspects need to be monitored and carefully controlled and
managed. One such aspect is social relationships. All IT professionals are exposed to, and in many cases involved, in
the phenomenon of social relationships. These relationships are used by software project team members for personal as
well as professional purposes. In most cases the impact of these relationships on the success or failure of any given IT
project is ignored by IT management. Little attention is given thereto in the literature and this paper attempts to make a
contribution in terms of giving a broad perspective of the complexity, the impact, as well as the management of such
relationships. This paper demonstrates that these relationships play a significant role and should be managed in such a
way that the team members and the project as a whole can reap the benefits thereof. A conceptual framework is
proposed for the management of these relationships.
