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Runaway IS projects continue to be reported regularlyin the trade press, but surprisingly little is known about:(1) how widespread the problem actually is, and (2) thefactors that cause it to occur. Many runaway IS projectsappear to represent what can be described as escalatingcommitment to a failing course of action. A survey ofInformation Systems Audit and Control Association(ISACA) members was undertaken in order to understandmore about the prevalence of IS project escalation andthe factors that cause it. The results are startling:Escalation occurs in 30-40% of IS projects and projectsthat escalate are rarely completed and implementedsuccessfully. What is more, escalation appears to becaused by a combination of project management as wellas psychological, social, and organizational factors.