The role of post hackathon activities on project continuation in a telecommunications organisation

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the role of post hackathon activities on project continuation in a telecommunications organisation. The research objectives: • Evaluated the participants’ motivation and intended outcomes for participating in hackathon events and linkage to project continuation, and • Identified the participants’ post hackathon activities and the role the post hackathon activities have on project continuation. The study was conducted as a case study and was focussed on the employees who participated in hackathon events held between the years 2018 and 2020 within a telecommunications organisation. Semi-structured virtual interviews were held with hackathon participants across a number of African countries where the organisation has presence (South Africa, Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya and Ghana). The study found participants that were rewarded were motivated to pursue project continuation and further found no link between continuation intentions and continuation behaviour. Moreover, the activity of securing financial commitmentand sponsorship prior to the hackathon event was found to be beneficial for the purpose of project continuation and lessened the burden on the participants to seek project funding. Teams who developed functional prototypes adding value to existing products pursued project continuation and the absence of management commitment regarding project prioritisation negatively impacted on project continuation