Discussion: Customer blames bankruptcy on IBM IT failure

I have been using the following article as a bit of a case study with my students (who are currently studying project & SDLC management) this past week. It is such a good example of why this stuff is important to get right. Here a company has attributed bankruptcy to a failed ERP system implementation. It is very important because the failed technology implementation was really just a symptom of the failures of both the management and control systems within the business.

Customer blames bankruptcy on IBM IT failure by ZDNet's Michael Krigsman – American LaFrance (ALF), the “leading brand of custom-made fire fighting, fire rescue vehicles, ambulances, and heavy-duty work refuse vehicles,” has declared bankruptcy, blaming IBM and a failed ERP implementation. According to filings in the District of Delaware bankruptcy court (PACER case no. 08-10178), problems occurred when ALF was spun out as an independent company from [...]