Indirect Human Cost of implementing the OV-chipcard in the Netherlands

In this master thesis, the research question: what are the Indirect Human Costs (IHC) of the OV-chipcard is answered. This thesis provides a case study for IHC and the effect of IT on the society for the OV-chipcard implementation. The following IHC drivers were detected: training fees, resistance from outside the company, integration time, customer learning, staffs turn over, loss of productivity & recruitment cost. This thesis shows that most IHC drivers of the investigated companies were not estimated and not managed even though some of these IHCs had a significant effect on the total cost budget (e.g. negative news). Therefore, this OV-chipcard research case shows that most IHC drivers of the investigated public transportation companies were not estimated and not managed even though some of these IHCs had a significant effect on the total cost budget. Early identification of IHCs can help these companies to better control their total implementation cost, improve their human resources management in the organization and increase effective service delivery.