Critical Success Factors in Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation in U.S. Manufacturing

Organizational leaders have increasingly turned to enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications, also known as decision-support systems, to make their firms\u27 operational, tactical, and strategic processes more efficient and effective in the changing global marketplace. High failure rates in ERP systems implementations make these projects risky, however. Most prior research on critical success factors for conventional ERP implementation has been on large enterprises, resulting in a gap in knowledge on these factors in the small and medium enterprises that constitute the majority of U.S. employer firms. A qualitative modified Delphi study with an expert panel of U.S. manufacturing consultants and 3 iterative rounds of data collection and analysis revealed consensus on 8 critical success factors in ERP implementations, with the highest agreement on top management support and commitment, enterprise resource planning fit with the organization, quality management, and a small internal team of the best employees. In addition to furthering knowledge in the fields of leadership and enterprise applications, the study expands enterprise resource planning experts\u27 and scholars\u27 understanding of strategies to improve project success and the triple bottom line for any size enterprise in the manufacturing industry. Practitioners in the ERP industry can also apply approaches outlined during ERP implementations to mitigate risk during these engagements. Implications for positive social change include additional job opportunities and higher wages through increased efficiencies in ERP applications

An agency theory model of ERP implementation

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are becoming rapidly indispensable in order for large and medium sized organizations to run their operations. Therefore, management needs to know the factors that drive successful ERP implementation, a product of the continuous interaction between the implementation consultants and client firms. Agency theory has been successfully used by different researchers to explain relationships between two parties seeking a common outcome. This paper develops a model of testable propositions for applying agency theory to study the relationship between implementation consultants and client organizations deploying the ERP systems, and to consequently evaluate how the relationship affects the implementation success

Enterprise Implementations: The Impact of Systems Implementations Using Professional Services Consultants vs. Internal Resources and the Downstream Impact Post Implementations

Large-scale complex Information Technology (IT) Systems Implementations, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations, with significant change management, often yield minimal return on investment (ROI); such projects often fail. This study aims to focus on the role, impact, and value of external professional services consultants within the ecosystem of large complex IT systems and ERP implementations. Each chapter will provide an extensive examination of various contributing factors and possible corrective approaches, starting with the theoretical arguments underpinning resource-based theory and its possible relationship to IT project success, with the involvement of external Professional Services Consultants. The study will rely on a qualitative approach to examine the attributes of successful and failed IT projects, by comparing internal resources, external professional services consultant’s, and partnership models of project implementations

Are All Critical Sucess Factors in ERP Implementation Created Equal?

This study identifies ten potential critical success factors (CSFs) in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems implementation from ERP and IS literature and examines the application of these factors in eight projects. ERP systems promise to provide an off-the-shelf solution to an organization’s information needs. Implementation of ERP projects has proven difficult, complex, costly and time consuming. ERP projects require most organizations to change existing business process and to adopt one of several standardized processes provided by the ERP system. Findings show choosing the right project manager, training and a champion were significant to project success. Establishment of a project headed by a project manager, the use of consultants and the use of a steering committee did not differentiate successful and unsuccessful projects. Integration of ERP planning/business planning, reporting level of the project manager, involvement of general manager and the role of management in reducing user resistance were not supported

Skill Requirements of ERP Graduates

This research develops a list of the key skills that organizations expect from recent graduates of university programs in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Quantitative and qualitative analysis of 105 surveys from IT professionals involved in the implementation or support of ERP systems (e.g., IT project managers, systems analysts, IT consultants) indicate a wide variety of skills needed by ERP graduates. These skills are classified as ERP Technical Knowledge, Technology Management Knowledge, Business Functional Knowledge, Interpersonal Skills, and Team Knowledge and Skills. The specific skills that comprise each group are identified and discussed. The main benefit of this study is that it presents a list of key skills that business schools must consider teaching when implementing their own ERP program. For business schools with existing ERP programs, this research provides a list of skills that can be used to help determine how well their program is meeting the needs of industry

Critical Factors in Theory and Practice

This paper reports the findings of a research project investigating the utilization and continuous improvement of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Adopting the aspects of a resource management framework and Critical Success Factor research, an initial framework is developed. The framework is developed through a survey of ERP system expert consultants. A number of factors and causalities are identified, including the positive role of use by top management and the role of corporate culture. Two factors were found to have a negative impact on utilization. The first is the unreflective use of ERP system implementation methods, which can ‘kill’ the visions and ideas of implementing ERP systems, while the second is the vanilla implementation strategy

The power/knowledge of consultants and project management office in enterprise system implementation: a case study of a Saudi Arabian university

This thesis explores the power/knowledge of consultants and the project management office (PMO) in the implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and its subsequent development. The research followed a qualitative approach involving an interpretive in-depth case study. The study was conducted at a Saudi Arabian university and explored the power of consultants and the PMO in the implementation of enterprise systems in order to better understand the interaction of power and knowledge in the implementation and development process. A theoretical framework was developed by applying Clegg’s (1989) Circuits of Power, Absorptive Capacity, Agency theory, Structuration theory, and Neo-institutional theory. This theoretical framework was used to guide data collection and analysis. A total of 34 interviews with senior management, consultants, technical staff, project managers, and end users were conducted. Data were analysed following Creswell’s (2013) approach, and the principles of interpretive research in information systems (IS) proposed by Klein and Myers (1999) were applied. This study found that PMO and associated consultants have become powerful in ERP implementation and can mobilize power/knowledge by speaking for both the technology and the organization. This study contributes to research addressing ERP by investigating the power/knowledge of highly influential actors (consultants and PMOs) in the adoption and implementation of ERP. It also contributes to the literature on ERP and power, which has not extensively explored the context of developing nations such as Saudi Arabia

Enterprise Systems: Installing and Configuring ERPNext on MacOS

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems integrate business processes across organizations onto unified digital platforms through data and workflow consolidation. However, high licensing costs of proprietary ERP solutions like SAP and Oracle limit adoption for small and medium enterprises. This led to the emergence of open-source ERP alternatives like ERPNext which provide sophisticated capabilities at much lower total cost of ownership. However, ERPNext faces documentation gaps that hamper onboarding, customization, and widespread adoption. Accelerating ERPNext implementation by developing a comprehensive installation and configuration guide tailored for developers using Mac environments will be examined furthermore. The background on ERP systems explores critical functions like process automation, analytics, and cost cutting made possible by unified data and workflows, examining the evolution from legacy vendors to open-source platforms. The need for improved documentation is established as a crucial driver for ERPNext adoption within small and medium businesses to realize open-source cost benefits. Current documentation gaps cause slowed implementation. Simplified visual installation guides can ease onboarding, community involvement, and customization of ERPNext to unique workflows. Enhanced documentation can drive viral ERPNext adoption by empowering self-implementation of tailored systems. Step-by-step manuals build user confidence to control enterprise systems over relying on costly consultants. This catalyzes ERPNext\u27s viability as an affordable yet sophisticated open source ERP alternative, making integrated automation and insights accessible across organization sizes

The fundamental challenge: human and organisational factors in an ERP implementation

Organisations encounter obstacles when implementing ERP systems. This paper intends to explore some of the problems that occur throughout the implementation of an ERP system. Using a combination of the work of Markus et al (2001) and Kim et al (2005), a framework is constructed of Human and Organisational and Technical problems in ERP Implementations during the project phase. Drawing on empirical evidences from a UK furniture manufacturer, this study then discusses and analyses each problem identified in the framework and its affect on the implementation of their ERP system. The findings of this paper reveal that the fundamental challenge of ERP implementation is not technology but organisational and human problems, which, if not properly comprehended and addressed, can lead to ERP failure. Understanding that organisational and human issues are extremely important will encourage practitioners to address these problems and succeed in their ERP system implementations