Examining The Factors That Affect ERP Assimilation

The aim of this study is to identify the factors that influence the assimilation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in the post-implementation stage. Building on organizational information processing theory (OIPT) and absorptive capacity (AC), we propose an integrated model, which examines the relationship among organizational fit, absorptive capacity, environmental uncertainty, and ERP assimilation. Based on the survey data from 98 firms that have implemented ERP, most of the proposed hypotheses were supported, showing that initial fit, potential AC, realized AC, and heterogeneity jointly affect ERP assimilation. Task uncertainty (hostility and heterogeneity) negatively moderates the relationship between initial fit and ERP assimilation. The implications for both theory and practice are discussed

UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL LEVEL ERP ASSIMILATION FROM A SOCIAL NETWORK PERSPECTIVE: A MULTI-CASE STUDY

Prior research on ERP assimilation has primarily focused on influntial factors at the organizational level. In this study, we attempt to extend our understanding of individual level ERP assimilation from the perspective of social network theory. We designed a multi-case study to explore the relations between ERP users´ social networks and their levels of ERP assimilation based on the three dimensions of the social networks. We gathered data through interviews with 26 ERP users at different levels in five companies. Qualitative analysis was used to understand the effects of social networks and individual interactive learning. We found that user social networks play a significant role in individual level ERP assimilation through interactive learning behaviours among users. We also found five key factors that facilitate users´ assimilation of ERP knowledge: homogeneity (age, position and rank), tie content (instrumental and expressive ties), tie strength, external ties, and centrality. Our research has significant implications for managing assimilation of ERP systems and improving users´ ERP assimilation level in organizations

Technology Evaluation and Imitation: Do They Have Differential or Dichotomous Effects on ERP Adoption and Assimilation in China?

postprin

IMPLEMENTATION KNOWLEDGE AND THE ASSIMILATION OF ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEMS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Based on the organizational learning perspective, we present an empirical model to explain the assimilation of complex enterprise systems. We conceptualize systems implementation capability of organizations in terms of two types of knowledge – artifactual knowledge and inter-unit coordination knowledge. We propose that these knowledge dimensions are directly related to the degree of assimilation of enterprise systems. Further, considering that assimilation of IT innovations is steeped in the institutional environment, we also consider the moderating effects of mimetic and normative institutional pressures on the relationship between implementation knowledge and the degree of assimilation. Analysis of survey responses from ERP implementations in seventy-seven organizations reveals support for our main hypotheses that both the implementation knowledge dimensions directly affect assimilation. We also confirm that while mimetic institutional pressures positively moderate the impact of ERP-specific artifactual knowledge on assimilation, normative influences positively moderate the effect of ERP-specific coordination knowledge on assimilation. However, surprisingly mimetic pressures negatively moderate the impact of ERP-specific coordination knowledge on assimilation. The negative moderation suggests that organizations with greater interunit coordination knowledge are more ‘mindful’ towards ERP assimilation and therefore mimetic pressures play a lesser role in affecting assimilation levels. Our findings offer interesting implications for theory and practice

A Conceptual Model to Measure ERP User-Value

The critical factors in the onward and upward phase that maximize the value o the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system from the user’s point of view remain unidentified. A recent study of a public sector organization in the state of Colorado showed that the users’ perspectives regarding the benefits of an ERP system are unrecognized, as well as how the users of the ERP system view the ERP benefits post-implementation. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that maximize the value of the implemented ERP system in the onward and upward phase postimplementation from the user’s point of view (ERP user value), and how these factors affect the ERP user productivity, effectiveness, and internal efficiency which are major issues for management. A proposed conceptual structural model, based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, is presented. It is posited that the conceptual model can be used to predict the post-implementation factors from the ERP user’s point of view and measure their impact on the overall ERP benefits for the organization. The research question, hypotheses, and current state of research are presented and discussed

Mapping factors influencing EAI adoption in the local government authorities on different phases of the adoption lifecycle

Several private and public organisations have adopted Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), however, its application in the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) is limited. Although, there exist few EAI adoption models, these models mainly focus on a number of different factors (e.g. benefits, barriers, cost) influencing the decision making process for EAI adoption. Moreover, these models do not illustrate which factor(s) influence the decision making process for EAI adoption on the adoption lifecycle phases. Literature indicates that the adoption process involves a sequence of phases an organisation passes through before taking the decision for adoption. This exemplifies that LGAs may also have to pass through several adoption phases before taking the decision to adopt EAI. However, due to the: (a) multiplicity of diverse EAI adoption factors and (b) not able to recognise which factor(s) influence EAI on adoption lifecycle phases, it may not be easy for LGAs to take decisions to adopt EAI by merely focusing on different factors. This may impede the decision making process for EAI adoption in LGAs. Notwithstanding, the implications of EAI have yet to be assessed, leaving scope for timeliness and novel research. Therefore, it is of high importance to investigate this area within LGAs and result in research that contributes towards successful EAI adoption. This paper makes a step forward as it: (a) investigates and proposes four adoption lifecycle phases, (b) validates the adoption lifecycle phases and (c) mapping the factors influencing EAI adoption on the adoption lifecycle phases, through a case study. Hence, it significantly contributes to the body of knowledge and practice. In doing so, providing sufficient support to the decision makers for speeding up the decision making process for EAI adoption in LGAs

Critical Factors and Multisite Implementation of ERP: A Case Study in the UAE

Despite extensive studies in the ERP literature, little empirical understanding has been reached in relation to ERP implementation experiences in developing markets, particularly in the UAE context. Derived from the notions of critical successful factors and multisite implementation, two of widely researched areas in ERP studies, this paper thus seeks to provide practical insights about organizations’ ERP implementation experiences in the UAE setting. More specifically, it describes and contrasts critical factors and multisite implementation experiences in two case organizations situated in the UAE. These case organizations, one being categorized as a global company and the other local, provide interesting comparison of ERP implementation because of their complementary organizational structure and business strategies. In contrast to traditional ERP frameworks’ suggestions, these case organizations’ experiences reveal that contemporary ERP implementations might be more complex than previously expected since none of these case organizations’ ERP experiences follows suggestions made by frameworks based. Further discussion about how to better understand and examine maturing ERP technology in an increasingly globalized business environment such as the UAE is provided

Assessing the Connections among Top Management Support, IT Assimilation, and the Business Value of IT: A Meta-Analysis

Scholars and practitioners have long tried to understand the antecedents and consequences of information technology (IT) assimilation. Studies suggest that top management support is an important driver of IT assimilation; however, this broad takeaway provides little substantive guidance to researchers and practitioners. We also have a limited understanding of whether and when IT assimilation creates business value. We take stock of this literature with a meta-analysis. We found that top management support is positively related to IT assimilation, and assimilation is in turn positively related to the business value of IT. We also found that explicit support does not have any special effect on IT assimilation (compared to implicit support) and may not be related to business value at all. However, our results indicate that IT assimilation has a stronger effect on business value at the process level (versus firm level) and for enterprise IT innovations (versus function IT innovations). Finally, we found that support-assimilation and assimilation-value relationships are stronger in high (versus low) power distance cultures. Our collective findings can facilitate future research and help practitioners navigate IT assimilation initiatives

A literature analysis of the use of Absorptive Capacity construct in IS research

Since the seminal inception of Absorptive Capacity (ACAP) by Cohen and Levinthal (1990), it has been adopted widely in information systems (IS) research. This paper analyzes the use of ACAP in IS research through a literature analysis of ACAP-related papers published in 52 reputable IS journals from 1990 to 2015. Drawing on a review of the evolution of ACAP, the analyses conducted include: (1) descriptive analysis of ACAP in IS papers; (2) domains of ACAP usage; (3) analysis of hypotheses and propositions to show how ACAP is being used to explain various organizational phenomena in IS research; and (4) analysis of the measures to provide insights into the operationalization of ACAP in IS research. Our findings suggest that while the majority of the research correctly conceptualizes ACAP as a capability, various misalignments between ACAP conceptualization, operationalization and measurement, and the level of analysis in the literature continue to do a disservice to the accumulated research in ACAP. The findings and recommendations should help IS researchers to conceptualize and operationalize ACAP appropriately