Ensuring successful business intelligence systems implementation : multiple case studies in engineering asset management organisations

Recently heightened competition resulting from market deregulation and increased regulatory compliance requirements have demanded greater accountability for decision making in engineering asset management (EAM) organisations. However, the siloed information structure and fragmented business function of conventional EAM organisations do not support the effective extraction, analysis, and provision of actionable information to improve decision-making process. In response to this, many EAM organisations turned their efforts to implementing complex Business Intelligence (BI) systems. But how to increase the likelihood of BI systems implementation success for the diverse EAM organisations with its traditionally strong and fragmented culture? This paper investigates and discusses the critical success factors (CSFs) influencing BI systems implementation in EAM organisations. Seven in-depth case studies were conducted in EAM organisations. The empirical findings show a clear trend towards multidimensional challenges involved in such resourceful and complex undertaking. The CSFs exist in various dimensions composed of organisation, process, and technology perspectives. Nevertheless, the study reveals that a more fundamental issue concerning the business needs of BI systems may, in the end, impede BI systems success. Therefore, BI stakeholders of EAM organisations are urged to apply a business-orientation approach in tackling implementation challenges and ensuring buy-in from business stakeholders.