
Why Our Blog?
To share and promote organizational change and digital transformation success.
“Let’s roll up our sleeves and get working on smarter, leaner, better ways to realize ERP implementation success.”
What are the right tools and the right methods for success? This blog is intended as a vendor-neutral forum to study, share, and discuss ERP implementations with a focus on project challenges and failure mitigation. It is dedicated to corporate ERP success, corporate project stakeholders, and to boots-on-the-ground practitioners responsible for that success. It’s intended to be a collaboration tool and resource. Every ERP integration, implementation, or upgrade is unique. The idea is to collaborate and share the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I hope that others find this blog useful as we share lessons learned, best practices, and the human element components of ERP projects.
The ERP business is a billion-dollar industry with its share of significant problems that can be addressed by improved and objective collaboration. I believe that an improved effort has to be made to quantify, document, share, and communicate data that will bring value and provide more insight into what really separates the “good” ERP projects from the “bad.” I also believe that there is a long way to go in this effort.
Academia is providing more and more research in this area as it is a real problem with real ROI opportunities that need to be solved. I look forward to using this blog to share my recent dissertation research regarding many aspects of ERP success models.
”Boots on the Ground”- Jack G. Nestell
ERP System Selection Starts With: (insert answer here)
ERP Organizational Change Success Can Be Highly Disruptive Proper ERP system selection is a critical first step towards ERP organizational change success. Whether an ERP vendor, ERP 3rd party reseller, ERP 3rd party implementor, ERP researcher, ERP practitioner/SME,...
Knowledgeable and Objective ERP Selection: A Private Equity Competitive Advantage
What does it mean exactly to be objective and vendor-neutral and why does it matter? We don’t have all the answers, but we have fun sharing and discussing as ERP organizational change practitioners, researchers, and colleagues. And, we have fun asking lots of...
ERP Implementation Methodologies Are Not Created Equal
ERP Implementation Versus Effective and Efficient ERP Implementation What we do know is that ERP implementation methodologies are not created equal. In fact, ERP vendors and implementers promote this notion and truth. Additionally, ERP researchers have suggested and...
ERP Organizational Change: Challenges and Disruption
The Absence of Significant Challenges Is Certainly Not a Precursor to ERP Organizational Change Success Naturally inherent in ERP organizational change (and nearly by definition) exist challenges, disruption, risks, and the unexpected. However, the absence of...
Recommended Read: “Winning the ERP Game: A Coaching Guide to Packaged Application Business Success” by David Stefanick
“Don’t cut corners with your OCM <organizational change managment> efforts or else be prepared for major post go-live issues or even pre go-live issues. It is certainly a pay me now or pay me a lot more later situation. Eventually you will pay and the ”later”...
ERP and Effective Organizational Learning
“Corporate learning has the ultimate responsibility to facilitate the conditions and resources for thriving performance.” Alexander Salas The value of Learning and Development (L&D) and Human Performance Technology (HPT)* plays a significant role in the context...
Why Should PE Firms Care About Objective ERP Selection?
Why should PE firms care about proper, non-biased, objective, and vendor-neutral ERP partner and ERP System selection? Who would hire a chief financial officer (CFO) that doesn’t understand the business model, doesn't have appropriate industry experience, doesn't have...
ERP Organizational Change Success: The Role of Learning
The Role of Learning The role of learning has a significant place in ERP organizational change success. ERP organizational change success is as much about organizational and individual learning, effective and efficient training, knowledge sharing, transfer of...
Successful ERP Common Denominator: Definition and Vision of Success?
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” ― Yogi Berra Food for Thought Definition of success, purpose, mission, and values is a critical step #1. ERP organizational change is about "people, processes, and technology". And, before an...
ERP: The Quarter-Inch Drill Bit
I am reminded of a quote by economist and professor at the Harvard Business School, Theodore Levitt, who stated that: “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.” Well, really that quote summarizes the goal of “The ERP...
ERP Success: Tolerance for Risk and Conflict
Risk and Conflict is Inherent in ERP organization Change ERP organizational change success is categorically related to the tolerance for risk and conflict characteristics of the organizational culture. Some level of risk and conflict is inherent in ERP organization...
ERP Success: Organizational Knowledge
“An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.” -Jack Welch Organizational Knowledge Diversity Often in ERP organizational change, a vast array of stakeholder knowledge diversity can exist...
Understanding Motivation: A Key to ERP Success
Understanding Motivation Improves Performance What we know is that many unique knowledge, organizational, and motivational influences exist that can have a significant impact on ERP organizational change success. Understanding organizational as well as individual...
The Absence of Significant Challenges Is Not a Prerequisite to ERP Success
There Is No Free Pass to Success The absence of significant challenges is not a prerequisite to ERP organizational change success. The diligent and detailed preparation and management of all aspects of ERP organizational change (organizational culture, process, and...
Private Equity and Transformational Leadership
By Dr. Jack G. Nestell with contribution from Dr. Justin Goldston Private Equity Often Implies Transformation Private Equity firms don’t invest resources into an organization to remain static and stagnant. Organizational leaders of these firms understand that learning...
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of ERP Organizational Change
Artificial Intelligence and the future of ERP organizational change is an interesting topic. In terms of artificial intelligence (AI) in general, here is a thought-provoking, interesting, and maybe provocative, quote for you. “I can visualize a time in the future when...
ERP Organizational Change Influences
Identifying ERP Organizational Change Influences "Many organizations have focused primarily on the psychological state of their employees. After all, this is the desired result- engaged employees who are committed, satisfied, and productive. But focusing only on...
Technology and the Future of ERP Organizational Change
One thing is certain, ERP organizational change is a dynamic and complex interplay of people (or organizational culture), process, and technology.
“Either you manage the culture, or it manages you.” (Dr. Edgar Schein)*
*This quote of Dr. Schein was taken from the highly recommended, insightful, and practical book, "Leading culture change in global organizations: Aligning culture and strategy", by D. Denison, R. Hooijberg, N. Lane, and C. Lief Understanding and Managing...
Research by John M. Clark: The Extent Project Management Competencies and Project Complexity Predict Project Success: A Correlation Study
Friends and colleagues, On behalf of friend, colleague, and fellow practitioner and researcher John M. Clark, if you are a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Nestell & Associates would like to invite and encourage you to participate in a study “The...
Success Is In The Journey and Not Just a Final Destination
ERP organizational change success is in the project life-cycle journey (pre, go-live, and post) and not just a final "go-live" destination. ERP organizational change research suggests that the stakeholder idea of "success" may vary with time. Additionally, "success"...
About Nestell & Associates
Nestell & Associates is a strategy and management firm. We can help you take your portfolio companies to the next level by demonstrating how to execute a scalable, methodical, and disciplined approach to digital transformation success.
Merger and acquisition ERP digital transformations can be a significant challenge. But a solid framework is built on good practices with proven success. We have a successful track record with integrations, upgrades, mergers, and acquisitions, and we want to share our methods with you.
Our leadership experience in organizational change, information technology, ERP, and digital transformation crosses multiple industries.
Experience. Proven. Results.
Private Equity Merger and Acquisition Digital Transformation Leadership, Advisory, and Consulting Services

Nestell & Associates
5000 Birch Street - West Tower, Suite 3000 - Newport Beach, 92660, USA
Phone (949) 608-2299