The Significance of Teamwork in ERP Organizational Change Success

Really, just how important is, or is not, teamwork to ERP organizational change success? Who can prove it? I am way too busy and don’t want to get caught up in wasting money, time, and effort in kumbaya ideas. With a disciplined project management approach, proper ERP solutions selection, and just ensuring that the organization stays on task should be good enough to “get ‘er done”. Or is it? ERP teamwork (the amount of effective, efficient, and genuine team synergy and alignment required during an ERP implementation) is no doubt an ERP critical success factor.

Exploring the Relationship: Organizational Culture and ERP Success

Organizational teamwork is a component of and driven by organizational culture. Does effective and efficient teamwork have any impact on successful ERP assimilation? We all assume this, and it makes sense, but prove it to me! As ERP practitioners and change agents, we have a lot to do and deal with in our day-to-day ERP organizational change duties. We have a disciplined template and project management plan and technique. We stay on task to the plan and implement the appropriate technology, that’s good enough. I am not going to worry about building into my plan deliberate, intentional, and concrete activity in which to measure, promote, build, and encourage organizational ERP teamwork just for an ERP project. That’s just a waste of time. Oh, wait, am I sure about that?

Insights from ERP Research: A Glimpse into the Current Landscape

Over the last several years of ERP organizational change research, the quality of work, reflection, and perspectives never cease to amaze me. We are talking about scholars and tenured practitioners in ERP organizational change that spend hours upon hours hoping to contribute to the success of your ERP organizational change endeavor. As practitioners, we should all heed the insight. Incredibly insightful ERP studies exist and continue to come out all the time.

Unveiling a Unique Study: Organizational Culture, Teamwork, and ERP Success

I can’t wait to share more but as an example, for instance, I am reviewing an article for a well-established professional journal. This study further illustrates some of the great interest and work that further attests to the value of successful ERP organizational change. The article is a study of an organizational culture element, ERP teamwork, and how it may or may not correlate to ERP organizational change success. This is a unique study. I talk all the time about the very high-level success triad (people/organizational culture, process, and technology). Could or will this study provide additional insight and provide further evidence as to the value of organizational teamwork during an ERP organizational change effort? More will be shared when the article is released for publication.

The Value of Teamwork: Beyond Kumbaya

OK, we all know that Kumbaya (unity, cooperation, peace, harmony) is maybe intentionally overemphasizing the idea, but overall, teamwork and everything good that comes with it such as constructive conflict resolution is absolutely worth the time, money, and effort. And, for us ERP practitioners, we should build concrete team building goals and actions into our master plan. ERP organizational change culture is such more than a buzzword.

Acknowledging ERP Organizational Change Researchers and Practitioners

I’ll say it again, hats off to ERP organizational change researchers. Practitioners, let’s apply and share this great work. Good stuff, stand by for more details down the road.

When it comes ERP teamwork, learn more here, “Stakeholder Group Diversity and Relationships in ERP“.

Learn about teamwork and the value of trust, “BUILDING TRUST TO BUILD HIGH PERFORMANCE”.

Nestell & Associates’ ERP consulting team is here to support your ERP success!