Leveraging Research and Evaluated Experience for ERP Success
Leveraging, sharing, and applying experience, ERP research, and case studies are significant tools for any organization ERP implementation. We can refer to that as “evaluated experience”. General review of ERP literature and research suggests an underlying theme; that understanding, and awareness of the many ERP implementation critical success factors, processes, and economics is an important organizational benefit going into an ERP implementation.
Enhancing Organizational Preparedness
Numerous ERP research studies have found that several factors can have a significant impact on the success of organizational ERP assimilation. The literature presents a common theme in which suggests that organizations that become aware of, implement, and put the appropriate emphasis on the vast array of critical success factors will be better prepared and positioned with the organizational skills needed to increase the likelihood of assimilation.
Evolution of ERP Systems
ERP systems are, in fact, one of the most significant information technology evolutions over the last thirty to forty years. As a result, the 1990s is when academic research specific to ERP success factors began to flourish. Despite the great ERP research over the last three decades in particular however, ERP organizational change still can be a significant challenge and there is still a need for an ERP research agenda (from multiple fields and disciplines) that addresses the issues and challenges inherent in large scale ERP adoption.
Focus on People, Process, and Technology
ERP practitioners and researchers need to continue to improve our trade with the continued focus on people, process, and technology components of ERP organizational change. Practitioners, researchers, and vendors need to continue to discuss ways to think differently about how we do things and why. ERP vendors place a lot of emphasis (and rightfully so) on the “technology” part of the people, processes, and technology triad. Improved technology and technological evolution are critical, but that’s just a part of the puzzle (more to come on next generation, “ERP 3.0”, technologies in future posts.)
Continuous Utilization of ERP Research
The great ERP research that does exist (and that is in progress) needs to continue to be utilized and evaluated by practitioners and organizations. Factors to consider relating to ERP assimilation could be placed into one of the high-level categories: organizational change and readiness, business process gap and requirements analysis, ERP selection, ERP implementation, and post-go-live support. These higher-level categories further contain many subcategories such as organizational fit/business modeling, ROI Review/Investment, ERP selection (strategic and functional), technology selection, SME Selection, organizational readiness (communication, learning, diversity, culture, change acceptance, process Adoption), project management planning and execution, team performance, transformational leadership, proper definition goals/objectives/realities/expectations. The list goes on.
Emphasizing Routine Reflection for ERP Success
Sound professional ERP research suggests that when it comes to ERP organizational change, there is a need for routine and quality reflection in practice. The collective benefits and awareness of the many significant ERP change success influences could lead to improved ERP organizational change performance and success.
Learn more from this insightful article: https://nestellassociates.com/what-is-erp-organizational-change-research-and-why-should-you-care/
Contact Nestell & Associates to learn more about effective ERP consulting.