The Success of Enterprise Resource Planning

2.2.1 Project Management

An excellent project management includes a clear classification of goals, development of resource and work plan, and prudent tracking of project progress (Davis & Wilder, 1998; Laughlin, 1999). According to Reimers (2003), Shanks et al. (2000), & Zhang et al. (2003) all of the researches that have been conducted in China indicated that PM has a significant relationship with an ERP implementation success. Furthermore it was noted that effective project management can enhance companies’ ability to plan, manage and control several actions in different stages of implementation (Akkermans & Helden, 2002; Somers, & Nelson, 2004). An effective PM is considered as having a two-dimensional effect of: (a) Converting ‘resources into outputs’; (b) Helping achieve project benefits in the form of performance improvements, cost reductions and other desired values established by stakeholders’ interests in a particular project (Zhai et al., 2009, p. 100). Further research advocates that due to project management strategic and technical dimensions, organisations could realise the expected benefits of projects if PM practices and techniques are used effectively (Shi, 2011). Thomas and Mullaly (2006) noted that realization of PM does enhance an ERP success.

2.2.2 Training and Education

Stratman & Roth (2002, p. 612) have defined TED as the “continuous transfer of both tacit and explicit knowledge about the logic, concept, processes and function of the ERP systems”.

Because of user understanding and buy-in is crucial, TED is the most commonly recognised critical success factor in ERP (Ram et al., 2013). Furthermore Ram et al (2013) suggested that as ERP software’s has a complex system, an important mass of knowledge requ...

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...the considerations of system quality at the organizational adoption stage of ERP may have a negative impact on an individual’s adoption decision. Furthermore Ram et al. (2012) pointed out that the organizational adoption and implementation could be effected in variety of ways due to multi-contextual system quality of an ERP system. Also research by Ram et al. (2013) has shown that system quality is one of the key factors for successful ERP which has been measured from the criteria context of project success. Additionally managers understanding of system quality, Ram et al. (2013) will help them to be prepared for ERP implementation process by analysing if they have all required knowledge and expertise. Aforesaid understanding will be appropriate for the managers to classify weaknesses in existing systems and set their ERP implementation strategy (Ram et al., 2013).