Implementing enterprise resource planning systems: organizational performance and the duration of the implementation

This paper examines the impact of the duration of ERP implementation on firm performance both during and after implementation. Organizations choose either an accelerated implementation approach or a traditional (longer) implementation approach. The former approach gives the organization the advantage of speed, but the disadvantage of fitting its processes to that of a packaged (thus, undifferentiated from competitors) ERP. The latter approach allows the organization to redesign strategy and processes, and thus, search for ways to be unique from its competition. The study uses a regression model to capture the changes in various performance measures during and after implementation between firms that implemented the ERP, using the performance measure of a matched group of firms that did not implement an ERP as a benchmark/control sample, on the basis of the duration of the implementation. Financial data from Compustat, and data on start date and end date of ERP implementation between 1990 and 2005 for firms in the Oil and Gas industry was collected from an ERP vendor. Results show that measures such as return on sales improved after implementation. However, measures such as inventory turnover, which reflect operational benefits, improve during implementation. We find that accelerated implementation confers both operational and strategic benefits. This study highlights the strategic consequences of the different choices of implementation.     

Modeling use of enterprise resource planning systems: a path analytic study

In this research, we evaluated user participation and involvement in the context of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Since ERP systems are enterprise-wide in scope, these systems have a high level of complexity, and require a different implementation methodology. While most studies analyze implementation at an organization or industry level, there is a dearth in research in ERP system adoption at the individual or user level. In our study, we examine ERP system acceptance at the individual level. In this research, we expected to find differences in the nature of user participation and involvement in ERP compared to other information systems. Using Barki and Hartwick's extension of the theory of reasoned action, a revised model was developed and tested empirically. While Barki and Hartwick's model explains user behavior vis-à-vis user participation and involvement, a more parsimonious model demonstrates that usage dynamics in ERP implementation are different. We complemented our statistical analysis by three case studies. Based on our results we believe that, given the nature of ERP and its implementation, traditionally formalized links between influencers of users' attitude and involvement may need to be revised. We have discussed why we need to seek alternate forms of influencers. In doing so, we suggest that investments be made in preparatory work practices and employee development prior to ERP decisions. Such investments are complementary to information technology and are widespread throughout the firm. We believe that such investments will play a significant role in influencing the attitude of users toward any system and also their involvement.     

A comprehensive study of the relationship between enterprise resource planning selection criteria and enterprise resource planning system success

We developed a conceptual framework for investigating how ERP selection criteria are linked to system quality and the service provided by suppliers and consultants, and thus how these influenced ERP implementation success. Through a cross-sectional survey of the top 5000 largest companies in Taiwan, using a balanced scorecard concept and path analysis, we showed that four system selection criteria (consultant's suggestion, a certified high-stability system, compatibility between the system and the business process, and the provision of best practices) were positively related to system quality. Three supplier selection criteria (international market position, training support by the supplier and supplier technical support and experience) had a significant influence on supplier service quality, and two consultant selection criteria (consultant's ERP implementation experience in a similar industry and consultant's support after going live) were related to consultant service quality. However, we found that most organizations did not consider all these criteria when implementing ERP systems. Our study also suggested that enhanced system quality and service quality could increase user perspective and ERP success.     

Drivers and effects of enterprise resource planning post-implementation learning

The use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems has grown enormously since 1990, but the failure to completely learn how to use them continues to produce disappointing results. Today's rapidly changing business environment and the integrative applications of ERP systems force users to continuously learn new skills after ERP implementation. This study explores the effects of post-implementation learning on ERP usage and ERP impact and identifies the factors that can impact post-implementation learning, such as social capital and post-training self-efficacy. This study employs a survey method to examine the perceptions of ERP users. The theoretical model is tested by using structural equation modelling on a dataset of 812 users. This study finds that post-implementation learning has a significant positive effect on ERP usage and ERP impact, and that social capital and post-training self-efficacy are important antecedent factors of post-implementation learning. Post-training self-efficacy also significantly affects ERP usage and ERP impact. The implications for research, practice and future research directions are discussed.     

The effect of computer self-efficacy on enterprise resource planning usage

Global competition has impelled numerous organisations to employ enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, although quite frequently without success. Studies have demonstrated that a major factor for failure is employee resistance in organisations using these systems. Exactly the factors that facilitate ERP adoption among users have seldom been identified. This study examines the usage behaviour of a sample of users of the new technology of ERP system using a technology acceptance model (TAM). Furthermore, this paper incorporates an additional behavioural construct, computer self-efficacy (CSE), to improve the predictive value of the original TAM model, named revised TAM. Additionally, the structural equation model (SEM) is used to verify the causal relationships between variables. Analytical results confirm that not only is the TAM appropriate for explaining the use of ERP, but that incorporating CSE enhances the power of the model.     

The effect of computer self-efficacy on enterprise resource planning usage

Global competition has impelled numerous organisations to employ enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, although quite frequently without success. Studies have demonstrated that a major factor for failure is employee resistance in organisations using these systems. Exactly the factors that facilitate ERP adoption among users have seldom been identified. This study examines the usage behaviour of a sample of users of the new technology of ERP system using a technology acceptance model (TAM). Furthermore, this paper incorporates an additional behavioural construct, computer self-efficacy (CSE), to improve the predictive value of the original TAM model, named revised TAM. Additionally, the structural equation model (SEM) is used to verify the causal relationships between variables. Analytical results confirm that not only is the TAM appropriate for explaining the use of ERP, but that incorporating CSE enhances the power of the model.     

The effects of enterprise resource planning implementation strategy on cross-functionality

Abstract.  Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are characterized by specific features such as the scope of the ERP modules, interdependent relationships, single database and standard management and processing rules, all of which are capable of causing various degrees of change within the company and, potentially, encourage a more cross-functional overview of it. This paper develops a theoretical distinction between cross-functional integration and cross-functionality as it raises people's awareness of the transverse and coupled nature of work process across different organizational units. It aims to test and discuss the impact of ERP implementation strategy (organizational vision, process re-engineering, the scope of the ERP modules implemented and speed) on cross-functionality. The methodology is basically based on a survey of 100 French companies, of which the results are further discussed in five case studies. The results show that all previously mentioned factors play significant roles. These roles should be addressed in future research.     

Discovery, visualization and performance analysis of enterprise workflow

This work was motivated by a recent experience where we needed to develop enterprise operational reports when the underlying business process is not entirely known, a common situation for large companies with sophisticated IT systems. We learned that instead of relying on human knowledge or business documentation, it is much more reliable to learn from the flow structure of event sequences recorded for work items. An example of work items are product alarms detected and reported to a technical center through a remote monitoring system; the corresponding event sequence of a work item is an alarm history, i.e. the alarm handling process. We call the flow of event sequences recorded for work items, workflow. In this paper, we developed an algorithm to discover and visualize workflows for data from a remote technical support center, and argue that workflow discovery is a prerequisite for rigorous performance analysis. We also carried out a detailed performance analysis based on the discovered workflow. Among other things, we find that service time (e.g. the time necessary for handling a product alarm) fits the profile of a log-mixture distribution. It takes at least two parameters to describe such a distribution, which leads to the proposed method of using two metrics for service time reporting.     

基于企业资源管理的物料供应链管理

为有效解决目前企业中物料供应存在的计划周期长、收货速度慢、准确性差等问题，对企业资源管理（Enterprise Resource Planning，ERP）进行介绍，基于一个ERP项目——企业-供应商关系管理（Electronic-Supplier Relationship Management，e-SRM）描述物料供应链管理系统解决方案的设计思想、整体采构、业务流程、关键技术和系统特点等，可解决供需双方信息沟通不畅和物料供应困难等问题。     

Competitive advantage of enterprise resource planning vendors in Iran

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has become one of the competitive advantages for companies around the globe and the dynamic force driving the process of global integration through information. Governmental organizations are increasing their adoption of these systems for various benefits such as integrated real-time information, better administration, and result-based management. Reaching the standard level of being a global company, organizations are concerned about this application and invest in this project for many years and, as a result, help the company reduce the cost and increase the efficiency and effectiveness. Iranian organizations, along with multi-national companies, attempt to be a good player in the flow of this change. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate and determine the competitive environment of ERP vendors implementing their product in Iranian context. The authors investigated the activities of both international and local ERP vendors established in the country and analyzed them by their advantages and potentials.     

多智能体柔性企业资源计划系统模型的研究

针对传统企业资源计划（ERP）系统在处理复杂的、动态的、不确定的企业资源计划等工作时，缺乏足够的自适应性，智能性，灵活性处理能力，采用多智能体技术，将ERP系统中的各种功能及软件模块分解转换为智能体，提出和构造了一个具有高可塑性和高自主性的多智能体柔性企业资源计划系统的模型和软件体系结构，并对模型进行了讨论。     

An empirical investigation of six levels of enterprise resource planning integration

The purpose of this research is to propose a six-level ERP integration model and to empirically investigate if each of the six levels exists. The six levels are system-specification, system–user, islands-of-technology, organizational, socio-organizational, and global integration. Empirical data were collected by using a large-scale survey of ERP professionals. We conducted various validity and reliability tests to confirm the proposed theoretical framework. Using partial least squares (PLSs) analysis, the results of the investigation confirmed the existence of the six levels of ERP integration. The results of the investigation have implications for research and practice.     

A study of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system performance measurement using the quantitative balanced scorecard approach

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have been used in integrating information and accelerating its distribution across functions and departments with the aim to increase organizations’ operational performance. Thus, it is worth measuring ERP system performance based on its impact to critical performance of an organization: this requires a systematic method that bridges ERP performance measurement and key organizational performance. The hierarchical balanced scorecard (HBSC) model with respect to multiple criteria decision-making is such a systematic approach to ERP performance measurement. An ERP evaluation framework that integrates the balanced scorecard dimensions, linguistic variables, and non-additive fuzzy integral provides an objective approach to measuring both the performance level of the ERP system and its contribution to the strategic objectives of high-tech firms. Taking Taiwan’s high-tech firms as an example, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of this integrated approach to measure the performance of ERP systems at the post-implementation stage under evaluators’ subjective, uncertainty, and vagueness judgments.     

Multi-variate, time-varying, and comparative visualization with contextual cues

Time-varying, multi-variate, and comparative data sets are not easily visualized due to the amount of data that is presented to the user at once. By combining several volumes together with different operators into one visualized volume, the user is able to compare values from different data sets in space over time, run, or field without having to mentally switch between different renderings of individual data sets. In this paper, we propose using a volume shader where the user is given the ability to easily select and operate on many data volumes to create comparison relationships. The user specifies an expression with set and numerical operations and her data to see relationships between data fields. Furthermore, we render the contextual information of the volume shader by converting it to a volume tree. We visualize the different levels and nodes of the volume tree so that the user can see the results of suboperations. This gives the user a deeper understanding of the final visualization, by seeing how the parts of the whole are operationally constructed.     

The implementation of enterprise resource planning packages in different organisational and national cultures

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) packages provide generic off-the-shelf business and software solutions to customers. However, these packages are implemented in companies with different organisational and national cultures, and there is growing evidence that failure to adapt ERP packages to fit these cultures leads to projects that are expensive and late. This paper describes research that synthesises social science theories of culture to handle the impact of culture on ERP package implementation more efficiently. It describes a knowledge meta-schema for modelling the surface and the deeper manifestations of culture. It reports an empirical study into the implementation of SAP R/3's sales and distribution (SD) module in a large pharmaceuticals organisation in Scandinavia and the UK. Results provide evidence for an association between organisational culture and ERP implementation problems but no direct evidence for an association between national culture and implementation problems. Furthermore, results demonstrate that these diverse implementation problems can be caused by a mismatch between a small set of core values indicative of a customer's organisational culture. At the end of the paper, our predictions are reviewed, conclusions are made about them and about the work of the key authors of national and organisational culture, and future work is discussed.     

Some q-rung orthopair fuzzy Hamy mean operators in multiple attribute decision-making and their application to enterprise resource planning systems selection

In this paper, the Hamy mean (HM) operator, weighted HM (WHM), dual HM (DHM) operator, and dual WHM (WDHM) operator under the q-rung orthopair fuzzy sets (q-ROFSs) is studied to propose the q-rung orthopair fuzzy HM (q-ROFHM) operator, q-rung orthopair fuzzy WHM (q-ROFWHM) operator, q-rung orthopair fuzzy DHM (q-ROFDHM) operator, and q-rung orthopair fuzzy weighted DHM (q-ROFWDHM) operator and some of their desirable properties are investigated in detail. Then, we apply these operators to multiple attribute decision-making problems. Finally, a practical example for enterprise resource planning system selection is given to verify the developed approach and to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness.     

Assessing the impact of quality determinants and user characteristics on successful enterprise resource planning project implementation

As barriers to transnational trade and investment have been lowered due to globalization, and information and communication technologies have improved, multinational firms can conduct operations with increased ease. Enterprises can also utilize cost-advantageous production resources and export products to expand their global market. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems serve the purpose and have become useful instruments for managing multinational operations. Notably, ERP systems integrate information platforms to reflect operations at each operation point in real time and generate information as a basis for decision-making and resource allocations. Thus, ERP systems are essential to global logistics management and collaboration. However, vertical and horizontal evaluations of information systems are necessary to determining the effectiveness and success of project implementation. This study examines the impact of quality determinants from literature in assessing benefits using an information systems success model. The cause-and-effect relationships between model constructs are tested using structural equation modeling. An empirical study of leading manufacturers adopting ERP systems is used to investigate corporate benefits related to information quality, system quality, service quality, system use, and user satisfaction. The analytical results can be a reference for practitioners and researchers evaluating the effectiveness of management information systems.     

Interactive minimax optimisation for integrated performance analysis and resource planning

Analysing performances for future improvement and resource planning is a key management function. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) provides an analytical mean for performance modelling without assuming parametric functions. Multiple Objective Optimisation (MOO) is well-suited for resource planning. This paper reports an investigation in exploring relationships between DEA and MOO models for equivalent efficiency analysis in a MOO process. It is shown that under certain conditions minimax reference point models are identical to input-oriented dual DEA models for performance assessment. The former can thus be used for Hybrid Efficiency and Trade-off Analyses (HETA). In this paper, these conditions are first established and the equivalent models are explored both analytically and graphically to better understand HETA. Further investigation in the equivalence models leads to the modification of efficiency measures and the development of a minimax reference point approach for supporting integrated performance analysis and resource planning, with the Decision Maker’s (DM) preferences taken into account in an interactive fashion. Both numerical and case studies are conducted to demonstrate the proposed approach and its potential applications.     

The influence of individual differences on continuance intentions of enterprise resource planning (ERP)

This study aims to investigate whether individual differences affect enterprise resource planning (ERP) users’ continuance intention. In the initial stage ERP users usually lack the complete will to determine whether or not they use ERP, but their continuance intentions are not always mandatory. Thus, understanding the relationship between individual differences and continuance intention helps design an effective training program, which in turn improves the effectiveness of ERP usage. Grounded on expectation-confirmation theory (ECT), this study examined the influences of dynamic and stable individual differences on satisfaction and continuance, respectively. Dynamic individual differences include both general computer self-efficacy and computer anxiety, and personal innovativeness in information technology (IT) refers to a stable, situation-specific traits. In addition to individual differences, we also assessed the moderating effect of ERP experience. A cross-sectional survey method was used to collect data. A total of 305 useful responses were analyzed by using partial least squares (PLS). We found that all the individual differences affect continuance intention either directly or indirectly (through satisfaction). Individuals’ prior experience of ERP moderates five of the relationships between individual differences and continuance intention. We also provide implications for both managers and researchers.     

Intelligent policy recommendations on enterprise resource planning by the use of agent technology and data mining techniques

Enterprise Resource Planning systems tend to deploy Supply Chain Management and/or Customer Relationship Management techniques, in order to successfully fuse information to customers, suppliers, manufacturers and warehouses, and therefore minimize system-wide costs while satisfying service level requirements. Although efficient, these systems are neither versatile nor adaptive, since newly discovered customer trends cannot be easily integrated with existing knowledge. Advancing on the way the above mentioned techniques apply on ERP systems, we have developed a multi-agent system that introduces adaptive intelligence as a powerful add-on for ERP software customization. The system can be thought of as a recommendation engine, which takes advantage of knowledge gained through the use of data mining techniques, and incorporates it into the resulting company selling policy. The intelligent agents of the system can be periodically retrained as new information is added to the ERP. In this paper, we present the architecture and development details of the system, and demonstrate its application on a real test case.