ERP system usage and benefit: A model of antecedents and outcomes

ERP system usage has been identified as a critical factor in attaining the benefit from an ERP installation. However, the specific antecedents of ERP usage and its impact on ERP benefit remains largely unknown. Drawing on absorption capacity theory, this study develops a theoretical model that examines the mediating effect of ERP system usage on ERP benefits. Similarly, the study also identifies the antecedents of ERP system usage. A model is tested using the responses of 157 ERP system end-users across the United States and the results suggest that ERP system usage is directly related ERP benefit. However, the relationship is moderated by the degree of knowledge integration mechanisms within the firm. Consistent with the proposed model, the results also reveal that technical resources, organizational fit and the extent of ERP implementation are key drivers of ERP system usage. The research findings advance our knowledge on how managers can enhance ERP usage and realize optimal ERP benefits.     

The mediating effect of organizational culture and knowledge sharing on transformational leadership and Enterprise Resource Planning systems success: An empirical study in China

Senior leadership has been identified as a critical factor in fostering Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems success, however, the specific impact mechanism of transformational leadership on ERP success is still largely unknown. Based on organizational culture theory and knowledge based view, this study developed a theoretical model to explore the mediating effect of organizational culture and knowledge sharing on transformational leadership and ERP success. Data was collected from 115 IS executives and 413 ERP end users in 115 organizations in China. Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis results suggest that transformational leadership is directly related with all the four types of organizational culture – development culture, group culture, hierarchical culture and rational culture, and is indirectly related with knowledge sharing and ERP success. Specifically, development culture has direct impact on ERP success, while hierarchical culture, group and rational culture are indirectly related with ERP success, mediated by explicit and tacit knowledge sharing. The research findings can provide guidelines for the top executives to facilitate appropriate organizational culture, so as to foster ERP knowledge sharing and achieve business benefits with the assimilation of ERP systems.     

基于SOA的ERP体系结构模型的研究

服务导向架构SOA(Service-Oriented Architecture)作为一种软件方法论,已得到IT业界越来越多的青睐.SOA的出现给企业资源计划ERP市场带来了巨大的冲击,随着 SOA融入ERP将会推动ERP的进一步发展.通过对SOA的介绍,以及对传统ERP发展瓶颈的分析,提出了基于SOA的ERP体系结构模型.     

Rethinking ERP success: A new perspective from knowledge management and continuous improvement

Most IS research about ERP implementation stops short at system start-up and seldom addresses post-implementation issues. However, ERP implementation is a continuous improvement effort and continued efforts after system start-up will influence the ultimate success of an ERP implemented system. We defined a four-phase ERP refinement model that incorporated knowledge management (KM) into each major implementation phase. This knowledge-enhanced ERP implementation model adds insights when used to investigate ERP success. It also provides practitioners with a guideline for incorporation of KM into their ERP strategy to improve success rates of ERP systems.     

An integrated decision making approach for ERP system selection

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have gained major prominence by enabling companies to streamline their operations, leverage and integrate business data process. In order to implement an ERP project successfully, it is necessary to select an ERP system which can be aligned with the needs of the company. Thus, a robust decision making approach for ERP software selection requires both company needs and characteristics of the ERP system and their interactions to be taken into account. This paper develops a novel decision framework for ERP software selection based on quality function deployment (QFD), fuzzy linear regression and zero–one goal programming. The proposed framework enables both company demands and ERP system characteristics to be considered, and provides the means for incorporating not only the relationships between company demands and ERP system characteristics but also the interactions between ERP system characteristics through adopting the QFD principles. The presented methodology appears as a sound investment decision making tool for ERP systems as well as other information systems. The potential use of the proposed decision framework is illustrated through an application.     

中小企业ERP应用与ASP

ASP是IT行业一项新的业务活动,ASP与ERP的结合为中小企业ERP的实施提供了一个理想的途径,在对基于ASP环境的ERP系统的基本特性进行分析的基础上,提出了一种适于在ASP模式下运行的ERP系统的系统结构。     

基于版本管理企业需求驱动的企业资源计划批量定制研究

ERP 实施成功率低已经成为制约 ERP 效益发挥的一大瓶颈因素。这篇文章认为必须从企业的需求出发,在 ERP 软件产品一侧下功夫,提出了基于版本管理企业需求驱动的企业资源计划软件批量定制开发模型,详细论述了 ERP 产品开发中的版本管理,基于企业需求分析的动态企业建模,批量定制的企业资源计划产品生产等问题,同时优化了 ERP 软件开发过程中的版本管理。解决了 ERP 产品柔性、适应性和 ERP 产品敏捷生产的问题,为提高我国企业 ERP 产品的实施成功率,探索出一条新途径。     

A model for selecting an ERP system based on linguistic information processing

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) is an enterprise-wide application software package that integrates all necessary business functions into a single system with a common database. In order to implement an ERP project successfully in an organization, it is necessary to select a suitable ERP system. This paper presents a new model, which is based on linguistic information processing, for dealing with such a problem. In the study, a similarity degree based algorithm is proposed to aggregate the objective information about ERP systems from some external professional organizations, which may be expressed by different linguistic term sets. The consistency and inconsistency indices are defined by considering the subject information obtained from internal interviews with ERP vendors, and then a linear programming model is established for selecting the most suitable ERP system. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the application of the proposed method.     

A multicriteria approach for risks assessment in ERP maintenance

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems cannot remain static after their implementation, they need maintenance. ERP maintenance is a key process required by the rapidly changing business environment and the usual software maintenance needs. However, these projects are highly complex and risky. So, the risks management associated with ERP maintenance projects is crucial to attain a satisfactory performance. Unfortunately, ERP maintenance risks have not been studied in depth. For this reason, this paper presents a general risks taxonomy. It gathers together the risks affecting the performance of ERP maintenance. Moreover, the authors use the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methodology to analyze the risks factors identified. It helps managers, vendors, consultants, auditors, users and IT staff to manage ERP maintenance better. Results suggest that the most critical stage in ERP maintenance is the first phase, which receives, identifies, classifies and ranks the software modification. The most important hazards in ERP maintenance are the cooperation and commitment of ERP users and managers.     

面向客户需求ERP产品可重构开发模型研究

目前ERP系统在开发中主要存在两个问题:一是ERP产品在开发的过程中存在大量的重复工作,系统的开发周期比较长;二是ERP产品的刚性太强,系统的柔性差,适应性不强。针对上述问题,文章提出了客户需求驱动,可重构ERP软件开发模型,阐述了基于客户需求分析的动态企业建模、可重构ERP软件开发的主要技术和系统构建方法。     

ERP软件质量模糊综合评价方法

为给ERP软件供应商和应用ERP软件的企业提供一种定量的ERP软件质量评价方法,基于Waiters和McCall3层软件质量度量模型,建立了适用于ERP软件的质量评价模型。研究了运用模糊理论对ERP软件质量进行评价的方法。通过模糊运算获得了ERP软件质量的评价结果。通过一个典型ERP软件实例,验证了该方法的有效性和可行性。     

Active ERP implementation management: A Real Options perspective

Although enterprise resources planning (ERP) implementation has been one of the most significant challenges of the last decade, it comes with a surprisingly high failure rate due to its high risk nature. The risks of ERP implementation, which involve both technical and social uncertainties, must to be effectively managed. Traditional ERP practices address the implementation of ERP as a static process. Such practices focus on structure, not on ERP as something that will meet the needs of a changing organization. As a result, many relevant uncertainties that cannot be predefined are not accommodated, and cause the implementation fail in the form of project delay and cost overruns. The objective of this paper is to propose an active ERP implementation management perspective to manage ERP risks based on the Real Options (RO) theory, which addresses uncertainties over time, resolves uncertainties in changing environments that cannot be predefined. By actively managing ERP implementation, managers can improve their flexibility, take appropriate action to respond to the often-changing ERP environment, and achieve a more successful ERP implementation.     

Developing and Assessing Erp Competencies: Basic and Complex Knowledge

This research studies the influence of individual knowledge mastery of competency task performance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) learners. The research design involved the assessment of participants' ERP competency, each of whom participated in four games of a computer-based simulation, ERPsim. ERP knowledge was assessed using a validated questionnaire, which included questions with different complexity levels. Results indicate that although reported student grade point average is not a predictor of ERP competency, ERP knowledge mastery (particularly complex knowledge) does predict ERP competence. While mastering basic ERP knowledge does not predict the competency of the participants, these results can provide useful guidelines with respect to teaching and assessment practices, as well as the development of ERP curricula. To effectively prepare learners to be able to perform in authentic learning contexts, instructors could emphasize the mastery of complex knowledge and consequently use complex knowledge test questions as a component of the instruction.     

制造业如何实施ERP系统

国内企业对ERP认知上的落后是妨碍企业成功实施ERP的原因，如何提高中外企业实施ERP的满意度成为一个研究热点。文中使用最基础的软件，了解最基础的数据，规范最基础的流程，为企业真正实施ERP系统打下基础。给出了制造业如何了解和实施ERP信息管理系统的具体方案。并以某电子公司为实例，详细介绍了如何用Excel来实施ERP的销售、计划、库存、采购等部分模块，规范企业流程，为企业最终实施ERP做准备。     

A multi-agent intelligent system for efficient ERP maintenance

The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is an enterprise-wide integrated software package designed to uphold the highest quality standards of business process. However, for the time being, when the business condition has been changed, the system may not guarantee that the process embedded in ERP is still best. Moreover, since the ERP system is very complex, maintaining the system by trial and error is very costly. Hence, this paper aims to construct a support system that adjusts ERP system to environmental changes. To do so, we adopt multi-agent intelligent technology that enables autonomous cooperation with one another to monitor ERP databases and to find any exceptional changes and then analyze how the changes will affect ERP performance. Moreover, Petri net is applied to manage the complexity and dynamics of agents’ behavior. To show the feasibility of the idea, a prototype agent system, ERP/PN, is proposed and an experiment is conducted.     

Empirical evidence of an integrative knowledge competence framework for ERP systems implementation in UK industries

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can greatly improve business productivity and better serve customers by creating values through integrating business processes and sharing current information. Knowledge Management (KM) is crucial for ERP systems implementation, but is particularly demanding task. This paper discusses ERP systems implementation in UK manufacturing and service sector organisations, focusing on empirical evidence of an innovative KM approach for improving knowledge competence for ERP success. Qualitative research was conducted, using semi-structured interviews with ERP experts. Data analysis used a combination of thematic and comparative analysis. The findings suggest that the integrative knowledge competence framework can provide ERP practitioners with useful guidance on what the key knowledge determinants are and how the relationships between knowledge components should be best managed to achieve ERP systems implementation success in real life business situations.     

一种可重构的ERP系统构建方法的研究

目前ERP系统在构建上主要存在两个问题：一是ERP系统一般均采用C/S结构，界面与商业逻辑混合在一起，导致系统维护困难；二是多数软件都是根据某一行业管理思想定制的，软件的通用性差。该文给出了构建基于对象模型以及Web结构模式ERP系统的方法框架，阐述了基于对象模型构建ERP系统的理论，构建的步骤及系统维护的方法。     

ERP Usage in Banking: An Exploratory Survey of the World's Largest Banks

ABSTRACT

As banking is currently considered a non-typical area for ERP usage, the authors conducted a survey on anticipated benefits, potential disadvantages and implementation success associated with ERP adoption in banking. The results indicate that, despite a predominant usage of ERP systems in back-office areas, banks see ERP systems as a long-term strategic investment to support organizational effectiveness.     

Security for Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is the technology that provides the unified business function to the organization by integrating the core processes. ERP now is experiencing the transformation that will make it highly integrated, more intelligent, more collaborative, web-enabled, and even wireless. The ERP system is becoming the system with high vulnerability and high confidentiality in which the security is critical for it to operate. Many ERP vendors have already integrated their security solution, which may work well internally; while in an open environment, we need new technical approaches to secure an ERP system. This paper introduces ERP technology from its evolution through architecture to its products. The security solution in ERP as well as directions for secure ERP systems is presented.     

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.