Role Negotiation and Interaction: An Exploratory Case Study of the Impact of Management Consultants on ERP System Implementation in SMEs in Taiwan

Abstract

With growing pressures for collaborative information systems (IS) partnerships, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation has been an important activity for improving supply chains efficiency in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Historically ERP consultants usually take a product-selling approach in SMEs, providing limited management consultancy services. However, a more constructive role for management consultants has become an emerging and challenging issue. This study explored the involvement of management consultants in ERP implementation, particularly with internal managers, ERP consultants and other project members. Extensive interviews were conducted with management consultants as well as 47 project members from four different SMEs in Taiwan employing ERP consultants. Using a grounded theory methodology, prior literature was used to sensitize the findings to key concepts of importance. The results were then analyzed and we described how owner-managers regard management consultants and how the consultants use role negotiation skills to work with both internal managers and ERP consultants. The study found resistance toward management consultants primarily from managers in SMEs, and not owner-managers. The relationships between management consultants and SME managers also differed from similar relationships in large organizations. Suggestions are also provided for academics and practitioners along with areas for future research to extend these exploratory findings.     

实施Oracle ERP系统的一些经验

以中国移动通信公司实施Oracle ERP系统为背景,根据作者参与项目得到的经验教训,探讨了实施Oracle ERP系统的关键问题,并总结出了一些ERP系统实施过程中应高度注意的事项。     

管理信息系统的发展方向及实现技术

根据管理信息系统开发的特点，对管理信息系统开发软件的结构、实现技术进行了论述，并从管理的角度论述了管理信息系统建设的发展方向。     

ERP环境下的销售管理系统的设计与实现

主要研究了ERP环境下销售管理系统的设计方案、体系结构及功能模型，并将其应用于某企业ERP工程，给出了ERP环境下的实施销售管理系统的具体解决方案及其实现的关键技术。     

面向中小型企业计划管理系统的研究与开发

通过对ERP(企业资源管理计划)的研究,结合现阶段我国中小型企业的特点,采用ERP中先进的企业计划管理理念,开发出适用于中小型企业的计划管理系统.该系统既能适合中小型企业的管理特点,又能大大减少实施的费用和风险.     

ERP系统中IAM功能的应用设计

针对安全领域存在的身份识别与访问管理(IAM)问题,提出在企业资源计划(ERP)应用系统中正确鉴别用户身份的设计方法。采用多因子认证技术,为ERP系统定制防火墙,使用AES和MD5算法对保存或传输的数据进行加密,通过进程间的通信将IAM系统与ERP系统平滑连接,从而避免来自系统内外的攻击,为系统资源的安全管理提供可靠保证。     

中小型纺织漂染企业ERP系统的设计与实施

针对企业的生产经营管理特点,在中小型纺织漂染企业中设计和实施ERP系统,为其选择适合自身发展的ERP实施模式。在设计和实施ERP系统的实践中,考虑了以下几方面的问题：选择合适的ERP系统结构;采取总体设计、分步实施的原则;重视ERP系统集成;关注系统的可扩展性;实现ERP系统与电子商务的整合。     

基于蚁群——遗传混合算法的高级计划与排产系统应用研究

生产管理系统是制造业中最为复杂的系统之一,高级计划与排产(Advanced Planning and Scheduling以下简称APS)是其重点与难点。由于生产的复杂性与不确定性,当前企业的生产计划编制方法虽多但效果不尽人意,特别是中小企业的现行生产计划与排产系统尤是如此。本文以江门某塑胶丝花行业为背景,以生产计划编制为研究对象,以计划编制的优化为主要内容,结合蚁群算法、遗传算法及其混合应用等算法理论与多种数学及智能信息技术方法,对建立一个能有效提高企业生产计划编制水平的APS系统应用进行了研究。     

Understanding Enterprise System Customization: An Exploration of Implementation Realities and the Key Influence Factors

Abstract

From a strategic alignment standpoint, a clear link is desirable between strategic business goals and the specialization of business assets. The customization of an Enterprise System can be viewed as a specialization of an IT related business asset. Its customization should be driven by these strategic business goals. However, the implementation realities frequently tell a different story. Customizations are often not linked to strategic business goals and at times even run counter to these goals. Experiences have shown that these gaps can be costly and have severe business implications. Thus, it is important to understand how these discrepancies can occur, and subsequently, how to develop approaches to avoid unnecessary customizations. This qualitative study explores key influences on customizations in five major Enterprise System implementations. The analysis of the qualitative data collected in this study reveals key influence factors with their direct, as well as their indirect impacts on customization. The article further discusses how some of these influences can be leveraged by IT managers to guide customizations in a desirable direction.     

An analysis of IT/IS outsourcing provider selection for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Taiwan

Outsourcing is important in highly diversified business environments, but while there have been many studies on outsourcing, none have explicitly tackled the problem of how SMEs should assess and select their outsourcer. Numerous benefits might be gained if SMEs could utilize evaluation models to help select their IT/IS outsourcer effectively. Prejudices arising from selection through impartial analysis could be avoided and a more accurate and an objective decision could be made. We investigated the selection process of an enterprise needing an IT/IS outsourcing provider in Taiwan. Our recommended process quantitatively sorts the criteria using the AHP. An evaluation model was developed based on the needs of the SME who should use it to obtain a better outsourcing provider resulting from improved information vital to maintain outsourcing efficiency. Use of our model should reduce costs and potential risks in adopting new IT/IS applications and promote an objective standard with which to evaluate IT/IS outsourcing providers.     

Determinants of choice of semantic web based Software as a Service: An integrative framework in the context of e-procurement and ERP

The ever increasing Internet bandwidth and the fast changing needs of businesses for effectiveness with the partners in the procurement chain and is leading organizations to adopt information systems infrastructures that are cost effective as well as flexible. The question seems to be: what is driving organizations to go in for Software as a Service (SaaS) based e-procurement and ERP, rather than the packaged model of software provisioning? Whereas there have been studies reporting technology, cost, quality, network externalities and process as the main variables in the utility function of the user, but most of the studies have modelled either one or two in the their models. The study is exploratory in nature and tries to identify, classify and rank dimensions affecting SaaS sourcing decisions. In this study, we developed an integrative framework to identify the determinants of choice of SaaS in the specific context of SaaS based e-procurement and ERP. The framework was then analyzed using the extended Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method suggested by Liberatore (1987) and the relative importance and the weights of the criteria identified using data collected on 8 users and 9 service providers of SaaS based e-procurement and ERP. Although the analysis helped in identifying quality and costs as the two most important determinants of choice of SaaS based e-procurement and ERP, but the other criteria such as network externality benefits, technology and process were also found to be significant determinants of choice.     

探讨管控一体化系统的发展策略及其在企业管理中的作用

本文针时承钢冶金现场的数据自动采集支持ERP系统以及时现场的网络视频监控,并实现企业信息资源共享．最终实现企业管控一体化的问题进行了探讨．时可行性和方案进行了论述,时提高企业自动化装备水平和信息化建设有着非常重要的意义。     

基于面向服务架构的疾控中心人力资源管理系统设计与实现研究

作为疾控中心稳定有序发展的根本,人力资源的重要作用不容忽视,因此疾控中心需构建专业队伍,以积极预防控制各种类型疾病,确保人们生命健康.对此本文基于面向服务架构设计了疾控中心人力资源管理系统.系统实现了疾控中心人力资源管理多元化需求,提供多样接口拓展全新功能,可与其他管理系统有机结合,以此优化完善人力资源管理.并且通过系...     

A Comparative Study on the Implementation Inhibitors and Facilitators of Management Information Systems and Integrated Decision Support Systems: A Perception of IT Practitioners in Mexico

A comparative study of inhibitors and facilitators for implementing management information systems (MIS) and integrated decision support systems (integrated DSS) is reported. Knowing implementation inhibitors and facilitators for a specific IT system is useful for IT practitioners to prepare and use implementation checklists and guidelines when they are confronted with such tasks. In the international literature, several studies have reported implementation critical success factors for a single component of integrated DSS. However, studies on specific inhibitors and facilitators for integrated DSS implementation are still scarce. Consequently, there is very limited and incomplete knowledge about them for DSS implementations. This research addresses this knowledge gap by using collected data from IT practitioners located in medium and large organizations in the central region of an emergent economy (Mexico country), and compares the findings with implementation inhibitors and facilitators for MIS reported in the international literature. Relevant and particular findings suggest critical differences that should be considered for implementing integrated DSS and not treating them as MIS in similar regions of emergent economies. Their utilization in regions of well-developed economies is encouraged to be further studied through a cross-country study.