Selection of an ERP system for a construction firm in Taiwan: A case study

The primary functions of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) are to integrate the inter-departmental operation procedures and Management Information System (MIS) modules, and to reallocate the resources of a company. How to successfully implement an ERP system in an organization is always a hot research topic for researchers as well as a pending problem for an organization that wants to implement it. This research is a case study on the selection of system suppliers and contract negotiation during the ERP implementation of a local construction company in Taiwan. After reviewing the common key success factors discussed in the literature, this study discussed seven issues: coding system, working process reengineering, priority of ERP functionality implementation, customization, participant roles, consultant role and performance level of subcontractor, which also affected the implementation. Lessons learned from the case study in discussed seven issues are valuable for a construction company in deciding to implement an ERP system. This research suggests that additional case studies are necessary for the successful application of ERP systems in the construction industry.