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Characteristics of ERP software maintenance: A multiple case study
Abstract
A multiple case study approach was employed to identify maintenance activities pertaining to enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation, classify them into maintenance categories, and assess their relative frequency at various stages of the ERP maintenance lifecycle. Five maintenance categories (corrective, adaptive, perfective, preventive, user support) were identified from a review of the literature on software maintenance. A new category pertaining to ‘communication, coordination and knowledge exchange with external parties’ and herein labeled ‘external parties’ is introduced to highlight the supporting role of external parties in ERP maintenance. This category includes reporting problems to vendors and consultants, tracking their progress towards problem resolution, and coordinating work and relations with vendors, consultants, and external user-organizations. This study also highlights some differences between maintenance trends of ERP versus traditional systems. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
... The concept of ERP system has established since the 1980s when big organizations implemented enterprise systems to integrate their internal functions. researches related to ERP systems study different aspects such as choosing the best software package, technical implementation issues and post-implementation [5,6] argue that the above issues for ERP adoption existed in developing countries where seemingly there is a poor record in infrastructure [7]. shortage of skills and scarcity of telecommunication infrastructure negatively affected ERP adoption. ...
... change business processes, frequently appear to be accountable for difficulties coupled with the ERP implementation [21]. Furthermore, [5] also find that proper training could contribute to ERP system success; instead lack of training could lead to resistance to new system. However, training programs could reduce the lack of trust in use of the system by users. ...
... The answers of the users showed that the users were not provided with adequate training regarding the change and use of ERP system as shown above in Figure 5. According to [5] proper training could contribute to ERP system success; instead lack of training could lead to resistance to new system. Although training of the user is perhaps the most cited critical factor in Enterprise Resource Planning system success [41]. ...
In fact, ERP system has become required for many organizations particularly those organizations that have foundations in different countries. Recently, some organizations in Yemen have adopted ERP system but the usage of this system failed as it faced user resistance. Hence, the prime concern of this study is to investigate the resistance factors of Enterprise Resource planning from user perspective not organization or technical perspective to specify the basic reasons for user resistance to successfully adopting ERP system. Four factors are examined their association with adopting ERP. These factors are user training, resistance to change, user expectation, and system usage. A questionnaire was distributed to 200 of ERP end users. Linear regression analysis program was used to analyze the data and examine the relationship between user’s resistance factors and ERP adoption. The result shows that each of user’s training, resistance to change and system usage has a significant relationship with ERP adoption, However results show no relationship between user expectation and ERP adoption. This paper benefits management in organizations by providing the factors that contribute to adopt ERP system. Keywords: ERP adoption, User resistance, User’s training, Resistance to change, System usage.
... The cost of ERP upgrades is high (Montgomery, 2004). System upgrade is one of the main jobs of post-implementation and a system support phase (Nah, Faja, Cata, 2001). ...
... The cost of ERP upgrades is high (Montgomery, 2004). System upgrade is one of the main jobs of post-implementation and a system support phase (Nah, Faja, Cata, 2001). It helps to extend the duration of the system use as a long-term investment. ...
... Organizational fit. This factor is described by Bernroider and Stix (2006), Kumar (2002, 2003), Lall and Teyarachakul (2006), Liao, Li andLu (2007), Nah andDelgado (2006), Umble, Haft and Umble (2003), Hong and Kim (2002), Goodhue and Thompson, 1995), Kanellis (1999), Everdingen (2000) and others. The criterion is usually defined as a coherent system of ERP and company's technological, organizational, business processes and strategic structure (Fig. 3). ...
This article deals with the problems of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system selection as the initial and vital phase of ERP system implementation.
Firstly, the paper presents an analysis of different classifications of the fundamental criteria for the ERP system selection process, published in scholar sources, and defines two main groups – software-related, and implementation-related ERP selection criteria. Secondly, combining theoretical and practical approaches, the most significant ERP system selection criteria of both groups are identified and reviewed by analyzing and interpreting their definitions and differences. The study is complemented by adding practical/statistical findings produced by different consultancies.
The paper concludes that there is no standard classification of ERP selection criteria. They are classified mostly on the basis of scientists’ research interests.
The significance of ERP system functionality as the principal software-related ERP selection criterion is emphasized. Eleven other criteria were defined as important to consider, such as the total costs of the ERP implementation project, vendor reputation, ERP reliability, ease of integration with other systems, technology advance, scalability, upgrading ability, customization / parameterization possibilities; ease of use; flexibility and modularity.
The importance of all-round knowledge for a successful ERP implementation is emphasized, including ERP software functionality, project and change management, business processes, organization of training etc. All these areas are closely connected with implementation-related ERP selection factors: organisational fit, end-user readiness, training, system support quality, and the overall ERP implementation success which is predefined by the complexity of business environment as well as the level of business transformation, defined by technological changes.
Finally, it is stated that for creating a decision support system which would automate the ERP selection process, the quantitative analysis of ERP selection criteria would be required.
... Evolution, maintenance and eventual replacement of such systems (Gable et al., 2001) has received considerably less attention, with some exceptions (e.g. Koch and Mitteregger, 2016;Ng et al., 2003;Nah, Faja and Cata, 2001;Salmeron and Lopez, 2010;Law et al., 2010;Haddara and Elragal, 2013). Related issues will be of increasing relevance and importance in the next years for practice though (Botta-Genoulaz et al., 2005;Salmeron and Lopez, 2010;Law et al., 2010), as in times of rapidly changing business environments and newly emerging technologies, companies are not only forced to adapt their business models, their strategy and their organizational structures but also their information systems. ...
... One possibility to adapt an existing ERP system to changing demands is to upgrade the system to a new version, which constitutes one of the major activities within the post-implementation phase (Nah, Faja and Cata, 2001). Typically, every three years organizations have to conduct a major ERP upgrade and several small upgrades to guarantee a smoothly running system (Olson and Zhao, 2006). ...
... For ERP, maintenance activities can be categorized into user support, troubleshooting, function changes and enhancements, functional tasks during release changes, technical tasks during release changes and technical maintenance of the ERP system (Brehm, 2004). Nah, Faja and Cata (2001) add communication with external partners and user support as key points based on an empirical study. Hirt and Swanson (2001) show that the distribution of roles in the maintenance of ERP systems is unlike typical software maintenance. ...
Purpose
In the last years the penetration of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems within small, medium and large organizations increased steadily. Organizations are forced to adapt their systems and perform ERP upgrades in order to react to rapidly changing business environments, technological enhancements and rising pressure of competition. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the critical success factors for such projects.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a literature review and qualitative interviews with CEOs, CIOs, ERP consultants and project managers who recently carried out ERP upgrade projects in their respective organizations.
Findings
This paper identifies 14 critical success factors for ERP upgrade projects. Amongst others, effective project management, external support, the composition of the ERP team and the usage of a multiple system landscape play a key role for the success of the ERP upgrade. Furthermore, a comparison to the critical success factors for ERP implementation projects was conducted, and even though there are many similarities between these types of projects, several differences emerged.
Originality/value
ERP upgrade projects have a huge impact on organizations, but their success and antecedents for it are currently under-researched.
... The foundations of this model are the SAM (Henderson and Venkatraman, 1990), business-IT alignment maturity assessment model (Luftman, 2000), the software Business-ERP alignment assessment model maintenance life cycle (Nah et al., 2001) and the ERP life cycle model (Huang, 2016). First, we intend to keep the advantages of the alignment model and the process model. ...
... Conceptual business-ERP alignment assessment model Assessment criteria Nah et al. (2001) proposed a software maintenance life cycle model which consists of four stages-the Introduction stage, the Growth stage, the Maturity stage and the Decline stage. These patterns related to the variation of maintenance activity can be revealed from quantitative data such as maintenance log that documented regularly by organizations or vendors. ...
... Maintenance activity is one important criterion which exists through the whole life of IS in organizations, even if the IS is not to be an on-premise system. Nah et al. (2001) classified six maintenance categories-corrective maintenance, adaptive maintenance, perfective maintenance, preventive maintenance, user support and external parties-based on the most frequently cited classification of Lientz and Swanson which consists of the corrective maintenance, the adaptive maintenance and the perfective maintenance. Each maintenance category has two to five maintenance tasks which describe the issues generated by the business and system. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a new approach for assessing the status of alignment between organizations and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems—more friendly and quantitatively.
Design/methodology/approach
An issue-based ERP assessment model is invented based on thorough literature review and empirical data from three Japanese companies. A modified Cartesian coordinate system is adopted to link the alignment criteria and the system maintenance activities.
Findings
The findings prove the feasibility of the model and reveal the variation of ERP alignment in a visualized way. It is also indicated that the utilization of the issue-based ERP assessment model is a more convenient method to help the organizations to pinpoint the status of the ERP alignment.
Originality/value
This is the first approach to measuring the business–information technology alignment visually. One major implication of this research is to provide an easy assessment method which may encourage organizations to do evaluations regularly. The information accumulated by regular assessment can further pinpoint the perfect time to make decisions and provide essential evidence for decision makings, such as when to expand or retire the current system. From the academic perspective, this model provides a new approach to evaluating the assimilation of organizations and ERP systems.
... The concept of maintenance, in the traditional software maintenance literature as defined by the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), encompasses "amendment of a software product after delivery to correct faults, to improve performance or other attributes, or to adapt the product to a modified environment" (IEEE, 1998). Many researchers define maintenance as: "the process of identifying and performing changes required for improving or maintaining system usability and performance throughout the ERP post-implementation stage" (López & Salmeron, 2014;Nah et al., 2001;Ng et al., 2002). We argue that postimplementation amendments are generally classified as maintenance, and include the application of hot packs, import of new objects from ERP vendor, version upgrade amongst others. ...
... We argue that postimplementation amendments are generally classified as maintenance, and include the application of hot packs, import of new objects from ERP vendor, version upgrade amongst others. Some articles even document all kinds of post-implementation amendments (Ng, 2001;Ng et al., 2002), others simply focus on a single kind Nah et al., 2001). ...
... In the ERP maintenance literature, maintenance activities are classified into many categories, most of which are adapted from traditional software maintenance literatures. For instance, Nah et al. (2001) classifies ERP maintenance into six categories (Corrective, Adaptive, Perfective, Preventive, User support, and External Parties), three of which (Corrective, Adaptive, and Perfective) are defined by Swanson (1976). According to Swanson (1976), the purpose of Corrective maintenance is to correct faults; Adaptive maintenance to accommodate Framework for ERP Post-Imp Amendments changes in the data and processing environments; and Perfective for performance improvement in form of Enhancive maintenance (which include changes and additions to system functionality) and Non-functional perfective maintenance. ...
Post-implementation amendments to ERP systems (ERP-PIA) are of importance for advancing ERP research, but more importantly essential if ERP systems are to be used as a strategic and competitive business tool. For ease of clarity, we have adopted the term “amendments” to encompass the main forms of post implementation activities: maintenance, enhancements and upgrades. The term ‘amendments’ is used to counteract one of the major findings from this research - the inconsistency of terms used by many authors to explain post implementation activities. This paper presents a review of the ERP post-implementation amendment literature in order to provide answers to two specific questions: first, what is the current state of research in the field of ERP-PIA; and second, what are the future research directions that need to be explored in the field of ERP-PIA. From the review, we develop a framework to identify: (a) major themes concerning ERP post-implementation amendments, (b) inherent gaps in the post-implementation amendments literature, and (c) specific areas that require further research attention influencing the uptake of amendments. Suggestions on empirical evaluation of research directions and their relevance in the extension of existing literature is presented.
... A total of sixteen sub-categories within six categories are defined in Table 1. Nah et al. (2001) propose the software maintenance lifecycle which consists of four stages-the Introduction stage, the Growth stage, the Maturity stage, and the Decline stage. These patterns related to the variation of maintenance activity can be revealed from quantitative data such as maintenance log that documented regularly by organizations or vendors. ...
... Maintenance activity is the most criterion which exists through the whole life of IS in organizations, even if the IS not to be an On-Premise system. Nah et al. (2001) classify six maintenance categories-Corrective maintenance, Adaptive maintenance, Perfective maintenance, Preventive maintenance, User support, and External parties-based on the most frequently cited classification of Lientz and Swanson which consists of the Corrective maintenance, the Adaptive maintenance, and the Perfective maintenance. In this research, only two categories of maintenance activity are proposed. ...
... In this research, only two categories of maintenance activity are proposed. The Routine maintenance activity (RMA) refers to maintenance activities that are caused or required by the regular operation of a system, which is approximately equal to the contents of the last three maintenance categories of Nah et al. (2001). The RMA mainly corresponds to the Internal and External individual-driven issues, some Internal management-driven issues, and Internal system-driven issues. ...
The purpose of this research is to present an approach for assessing the status of the alignment between organizations and ERP systems quantitatively. An Issue-based ERP assessment model is proposed and tested with empirical data from a Japanese company. The results prove the feasibility of the model and reveal the variation of business-IT alignment in a visualized way. It is also indicated the utilization of the Issue-based ERP assessment model is a more convenient method to help the organizations to pinpoint the status of the business-IT alignment. One major implication of this research is to provide an easy assessment method which may encourage organizations to do evaluations regularly. From the academic perspective, this model provides a new approach to evaluating the assimilation of organizations and ERP systems.
... It is when problems are reported by the user organisation and thus the system re-enters the vendor organisation in its customised and often modified form, that relationships are constantly re-defined. Whilst current literature provides us with some impressions on how the user organisations experience this critical moment (Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001), the vendor's site and with this the way the vendor is organised internally, to handle the multiple, often highly individualistic and urgent problems, reported from the user site, is, as yet, a mystery. ...
... Given the potential financial impact of software package support for both the user and the vendor organisation, surprisingly little research has been carried out in this area (with some exceptions: Gable et al. 2001;Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001). Whilst all authors acknowledge the importance of looking at software package support, they do so from a user organisation's viewpoint. ...
... Light (2001) focuses on the user organisation perspective, exploring the tension between customising an ERP system and modifying it 18 . Nah et al. (2001), addresses maintenance activities after an ERP package 'goes live', meaning after the initial implementation phase, and compares the type and frequency of support activities for both bespoke systems and ERP systems. Whilst Nah et al. (ibid.) ...
The history of software development, and more specifically the management of software developers, reads like an accumulation of problems, which were hoped to be solved by theorising on and implementing new management styles. Pioneering the movement in the 1970s as an answer to the existing software crisis, Royce introduced one of the first software development models which became widely known as the ‘Waterfall Process’. The Waterfall Process emerged out of the urgency to manage developments of large scale software systems, which cannot be done by following a two phase approach of analysis and coding. Applying the process, it was hoped to increase control over the development process and the developers respectively, and with this, reduce the amount of failed, late and over budget projects.
... It is when problems are reported by the user organisation and thus the system re-enters the vendor organisation in its customised and often modified form, that relationships are constantly re-defined. Whilst current literature provides us with some impressions on how the user organisations experience this critical moment (Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001), the vendor's site and with this the way the vendor is organised internally, to handle the multiple, often highly individualistic and urgent problems, reported from the user site, is, as yet, a mystery. ...
... Given the potential financial impact of software package support for both the user and the vendor organisation, surprisingly little research has been carried out in this area (with some exceptions: Gable et al. 2001;Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001). Whilst all authors acknowledge the importance of looking at software package support, they do so from a user organisation's viewpoint. ...
... Light (2001) focuses on the user organisation perspective, exploring the tension between customising an ERP system and modifying it 18 . Nah et al. (2001), addresses maintenance activities after an ERP package 'goes live', meaning after the initial implementation phase, and compares the type and frequency of support activities for both bespoke systems and ERP systems. Whilst Nah et al. (ibid.) ...
This book is about software, a very particular type of technology or as Quintas (1994) calls it, an “atypical technology” (p: 29). It is technology, which, on its own, is mere text, not an artefact which can be switched on and off or modified in order to achieve a different goal (cf. De Laet and Mol 2000). As such, software appears to be a passive technology, acting only as a text = unless brought into contact with hardware. Together with hardware, software becomes a “virtual machine” (Quintas 1994b: 29), an actor which influences our day-to-day lives. Thus, software is not only an ‘atypical technology’ but also an ‘atypical text’, which does not necessarily shape or is shaped by society through the reader but rather by being read, interpreted and enacted through the machine.
... It is when problems are reported by the user organisation and thus the system re-enters the vendor organisation in its customised and often modified form, that relationships are constantly re-defined. Whilst current literature provides us with some impressions on how the user organisations experience this critical moment (Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001), the vendor's site and with this the way the vendor is organised internally, to handle the multiple, often highly individualistic and urgent problems, reported from the user site, is, as yet, a mystery. ...
... Given the potential financial impact of software package support for both the user and the vendor organisation, surprisingly little research has been carried out in this area (with some exceptions: Gable et al. 2001;Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001). Whilst all authors acknowledge the importance of looking at software package support, they do so from a user organisation's viewpoint. ...
... Light (2001) focuses on the user organisation perspective, exploring the tension between customising an ERP system and modifying it 18 . Nah et al. (2001), addresses maintenance activities after an ERP package 'goes live', meaning after the initial implementation phase, and compares the type and frequency of support activities for both bespoke systems and ERP systems. Whilst Nah et al. (ibid.) ...
Tracy Kidder (1982), in his remarkable book on building a computer introduces us to a world of multiple and complex decisions shaping the creation of the first computers. Telling the story of the management of innovations, Kidder (ibid.) provides us with an intriguing and fascinating account of working practices and culture within an organisation. In the course of telling the story of Data General, Kidder (ibid.) introduces us to one developer who, wanting to find out the competitors’ secret to success, enters the rival’s labs undercover and opens up the machine.
... It is when problems are reported by the user organisation and thus the system re-enters the vendor organisation in its customised and often modified form, that relationships are constantly re-defined. Whilst current literature provides us with some impressions on how the user organisations experience this critical moment (Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001), the vendor's site and with this the way the vendor is organised internally, to handle the multiple, often highly individualistic and urgent problems, reported from the user site, is, as yet, a mystery. ...
... Given the potential financial impact of software package support for both the user and the vendor organisation, surprisingly little research has been carried out in this area (with some exceptions: Gable et al. 2001;Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001). Whilst all authors acknowledge the importance of looking at software package support, they do so from a user organisation's viewpoint. ...
... Light (2001) focuses on the user organisation perspective, exploring the tension between customising an ERP system and modifying it 18 . Nah et al. (2001), addresses maintenance activities after an ERP package 'goes live', meaning after the initial implementation phase, and compares the type and frequency of support activities for both bespoke systems and ERP systems. Whilst Nah et al. (ibid.) ...
The choices we make in the course of designing our research influence its outcome. For instance, if we investigate the phenomenon in question via questionnaires we receive a different type of data than if we approach a topic with ethnographic methods. Not only is the data we collect different but also the way in which we approach and analyse what we find. Therefore, to comprehend and evaluate the conclusions of research projects, it is necessary to understand the research design behind them.
... It is when problems are reported by the user organisation and thus the system re-enters the vendor organisation in its customised and often modified form, that relationships are constantly re-defined. Whilst current literature provides us with some impressions on how the user organisations experience this critical moment (Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001), the vendor's site and with this the way the vendor is organised internally, to handle the multiple, often highly individualistic and urgent problems, reported from the user site, is, as yet, a mystery. ...
... Given the potential financial impact of software package support for both the user and the vendor organisation, surprisingly little research has been carried out in this area (with some exceptions: Gable et al. 2001;Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001). Whilst all authors acknowledge the importance of looking at software package support, they do so from a user organisation's viewpoint. ...
... Light (2001) focuses on the user organisation perspective, exploring the tension between customising an ERP system and modifying it 18 . Nah et al. (2001), addresses maintenance activities after an ERP package 'goes live', meaning after the initial implementation phase, and compares the type and frequency of support activities for both bespoke systems and ERP systems. Whilst Nah et al. (ibid.) ...
Today’s business world cannot be imagined without computers. From the stock exchange to the day-to-day business in a bakery, computers appear to be everywhere. Within big corporations we find entire departments occupied with the procurement of the latest technology, others with their implementation, and others with supporting their day-to-day operation, making sure that the applications function smoothly without interrupting the business. Interruption of these systems and thus the business can be expensive and in some cases, disastrous. Whilst Hollywood films continuously introduce us to exaggerated disaster scenarios caused by computer failure, reality is less dramatic.
... It is when problems are reported by the user organisation and thus the system re-enters the vendor organisation in its customised and often modified form, that relationships are constantly re-defined. Whilst current literature provides us with some impressions on how the user organisations experience this critical moment (Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001), the vendor's site and with this the way the vendor is organised internally, to handle the multiple, often highly individualistic and urgent problems, reported from the user site, is, as yet, a mystery. ...
... Given the potential financial impact of software package support for both the user and the vendor organisation, surprisingly little research has been carried out in this area (with some exceptions: Gable et al. 2001;Light 2001;Nah et al. 2001). Whilst all authors acknowledge the importance of looking at software package support, they do so from a user organisation's viewpoint. ...
... Light (2001) focuses on the user organisation perspective, exploring the tension between customising an ERP system and modifying it 18 . Nah et al. (2001), addresses maintenance activities after an ERP package 'goes live', meaning after the initial implementation phase, and compares the type and frequency of support activities for both bespoke systems and ERP systems. Whilst Nah et al. (ibid.) ...
Numerous and diverse user organisations, dynamic and constantly changing markets, strong competition and rapidly changing technology characterise the market in which Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (enterprise software systems, supporting a wide-ranging variety of organisational functionalities) vendors act. Responding to these challenges is crucial for the organisations’ survival and therefore, requires careful management of the product and the product life-cycle respectively. This is a study about a vendor producing ERP systems, carried out in the traditions of Science and Technology Studies and, more specifically the Social Shaping of Technology perspective, highlighting some of the dynamics and complexity which these ERP vendor organisations face, as well as the reaction to the challenges.
... Other functional categories proposed for ERP maintenance are corrective, adaptive and perfectionist maintenance [7], [12]. Corrective maintenance is used to correct errors in design, code, or implementation phases. ...
... Other authors proposed the preventive maintenance, which refers to periodic inspection of systems to anticipate problems. Another proposed category is user support, which focuses on requests from users associated with the consultancy and requests for user assistance related to the system's behavior, rules and functions [12]. ...
Organizations continue to adopt ERP systems. It seems to be a way to increase efficiency and gain advantages over competitors. Traditionally, decision, selection, planning, and implementation phases were the focus of ERP systems lifecycle. However, main problems of several implementation failures were related to lack of customer support and adequate maintenance. This paper presents a proposal of a maintenance and support (M&S) model within ERP systems lifecycle which includes 4 support activities and 41 maintenance activities separated by 4 phases, respectively, problem and modification analysis, implementation of modification, revision and acceptance phase and migration. Differently from others, at this model, the support is autonomous from maintenance, evidencing its role between operation and maintenance. It is also presented an action research performed in an ERP implementer company where an evaluation of maturity level of all 45 M&S activities were made. The analysis of existing M&S practices in this company allowed to understand this implementer has significant weaknesses with 20% of its processes (9) not or poorly implemented, and therefore, presenting great opportunities for improvement. Some of these practices were discussed.
... The enhancements refer to the new iteration of the template, framework, library, or API. Nah et al. [52] and Ghezzi [53] describe five categories of maintenance that apply to the evolution of software which applies to CSD too. These are: 1. Corrective maintenance, indicating fixing bugs and correcting faults. ...
It is common practice for practitioners in industry as well as for ICT/CS students to keep writing – and reading ¬– about software products to a bare minimum. However, refraining from documentation may result in severe issues concerning the vaporization of knowledge regarding decisions made during the phases of design, build, and maintenance. In this article, we distinguish between knowledge required upfront to start a project or iteration, knowledge required to complete a project or iteration, and knowledge required to operate and maintain software products. With `knowledge', we refer to actionable information. We propose three approaches to keep up with modern development methods to prevent the risk of knowledge vaporization in software projects. These approaches are `Just Enough Upfront' documentation, `Executable Knowledge', and `Automated Text Analytics' to help record, substantiate, manage and retrieve design decisions in the aforementioned phases. The main characteristic of `Just Enough Upfront' documentation is that knowledge required upfront includes shaping thoughts/ideas, a codified interface description between (sub)systems, and a plan. For building the software and making maximum use of progressive insights, updating the specifications is sufficient. Knowledge required by others to use, operate and maintain the product includes a detailed design and accountability of results. `Executable Knowledge' refers to any executable artifact except the source code. Primary artifacts include Test Driven Development methods and infrastructure-as-code, including continuous integration scripts. A third approach concerns `Automated Text Analysis' using Text Mining and Deep Learning to retrieve design decisions.
... Categorization of service requirements at Alpha is similar to that advanced by prior literature (see Nah et al. 2001 for an extended review). Because of the core of Alpha's services relates to ERP Systems based on SAP products, most of the service requirements that require coding are implemented by means of applications developed in ABAP. ...
Learning by doing is a fundamental driver of productivity among knowledge workers. As workers accumulate experience working on certain types of tasks (i.e., they become specialized), they also develop proficiency in executing these tasks. However, previous research suggests that organizations may struggle to leverage the knowledge workers accrue through specialization because specialized workers tend to lose interest and reduce effort during task execution. This study investigates how organizations can improve specialized workers’ performance by mitigating the dysfunctional effects of specialization. In particular, we study how other sources of task experiences from the worker's immediate manager as well as the organization itself help manage the relationship between worker specialization and performance. We do so by analyzing a proprietary dataset that comprises of 39,162 software service tasks that 310 employees in a Fortune 100 organization executed under the supervision of 92 managers. Results suggest that the manager role experience (i.e., the manager's experience supervising workers) is instrumental in mitigating the potential negative effect of worker specialization on performance, measured as task execution time. Such influence, however, is contingent on cases in which organizational task experience (i.e., the organization's experience in executing tasks of the same substantive content as the focal task) is limited. Taken together, our research contributes to multiple streams of research and unearths important insights on how multiple sources of experience beyond the workers themselves can help capture the elusive benefits of worker specialization.
... B Corporation is committed to developing a community of B Corporation through these IoT and ERP management models to more closely meet the sustainable operation requirements of B Corporation. Since a majority of top companies have shifted from developing their own information systems to using the ERP systems provided by suppliers and third-party organizations [42,45,46] some SMEs have followed suit. The ERP system referred to in this study is a software package procured from a market supplier [42]. ...
More and more companies are significantly introducing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to secure enterprise resources for effective distribution and provide accurate data for sustainable development in enterprise. Recently, Type B laboratory has promoted the utilization of the corporation’s own sustainable developments of the business model philosophy to affect the society and to solve social and environmental issues. The form of organizations arising from this certification process is referred to as the B Corporation, and this represents the implementation and commitment to sustainable development. Thus, decision-makers of B Corporation who can utilize ERP system tools well can coordinate sustainable activities better. There is not enough literature at this stage to provide the key success factors of implementing the ERP system for the B Corporation in Taiwan. This study extensively reviews the literature and conducts a modified Delphi expert questionnaire survey to elucidate the critical success factors of B Corporations’ implementation of ERP systems. The research results can assist the sustainable value of B Corporation and contribute to the current literature of improving critical success factors. The limitation of this study is that it only represents the perspective of B Corporation in Taiwan. Second, this study is unable to encompass all key success factors (CSFs) pertaining to ERP systems.
... Enterprise systems are not only salient in large organizations, but are also adopted and used in small and medium-sized enterprises and government organizations [20,21]. The key literature on enterprise systems has focused on implementation [7,18,[22][23][24][25][26][27], upgrades [5,23,28,29], acceptance [8,[30][31][32], benefits [33,34], usefulness [35], vendor relationships [26,27,36], and assimilation [37][38][39]. ...
Enterprise systems have become an integral part of an organization’s operations. However, they also pose many challenges to organizations from the perspective of implementation, user training, as well as use and acceptance. Without effective usage, enterprise systems may not be able to provide the strategic or competitive advantages that organizations desire. Therefore, organizations may consider gamification to enhance training, acceptance, and usage. We discuss the various ways in which enterprise system challenges can be addressed through the lens of gamification and present a framework for gamification of enterprise systems. The framework is comprised of basic principles and key design elements of gamification, as well as their application to enterprise systems. The specific principles of gamification include Challenge, Interactivity, Goal Orientation, Social Connectivity, Competition, Achievement, Reinforcement, and Fun Orientation. Design elements, such as points, levels, badges, leaderboards, progress bars, quests, and avatars, represent the application of these gamification principles, which can foster engagement with enterprise systems. The framework was validated by a group of experts. We also provide practical and theoretical implications, as well as suggestions for future research.
... • Mookerjee (2005) takes a holistic approach to the problem of maintaining integrated systems such as ERP by considering it from three different perspectives: operational, architectural, and organizational. • Nah et al. (2001a) identify maintenance activities pertaining to ERP implementation, classify them into maintenance categories, and assess their relative frequency at various stages of the ERP maintenance lifecycle. ...
The goal of this study is to provide an updated annotated bibliography of ERP publications published in the main IS conferences and journals during the period 2001-2005, categorizing them through an ERP lifecycle based framework that is structured in phases. The first version of this bibliography was published in 2001 (Esteves and Pastor, 2001c). However, so far, we have extended the bibliography with a significant number of new publications in all the categories used in this paper. We also reviewed the categories and some incongruities were eliminated. Furthermore, we present topics for further research in each phase.
... The 'technological' and 'organizational' dimensions are identified as two key factors in information systems adoption (Premkumar et al., 1997;Iacovou, et al., 1995;Chwelos et al., 2001). 'User support' is particularly relevant and important in any ERP adoption decision and implementation (Shanks et al., 2000;Nah et al., 2001) since it plays a key role in explaining success or failure of an ERP implementation (Bingi et al., 1999;Nah et al., 2003). The 'implementation' dimension covers factors that relate specifically to the ERP implementation. ...
... While some of these changes can be anticipated by ERP vendor maintenance programmes, in most cases these emerging requirements can only be addressed case by case by appropriate modifications of an ERP system. In the ERP literature, these go under the label of post-implementation modifications [2] or, in the software engineering literature, perfective maintenance [3]. ...
... This is an important research direction, as it provides more specific guidelines on the key factors across the different stages of the implemen- tation. However, since ERP implementation in most multinational companies is moving into the various stages of maintenance, it is also important to study and understand the various factors, issues, and activities in ERP maintenance to better utilize existing ERP resources and to further improve ef- ficiency and effectiveness in organizations (Kang, 2007;Nah, Faja, & Cata, 2001). For example, data warehousing interoperability for extended enterprises (Triantafillakis, Kanellis, & Martakos, 2004) and chal- lenges in upgrading ERP systems (Nah & Delgado, 2006) are also issues that warrant further research. ...
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations in multinational manufacturing companies have experienced various degrees of success. This article investigates factors influencing the success of ERP implementations in multinational manufacturing companies in the Malaysian Free Trade Zone. The results indicate that enterprisewide communication and a project management program are key factors influencing the success of ERP implementations, while other factors such as top management support as well as teamwork and composition are not as critical to the outcome. Organizational culture is a moderator of the relationships between enterprise-wide communication, a project management program, and the success of ERP implementations.
... Nicolaou & Bhattacharya (2006) looked at the financial impact of ERP upgrades and Nicolaou (2004) analyzed the organizational impact in a post-implementation review study. In a study of software maintenance, Nah, Faja, & Cata (2001) found declining levels of corrective maintenance throughout the ERP software maintenance lifecycle. ...
Multisite enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implementations are a challenge faced by organizations. One of the facets of this challenge is to balance the central control of the multisite implementation with the unique requirements desired by each of the sites. The competing interests of the individual sites against the other sites as well as the total organization are forces at work with respect to the collective interest of the organization’s ERP. The study seeks to gain insights into the dynamics of a multisite organizational ERP implementation by analyzing the motivations and challenges in the interactive relationship. The grounded theory approach is utilized in analyzing the data from this research to gain a deeper understanding of the underpinnings of the organization in relationship to its ERP system. This research examines the case of a multisite ERP system at the University of Nebraska where four campuses or sites are involved (i.e., University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Omaha, and iii University of Nebraska Medical Center). The scenario represented by this organization provides a multi-location example for understanding the ERP relationship challenges. The investigation will provide proposed guidelines and suggestions for organizations facing similar dynamic ERP issues. Through the search for an understanding of the dialectic relationship between a central governing body and the sites, nine dialectic forces in a multisite ERP system have been identified by this research. Three of them are bureaucracy, goal communication, and leadership by central governing body. The other six forces are goal alignment, solution frustration, size inequivalence among the sites, unique business models of sites, adequacy of communication, and site independence. These dialectic forces create challenges in managing multisite ERP implementations.
Advisor: Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah
Background: This paper aims to develop an effective decision making (DM) process for ERP change or replacement. ERP in most organizations constitutes a key critical system of high complexity with many stakeholders. A major change activity for such a system therefore exposes an organization to great risks, and thus should be well organized. Method: A design science approach was chosen for this research. Based on a review of related literature and evidence of the DM process at different companies, a general process of DM for ERP upgrade was designed, and later evaluated and improved through a case study approach. Results: The decision process assumes a model with variables describing characteristics and performance of possible alternatives, and the decision is decomposed into steps with three loops that are executed iteratively. We believe that the findings and approach can be useful both for the immediate problem context and also for other IT-related DM problems. Conclusions: The main outcome is the new process of DM that includes several novel contributions: three main loops of DM, multiple repetition of loops, and possible returns to the starting point.
Investigations on information security factors remain elusive at small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially for custom-made software solutions. This article aims to investigate, classify, adopt factors from recent literature addressing information security resources. SMEs already have information security in place, but they are not easy to adopt through the negotiation processes between the in-house software development companies and custom-made software clients at SMEs. This article proposes a strategic framework for implementing the process of adoption of the information security factors at SMEs after conducting a systematic snapshot approach for investigating and classifying the resources. The systematic snapshot was conducted using a search strategy with inclusion and exclusion criteria to retain 128 final reviewed papers from a large number of papers within the period of 2001-2022. These papers were analyzed based on a classification schema including management, organizational, development, and environmental categories in software development lifecycle (SDLC) phases in order to define new security factors. The reviewed articles addressed research gaps, trends, and common covered evidence-based decisions based on the findings of the systematic mapping. Hence, this paper boosts the broader cooperation between in-house software development companies and their clients to elicit, customize, and adopt the factors based on clients' demands.
Software complexity decreases maintenance productivity, as do team attributes of instability and knowledge diversity. We know little about the extent to which the two team attributes interact with software complexity and shape productivity across systems of varying complexity. We address this gap by investigating whether and to what degree software complexity moderates the effects of team instability and knowledge diversity on maintenance productivity over the life of a system. We posit, given the exponential growth of code and task dependencies inherent in complex software systems, that system-level complexity has a significant nonlinear amplifying effect on the adverse effects of the two team attributes. To validate the presence of such an effect, we conduct a robust split-sample econometric analysis using three years of maintenance data from 426 mission-critical systems of a Fortune 100 company. The sampled systems vary in size (50KLOC to 2000KLOC, where 20% exceed 500KLOC), with a considerable portion of the sample manifesting “high” to “very high” software complexity. The analysis corroborates the known adverse effects of team instability, team knowledge diversity, and software complexity on maintenance productivity. More importantly, it shows—as theorized—that the adverse effects of the team attributes on maintenance productivity are significantly amplified only when software complexity grows high. We conclude with practical and research implications about how to manage software teams maintaining complex software over the life of a system.
As information systems (IS) age, managers must determine whether to continue upgrading these systems or replace them with systems that have greater potential to offer organizational value. Given the widespread use of information systems and the challenges that IS replacement can present, understanding the forces that encourage managers to continue to upgrade existing systems is of considerable organizational importance. Hence, drawing on prior work we identify factors related to the value a system brings to an organization, the degree of organizational commitment to the system, and the evolvability of the system that influence managerial upgrade decisions. Data collected via a cross-sectional survey of IS managers was analyzed using Partial Least Squares. Analysis of this data indicates that IS managers have a preference for upgrading systems that provide greater organizational value, suffer from fewer shortcomings, are more complex, less customized, and for which support is readily available.
To compete successfully in today’s retail business arena, senior management are often demanding fast and responsive Information Systems that enable the company not only to manage its operations but to provide on-the-fly performance measurement through a variety of tools. Use of (ERP) systems have been slow in responding to these needs, despite the wealth of the internally generated business databases and reports as a consequence of functional integration. The specific nature and demands by those senior management staff require the congregation of many external data elements and use data mining techniques to provide fast discovery of performance slippages or changes in the business environment. Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence (BI) applications, evolved during the past few decades, have been implemented to respond to these needs. In this case write-up, we present how the ERP system was utilized as the backbone for use by BI tools and systems to provide Sales and Marketing units in a transnational company subsidiary in Egypt to actively respond to the demands for agile information services. The Egypt subsidiary is the HQ of the African region’s operations of several franchises and distributers of the company products, in addition to operating a beverage concentrate manufacturing plant in Egypt, which services the entire region’s beverage products needs.
Ghabbour group “GB Auto,” an Egyptian auto trading and manufacturing establishment, has gone through two ERP successive implementations within the past 12 years. The newer implementation has experienced several impediments. The executives and the Board of Directors at the group have thoroughly and aggressively examined the status of the IS services provided by this ERP system and assessed their impact on the quality of decision making at all levels of management. The driver for this was to secure all the necessary platforms and management tools for enabling growth and improving efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s business operation and resources. The extent of lack of control and effective utilization of the use of resources in the group has been cited by the top management in many interviews. Following its public offering and registration in the CASE and CMA, GB Auto was legally demanded to provide annual and quarterly audit reports of its varied LOBs’ performance. The existing information management infrastructure was not providing such agile services. The trajectory of implementations of integrated Enterprise Information Systems at the group was reviewed in this case study and was duly investigated to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness in servicing those purposes and increasing the company’s competitive advantage.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations in multinational manufacturing companies have experienced various degrees of success. This article investigates factors influencing the success of ERP implementations in multinational manufacturing companies in the Malaysian Free Trade Zone. The results indicate that enterprise-wide communication and a project management program are key factors influencing the success of ERP implementations, while other factors such as top management support as well as teamwork and composition are not as critical to the outcome. Organizational culture is a moderator of the relationships between enterprise-wide communication, a project management program, and the success of ERP implementations.
To compete successfully in today’s retail business arena, senior management are often demanding fast and responsive Information Systems that enable the company not only to manage its operations but to provide on-the-fly performance measurement through a variety of tools. Use of (ERP) systems have been slow in responding to these needs, despite the wealth of the internally generated business databases and reports as a consequence of functional integration. The specific nature and demands by those senior management staff require the congregation of many external data elements and use data mining techniques to provide fast discovery of performance slippages or changes in the business environment. Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence (BI) applications, evolved during the past few decades, have been implemented to respond to these needs. In this case write-up, we present how the ERP system was utilized as the backbone for use by BI tools and systems to provide Sales and Marketing units in a transnational company subsidiary in Egypt to actively respond to the demands for agile information services. The Egypt subsidiary is the HQ of the African region’s operations of several franchises and distributers of the company products, in addition to operating a beverage concentrate manufacturing plant in Egypt, which services the entire region’s beverage products needs.
Employees’ system exploration behaviour is critical for contemporary firms to fully derive benefits from investments in an enterprise system (ES). Based on the adaptive structuration theory (AST), it is proposed that employees’ exploration of an ES is mainly influenced by three fundamental components at different theoretical levels: task, technology, and the organisational environment. Accordingly, we develop a multilevel research model to interpret how task variety, system modularity, and local management commitment jointly affect employees’ system exploration. Our model is tested with a survey of ES users in 35 business units of six firms that have already implemented enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and several meaningful findings were discovered. At the individual level, both system modularity and task variety can directly affect employees’ system exploration, and the direct effect of system modularity is positively moderated by task variety. Further, unit-level local management commitment can either directly affect, or positively moderate, the relationship between task variety and system exploration. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed.
In der Vergangenheit wurden die ERP-Systeme typischerweise auf den Servern installiert, welche sich im Bereich des Anwenderunternehmens befanden. Zwischenzeitlich sind neue Bereitstellungskonzepte entstanden, die es den Systemanbietern erlauben, eine größere Kundenanzahl effizienter zu erreichen. Aufbauend auf den Prinzipien des Cloud-Computing-Paradigma kann die ERP-Standardsoftware heutzutage dem Anwenderunternehmen auch in Form einer Dienstleistung über das Internet zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Die Anforderungen dieses Bereitstellungsmodells bleiben jedoch nicht ohne Auswirkung auf die Systemarchitektur und die bereitgestellte Systemflexibilität. Die vorliegende Dissertation thematisiert die Problematik der Adaptierbarkeit der cloudbasierten ERP-Systeme und widmet sich einer vergleichenden Analyse der Customizing-Möglichkeiten, welche auf die Erarbeitung eines architekturübergreifenden Systematisierungsrahmens der bestehenden Customizing-Konzepte abzielen. Die Validierung der bereitgestellten Systemflexibilität erfolgt anhand konkreter praxisnaher Szenarien und trägt systematisch zur Bewertung der Anpassungs- und Modifikationsmöglichkeiten der cloudbasierten ERP-Systeme bei. Trotz der Tatsache, dass die cloudbasierten ERP-Systeme vergleichend zu konventionellen On-Premise ERP-Systemen in der Regel weniger tiefgreifende Adaptionen zulassen, lassen sich diese Aussagen nicht im gleichen Ausmaß auf alle cloudbasierten ERP-Systeme verallgemeinern. Die Erkenntnisse der durchgeführten Machbarkeitsstudien weisen auf die Notwendigkeit einer differenzierten Betrachtung der Customizing- und Modifikationsmöglichkeiten von cloudbasierten ERP-Systemen hin, die durch unterschiedliche Konformität mit dem SaaS-Modell gekennzeichnet sind. Die Einbeziehung der architektonischen Aspekte in die Analysen und die darauffolgende statistische Auswertung der empirischen Daten bilden die Grundlage für die Identifizierung der systemübergreifenden Tendenzen hinsichtlich der bereitgestellten Adaptierbarkeit und der architekturbedingten Differenzen in dem bereitgestellten Flexibilitätsumfang. Durch die Systematisierung der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse entlang der drei Betrachtungsebenen, welche auf die Customizing-Ansätze, adaptierbare Systemelemente und bereitgestellte Adaptionswerkzeuge ausgerichtet sind, schafft diese Arbeit einen Bezugsrahmen, der als praktische Hilfestellung bei der Bewertung der Systemflexibilität differenzierter Cloud-ERP-Systeme verwendet werden kann.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a systematic and customisable framework, titled the 9D approach, aiming to evaluate the enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems as well as to identify potential socio-technical problems, misfits and deficiencies that can cause ERP failure during the system post-implementation phase.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed 9D ERP evaluation framework includes nine dimensions and 85 evaluation criteria. This theoretical framework is then used in a six-step evaluation process based on a mixed-methods design. A case study involving a large-size private company in China was used as an exemplification to illustrate how the proposed 9D approach can be applied in practices.
Findings
The findings of the study clearly demonstrated that after the ERP “go-live” point, companies still experience many challenges and problems in the post-implementation phase. These problems can be located in very diverse organisational, systemic and personnel aspects of the company, as well as across different functional areas and organisational levels. The proposed 9D approach was demonstrated to be an efficient and systematic tool to investigate and explore such ERP problems in an in-depth level within the organisational context.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the theory of IS evaluation in general, and provides valuable insights into the ERP post-implementation evaluation in particular.
Practical implications
The proposed ERP evaluation approach forms a sound base for continuous ERP improvement and contributes to sustain seamless alignment between ERP and its organisational context. The customisable feature of the framework offers flexibility and enables its use by companies of all sizes, any sector, and any country.
Originality/value
To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the most extensive and comprehensive framework for the post-evaluation of ERPs proposed hitherto. The need for this new framework was grounded on the argumentation of the drawbacks of existing ERP measurement and evaluation studies that simply focus on success rather than the more critical failure factors.
A large body of empirical literature has explored the linkages between exports
diversification and output growth. However, empirical verification remains indecisive and
the topic remains open to discussion.
This paper examines the relationship between exports diversification and economic
growth in Jordan and group of Arab countries including Jordan. Overall, we found that
exports diversification had no significant effect on economic growth during the study
period. This suggests that greater emphasis on exports diversification should be given to
trade and industrial policies in Jordan and the other Arab countries. Efforts should be
directed toward investigating exports sectors that enhance economic growth in each
country in order to answer the question whether to specialize or to diversify.
In response to the trend in technology, critical success factors (CSFs) in current research projects are ranked differently from those in prior ones. This study investigates possible CSFs for the life cycle of an ERP system. This study also analyzes the effects of CSFs from the perspective of Information Technology Governance (ITG). Thirty-five CSFs were identified from articles published in top journals. These CSFs are then classified into five life-cycle phases of an ERP system. This study also explores whether the outcomes or performances of ITG are driven by CSFs for ERP. Entrepreneurs and managers should adopt an ITG perspective to manage CSFs for the life cycle of their ERP system. This approach will not only enforce and drive ITG but will also mitigate IT risks in ERP systems. Entrepreneurs and managers should also establish a performance measurement index for ERP systems to deliver value within organizations.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) success research has been widely studied. Models to test the success of an ERP implementation have been developed, but most models do not adequately test all implementations success after implementation. This literature review study introduces a new model for testing any ERP post-implementation to determine if it was successful or not rather than relying on other models that determine it to be a failure if it did not fit within the model constraints.
Concern for Y2K compliance emphasizes the need for understanding and improved management of software maintenance activities. Relatively little empirical research has examined the type and extent of activities taking place during software maintenance. Our research represents a first attempt in developing a detailed taxonomy that describes the type and distribution of activities within software maintenance. We illustrate our taxonomy using maintenance data from an actual application system.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have emerged as the core of successful information management and the enterprise backbone of organizations. The difficulties of ERP implementations have been widely cited in the literature but research on the critical factors for initial and ongoing ERP implementation success is rare and fragmented. Through a comprehensive review of the literature, 11 factors were found to be critical to ERP implementation success – ERP teamwork and composition; change management program and culture; top management support; business plan and vision; business process reengineering with minimum customization; project management; monitoring and evaluation of performance; effective communication; software development, testing and troubleshooting; project champion; appropriate business and IT legacy systems. The classification of these factors into the respective phases (chartering, project, shakedown, onward and upward) in Markus and Tanis’ ERP life cycle model is presented and the importance of each factor is discussed.
An abstract is not available.
An effective IT infrastructure can support a business vision and strategy; a poor, decentralized one can break a company. More and more companies are turning to off-the-shelf ERP (enterprise resource planning) solutions for IT planning and legacy systems management. The authors have developed a framework to help managers successfully plan and implement an ERP project
Empirical data from a two-year measurement effort in the software
maintenance environment of a Canadian organization are presented. The
findings reported are based on a daily data-collection process including
2152 work requests which required 11365 days to complete. This set of
empirical data confirms some of the findings of the opinion surveys in
terms of the stability of the overall workload distribution in the
maintenance area, while the analysis of any subset of data indicates
that this overall average hides significant differences. The authors
include a discussion on the improved measurement program implemented,
and illustrate how insights into the maintenance process are gained
through various measurements
This paper explores the impact of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems using the individual manufacturing facility as the level of analysis. A model of ERP costs and benefits based on organizational information processing theory is proposed. The model resolves some of the apparently contradictory ERP impacts that have been reported in the trade literature. The paper then describes ERP implementations in two plants. Organizational information processing theory explains many of the costs and benefits that were observed in the cases. The cases also revealed several unexpected insights. Based on the case study findings, the paper proposes a revised model of ERP impacts.
A formal procedure for managing software maintenance—from the submission of a work order through the postimplementation review—opens a window of opportunity for the IS manager who sees systems as candidates for reverse engineering, reengineering, and restructuring. This article describes a set of procedures for improving maintenance management.
This article defines and discusses one of these qualitative methods--the case research strat- egy. Suggestions are provided for researchers who wish to undertake research employing this approach. Criteria for the evaluation of case research are established and several characteristics useful for categorizing the studies are identified. A sample of papers drawn from information systems journals is reviewed. The paper concludes with examples of research areas that are particularly well- suited to investigation using the case research approach.
An abstract is not available.
Providing a complete portal to the world of case study research, the Fourth Edition of Robert K. Yin's bestselling text Case Study Research offers comprehensive coverage of the design and use of the case study method as a valid research tool. This thoroughly revised text now covers more than 50 case studies (approximately 25% new), gives fresh attention to quantitative analyses, discusses more fully the use of mixed methods research designs, and includes new methodological insights. The book's coverage of case study research and how it is applied in practice gives readers access to exemplary case studies drawn from a wide variety of academic and applied fields.Key Features of the Fourth Edition Highlights each specific research feature through 44 boxed vignettes that feature previously published case studies Provides methodological insights to show the similarities between case studies and other social science methods Suggests a three-stage approach to help readers define the initial questions they will consider in their own case study research Covers new material on human subjects protection, the role of Institutional Review Boards, and the interplay between obtaining IRB approval and the final development of the case study protocol and conduct of a pilot case Includes an overall graphic of the entire case study research process at the beginning of the book, then highlights the steps in the process through graphics that appear at the outset of all the chapters that follow Offers in-text learning aids including 'tips' that pose key questions and answers at the beginning of each chapter, practical exercises, endnotes, and a new cross-referencing tableCase Study Research, Fourth Edition is ideal for courses in departments of Education, Business and Management, Nursing and Public Health, Public Administration, Anthropology, Sociology, and Political Science.
Implementing an ERP causes massive change that needs to be carefully managed to reap the benefits of an ERP solution. Critical issues that must be carefully considered to ensure successful implementation include commitment from top management, reengineering of the existing processes, integration of the ERP with other business information systems, selection and management of consultants and employees, and training of employees on the new system.
Enterprise systems present a new model of corporate computing. They allow companies to replace their existing information systems, which are often incompatible with one another, with a single, integrated system. By streamlining data flows throughout an organization, these commercial software packages, offered by vendors like SAP, promise dramatic gains in a company's efficiency and bottom line. It's no wonder that businesses are rushing to jump on the ES bandwagon. But while these systems offer tremendous rewards, the risks they carry are equally great. Not only are the systems expensive and difficult to implement, they can also tie the hands of managers. Unlike computer systems of the past, which were typically developed in-house with a company's specific requirements in mind, enterprise systems are off-the-shelf solutions. They impose their own logic on a company's strategy, culture, and organization, often forcing companies to change the way they do business. Managers would do well to heed the horror stories of failed implementations. FoxMeyer Drug, for example, claims that its system helped drive it into bankruptcy. Drawing on examples of both successful and unsuccessful ES projects, the author discusses the pros and cons of implementing an enterprise system, showing how a system can produce unintended and highly disruptive consequences. Because of an ES's profound business implications, he cautions against shifting responsibility for its adoption to technologists. Only a general manager will be able to mediate between the imperatives of the system and the imperatives of the business.
The Software Maintenance Life Cycle Model (SMLC) was developed
providing a basis to help software maintenance planning. The management
framework was developed based on the SMLC concept to operationalize the
model. This paper provides results from two cases to validate the model
and the framework
Software maintenance costs often total twice the original development cost in the lifetime of application software. Modeling the changes of software maintenance activities might improve software maintenance planning. Current studies model software activities only covering a portion of software lifetimes. This study investigates the changes of maintenance requests during the lifetime of large application software. It discusses the modeling of different software maintenance requests such as: user support, repair and enhancement. We found four distinct stages. User support reaches its peak in the first stage, repair inundates in the second stage. In the third stage, enhancement is the dominant factor. The frequencies of all three different maintenance requests are small in the last stage, when the IS department is looking for new software to replace the existing one
What happens after 'going live' with ERP systems? Competence Centers can support effective institutionalization
- L B Eriksen
- S Axline
- M L Markus
Eriksen LB, Axline S, Markus ML. What happens after 'going live' with ERP systems? Competence Centers can support
effective institutionalization. Proceedings of the Fifth Americas Conference on Information Systems. Association for
Information Systems: Atlanta GA, 1999; 776-778.
Beyond ERP: New IT agenda Informationweek Online
- B Caldwell
- T Stein
Caldwell B, Stein T. Beyond ERP: New IT agenda. Informationweek Online, November 30, 1998.
http://www.informationweek.com/711/11iuerp.htm [25 August 2001].
The enterprise system experience-from adoption to success. Zmud RW (ed.) Framing the Domains of IT Management: Projecting the Future
- M L Markus
- C Tanis
Markus ML, Tanis C. The enterprise system experience-from adoption to success. Zmud RW (ed.) Framing the Domains
of IT Management: Projecting the Future... Through the Past. Pinnaflex Educational Resources: Cincinnati OH, 2000;
173-207.
Maintaining ERP: Rethinking relational foundations
- S G Hirt
- E B Swanson
Hirt SG, Swanson EB. Maintaining ERP: Rethinking relational foundations. Working Paper 02-99, The Anderson School
at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA, 1999.
Real maintenance statistics
- Zvegintzov N
Zvegintzov N. Real maintenance statistics. Software Maintenance News 1991; 9(2):6-9.
Understanding the plant level costs and benefits of ERP: Will the ugly duckling always turn into a swan?
- T F Gattiger
- D L Goodhue
Gattiger TF, Goodhue DL. Understanding the plant level costs and benefits of ERP: Will the ugly duckling always turn
into a swan? Proceedings 33rd Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science. IEEE Computer Society Press: Los
Alamitos CA, 2000; 10 pp. (on CD).
Framing the Domains of IT Management: Projecting the Future
- Markus
What happens after ?going live? with ERP systems? Competence Centers can support effective institutionalization
- Eriksen
Rethinking relational foundations
- Erp Maintaining
- Hirt
Living with ERP. CIO Magazine
- Davenportth
Beyond ERP: New IT agenda
- Caldwellb Steint
Maintaining ERP: Rethinking relational foundations.Working Paper 02-99 The Anderson School at University of California
- Hirtsg Swansoneb