In this thesis success and failure of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations through case studies of three Turkish organizations based on Critical Success Factors (CSFs) is investigated. The main purpose of this thesis is to reveal success and failure stories according to the effects of CSFs in ERP implementations. The case studies are composed of three Turkish organizations from different sectors. The data is gathered through active observations, analysis of project documents and interviews conducted with project managers who decided to implement ERP systems in their organizations, key users who involved in implementation projects, and consultants. All these projects are evaluated as success stories since most of the determined CSFs affected the implementation projects positively in these three organizations which have been using ERP system effectively for some period. Besides, the case studies show that there are problems about training, change management and legacy systems during projects and more attention should be paid on these issues during ERP implementation projects.

The global business environment has changed dramatically in recent years, as competition in complex knowledge-based economies has increased. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have been viewed as a way to manage increased business complexity, leading to the rapid adoption and implementation of such systems, as ERP can support enterprises to improve their competitiveness. Knowledge management (KM) is crucial for ERP systems implementation, however a highly demanding task. Therefore, the primary concern of this research is to examine the effectiveness of knowledge management activities that would contribute to achieve ERP implementation success. This study adopted mixed methods approach by combining semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to collect empirical data from ERP professionals in both manufacturing and service sector organisations. In the qualitative phase, it develops the “framework of integrative knowledge” based on empirical evidence, that can improve KM competence for ERP implementation success. Data analysis has been undertaken using a combination of thematic analysis and comparative analysis with respect to 14 ERP implementations in the UK. The framework integrates multiple perspectives in terms of knowledge components to enhance KM competence, including knowledge types, knowledge layers, KM lifecycle and knowledge determinants. It discovered 19 knowledge determinants to drive knowledge management activities during ERP projects, which is another vital contribution to the existing knowledge. Furthermore, the study develops the “knowledge network model” for ERP implementations in order to facilitate the knowledge flows between various stakeholders involved in ERP implementations, which can help to understand the interactions between the knowledge components. Moreover, sub-knowledge types (knowledge elements) under each knowledge type were discovered through empirical evidence. The quantitative phase was adopted to extend the findings of the qualitative phase. The knowledge types and knowledge elements were prioritised using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method through an online AHP based questionnaire with 77 responses from ERP professionals involved in UK ERP implementations. Furthermore, knowledge prioritisation demonstrates how effectively the framework of integrative knowledge can be used during ERP implementations with the help of prioritised knowledge. In total 4 knowledge types and 21 knowledge elements were ranked based on their contribution to achieve ERP success; four variables of information quality, systems quality, individual impact and organisational impact were used to measure ERP success. This study has number of theoretical contributions including framework of integrative knowledge, knowledge network model for ERP implementations and ERP knowledge prioritisation. Moreover, the framework of integrative knowledge 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 implementation success in business reality.

Since the invention of the first computer in 1937 by John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry the process of computerisation within companies is still increasing. Nowadays, the Enterprise Resource Planning software can be seen as one of the most used software in the world. In the 1990s the price of a stock option could increase just with the public announcement of an ERP implementation within the company. It was generally synonym of rigor, data traceability, and control and best practice integration. However, in 2015 through various case studies, observations and records, we can claim that this kind of software cause a lot of changes such as organizational changes, employee's tasks changes or business practices. This paper will explain the role of Change Management during an ERP implementation project. We will analyse the importance of this management area in this kind of project and we will observe that change management has to be taken into account in order to reach objectives and containing goals. In order to illustrate this idea, we will compare two different companies. First the report of the ERP implementation will be done for the French firm EVERIAL. It summarizes 15 months of personal observations within this project where I worked as Key User implementing SAGE X3 ERP for the Purchase module April 2013 to July 2014. Then the second company is described from a case study. It is a Chinese company with Chinese business culture, which succeed first with a home custom designed ERP implementation. However it failed to implement Western ERP called SAP R3. From both EVERIAL and the Chinese company we will analyse the importance of Change Management during the implementation step. Moreover, an analysis of business culture in this kind of project will be done in order to emphasis the role of change management when Western best practices are implemented in Asian Company with a strong local culture.

Denna studie utforskar hur organisationer kan undvika tillkortakommanden vid ERP- implementationer. Studien bygger på två forskningsfrågor: i) “Hur arbetar projektledare med meningsgivande handlingar vid ERP-implementationer?” samt ii) “Vilka faktorer upplevs vara viktiga för systemanvändares meningsskapandet?”. För att besvara frågorna undersöker studien ERP-implementationer utifrån en socialkonstruktivistisk lins där teorin om meningsskapande appliceras. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ metod där 16 projektledare och systemanvändare inom åtta svenska organisationer intervjuats. Resultaten tyder på att projektledare använder fyra kommunikationskanaler i sitt meningsgivande: i) intranät/mail, ii) möten, iii) utbildningar samt iv) superanvändare. Vidare indikerar de även att de kanaler som möjliggjort social interaktion bidraget till en mer positiv uppfattning hos systemanvändarna. Systemanvändarnas meningsskapande upplevs påverkas av fem faktorer: i) generationstillhörighet, ii) förändringsförståelse, iii) avstånd till förändringen, iv) engagemang samt v) förändringskultur. Studien adderar till tidigare forskning genom att fördjupa kunskapen om hur ett socialkonstruktivistiskt synsätt kan användas för att studera ERP-implementationer. / This study explores how organizations can mitigate ERP failures. The study is based on two research questions: i) “How do project managers apply sensegiving during ERP implementations?”, and ii) “What aspects are perceived as important in the sensemaking process amongst systems users?”. Pursuing these questions, the study examines ERP implementations through a social constructivist lens and the theory of sensemaking. The study is based on a qualitative method, in which 16 project managers and system users, among eight Swedish organizations, are interviewed. The findings suggest that project managers use four channels of communication in their sensegiving: i) intranet/mail, ii) meetings, iii) education, and iv) superusers. It is also found that channels that enable social interaction contributes to more positive attitudes amongst system users. The sensemaking amongst system users is perceived to be affected by five aspects: i) generational affiliation, ii) understanding of change, iii) distance to change, iv) commitment, and v) change culture. The study adds to previous research by deepening the knowledge of how a social constructivist approach can be used to study ERP implementations.

Les implementacions dels sistemes de programació de gestió integrada (ERP, en la sigla en anglès) s'estan consolidant com una de les principals tendències avantguardistes en l'àmbit de la tecnologia de la informació en el segment de les petites i mitjanes empreses (pimes). Malgrat que existeixen recerques relacionades amb l'estudi de l'adopció i de l'èxit de les implementacions d'ERP, hi ha una bretxa evident en la literatura a l'hora d'analitzar aquestes implementacions en el context de les pimes. Aquest article té l'objectiu d'examinar els factors que determinen l'èxit de les implementacions d'ERP, centrant-se específicament en la veta de mercat de les pimes que operen en zones en via de desenvolupament, com ara l'Amèrica Llatina. Es proposa un model que és corroborat empíricament amb dades obtingudes de 49 pimes llatinoamericanes. Una anàlisi de regressió múltiple permet corroborar 7 de les 8 hipòtesis presentades en el model, i evidencia alguns resultats que són consistents amb algunes recerques prèvies, però en ressalta d'altres que són únics en el context particular de l'Amèrica Llatina. Els resultats indiquen que les capacitats de facilitat d'ús proveïdes per l'ERP, com també l'èxit d'implementació del projecte de l'ERP i la satisfacció de l'usuari, són factors claus que impacten en l'èxit posterior a la implementació de l'ERP. D'altra banda, les iniciatives de gestió del canvi no van esdevenir tan determinants com s'evidenciava en recerques anteriors. El rol crític de la satisfacció de l'usuari com a mediador de la resta dels factors també va ser comprovat. Una aportació fonamental de la recerca és que l'èxit de la implementació de l'ERP va ser mesurat en termes dels beneficis incrementals de negoci obtinguts posteriorment a la implementació de l'ERP. S'analitzen les implicacions dels resultats en el context pràctic i de recerca, i se'n presenten línies de recerca prominents. / Las implementaciones de los Sistemas de Administración de Recursos Empresariales (ERP por sus siglas en inglés) se están consolidando como una de las tendencias vanguardistas críticas en el área de tecnología de la información para el segmento de las pequeñas y medianas empresas (SMEs). Aún cuando existen investigaciones relacionadas con el estudio de la adopción y éxito de las implementaciones de los ERP, es evidente la brecha existente en la literatura a la hora de analizar tales implementaciones en el contexto de las SMEs. Esta disertación pretende investigar factores que determinan el éxito de las implementaciones de los ERP, con foco específico en el contexto de las SMEs operando en regiones en vías de desarrollo, tales como América Latina. Se propone un modelo el cual es corroborado empíricamente con datos obtenidos de 49 pequeñas y medianas empresas latinoamericanas. Un análisis de regresión múltiple permite corroborar 7 de las 8 hipótesis presentadas en el modelo, exhibiéndose algunos resultados que son consistentes con investigaciones previas pero resaltándose otros que lucen originales al contexto particular de América Latina. Los resultados indican que las capacidades de Facilidad de Uso provistas por el ERP, así como el Éxito del Proyecto de Implementación del ERP y la Satisfacción del Usuario son factores claves que impactan en el éxito posterior a la implementación. Por otra parte, las iniciativas de Gerencia del Cambio no lucieron tan determinantes como se evidencia en investigaciones anteriores. El rol crítico de la Satisfacción del Usuario como mediador del resto de los factores también fue comprobado. Un aporte fundamental de la investigación es que el éxito de la implementación del ERP fue medido en términos de los beneficios incrementales de negocio obtenidos posterior a la implementación del ERP. Se analizan las implicaciones de los hallazgos en el contexto de investigación y práctico y prominentes líneas de investigación son presentadas. / Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems implementations are consolidating as a critical information technology initiative among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Even though research exists aimed at analyzing the adoption and success of ERP implementations, there is a significant gap in the literature studying the SME niche. This article examines the causes determining the success of ERP implementations, specifically considering the niche of SMEs acting in developing regions such as Latin America. The proposed model is corroborated empirically with data from 49 Latin American SMEs. The regression analysis technique allows corroborating 7 of the 8 hypotheses. Some results are consistent with previous research but others appear to be unique to the Latin American context. These results suggest that Ease to Use capacities provided by ERP, as well as Project Implementation Success and User Satisfaction of an ERP initiative are key factors influencing the overall success of an ERP implementation. However, Change Management seems to be not as critical as the other factors. The decisive role of User Satisfaction as a mediating variable is also corroborated. An innovative contribution of this dissertation is the success of an ERP implementation is measured by improvements in business performance. The implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed, and another promising research streams are outlined.