A partir dos anos 90, os sistemas de gestão integrados ou sistemas ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) apareceram como potencial solução para a necessidade de processamento de informação nas organizações. Os sistemas ERP são pacotes de aplicações de processos de negócios padronizados que propiciam visibilidade do negócio, ao fornecer a informação integrada e consolidada em único banco de dados, em tempo real e em diferentes áreas da organização. Por outro lado, a implantação de um ERP ocasiona profundas mudanças na maneira como os empregados de uma organização desempenham seus trabalhos. Pesquisas da literatura relacionada ao tema sugerem que os sistemas ERP são capazes de propiciar ampla visibilidade para a gerência, implicando em maior controle. Simultaneamente, podem contribuir para o empowerment do empregado através do maior acesso à informação, da mesma forma que as regras e procedimentos dos processos organizacionais do sistema ERP levam a uma maior disciplina e induzem a uma maior reflexão sobre as práticas do trabalho, tornando-os mais eficazes. Este estudo busca contribuir com um maior entendimento para as organizações que pretendem alcançar o equilíbrio entre esses efeitos. Ao mesmo tempo, busca-se compreender a relação com a , bem como melhorar a capacidade dos indivíduos de pensar de forma inovadora e pró-ativa sobre seus trabalhos, implicando em aumento da eficiência, da eficácia e em vantagem competitiva da organização. O referencial bibliográfico apresentou conceitos relacionados ao poder (sob a ótica de Foucault), ao controle organizacional e ao empowerment. O estudo foi conduzido com uma metodologia quantitativa, através de uma survey realizada em uma organização multinacional com 213 respondentes. A pesquisa revelou que apesar da visibilidade das ações proporcionada pelo sistema ERP, os respondentes não se sentem mais controlados ou monitorados pelos seus superiores ou seus pares. Os resultados indicaram também que a visibilidade da informação propiciada pelo sistema ERP impulsiona a autonomia, facilitando o empowerment. Em contraste com pesquisas anteriores, que relacionam a reflexão a melhorias nas práticas de trabalho, este estudo relaciona a reflexão a preocupação e comprometimento em executar as atividades padronizadas do sistema. / Since the 1990s integrated information systems, better known as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) really started to take off as a potential solution for the integration of all core business areas in the organizations. ERP systems are commercial software applications that support and integrate organizational processes across functional boundaries .The identifying characteristic of ERP systems is their ability to integrate these business processes by standardizing data, allowing more visibility by consolidating all the information of the different modules in one shared database, in real time. On the other hand, implementing a ERP system causes profound changes in the way employees perform their tasks. Research of the concerning literature suggests that ERP systems enable management to look vertically and horizontally across the organization, thus increasing visibility and control within the company. Simultaneously, these systems contribute to the empowerment of the employees through better access to information, in the same way that the rules and procedures of the ERP systems engage employees in greater self discipline and reflection on work practices. This study is based on the generally accepted potential of ERP systems to generate control and empowerment, and aims to contribute to a better understanding for those organizations that intend to reach a balance between those effects. In addition, the investigation focuses on the skill of individuals to think in innovative and pro-active ways about their work, resulting in increased efficiency, effectiveness and competitive advantage for the company. The literature review addresses concepts such as Foucaults view of disciplinary power, organizational control and empowerment. The study adopted a quantitative methodology through a survey conducted in a multinational organization with 213respondents. The study revealed that , despite the visibility offered by the ERP system, the respondents do not feel more controlled or monitored by their superiors or peers. Results also reveal that the information visibility granted by the system fosters autonomy, making empowerment easier. In contrast to previous research, which relates reflexion to improved working practices, the present study relates reflexion to concern with and commitment to performing the systems standardized tasks.

The main object of this thesis is to describe how the selected company uses information technology, its information system and the selection of the new information system. The thesis is divided into the theoretical and the practical part. In the theoretical part the basic terms related to the information system are indicated. The thesis introduces the benefits that a company can achieve with the implementation of the new information systems and the factors that affect the final price of the information system. The market of the business information systems and ERP systems in the Czech Republic is also described. In the practical part, the selected STS Olbramovice a.s. company is characterized and its current information system, strengths, weaknesses and the reasons for implementation are indicated.The benefits of the implementation of the new information system are identified at the end of the thesis.

O processo de desenvolvimento de produtos geralmente não tem sido considerado na implantação de sistemas ERP. No entanto, devido ao aumento da abrangência dos ERPs com a inclusão de novas funcionalidades, e devido à importância desses sistemas para a integração dos processos de negócio, muitas empresas passam a considerar a sua utilização para apoiar as atividades e gerenciar as informações de desenvolvimento de produtos. Este trabalho apresenta uma análise abrangente e detalhada da aplicabilidade de um sistema ERP no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos. Tal análise é subdividida em três fases. Inicialmente, é realizado um estudo exploratório da aplicabilidade do sistema ERP em um processo específico de desenvolvimento de produtos representado por um modelo de referência. Em seguida, é executado um estudo descritivo de uma aplicação piloto do ERP em um ambiente de desenvolvimento de produtos. Por fim, são realizado estudos de caso para caracterizar a utilização do ERP no desenvolvimento de produtos de três empresas. / Product development process has not been considered within ERP systems’ implementation projects. However, due to the widening of ERP systems scope, with the inclusion of new functionalities, and due to the actual importance of these systems to business process integration, many industries are considering applying ERP systems to support product development activities and to manage product development information. This research presents an extended and detailed analysis of the applicability of one ERP system in product development process. The analysis is divided in three phases: first, an exploratory study is conducted in order to verify the applicability of the ERP system in a specific product development process represented by a reference model. Second, a descriptive study of a pilot application of the ERP system in a product development environment is presented; and finally, three case studies about the use of the ERP system in product development process are discussed.

A necessidade de gestão eficiente de recursos e informações criou nas empresas a demanda por investimentos cada vez maiores em tecnologia da informação e comunicação, buscando alcançarem vantagens competitivas sobre seus concorrentes de mercado. Nesse contexto surgiram os sistemas ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning - Sistemas Integrados de Gestão), caracterizados por oferecerem diversas funcionalidades capazes de dar suporte às operações do dia-a-dia das empresas e suas tomadas de decisão. Juntamente com os benefícios advindos desses sistemas, foram necessários elevados investimentos, tanto de tempo e dinheiro, como de recursos internos da empresa. Devido à esses contrapontos, alguns estudos procuraram discutir os benefícios gerados pela adoção dos sistemas ERP em relação aos custos envolvidos no seu processo de implantação. Tais estudos aplicaram diferentes formas de valor agregado por esses sistemas às empresas, encontrando também diferentes resultados. Nesse sentido, com o crescimento da importância dos sistemas ERP para as organizações e a cobrança, cada vez maior, por justificarem os investimentos feitos em projetos de implantação de um sistema ERP, faz-se necessário entender como as empresas avaliam o valor que esses sistemas lhes proporcionam. Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo de caráter descritivo e exploratório, por meio do estudo múltiplo de casos com duas empresas, buscando identificar como avaliam o valor proporcionado pelo sistema ERP. Foram encontrados durante a análise dos resultados diversos dos benefícios já relatados na literatura, apesar de não se ter identificado em nenhuma das empresas um processo formal de avaliação dos mesmos. Muitos dos benefícios identificados não puderam ser atribuídos aos sistemas ERP devido à falta de um processo de avaliação do valor desses sistemas, visto que as empresas não procuraram avaliar a situação anterior e posterior a implantação do mesmo. Em complemento, constatou-se que as empresas não identificam corretamente o valor entregue pelo sistema ERP. A partir dos resultados, conclui-se que a avaliação do valor dos sistemas ERP é um processo complexo, que exige da empresa um planejamento prévio para que possa identificar os benefícios e vantagens que espera obter do sistema, seu escopo de atuação e, que possa avaliar antes da decisão de adoção a adequação do sistema ERP à empresa e vice-versa. Em determinados casos, a subestimação do valor dos sistemas ERP ou a sua avaliação de maneira apenas informal, sem indicadores de desempenho pré-definidos, impede que a empresa realize todo o valor potencial do sistema. / The need of an efficient management of resources and information created in the companies the demand each time larger in information technology and communication searching to achieve competitive advantages over to its market competitors. On this context emerged the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, characterized for offer many features capable to give support to day-to-day companies operations and its decisions making. Along with the benefits provided from this systems were needed a high level of investment, both time and money as well as company intern resources. Due to this counterpoints some studies look to discuss the benefits generated for the ERP systems adoption in relation to the involved costs on its implementation process. These studies apply different evaluation forms for these systems to the enterprise finding also different results. On this way, with the grown of ERP systems importance to the organizations and the collection each time bigger to justify the investments made in projects and implementation of an ERP system, became necessary understand how the companies evaluate the value provided for this systems. For this, was realized a descriptive and exploratory study through multiple case study with two enterprises searching to identify how evaluate the value generated for the ERP system. It was found, during the result analysis, many benefits already related in the bibliography despise not identified in none company a formal process to evaluate these. Many of the identified benefits couldn´t be attributed to the ERP systems due to the lack of evaluate process of generated value once that companies doesn´t look to evaluate the before and after implementation moment situation. From the results, concludes that measure and evaluation of ERP system value is a complex process which demands from the company an previous planning which can be identified the benefits and advantages expected to obtain from the system, its acting focus and to evaluate before the adoption decision the adequacy of the system to the enterprise and contrariwise. In some cases the underestimated of ERP systems value or its only informal evaluate way, without performance indicators predefined, prevents the company to realize all its potential value from the system.

This thesis is aiming at finding a solution for the manufacturing company IRO AB inUlricehamn, Sweden to communicate the changes that are made in processes and products ofthe company to its Chinese subsidiary company IWTC. The company wants to have a systemthrough which any change and improvement happened at one company is communicated toanother one in order to exercise the same changes at parallel processes that are running at bothcompanies. To solve their problem and to find an effective solution, first current situationregarding change processes at the company is examined to make sure that all changes andimprovements made at the company are registered in a structured way. Then differentcommunication channels existed between two companies is reviewed to find out thepossibilities and capacities of the company. This thesis focuses on using the ERP system as acommunication tool at both companies IRO AB and IWTC through which all the changes canbe registered and communicated in an effective, fast way. This capacity in ERP systems isfound out through a comprehensive study of this concept and its characteristics that has beendone in this research.

User resistance is an important issue in the implementation of an Enterprise System (ES). However, despite the prevalence of user adoption literature, user resistance literature is scarce. Although some studies have conceptualized user resistance as the opposite of user adoption, a mandatory, role-transforming system such as an ES clearly shows that users may use a system while resisting it. Although this area is highly relevant, it is theoretically underdeveloped. This study examines user resistance at the individual level of analysis to determine the underlying reasons for user resistance, the types of resistant behaviors, and the management strategies to minimize resistance. It also seeks to understand the types of users that exist during an implementation and in particular, the groups of resisters. This dissertation identifies four categories of reasons for user resistance, which comprise a total of twelve reasons for user resistance. Resistant behaviors are also identified and classified. Three categories of management strategies are also identified, comprising a total of eight management strategies that are useful in minimizing user resistance. Groups of ES users are also described and examined.

<p> </p><p>One of the major advancements in the IT industry during the 1990s was the development of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Beyond the high costs and significant amount of effort needed to implement such a system, the possible benefits for the organization in achieving more efficient operations and improving its competitive stance in the competitive business environment have been undoubted.</p><p>The high failure rates of ERP systems implementations (Soh et al., 2000; Willis and Willis-Brown; 2002) have paved the way for a chase from both academicians and practitioners to understand and pinpoint the critical success factors that positively impact this type of projects’ success.</p><p>Research has been done for ERP implementations in numerous environments but there is a serious gap in the literature regarding implementations in the Cypriot context. Furthermore, after the island’s accession to the European Union (EU) in 2004, the need for the governmental sector to harmonize its systems and processes according to EU directives and to provide efficient services through transparent processes to citizens of Cyprus urged public organizations to proceed with the adoption of ERP systems to serve these purposes from both technological and business aspects.</p><p>This thesis aims to investigate the critical success factors that foster the successful rollout of ERP implementation projects in Cypriot public sector organizations. From the literature review a research proposition is devised through the development of a theoretical framework consisting of 10 critical success factors. These factors are examined in the specific project environment and their applicability and impact in successful implementations is determined.</p><p>A qualitative approach has been followed, through a multiple-case study in three Cypriot public sector organizations, by conducting a set of 9 semi-structured interviews and analyzing the results to determine the theoretical framework’s fit in the particular context and furthermore to determine the criteria which are used to determine ERP implementation success in the specific projects.</p><p>The results of the study indicate that project success is evaluated solely based on three criteria; time, cost and quality. In addition, 9 out of the 10 factors of the theoretical framework appear to be critical for implementation success.</p><p> </p>

One of the major advancements in the IT industry during the 1990s was the development of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Beyond the high costs and significant amount of effort needed to implement such a system, the possible benefits for the organization in achieving more efficient operations and improving its competitive stance in the competitive business environment have been undoubted. The high failure rates of ERP systems implementations (Soh et al., 2000; Willis and Willis-Brown; 2002) have paved the way for a chase from both academicians and practitioners to understand and pinpoint the critical success factors that positively impact this type of projects’ success. Research has been done for ERP implementations in numerous environments but there is a serious gap in the literature regarding implementations in the Cypriot context. Furthermore, after the island’s accession to the European Union (EU) in 2004, the need for the governmental sector to harmonize its systems and processes according to EU directives and to provide efficient services through transparent processes to citizens of Cyprus urged public organizations to proceed with the adoption of ERP systems to serve these purposes from both technological and business aspects. This thesis aims to investigate the critical success factors that foster the successful rollout of ERP implementation projects in Cypriot public sector organizations. From the literature review a research proposition is devised through the development of a theoretical framework consisting of 10 critical success factors. These factors are examined in the specific project environment and their applicability and impact in successful implementations is determined. A qualitative approach has been followed, through a multiple-case study in three Cypriot public sector organizations, by conducting a set of 9 semi-structured interviews and analyzing the results to determine the theoretical framework’s fit in the particular context and furthermore to determine the criteria which are used to determine ERP implementation success in the specific projects. The results of the study indicate that project success is evaluated solely based on three criteria; time, cost and quality. In addition, 9 out of the 10 factors of the theoretical framework appear to be critical for implementation success.

<p>Web-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems deployed through theSoftware-as-a-Service (SaaS) model are a major disruptive technology in the fieldof ERP systems. The defining features of the SaaS are that they are hosted remotelyand are completely used through the web; they are subscription-payment basedand they operate on a multi-tenant fashion. This technological innovation redefinestraditional technical and economic ERP paradigms.</p><p>This Bachelor’s thesis aims through interviews with vendors, users and consultants,as well as by researching various academical and professional publications onthe subject of Web-based (SaaS) ERPs to study these pehomena, and produce a listof their benefits to SMEs. It also analyses their opportunities and challenges via anumber of interesting facts, thus allowing for thought-provoking observations andspawning of stirring discussions.</p><p>The benefits of Web-based ERPs were reported to be similar to the ones characteristicfor the On-premise ERPs. They furthermore included remote data access, costefficiency,flexibility, scalability, as well as the esublishment of a new customerdrivenrelationship with the ERP vendor. The major disadvantages of SaaS wereconsidered to be security, cost (in the long run), and customizability. These disadvantages,which were first reported years ago, are continuously dismissed by theadavncements and innovations made in Web-based solutions. Findings from previousstudies and trends suggest that issues of security, cost and customizabilityare gradually disappearing as technology improves and industry dynamics becomesmore customer-centric. Security, which was a major issue in 2007 slowlyfaded and is not regarded as the concern it used to be. From 2008 till now the issuesof customizability and TCO have been heavily disputed about Web-based ERPsolutions. The problem of customizability has also been found to be diminishingdue to technologically advanced capabilities of these systems; new systems haveemerged and old systems have improved enough to provide this feature. Cost hasnever been a transparent issue when it comes to IT investments and has beenshown to be higher in On-Premise solutions through the TVO approach whichlooks at other hidden and non-financial costs. All of the above sheds new light intothe once-‘static’ benefits and drawbacks of Web-based solutions, and provides afresh insight into this developing phenomenon.</p>

In this thesis, implementations of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems are studied with a broader view. Pre-implementation preparations and post-implementation developments play key roles in the success of the ERP utilization of the companies. To find out how the success can be achieved, various concepts in ERP implementation are analyzed. Using analogies with the basic software development models, common application methodologies are studied. The study is completed with the analysis of an interesting and challenging ERP implementation experience, focusing on the important decision points.