Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Information Technology (IT) artefacts, such as Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs),
promise much with regard to meeting the requirements of organisations. In the knowledge
economy, organisations require real time data, information flow and integration of business
processes to remain financially viable and competitive. However, organisations often fail to harness
ERP systems effectively. This thesis attempts to unpack a section of the complex nature of ERPs
with emphasis on the post-adoption phase of the systems’ development life cycle. This study
explores the complex interface between rigid IT artefacts like ERPs and the, often unpredictable,
reality of organisational work processes. Focus falls, in particular, on the workaround practices that
end users of the system perform and the effects these have on the integrity of the business process.
Based on an extensive literature review, an integrated framework for business process integrity is
developed and formulated. This model is applied to the analysis of a qualitative data set compiled
during an empirical investigation of a large Local Government Organisation utilising a proprietary
ERP product. The data set includes semi-structured interviews with members of the ERP user
community relating to their handling of impositions or deficiencies experienced when using the
artefact.
To define the relationship between business process integrity and workaround practices, each
workaround identified is individually analysed to determine the reasons and outcomes that are
associated with its enactment. Results indicate that workaround practices have diverse impacts on
the various dimensions of business process integrity. While, in certain scenarios, they pose serious
threats to organisational performance, they also play a particularly important role in enhancing the
organisation’s ability to handle non-standard business cases. Despite their informal and often covert
nature, workaround practices are at the heart of the balance between control and flexibility in
organisations and their existence suggests that, contrary to common beliefs, ERPs only have limited
agency in determining organisational workflow. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inligtingstegnologie (IT) artefakte, soos ondernemingshulpbronbeplanningstelses (OHBs), beloof
baie ten einde aan organisasies se vereistes te voldoen. In die kennis-ekonomie vereis organisasies
regstreekse data, inligtingsvloei en integrasie van besigheidprosesse om finansieel lewensvatbaar en
kompeterend te bly. Dikwels faal organisasies egter om OHB stelsels effektief te benut. Hierdie
tesis poog om ʼn deel van die ingewikkelde aard van OHBs te ontleed, met klem op die postaanvaardingsfase
in die stelsels se lewensiklus. Hierdie studie ondersoek die ingewikkelde
koppelvlak tussen rigiede IT artefakte soos OHBs en die dikwels onvoorspelbare realiteit van
organisatoriese werk prosesse. Die klem val in besonder op die alternatiewe praktyke wat
eindgebruikers van die stelsel gebruik, en die uitwerking wat hierdie praktyke op die integriteit van
die besigheidsproses het.
Gegrond op ʼn uitgebreide literatuurstudie, is ʼn geïntegreerde raamwerk vir
besigheidsprosesintegriteit ontwikkel en geformuleer. Hierdie model is toegepas op die ontleding
van ʼn kwalitatiewe datastel wat saamgestel is tydens ʼn empiriese ondersoek van ʼn Plaaslike
Regeringsorganisasie wat ʼn privaat patent OHB-produk gebruik. Die datastel sluit semigestruktureerde
onderhoude in wat met lede van die OHB gebruikersgemeenskap gevoer is met
betrekking tot hul hantering van opleggings of tekortkominge wat tydens die gebruik van die
artefakte ondervind word. Om die verhouding tussen besigheidsprosesintegriteit en die toepassing van omweë te definieer, is
elke geïdentifiseerde alternatief individueel ontleed om sodoende die redes en uitkomste wat met
die uitvoer daarvan geassosieer word, te bepaal. Resultate dui aan dat alternatiewe gebruike diverse
uitwerkings op die verskillende dimensies van besigheidsprosesintegriteit het. Terwyl, in sommige
gevalle, dit ernstige bedreigings vir organisatoriese prestasie inhou, speel dit ook ʼn besonder
belangrike rol in die verbetering van die organisasie se nie-standaard bedryfsake. Ten spyte van hul
informele en dikwels verborge aard, is alternatiewe gebruike die hart van die balans tussen beheer
en buigsaamheid in organisasies, en hul bestaan dui daarop dat, in teendeel met algemene
oortuigings, OHBs net beperkte werking het met betrekking tot die bepaling van organisatoriese
werksvloei.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/79845 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Edwards, Craig Alan |
| Contributors | Le Roux, D. B., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xiii, 127 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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