Learning to Implement Enterprise Systems: An Exploratory Study of the Dialectics of Change.

Author List: Robey, Daniel; Ross, Jeanne W.; Boudreau, Marie-Claude;
Journal of Management Information Systems, 2002, Volume 19, Issue 1, Page 17-46.
This paper reports on a comparative case study of 13 industrial firms that implemented an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. It compares firms based on their dialectic learning process. All firms had to overcome knowledge barriers of two types: those associated with the configuration of the ERP package, and those associated with the assimilation of new work processes. We found that both strong core teams and carefully managed consulting relationships addressed configuration knowledge barriers. User training that included both technical and business processes, along with a phased implementation approach, helped firms to overcome assimilation knowledge barriers. However, all firms in this study experienced ongoing concerns with assimilation knowledge barriers, and we observed two different approaches to address them. In a piecemeal approach, firms concentrated on the technology first and deferred consideration of process changes. In a concerted approach, both the technology and process changes were undertaken together. Although most respondents clearly stated a preference for either piecemeal or concerted change, all firms engaged in practices that reflected a combination of these approaches.
Keywords: dialectics of change; Enterprise Resource Planning; information technology implementation; organizational learning; process theory
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List of Topics

#185 0.193 change organizational implementation case study changes management organizations technology organization analysis successful success equilibrium radical efforts initiatives managing resistance individuals
#251 0.177 implementation erp enterprise systems resource planning outcomes support business associated understanding benefits implemented advice key implementing scope functional post-implementation implementations
#144 0.113 knowledge transfer management technology creation organizational process tacit research study organization processes work organizations implications practice explicit models consultants transfers
#168 0.110 firms firm financial services firm's size examine new based result level including results industry important account does suggests characterize limited
#294 0.102 development systems methodology methodologies information framework approach approaches paper analysis use presented applied assumptions based proposed described examines basis proposes
#14 0.074 training learning outcomes effectiveness cognitive technology-mediated end-user methods environments longitudinal skills performance using effective method e-learning web-based basic ability learn
#188 0.062 processes interaction new interactions temporal structure research emergent process theory address temporally core discussion focuses area underlying deep structures way