| Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have become increasingly popular in recent years among businesses in the United States and around the world. Corporations have much to gain by implementing ERP systems. However, if ERP implementation mistakes are made, the company can face huge losses including down-time as well as more direct financial losses. Avoiding these mistakes can help companies maintain the level of performance they need during implementation without disrupting the business. ERP system implementations are a significant investment of money, time, and resources for organizations. These implementations vary from "traditional" IT-related projects because they often affect an entire organization. Therefore, it is imperative to minimize the risks related to such a large project. This study identifies common challenges affecting the successful implementation of ERP systems in published research to date and provides a case study that follows the ERP implementation of a large industrial manufacturing organization in the southeast. The challenges most often faced by business are compliance issues during transition; lack of proper training; the high cost of implementation; lack of support and/or communication from senior management; and employee unwillingness to adapt. This paper with its supporting case study shows how these challenges can be minimized. |
Updated 02/21/2015