The nature of the project and the management roles and structures
The nature of the ERP project to be implemented determines the approaches to be used, the policies, the resources, and the type of personnel to be used in the implementation exercise. Keeping this in mind then, it is important to point out that for the organization to achieve the desired objective in terms of implementation, changes have to be effected in terms of management structure roles and even personnel requirements.
Top management structure and roles have to change for the new project to succeed. To facilitate this change, there is a need for corporate identity and shared values that concentrate on product marketing functional or task-focused perspectives. IT staff have to be provided with formal education for them to be aware of the kind of environment and structures they will work under. They should be informed and trained about the new systems, structures, and processes to be put in place for the new project.
Change in management roles is inevitable because responsibility in the project implementation has to be clearly defined, and bearing in mind that timeliness of the project has to be enforced, then there will be no time for redefining the roles of the managers in the implementation. When the implementation commences, there will be no turning back for employees to be reminded of their duties.
When the project type changes, it means that the initial systems and procedures will have to be replaced, therefore calling for the change in the organizations’ management roles and structure.
Change in project type also means that there will be a fresh allocation of resources in terms of money, time, and personnel required for implementation. This will also interfere with the management roles and structure as various employees will be transferred from one office to another.
Since user involvement and feedback are essential in this project, there is a need for a support organization that is supposed to solve user-related problems and manage the change of the organization.
Blaming the management for the failure of the project
The management of an organization is critical in determining whether an ERP implementation process is to succeed or not. The top management structures, roles, and personnel are vital to driving the whole process towards the success required by the organization. Failing to provide the necessary approval, championship, and support will completely scatter apart the implementation. So long as the top management is against the implementation, all efforts by the other stakeholder will be a waste of time.
Commitment to change by the company can be expressed by showing perseverance and determination to solve problems associated with the implementation of the ERP project. This is because, during the implementation process, there is a lot of business reengineering so as to take advantage of the new system. This also helps the company to reduce the costs of customization. This, in turn, increases the chances of success.
The success and failure of an ERP project are dependent on the commitment of the management towards initiating and implementing the project. This is because the success of implementing such a project is dependent on good management.
If the management does not clearly assign responsibility for this project, then failure is inevitable. The management has to clearly define the scope of implementation, which then has to be followed and adhered to strictly by all the stakeholders. The management failing to evaluate the business benefits in case there is a change in scope failure to do this can lead to future loss to the business?
Support from top company managers is essential to success. Without the support and approval from the top management, all efforts will be in vain.
The best people in an organization are found in the top management, and if they are not involved in the implementation, then it becomes difficult to foster the spirit of creativity and innovation, which are essential ingredients for success. Therefore to a greater extent, if the management does not provide this required creativity and innovation, then the success of the project will not be achieved.
The success of the ERP is dependent on good leadership and coordination of activities of all parties involved. It is the work of the top management to provide both internal and external coordination of all project activities using the appropriate integration tools.
Failure to provide coordination to facilitate collaboration with external stakeholders will lead to a breakdown, and the project will not succeed. This is because the contribution of the external stakeholders in the implementation process will not be monitored as required.
It is the management that holds vital data and information concerning the organization and the specific project to be implemented. The management holds data that has been protected from any unauthorized entry, and therefore its accuracy and consistency are determined by those in charge of top management. Availability and accuracy of systems data are fundamental to the success of the implementation of an ERP project. Therefore if the top management tampers with the accuracy of the system data, then it will negatively impact the project’s success.
Planning for the project is intertwined with the organization’s business plan. Lack of cooperation, therefore, between IS managers and non-IS managers can be a huge obstacle towards the attainment of the set targets in the business.
Non IS managers in many organizations who are functional or general with accounting, finance, engineering, or marketing background are usually out of touch with the latest trends in technology. This builds communication barriers that limit their ability to calculate the risk before venturing into projects or controlling projects which are still in their development cycles.
My experience
I was holding the position of IT officer in an organization, and I had a nice experience concerning the implementation of an ERP project.
I have had an experience with an ERP implementation project, and I can remember the Critical success factors were just the same as those listed by Nah et al.We had a business plan with a mission and vision. We managed to change effectively using adequate communication tools. The implementation team was well composed, had the required skills, and was well compensated for their contribution.
The project was well managed in terms of assigning responsibility with clearly set targets and scope, coordination of activities, and change evaluation. The implementation process was timely, and so to say, all the success critical success factors had been put in place.
One thing that we lacked in the project was the support and commitment of the top management. The project was not put on top of the management’s priority, and therefore, it lacked the championship and full support from the management.
References
David L Olson (2004) Introduction to Information Systems Project Management, 2nd Edition: University of Nebraska—Lincoln.
Article (2005 – 2007), Information Systems Project Selection Practice. Universitas 21 Global Pte Ltd. Financial Analysis Session 2, Web.
David L Olson (2004) Introduction to Information Systems Project Management, 2nd Edition: University of Nebraska—Lincoln.
Sommerville I (1999) Software Engineering 6th Edition: Pearson Education Limited, England.
Yeates J & Cadle J (2004) Project Management For Information Systems 4th Edition: Pearson Education Limited, Harlow.