Adoption Of ERP Systems in Small and Medium Enterprises: A Study of Multiple Cases In Southern Of Minas Gerais

Abstract

This work analyzes the adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) information systems in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Adoption of ERP in SMEs can provide better control of organizational processes and quality to the information that drives decision-making. However, small and medium-sized enterprises have long remained outside the scope of ERP adoption research. Current scientific literature cover, at first, large firms and when SMEs are the unit of analysis, results are not similar whether compared to the large firms. Thus, this research aims to identify and analyze the factors that influence the adoption of ERP in SMEs. This purpose was achieved through a qualitative approach, inductive logic, interpretive epistemology, and a multiple case study (six firms) in companies located at the southern of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Data were collected by interviews with the managers (administrative or IT) and analyzed by two techniques: Lexical and Content Analysis. We used Iramuteq software to support Lexical Analysis. We observed that the adoption of ERP in SMEs has higher influence by Technological and Organizational constructs than by Environmental factors. Variables such as commercial partnerships, external support and competitiveness were not observed as a factor that influence ERP adoption in SMEs. Otherwise, added value, compatibility, firm size, and the composition of the steering body were observed as a factor that positively influence ERP adoption in Brazilians SMEs.