Critical Implementation Factors for Cloud-Based Enterprise Resources planning in the Nigerian Maritime Transport and Supply Chain

Abstract

Technology has deeply impacted the practice of shipping in the maritime industry worldwide, this explains the way and manner big organizations have engaged modern technology like Cloud-based Enterprise Resources Planning, to manage the key parts of their businesses. Recent research and practices have shown that cloud-based ERP systems if implemented correctly could be a great beneficial advantage to the logistics and supply chain process of a large organization. Unfortunately, the implementation has been slow in the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). Reports have shown that there is a need to re-engineer linkages between service systems within the growing organizations. From the perspective of an enterprise like NIMASA, only limited research has been conducted that has played an important role in intimating the organization towards the adoption of a cloud-based ERP system as well as the post-implementation measures. Most recent studies have been conducted only in the context of generic information system adoption. Information system research is not strong enough without considering the articulating system speed and performance of CERP. This study investigates the critical factors influencing the adoption of Cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (CERP) in the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency with a focus on Maritime logistics and supply chain. A structured based questionnaire was administered to 130 senior maritime workers in the Nigerian Maritime industry to extract factors that hinder the adoption of information systems like cloud-based ERP. The quantitative data were analyzed based on the impact ranking to inform a proposed implementation model for a Cloud-based ERP in the organization. The research also highlights some important Critical Success Factors like technology-related factors, funding for technology innovation (Economic and financial factors), Policy related barriers, and how they influence development in the Maritime industry.