Critical success factors for ERP implementations in Belgian SMEs

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the critical success factors of ERP implementations in Belgian SMEs and to identify those success factors that are specific to a SME environment.Design/methodology/approachThe authors survey the literature to discover and classify critical success factors that are potentially applicable to small and medium‐sized enterprises. Through a survey and a multiple case study within four Belgian companies, the authors investigate which of these critical success factors apply to SMEs.FindingsThe results show that most of the success factors found in the literature apply to SMEs. Nevertheless, distinct differences were found as well. Some factors, such as a clear scope definition and a standardised infrastructure, are not regarded as critical success factors for SMEs. Moreover, SMEs tend to rely relatively heavily on the input of consultants, who they use as a source of knowledge and experience. Moreover, SMEs need to be able to adjust their businesses quickly to be able to exploit their niche to the fullest extent.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited to Belgian enterprises.Originality/valueFor SMEs, it is particularly important to recognise the elements for a successful ERP implementation. This paper examines the critical success factors of ERP implementations in small and medium‐sized enterprises, while the existing literature on critical success factors of ERP implementations focuses on large enterprises.