Critical Success Factors for ERP Projects: Recommendations from a Canadian Exploratory Study

Sreekumar Menon

doi:10.5539/ijbm.v15n2p80

Abstract

This research paper discusses key recommendations for improving future Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations based on insights from an exploratory qualitative single case study in the Canadian Oil and Gas Industry. The study was conducted using a semi-structured interview guide from twenty participants belonging to four project role groups of senior leaders, project managers, project team members, and business users. The research evoked a comprehensive list of forty-two critical success factors (CSFs) and out of which, top ten CSFs discussed include: Know your data, longer and more integrated testing, utilization of the right people, longer stabilization period (hyper-care), communication, address legal and fiscal requirements, hyper-care must be longer, early buy-in from business, have a Lean Agile program, less customization and more vanilla out of the box, and project must be business-driven and not IT-driven. This study is one of first ERP case studies in the Canadian oil and gas industry and the research recommendations can prove to be beneficial for organizations when undertaking ERP implementations.

Highlights

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (Enterprise Resource and Planning) is a centralized and integrated enterprise software system (CEIS) (Menon, 2019), which typically comprise of several functional modules including finance, project systems, sales, procurement, production, human resources, customer relationship management etc. that are tightly integrated with all business functions and other connected applications
One of the implications of this ERP study is that it is conducted in industry area of Canadian oil and gas sector
ERP system chosen for this research study is SAP, since the case organization has implemented SAP system

Summary

Introduction

ERP (Enterprise Resource and Planning) is a centralized and integrated enterprise software system (CEIS) (Menon, 2019), which typically comprise of several functional modules including finance, project systems, sales, procurement, production, human resources, customer relationship management etc. that are tightly integrated with all business functions and other connected applications. ERP (Enterprise Resource and Planning) is a centralized and integrated enterprise software system (CEIS) (Menon, 2019), which typically comprise of several functional modules including finance, project systems, sales, procurement, production, human resources, customer relationship management etc. ERP system allows integration of business processes with shared customer, vendor, and material databases within the organization. This cross-organizational integration of business processes with shared data, can effectively enable the management to take timely and strategic business decisions (Ross & Vitale, 2006; Menon, 2016 & 2019). Enterprise systems are clearly an important phenomenon, and management can draw key benefits gained from ERP system implementation (Menon, 2019). Critical success factors play a key role in vendor selection, implementation, deployment and support

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