Crm System Implementation: How Great Expectations In Sweden Are Dashed In China

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of a multi-national company’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system implementation in China. The implementation in China was part of the first wave of the global implementation of the CRM-system. Although the company has extensive experience in implementing systems in its different global subsidiaries, and has planned the implementation well, the implementation in China was not a complete success. Based on the study, we identify three issues that were not stressed enough in the current CRM literature: 1) understanding the difference between the organizational culture in which the system is developed, as well as the national culture in which the system is implemented, 2) the ability to operationalize visions into goals and measures, and 3) the need to ensure system and data quality. Keywords: Implementation success, CRM system, corporate and national culture, data and systems quality, Sweden, China, case study.