Segmenting and mining the ERP users’ perceived benefits using the rough set approach

Abstract

Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) systems are viewed as a promising and powerful information technology solution for dealing with the impact of competition advancements and enabling corporations to improve productivity and to operate more efficiently. Although implementations of ERP are complex and costly, corporations may actively adopt and engage in such ERP implementations if perceived benefits exceed perceived risks and costs. A number of studies have contributed to discussion of important factors related to ERP introduction or implementation. Other studies have listed various potential benefits which may be obtained when implementing ERP systems. However, few studies attempt to deepen the analyses of the ERP users’ perceived benefits in order to gain meaningful findings for promoting ERP implementations. Typically, elements of a set of ERP benefits do not necessarily share the same importance. Moreover, a given ERP benefit may be accorded a variety of very different levels of importance by different corporations. This paper attempts to segment the ERP users into two subgroups according to the notion of Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene theory, and further, to uncover imperative perceived benefits for distinct subgroups of ERP users employing the rough set theory. The results of this study should provide better understanding and knowledge of strategic implications for both ERP system adopters and vendors, and thus advance the scope of ERP implementations.