Abstract
During the last decades, organizations worldwide have replaced their fragmented and home-grown information systems with standardized Enterprise Systems that span the entire organization. The logics embedded in Enterprise Systems, such as a centralized and integrated view on the firm, standardized organization-wide working processes, and data sharing, may or may not be congruent with the cultural context of the user organization. Especially in case of a limited alignment, the adoption and full use of the Enterprise System will require specific attention from implementers. By developing a theoretical explanation of how responses to Enterprise Systems are influenced by cultural values, we contribute to the development of a cultural alignment theory of Enterprise Systems. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural values framework, we analysed 85 published cases from firms operating in different cultural contexts, which resulted in the modelling of two contrasting archetypical cultural profiles: one that is more, and one that is less, receptive to the logics embedded in Enterprise Systems. Our model provides implementers with the necessary insights to develop implementation strategies that take the cultural context into account.
Highlights
For the last decades, the use of packaged integrated software solu tions, so-called Enterprise Systems (ES), has expanded at the expense of custom-made systems
This study has examined how the adoption of Enterprise Systems implementations is influenced by cultural values
The logics embedded in Enterprise Systems can be char acterized as a centralized and integrated view of the firm, disciplined and standardized organization-wide working processes, data sharing, transparency, management control, and top-down implementation ap proaches
Summary
The use of packaged integrated software solu tions, so-called Enterprise Systems (ES), has expanded at the expense of custom-made systems. Enterprise Systems are commercial software packages that enable the integration of transaction-oriented data and business processes throughout an organization (Davenport, 1998). The technology of Enterprise Systems has improved over the years due to cloud platforms, increased connectivity, improved user-friendliness, and mobile access, the large-scale adoption and effective use of Enterprise Systems is an ongoing concern since the ’one size fits all’ logic of Enterprise Systems does not always match specific and sometimes idiosyncratic needs present in organizations (Strong & Volkoff, 2010; Berente, Lyytinen, Yoo, & Maurer, 2019). The logics that are embedded in En terprise Systems can be characterized as a centralized and integrated view of the firm, disciplined and standardized organization-wide working processes, data sharing, transparency, management control, and top-down implementation approaches (Soh, Kien, & Tay-Yap, 2000; Strong & Volkoff, 2010). One important contextual factor of ES imple mentations is the culture (Soh et al, 2000), referring to the dominant national, regional, organizational, departmental, or occupational cul ture of the adopting organization, which to some extent will fit or misfit with the logics embedded in an Enterprise System
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