Abstract

Considerable research has been done on ERP implementation projects and their success in organisations of various size. Project management has been identified as one of the critical success factors of the ERP implementation. The results from IS implementation success studies cannot be generalised to the small and medium business context. Few project management studies investigate project management activities in SME ERP implementation context. Many leading scholars in recent studies recognise outcome-focused approach to projects. This applied to the context of SME ERP projects means the project is not finished until the strategic objectives of the business, which were the rationale for adopting ERP, are realised. In this research, perceived factors of ERP project success from perspective of various stakeholder groups will be investigated and contrasted with IS Model of Success. There is increasing emphasis on determining the best fit project management approach based on type project type. Using the criteria specified in one of the available project typology methods as the framework, different views on SME ERP project type will be examined to obtain greater understanding of best fit project management approach for this type projects. Finally, using PMI’s project management knowledge areas as the structure, the project management activities that could impact achieving ERP adoption objectives will be explored. Data will be collected using semi structured interviews with project managers and ERP consultants. Participants will be asked to reflect on their experiences in SME ERP projects. There are contradictory views on many issues in SME ERP projects in terms of project success, best fit project management approach, and project management practices. Critical hermeneutics as the mode of analysis will be used for interpreting the text and making sense of SME ERP project as a temporary organisation.

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