Learning to Implement Enterprise Systems: An Exploratory Study of the Dialectics of Change

Abstract

This paper reports on a comparative case study of 13 industrial firms that had implemented an enterprise resource plannmg (ERP) system. Firms were compared based on their dialectical leammg process. All firms had to overcome knowledge bamers of two types: those associated with the configuration of the ERP package, and those associated with the assimilation of new work processes. We examined the mechanisms through which firms attempted to overcome each type of knowledge barrier. We also observed different ERP implementation approaches: piecemeal and concerted. In the former approach, firms concentrated on the technology first and on process changes second. In the latter approach, both the technology and the process changes were tackled together. The learning challenges associated with each of these approaches were found to be different.

Dialectics and Contradictions in Public Procurement of Information Systems

“…Dialectics has been applied to analyze learning [7] and misalignments in ERP implementation [8]. We therefore found dialectics useful in our study.…”

“…While stakeholder theory and dialectics has been previously applied in combination in analysis of e-government cooperation [13], and enterprise implementation [7,8], to our knowledge it has not been used in examining public procurement. In our study we attempt to demonstrate how combining the two analytical lenses can provide a better understanding of public procurement of information systems.…”

“…One stream has examined the conflicts and contradictions that surface in IS projects in general [2][3][4] and in the public sector in particular [1,5]. The theoretical premise of several of these studies has been dialectics [4,[6][7][8]. The other stream has focused on stakeholders and how differing interests lead to contradictions and often conflicts in IS projects in general [3,9] and in eGovernment in particular [10][11][12].…”

Understanding knowledge management software-organisation misalignments from an institutional perspective: A case study of a global IT-management consultancy firm

“…As such, it is understandable that the institutional contexts impinge upon the structures embedded in the technology or the implementing organisation. Consequently most organisations face significant knowledge barriers in reflecting their context in their implementation (Robey et al, 2002).…”

Changement organisationnel et implementation des TIC : pourquoi faire attention aux dimensions economiques de la gestion du savoir dans le cas des ERP ?

“…Seulement, on constate un écart croissant entre cette intention et les pratiques à partir de 1998 : les entreprises qui s'y essayèrent ont essuyé des échecs notoires. D'autres entreprises adoptent depuis une stratégie plus prudente d'implantation incrémentale au « coup par coup » (piecemeal) qui a davantage de succès, et qui suppose une succession des phases implémentation et de redesign des nouveaux processus de travail (ROBEY et al, 2002). Ces résultats synthétiques suggèrent la question suivante : comment expliquer cette évolution dynamique de la stratégie organisationnelle des entreprises?…”