IMPACT OF ORGANISATIONAL RESOURCES ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ERP BY AN SME FIRM: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

SME firms have limited resources which imposes a constraint on their ability to successfully implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. In this research we investigate problems faced by two subsidiaries of an SME trading firm in their move towards ERP. Our findings indicate that the nature of problems differ for the three different stages of ERP implementation life cycle- (1) pre-implementation, (2) customization, reengineering and installation, and (3) post-implementation usage and monitoring. SME firms lack resources to address some crucial problems in each of the three stages. Our findings also indicate that problems in the initial pre-implementation stage may have a ripple effect on the following stages, affecting successful implementation. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.