Tacit Knowledge Sharing During ERP Implementation: A Multi-Site Case Study

This study examines tacit knowledge sharing in enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation. There is often a large gap in knowledge among ERP implementation personnel because of ERP's cross-functional nature. An underlying assumption of knowledge sharing is that individuals can share the knowledge they have. Although this is a valid assumption for explicit knowledge that can readily be examined apart from the individual who originated it, tacit knowledge is not as easily examined. This study presents findings about facilitators of tacit knowledge sharing in three firms that have implemented ERP. Data were collected through interviews using a multi-site case study. This study contributes to the body of knowledge about tacit knowledge sharing in ERP implementation in several ways. First, it identifies and categorizes factors that facilitate tacit knowledge sharing during ERP implementation. Second, it proposes which facilitators seem to result in the most tacit knowledge sharing. Third, it provides several guidelines for practitioners that they can use in their own ERP implementations. Finally, the study provides directions for avenues of future research, and suggests two research questions arising out of these findings that might be explored.