Title: Managing ERP system evaluation and selection in SMEs using the six-imperatives methodology

Authors: Maria Argyropoulou, George Ioannou, Klas Eric Soderquist, Jaideep Motwani

Addresses: Brunel Business School, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlessex, UB8 3PH, UK. ' Athens University of Economics and Business, 76, Patission Str., GR10434 Athens, Greece. ' Athens University of Economics and Business, 76, Patission Str., GR10434 Athens, Greece. ' Department of Management, Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA

Abstract: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) adoption involves initiating the appropriate business process changes and information technology upgrades to enhance enterprise performance, quality, costs, flexibility and responsiveness. While the number of articles in ERP implementation is substantial, limited attention has been given to the ERP adoption by Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Motivated by the organisation fit of the ERP concept, we propose a structured methodology for ERP system evaluation and selection which can be easily used by SMEs, as it provides the necessary information for their decision-making process. This article describes the ERP evaluation and selection methodology followed by an industrial Greek company. The proposed methodology consists of a framework built upon six imperatives, which generate a number of ERP objectives materialised through a set of levers. The analysis results in the identification of tailor-made ERP objectives, which, in turn, are used in a multiple criteria model as part of the decision-making process to select, from a list of alternatives, a suitable ERP vendor.

Keywords: ERP evaluation; ERP selection; mulit-criteria decision making; MCDM; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; Greece; enterprise resource planning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPM.2008.018430

International Journal of Procurement Management, 2008 Vol.1 No.4, pp.430 - 452

Published online: 21 May 2008 *

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