Title: Issues in multinational ERP implementation

Authors: David L. Olson, Bongsug Chae, Chwen Sheu

Addresses: Department of Management, University of Nebraska, CBA 209, Lincoln, NE 68588 0491, USA. ' Department of Management, Kansas State University, 12 Calvin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA. ' Department of Management, Kansas State University, 19D Calvin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA

Abstract: Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have been credited with providing competitive advantage in multinational business operations, to include supply chains. Multinational implementations of ERP involve added complexity. This paper uses case studies and other reports of multinational ERP implementation to identify implementation factors of importance. Four technical factors were identified (business process reengineering, federalism and customisation, supply chain features and outsourcing). Additionally, more general issues were compared (culture/language, management style, political factors and labour skills). Multinational ERP implementations radically change organisational information systems. Careful planning of how to implement ERP systems is needed in multinational environments in order to identify the best ERP design and the best redesign of business processes.

Keywords: enterprise resource planning systems; multinational information systems; information systems implementation; multinational ERP; ERP implementation; business process reengineering; BPR; federalism; customisation; supply chain features; outsourcing; ERP design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2005.006314

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2005 Vol.1 No.1, pp.7 - 21

Published online: 19 Feb 2005 *

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