Exploring the Path to ERP Implementation Success: In Retrospect after Rollout

Whereas numerous studies have examined critical success factors (CSFs) for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation, little work has investigated the underlying causal links in the form of conceptual models. This study develops a casual model for ERP implementation success, using a two-stage approach. In Stage one, 27 online publications on ERP implementation in China were collected, and analyzed based on the grounded theory approach, to identify critical events and activities in the process of ERP implementation. In Stage two, a focus group study was conducted to create paths to ERP implementation success in the form of a conceptual model. The 48 critical factors identified in Stage one were mapped onto goals of ERP implementation, following the soft systems methodology (SSM). The result is a model including five high-order concepts: organizational impact, data quality, Normalization of processes, continuous improvement, and fit between business process and ERP systems.