Vicious and virtuous cycles in ERP implementation: a case

41 ERP implementations are complex undertakings. Recent research has provided us with plausible critical 42 success factors (CSFs) for such implementations. This article describes how one list of CSFs (Somers & 43 Nelson, 2001) was used to analyse and explain project performance in one ERP implementation in the 44 aviation industry. In this particular case, poor project performance led to a serious project crisis but this 45 situation was turned around into a success. The list of CSFs employed was found to be helpful and appropri46 ate in explaining both the initial failure and the eventual success of the implementation. CSFs in this case 47 appeared to be highly correlated, ie changes in any one of them would influence most of the others as 48 well. The reversal in performance after the project crisis was caused by substantial changes in attitudes 49 with most of the stakeholders involved, such as top management, project management, project champion 50 and software vendor. 51 European Journal of Information Systems (2002) ●, 000–000.