2004 IRISH SCIENTIST YEAR BOOK

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Limerick Institute of Technology
Marian Carcary & Ciara Staunton
The development of a unified Critical Success Factor Model for implementation of Resource Planning Software
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software is a comprehensive enterprise wide business software solution that integrates all internal business processes, and facilitates organisational integration with the entire supply chain. It is one of the largest investments in IT today, being a driving force in generating organisational efficiencies. However, implementation efforts are typically costly, timely and fraught with difficulty, with several reported implementation failures, many of which resulted from the approaches taken by companies during their implementation efforts. The Critical Success Factor (CSF) model produced in this study aims to overcome such problems, by focusing on all factors critical to success throughout the lifecycle, thus enabling companies to better realise the potential of their ERP investments.

The model developed partitions the implementation effort according to three stages � pre-implementation, implementation, and post implementation. These stages help companies maintain focus right throughout a lengthy project.

Twenty CSFs are identified and partitioned according to these stages. They are categorised according to tier 1, or most important factors, and tier 2 factors of lesser importance. Certain factors pertain to only one stage, others pertain to two, while others span all three stages of the implementation effort. The model indicates the initial stage where the CSF becomes relevant, as well as the other stages, if any, to which it pertains.

The model proposes that adherence to the three stages identified can be a major stepping stone in a company reaping competitive advantage from their ERP system. It recognises that competitive advantage is derived at a point in the lifecycle, post implementation, where the combination of CSFs that have been addressed in implementing the system work positively towards generating company efficiencies. This combination of benefits contributes to an efficiently run organisation that produces goods and services in a manner superior to its competitors. Therein lies competitive advantage.


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Contact: Marian Carcary & Ciara Staunton, Department of Information Technology, LIT;
E-mail: [email protected]