CSFs In ERP Implementation-A Case Study Based On Contingency Theory

The application of ERP is a crucial issue of information systems (IS) in Chinese enterprises. Based on contingency theory, this paper explores the ciritical success factors (CSFs) of organizational context in the ERP implimatation and verifies the relationship between the CSFs and the ERP implimatation success.Based on literature review of ERP/IS implementation critical success factors and organizational context, the definition of organizational fit is given, and four factors (process fit, organizational construct maturity fit, data fit and user fit) in organizational context and three contingency variables (ERP adaptation, organizational resisitance and third support) are developed, and then four hypotheses are proposed.Implementing ERP is a dynamic and complex process that various environment will lead to different solutions; therefore this paper adopts contingency theory as the theoretical study to research the diversification in ERP implementation.Furthermore, this research conducts a two-stage research: (1) Grounded Theory was applied to a single case study to verify the existence of the four factors in organizational context and three contingency variables; (2) multiple-case study with 6 steps (open-ended and focused interviews) was designed and subsequent questionnaire were employed, 4 cases were chosen; comparison and analysis of intra- and inter-case, and inter-factor were carried after the reliability and validity testing.The conclusions indicate that: (1) These four factors in the organizational context have a direct and significant effect on implementation success; (2) the effects of contingency variables: organizational resisitance moderates the relationshio between organizational fit and ERP implimation success; ERP adaptation mediates the relationship between process/organizational construct maturity fit and ERP implimentation success; there exists a positive relationship between third support and organizational fit/ ERP implimentation success.Finally, the difference and complementation between four cases are discussed; managerial implication and limitation are pointed out.