Challenges and Success Factors of ERP Systems in Australian SMEs

Cultural Challenges of ERP Implementation in Middle-Eastern Oil & Gas Sector: An Action Research Approach

The purpose of this paper was to examine the cultural barriers that existed at various stages of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation process, using the Middle-Eastern oil and gas sector as a case study. Due to a variety of cultural implications, ERP implementation rates in the oil and gas sector in Middle-Eastern developing countries are extremely low. Although the literature highlighted numerous ERP implementation theories that attempted to overcome the cultural complexities of ERP systems, there are few studies that have framed these complexities using action research theory in order to provide potential solutions to these challenges, particularly in Middle-Eastern developing countries where cultural settings are distinct from those in Western developed countries. Action research AR, in conjunction with documentation, observations, and interviews, aided in the exploration of the culturally complex barriers encountered during the pre-implementation (plan and propose), implementation (do), and post-implementation (assess and improve) stages of ERP projects conducted within a Middle-Eastern oil and gas organisation. This article confirms numerous cultural implications at each stage of the ERP implementation process, including team conflict, managerial authority, and a lack of an IT culture, all of which contributed to the project's delay. Other impediments, such as a lack of commitment to training and technophobia, persisted throughout the post-implementation phase and the subsequent follow-up experience under the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This article contributes to theory and practise by highlighting the culturally complex barriers that underpin many ERP implementations in the Middle Eastern oil and gas sector. This information can assist practitioners and researchers in developing future research and ideas to mitigate future ERP implementation challenges in this region.

A Framework for Knowledge Management System Adoption in Small and Medium Enterprises

Knowledge is a key competitive advantage for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as a way of competing with other organisations. There is a need to investigate SME adoption of knowledge management systems (KMSs). Knowledge management systems can only assist in this task if they are sufficiently adopted. The purpose of this research was to develop a conceptual framework for KMS adoption within an SME context. The research aimed to explore the interdependencies between various contextual KMS adoption factors, namely the technology, organization, environmental and human behavioural contexts. Four mini-focus groups were conducted and included employees in SMEs. Thematic analysis identified nine themes that describe the dynamics that either promote or prevent KMS adoption. The findings provide deeper insights into the influencing factors in KMS adoption to enhance SME performance and competitiveness. The KMS adoption framework can be applied to improve the adoption of technology in SMEs. Future research could include SMEs in specific industries to compare adoption factors and could also include larger organisations.

Risk Factors When Implementing ERP Systems in Small Companies

Implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems often aims to improve the companies’ processes in order to gain competitive advantage on the market. Especially, small companies need to integrate systems with suppliers and customers; hence, ERP systems often become a requirement. ERP system implementation processes in small enterprises contain several risk factors. Research has concluded that ERP implementation projects fail to a relatively high degree. Small companies are found to be constrained by limited resources, limited IS (information systems) knowledge and lack of IT expertise in ERP implementation. There are relatively few empirical research studies on implementing ERP systems in small enterprises and there is a large gap in research that could guide managers of small companies. This paper is based on a case study of three small enterprises that are planning to implement ERP systems that support their business processes. The aim of the paper is to identify the risk factors that can arise when implementing ERP systems in small enterprises. The analysis shows that an ERP system is a good solution to avoid using many different, separate systems in parallel. However, the study shows that it is challenging to integrate all systems used by suppliers and customers. An ERP system can include all information in one system and all information can also easily be accessed within that system. However, the implementation could be a demanding process as it requires engagement from all involved people, especially the managers of the companies.

Classification of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises Based on the Level of Industry 4.0 Implementation

Due to Industry 4.0 technologies, small- and medium-sized enterprises have a great opportunity to increase their competitiveness. However, the question remains as to whether they are truly able to implement such modern technologies faster and carry out digital transformation. The main aim of the paper is to classify small- and medium-sized enterprises into various groups, according to the level of implementation of Industry 4.0, using the Index of Industry 4.0. Based on the results of the cluster analysis, the small and medium enterprises are categorized into four different groups, according to the level of implementation of Industry 4.0. There are top Industry 4.0 technological enterprises, I4 start enterprises, noobs enterprises, and I4 advances enterprises. So far, the largest group consists of the small- and medium-sized enterprises that are just starting out with the introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as IT infrastructure, digitalization (data, cloud, data analysis, and information systems), and sensors. On the other hand, the top I4 technological enterprises group is the least numerous. The analysis carried out comparing the small- and medium-sized enterprises with the large enterprises shows that the SMEs still have a lower level of Industry 4.0 implementation. This confirms the assumption that the large enterprises have greater opportunities to use new technologies and transform them into smart factories. However, this situation may change in the future if new technologies become more accessible, and SMEs are worth investing in Industry 4.0 in terms of the return on investment.

How Does Technological and Financial Literacy Influence SME Performance: Mediating Role of ERM Practices

The knowledge-based view (KBV) in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is a debatable topic in the current literature. Although convergence of technological and financial literacy (techno-finance literacy) is an essential knowledge-based tool to address rapid digitalization of business, the influence of techno-finance literacy in the development of SMEs is still not adequately researched. Drawing upon KBV, we developed a single-mediator structural model with an aim to explore the effect of techno-finance literacy and enterprise risk management (ERM) practices (applications) on the performance of SMEs. A self-administered structured questionnaire was employed to collect data from 319 chief financial offers (CFOs) in Sri Lankan SMEs. The outcome of our study highlights that techno-finance literacy is a significant determinant of two endogenous constructs, namely, SME performance and ERM practices. Furthermore, ERM practices of SMEs were also positively affected to the SME performance. Moreover, ERM practices were observed to have a partial mediation on the relationship between financial literacy and SME performance. These findings form the basis for theories in techno-finance literacy and SME performance, as well as present managerial implications to enhance the performance of SMEs.

Gamification of Enterprise Systems

Enterprise systems have become an integral part of an organization’s operations. However, they also pose many challenges to organizations from the perspective of implementation, user training, as well as use and acceptance. Without effective usage, enterprise systems may not be able to provide the strategic or competitive advantages that organizations desire. Therefore, organizations may consider gamification to enhance training, acceptance, and usage. We discuss the various ways in which enterprise system challenges can be addressed through the lens of gamification and present a framework for gamification of enterprise systems. The framework is comprised of basic principles and key design elements of gamification, as well as their application to enterprise systems. The specific principles of gamification include Challenge, Interactivity, Goal Orientation, Social Connectivity, Competition, Achievement, Reinforcement, and Fun Orientation. Design elements, such as points, levels, badges, leaderboards, progress bars, quests, and avatars, represent the application of these gamification principles, which can foster engagement with enterprise systems. The framework was validated by a group of experts. We also provide practical and theoretical implications, as well as suggestions for future research.

A Systematic Snapshot of Small Packaged Software Vendors' Enterprises

This article describes how small packaged software vendors' enterprises (SPSVEs) have played a massive role in a software environment and contributed dramatically to economies. The purpose of this article is to investigate and categorize the most recent of literature addressing small packaged software vendors' enterprises through a systematic snapshot research in order to identify current research topics and highlight some areas needing more consideration. The pattern of the authors' systematic approach is based on developing a classification scheme which targets a collection of papers published within the period of 2007-2017. The authors analysed one hundred and one papers from peer-reviewed conferences, journals, and workshops to examine the current state of SPSVE's research in order to provide systematic snapshot mapping (SSM) that includes the small packaged software life cycle, research methods used, and country of study. The systematic snapshot of 101 papers reveals that the majority of the literature has focused on the planning and implementation phases of SPSVEs. Figuring out a new model of packaged software life-cycle in SMEs will occur by applying the model of categorizations with regard to the life cycle with its factors and sub factors. Moreover, it will contribute to finding research methods, regions, top ten citation, articles type classifications, and other kinds of classifications. This research is targeted to small packaged software vendors' enterprises (SPSVEs). The authors' finding is intended for software research areas more than economic research areas. This article has presented a high degree of benefits in order to assist researchers in evidence-based decision making in terms of investigating hot research areas in line with the small packaged software vendors' enterprises (SPSVEs).