Critical factors in the implementation process of integrated management systems

Abstract

This study is the result of research whose purpose was to study the implementation process of integrated management systems, called ERP Enterprise Resource Planning in the business environment. This study, more specifically, tried to identify the variables in this process and that, somehow, made it easy or caused some type of difficulty implementing the system. Based on the mixed method approach (Creswell, 2003), the study was performed by means of the content analysis of technical and scientific publications about this theme and by means of a field research for data collection from primary sources. The content analysis was based on the per mile procedure by Bardin (1977), making it possible to identify critical factors that may be found in the implementation of ERP system projects. Primary data was collected from structured interviews with the managers in charge of the implementation of the system, in each of the 12 companies in different sectors of the economy and based in Brazil. Based on this information, it was possible to test the factors extracted from the content analysis and then develop a list of factors that may effectively influence the implementation process of the system. In order to recognize the possible relations between the selected factors, the Spearman (rsp) correlation coefficient was applied and the multiple regression analysis was performed by means of the stepwise procedure. The purpose of the regression analysis was to determine the relation of the “Assessment of the Implementation” dependent variable with other dependent variables in the selected categories. The results of these analyses showed that the support of the top management, the communication process for the clear evidence of this support, the technical support of the ERP program provider together with the project team expertise, training and qualification processes of the team in the system operation are significantly correlated and relevant factors for a successful implementation of the project.