Abstracts Business

The human factor : how relationships impacted an ERP implementation at Waltons Namibia

by Victor Boshoff

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The increase in the use of Enterprise Resource Planning systems in organisations has created an industry which impacts organisations significantly, whether it may be positive or negative. Waltons Namibia has gone through the process twice in a four year period. The processes were handled in a different manner which resulted in different outcomes. The financial impact and general performance of the company were thus significantly different as a result of the different approaches. The study analyzes and assesses the process that was followed during the second implementation process by identifying and evaluating the critical success factors which were addressed successfully and not-successfully. These critical success factors are analyzed in a framework of phases of which the implementation process consists with specific focus on how stakeholder relationships impacted and can impact the critical success factors during an implementation process. The research question can thus be stated as follows: Does the management of relationships between stakeholders in the ERP implementation process play a significant role in the success of the outcome? A secondary result of the research is the creation of a document which can be utilized by organisations to assist in the planning and execution of an ERP implementation by utilizing the framework of phases and identification of critical success factors to manage the project. The study was qualitative in nature utilizing data collected through observation, discussions with participants and personal participation during the project. An encompassing literature review was done prior to the project and the study as well as an assessment of the organisations strategic architecture and the impact it has on the project. The result of the study shows that the management of relationships throughout the project plays a major role in determining the outcome of the project and has Advisors/Committee Members: Butler, Martin.