mation officers report that resistance is the primary reason why so many good ideas fail. But it's the people who can make or break the success of a project. Without their buy-in and support, projects are doomed.
mation, managing user expectation and convincing the ‘end users’ to change the way they undertake the current roles and responsibilities are often a big challenge in any ERP project. 2.2 NEW ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE – APPLICATION AND BUSINESS
It's not resistance itself that leads to failure; it's the way we handle it. To respond to resistance in an effec- ERP systems can bring about quantum improvement in tive and proactive manner, we must first understand the quality of decision-making process at various levels the root cause of the same. of management namely strategic, tactical & operational. The major factors which contribute to the need for exe- Such systems come bundled with industry specific best cuting CM for the ERP implementation projects include management practices. Quantum benefits are attributuser expectations, new integrated architecture, new ed to process oriented approach enabled by an intebusiness processes and a change in roles and responsi- grated system and improved management practices. bilities. Each of these factors is briefly discussed below: Often salient features of ERP are summed up as below: 2.1 USER EXPECTATIONS
ERP is an integrated software connecting all departments and critical processes of an organization Managing change is really about managing the stakeholders’ expectations. ERP implementation projects face ERP comes bundled with best business practices expectations issues as organizations are enthusiastic about the new system. In reality, major system changWhen we implement ERP, we land up improving the es (especially ERP) take time (including post go-live business processes in the company time) to be fully implemented and to work out the kinks. This is primary need for expectation manageERP provides significant business benefit ment. The organization users may similarly feel that their expectations from the ERP implementation pro- Implementing the ERP system will transform the enterprise architecture in two ways: (1) Changes in Product jects have not been completely met. All the stakeholders have functional expectations from Architecture (IT systems) and (2) Changes in the BusiERP. The Business Unit users are used to working in a ness Processes. The primary changes that will affect legacy system environment that has been highly cus- the users are: tomized to meet their needs. They have also developed Changes in product architecture their business processes around the legacy systems. Organizations traditionally have multiple comDue to the standard implementation approach, the puterised systems may be termed as ‘island of functionality may not exist in standard ERP or may not information systems’. Many of these systems exactly match their needs or may exists in a different were developed from the perspective of autoway. mation through capturing of user reThe above factor could contribute to resistance anaging quirements. Some of these systems change is (being not an integrated system) proto the new system. This will gradually subside as really about the users understand the greater functionality managing vide users high degree of flexibility and and flexibility that the ERP provide them. To ease the stakeholders’ freedom from a departmental perspecthe users into the new system and ensure a expectations tive. smooth transition, the CM strategy must ensure Working in an integrated environment, that all the above factors are addressed and disconnected through a centralized archicussed. tecture involves major change in the ‘mindset’ of End users would often look at ERP project as an autoend users. Users will often be expected to mation exercise of their current business processes. On change the way they do their current business the other hand ERP is all about working in an integrat(perform their roles and responsibilities). This ed environment with process orientation and adopting will involve training of users on the new system significant changes in the way the current business pro(ERP system) and appreciate their new role decesses are managed to facilitate adoption of best busimanded by integrated architecture environment. ness practices. Limiting the scope, discouraging auto-
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Synergy Oct 2015, Page 25