Strategies to Obtain Maximum Usage of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

Strategies to Obtain Maximum Usage of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems by Edward J. Schaffer MBA, Ohio State University, 2001 BS, Miami University, 1989 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University December 2016 Abstract Business organizations invest significant resources implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, yet some organizations utilize less than 75% of the ERP system capabilities. The purpose of this single-site case study was to explore ERP utilization strategies implemented by 4 managers in the information technology (IT) department from 1 organization that uses an ERP system in the Midwest region of the United States. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was the user participation theory. Data were collected through participant interviews and analyzed using traditional text analysis. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of the participants’ responses. The emergent themes from the study were user participation, user involvement, user attitude, user system satisfaction, and user preparation. The most prominent utilization strategies identified by the participants related to the user participation theme. The implications for positive social change include the potential optimization of benefits from the ERP system that could allow the organization’s leaders to direct their resources to causes that can improve the health and welfare of the geographic population in the operational region.Business organizations invest significant resources implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, yet some organizations utilize less than 75% of the ERP system capabilities. The purpose of this single-site case study was to explore ERP utilization strategies implemented by 4 managers in the information technology (IT) department from 1 organization that uses an ERP system in the Midwest region of the United States. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was the user participation theory. Data were collected through participant interviews and analyzed using traditional text analysis. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of the participants’ responses. The emergent themes from the study were user participation, user involvement, user attitude, user system satisfaction, and user preparation. The most prominent utilization strategies identified by the participants related to the user participation theme. The implications for positive social change include the potential optimization of benefits from the ERP system that could allow the organization’s leaders to direct their resources to causes that can improve the health and welfare of the geographic population in the operational region. Strategies to Obtain Maximum Usage of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems by Edward J. Schaffer MBA, Ohio State University, 2001 BS, Miami University, 1989 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University December 2016