Assessment of Foremostco

Why did this project get into so much trouble and during the implementation what might have be done to

Contingency Variables

ERP Adaptation Level - build their own ERP software but lacked the necessary IT skills, project management skills and defined functions and goals for the project.

Process Adaptation - existing organisational structure fit to package, organisational culture fit to package and level of training provided.

Organizational Resistance – change in job content and uncertainty of new system, disruption, different power level with employees, resources allocations, overt and covert opponents within the organisation.

Organizational fit of ERP

ERP Implementation Success

Data Fit – item codes longer and harder to understand. Staff locked out of entering data.

Cost - cost not a constraint

Process Fit – customer billed for product they did not get and others billed for products they did not order.

Time - started to late

User Fit – not a friendly user interface, learn a whole new language Performance - new and old system could not be run parallel.

Benefits – if it worked the system could be easily updated and maintained.

No project feasibility done, no fixed and clear time schedule.

The project was started too late.

No real project leader who understood everything that needed to take place.

Current IT Manager running the project was probably not a good one. He was more suited to run the old system than try and develop a new one. He was in over his head and would start the downfall of the project. Lack of testing, and no trial run of a "live" system before it went live to iron out bugs.

Scope of the project underestimated. Installing a new accounting package after 80% of the programming was done resulting in many changes having to be made to code already written to get both systems working and sharing information.

Too many people were brought in to try and rush the project through while input from employees was never considered.

Asked staff to test the basic version of the software in December where they were told a more user friendly version would be updated later.

With the implementation of an ERP, there is a change in the way things function and the employees will be required to work in a transparent environment and interact with the people from the other departments. Team