The Turnaround ERP Project: Strategies and Issues

A case study of an ERP project within a Fortune 100 company in the transportation industry is used to identify the strategies which facilitate a turnaround ERP project. The case study was developed using in-depth interviews with the President and the Chief Information Officer of the firm. The strategies described in this paper include project sponsorship, top management accountability, change control procedures, customization decision-making, measurement of project outcomes, management perception of the value of the ERP system, vendor relationship, and organizational change. To facilitate the turnaround project, top management involvement and accountability were critical. Modifications to the ERP system were minimized, and accountability mechanisms to monitor project outcomes— both in time and cost— were established.

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