Organizational structure and enterprise systems implementation: Theoretical measures and a benchmark for customer teams

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the structural design of customer teams (CuTes) working with external teams to implement customized information systems (IS). Design consists of theoretically based measures and a first set of real-world, empirical values. Design/methodology/approach – A search in the organizational literature suggested that the adhocracy is the preferred structure for CuTes. Adhocracy-like measures were then developed and applied to a high-performance CuTe to reveal a first benchmark for a team’s adhocratic design. Findings – High-performance CuTes do not necessarily implement the adhocratic principles to the highest degree. Research limitations/implications – It is still open whether all the structural measures described here are necessary and sufficient to describe the adhocracy-like structural design of CuTes. Practical implications – The CuTe is highlighted as the key incumbent of cooperation with the technology supplier and consultants in terms of project authority a...

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