Risk management method to ERP systems implementation based on critical sucess factors

Abstract

From the second half of years 90, the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems implementation appears like one of the main investment focos related to the use of information technology in the companies, which aimed to acquire competitive advantages through cost reduction and differentiation of products with the use of these systems. ERP implementation showed to be much more than a technology project, involving structural and mannering changes, becoming a complex and high risk process for the organizations. In the literature specialized on ERP, there are many examples of the difficulties of this type of project and about implementations that had not reached the expected objectives, frustrating the expectations of the contractors. The present work describes, first of all, the development of a risk management method to ERP systems implementation, based on critical success factors. Then, a case of application of the considered method is analyzed, detailing the steps and the results gotten until the moment. To the end, evidences regarding to how the method helps to improve risk management during ERP implementations are presented.