Enterprise System Implementation Risks and Controls

Abstract

Introduction Some organizations report success and significant process gains resulting from enterprise system implementation, while many others encounter significant losses. It is readily apparent that the implementation of packaged enterprise system software, and associated requisite changes in business processes, has proved not to be an easy task. As many organizations have discovered, the implementation of enterprise systems can become a recipe for disaster unless the process is carefully handled. The following headlines provide a glimpse of the troubles encountered by organizations, ‘SAP: Whirlpool's Rush to Go Live Led to Shipping Snafus’ (Collett, 1999), ‘Delays, Bugs, and Cost Overrun..