1. CSFs along ERP life-cycle
in SMEs : A field study
Shaul, Levi, and DoronTauber (2013)
Prepared By: Moutasm Tamimi
Software Engineering
2017

2. CSFs - Critical Success Factors
ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning
SMEs - Small medium enterprises

3. The Purpose:
A comprehensive success model for enterprise resource planning (ERP)
implementation in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

4. The Methodology:
• Clusters 94 critical success factors (CSFs) into 15 categories using validity, reliability,
reliability, principal component and multicollinearity analyses.
• Applies a stakeholder perspective, taking into consideration both users, developers,

5. Findings:
• Different categories and different sub-factors affect an ERP project
according to its phase in the life cycle and that each category and each
phase of an ERP project focuses on different success factors

6. Research limitations/implications:
• Differences in the scope of implementation, organizational, technological and
environmental characteristics were not taken into consideration.
• This study did not distinguish between different levels of ERP system usage.

7. Keywords:
• Small to medium-sized enterprises, Resource management, Critical success
success factors, Enterprise resource planning, Life cycle, Field study,
Perspectives on IT

8. Definition:
• Critical success factor models: (CSFs) an approach has been applied to many
many aspects of information systems, and more recently to ERP system
system implementations (Esteves and Pastor, 2006).

9. ERP life-cycle in SMEs
1
Planning
2
Implementatio
n
3
Stabilization
4
Backlog
5
New module
6
Major
upgrade
Fundamental phases
(1,2,3)
Post-implementation phases
(4,5,6)(Maheshwari et al., 2010)
(Motiwalla andThompson, 2009).

10. Phase 1: Planning
• Is the fundamental phase in Life cycle of ERP system with 73 success factors
factors that are relevant in this phase.

11. Phase 2: Implementation
• Is the fundamental phase in Life cycle of ERP system with 79 success factors
factors that are relevant in this phase.

12. Phase 3: Stabilization
• Is the fundamental phase in Life cycle of ERP system with 65 success factors
factors that are relevant in this phase.

13. Phase 4: Backlog
• Is the Post-implementation phase in Life cycle of ERP system with 50 success
success factors that are relevant in this phase.

14. Phase 5: New module
• Is the Post-implementation phase in Life cycle of ERP system with 88 success factors that

15. Phase 6: Major upgrade
• Is the Post-implementation phase in Life cycle of ERP system with 62 success factors that
factors that are relevant in this phase.
• Typically requires a considerable amount of resources, both financial and human, and a
and a need to keep pace with ERP vendor upgrades to guarantee vendor support for the
for the system by providing upgrades to “fix” outstanding “bugs”, current best practices
practices or design weaknesses. Moreover, ERP research should be developed to explore
explore the progressive effects of increasing the scope of the ERP modules, thus taking
taking version upgrades into account (El-Amrani et al., 2006).

16. Results
• This study presents a comprehensive success model for ERP implementation in SMEs,
shown in Tables, with 94 CSFs grouped under 15 constructs within six common
themes. The constructs are (in alphabetical order):
1. Change management,
2. Data management,
3. Education and training,
4. Environment,
5. ERP system,
6. Implementation strategy,
7. Monitoring management,
8. Organizational character,
9. Package selection
process,
11. Project team competence,
12. Software development,
13. Top management support,
14. User involvement
15. Vendor.

17. Phase 1: Planning
Factors Sub-Factors
Project management 1. Analyse objectives
2. Define a clear program and required resources
3. Set realistic milestones
4. Ensure interdepartmental cooperation
Change management 1. Assign full-time change management team
2. Develop a strong and cohesive culture
3. allowing widely sharing of the core values
Data management 1. Study data requirements
2. Analyse information flow
3. Identify data elements owners
Organization 1. Argue the case of ES
2. Let all stakeholders the chance to air their views
3. Evaluate organizational maturity

18. Phase 1: Planning
Factors Sub-Factors
User involvement 1. Assign users’ delegates with excellent knowledge
of organizational processes
Project team competence 1. Skilled project team
2. Coordinate expectations
3. Cross-functional representation
Strategy and methodology 1. C-Level (e.g. CEO)
2. Project champion
3. Develop a found vision
4. Analyse different implementation strategies
Support of top management 1. Make sound decisions
2. Mediate and overrule
3. Appoint open minded figures
4. Allocate adequate resources

19. Phase 1: Planning
Factors Sub-Factors
Monitoring 1. Define achievements indicators
2. Set responsibilities for reporting
Education and training 1. Re-skill the IT workforce
2. Generate “common language”
3. Train decision makers
Enterprise system 1. Prefer BPR rather than customisation
2. Plan the reliability performance measures
Enterprise system
process
1. Appoint selection team covering large functional area
2. Run preliminary gap analysis and preimplementation
pilot

20. Phase 1: Planning
Factors Sub-Factors
Software development 1. Plan overall ERP architecture
2. Strong attention to techniques, skills, integrated legacy
and third-party systems
Vendor 1. Learn the corporate business processes, industry best
practices and vendor processes and vision
Environment 1. Analyse the industry’s level of differentiation
2. Analyse business opportunities

21. Phase 2: Implementation
Factors Sub-Factors
Project management 1. Avoid scope creep
2. Handle unexpected resources needs
3. Manage conflicts
4. Track progress and risks involved
Change management 1. Have a “buy-in” by all major stakeholder’s strategy
2. Develop business justification
3. Assign opinion leaders
Data management 1. Plan data model
2. Plan data conversion process
Organization characteristics 1. Prevent the spread of half-truths, rumors and conspiracy
theories about the project

22. Factors Sub-Factors
User involvement 1. Users’ delegates participate in the detailed design
2. Assess users’ ability to input and interpret information
Project team competence 1. Empower project team to streamline processes and force
BPR
2. Promote pluralism in thinking
Strategy and methodology 1. Ensure fair time
2. Determine hardware standardization
3. Develop uncertainties handling methodology
Support of top
management
1. Appoint managerial and technical steering committees
2. Resolve political conflicts

23. Factors Sub-Factors
Monitoring 1. Develop performance measures
2. Monitor project progress
Education and training 1. Develop users training programs
2. Acquire external expertise
Enterprise system 1. Plan ES flexible enough
2. Consist on best practices
Enterprise system selection
process
1. Make continues justification of additional functionality
through bolt-on applications

24. Factors Sub-Factors
Software development 1. Appropriate modelling methods
2. Technical response mechanism
3. Plan process customization certification
Vendor 1. Employ IT vendors’ skilled representatives
2. Establish vendor’s support framework
Environment 1. Analyze the desired flexibility to balance corporate
willingness to adopt ES

25. Phase 3: Stabilization
Factors Sub-Factors
Project management 1. Set work plans for future versions
2. Set a policy for a version upgrade duration
3. Post-implementation audit
4. Knowledge transfer
Change management 1. Handle organizational obstacles
2. Enhance “performance priority” policy rather than
“seniority priority”
Data management 1. Maintain “health metrics” of data quality
2. Extend users training for data accuracy procedures
Organization characteristics 1. Enable all organizational stakeholders be updated Develop
high level of usage and efficacy

26. Factors Sub-Factors
User involvement 1. Support with on job training
2. Break old habits of manual work
3. Delegates are module experts
Project team competence 1. Transfer unique knowledge Buffer work plan so project
team can control a portion of their work content
Strategy and methodology 1. Improve users’ trust
2. Promote forecasted benefits
3. Thorough review of future architectural considerations
Support of top
management
1. Make efforts to exploit capabilities and eliminate limitations
2. Willingness to postpone a backlog delivery waiting to an
innovation maturity
Phase 3: Stabilization

27. Factors Sub-Factors
Monitoring 1. Monitor users’ skills metrics
2. Monitor system support metrics
Education and training 1. Enhance users’ knowledge and efficacy
2. Develop a tailored training
3. Ongoing training support
Enterprise system 1. Ongoing stream of upgrades to fix bugs, regulations and
new functionality
Enterprise system selection
process
1. Performing postimplementation gap analysis of the current
ERP fit
Phase 3: Stabilization

28. Factors Sub-Factors
Software development 1. Re-evaluate, future consequences of resolving errors
Vendor 1. Analyze vendor’s ongoing and future changes
2. Implement best of breed bolt-on tools
Environment 1. Analyze own ability to alter new rules of competition and
leverage new ways to outperform rivals
Phase 3: Stabilization

29. Phase 4: Backlog
Factors Sub-Factors
Project management 1. Set work plans for future versions
2. Set a policy for a version upgrade duration
3. Post-implementation audit
4. Knowledge transfer
Change management 1. Handle organizational obstacles
2. Enhance “performance priority” policy rather than
“seniority priority”
Data management 1. Maintain “health metrics” of data quality
2. Extend users training for data accuracy procedures
Organization characteristics 1. Enable all organizational stakeholders be updated Develop
high level of usage and efficacy

30. Factors Sub-Factors
User involvement 1. Support with on job training
2. Break old habits of manual work
3. Delegates are module experts
Project team competence 1. Transfer unique knowledge Buffer work plan so project
team can control a portion of their work content
Strategy and methodology 1. Improve users’ trust
2. Promote forecasted benefits
3. Thorough review of future architectural considerations
Support of top
management
1. Make efforts to exploit capabilities and eliminate limitations
2. Willingness to postpone a backlog delivery waiting to an
innovation maturity
Phase 4: Backlog

31. Factors Sub-Factors
Monitoring 1. Monitor users’ skills metrics
2. Monitor system support metrics
Education and training 1. Enhance users’ knowledge and efficacy
2. Develop a tailored training
3. Ongoing training support
Enterprise system 1. Ongoing stream of upgrades to fix bugs, regulations and
new functionality
Enterprise system selection
process
1. Performing postimplementation gap analysis of the current
ERP fit
Phase 4: Backlog

32. Factors Sub-Factors
Software development 1. Re-evaluate, future consequences of resolving errors
Vendor 1. Analyze vendor’s ongoing and future changes
2. Implement best of breed bolt-on tools
Environment 1. Analyze own ability to alter new rules of competition and
leverage new ways to outperform rivals
Phase 4: Backlog

33. Phase 5: New module
Factors Sub-Factors
Project management 1. Analyze objectives and expected outcomes in light of
existing ES, corporate strategy, legacy system, future
standardization and regulations
Change management 1. Study former obstacles Analyze future potential
organizational obstacles
2. Manage political stresses and changes in organizational
focus
Data management 1. Ensure that high level standards of data accuracy are
maintained
Organization characteristics 1. Ensure the coordination and cooperation of all stakeholders
affected by new module implementation

34. Factors Sub-Factors
User involvement 1. Users’ delegates are involved in defying processes and
obstacles
2. Get third-party guarantee that the transaction will be
carried out properly
Project team competence 1. Strengthen the project team with relevant to module
personnel and consultants
Strategy and methodology 1. Define a clear goal statement of new
2. Modules requirements
3. Analyze strategy in light of previous implementations
Support of top
management
1. Plan future modules order based on its outcomes, maturity
and corporate vision
2. Analyze outcomes of integrated ES
Phase 5: New module

35. Factors Sub-Factors
Monitoring 1. Define monitoring measures for unsolved obstacles that
affect new module implementation
Education and training 1. Train on future interfaces, obsolete legacy systems, data
quality, etc.
Enterprise system 1. Study lessons of former implementation
2. Analyze implementation of bolt-on applications
Enterprise system selection
process
1. Analyze different modules implementation taking into
account multiple vendors and infrastructure considerations
Phase 5: New module

36. Factors Sub-Factors
Software development 1. Proper tools, techniques and skills for data cleanup and
migration
2. Testing interfaces of the new module with ES and legacy
systems
Vendor 1. Analyze future new modules aiming to enhance the
competitiveness and efficiency of the ES
2. Analyze vendor’s vision and directions
Environment 1. Analyze trading partner readiness to integrate its business
2. Analyze problems resulting from lack of integration
Phase 5: New module

37. Factors Sub-Factors
Project management 1. Manage conflicts of technical upgrade vs business needs
2. Align expectations of capability, complexity, knowledge gap,
barriers removal
Change management 1. Organizational understanding of the importance of
infrastructure upgrades
2. Manage political stresses
Data management 1. Define applications needed for data management
2. Aspire to eliminate informal data
Organization characteristics 1. Analyze the experience gained throughout initial
implementation
2. Analyze specific organizational challenges
Phase 6: Major upgrade

38. Factors Sub-Factors
User involvement 1. Users’ delegates are involved in prioritizing functionality
that can be implemented after ES upgrade
Project team competence 1. Consult former project team representatives that gather
critical knowledge
Strategy and methodology 1. Make use of experts
2. Understand potential upgrade issues
3. A thorough analysis of architectural considerations
Support of top
management
1. Willingness to upgrade although its intangible benefits
2. Understanding that today technology becomes legacy
tomorrow
Phase 6: Major upgrade

39. Factors Sub-Factors
Monitoring 1. Ensure former users’ satisfaction
2. Ensure end to end operation
Education and training 1. Train project team on limitations, future maintenance, etc.
2. Train organizational opinion leaders on longterm impacts
Enterprise system 1. Analyze implications on current processes
Enterprise system selection
process
1. Analyze ease of maintenance efforts
2. Guarantee vendor support
3. Carefully select infrastructure upgraded elements in light of
technical and business improvements needs
Phase 6: Major upgrade

40. Factors Sub-Factors
Software development 1. Analyze the benefits of reducing the
2. Existing customizations, enhancements and operational cost
Vendor 1. Usage of infrastructure modeling tools
2. Vendor providing extended technical assistance
Environment 1. Analyze changes in environmental uncertainties
Phase 6: Major upgrade

41. References
■ Shaul, Levi, and Doron Tauber. "CSFs along ERP life-cycle in SMEs: a field study." Industrial
Management & Data Systems 112.3 (2012): 360-384.
■ Esteves, J. and Pastor, J. (2006), “Organizational and technological critical success factors
behavior along the ERP implementation phases”, in Seruca, I., Cordeiro, J., Hammoudi, S.
and Felipe, J. (Eds), Handbook of Enterprise Information Systems VI, Springer, Amsterdam,
pp. 63-71.
■ Maheshwari, B., Kumar, V. and Kumar, U. (2010), “Delineating the ERP institutionalization
process: go-live to effectiveness”, Business Process Management Journal, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp.
744-71.
■ Motiwalla, L. and Thompson, J. (2009), Enterprise Systems for Management, Prentice-Hall,
NewYork, NY.

42. Speaker Information
 Moutasm tamimi
 Independent Consultant , IT Researcher ,
CEO at ITG7
 Instructor of: Project Management.
DBMS Specialist.
.NET Applications.
Digital Marketing.
– Email: tamimi@itg7.com
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44. CSFs along ERP life-cycle
in SMEs : A field study
Shaul, Levi, and DoronTauber (2013)
Prepared By: Moutasm Tamimi
Software Engineering
2017