TY - JOUR
T1 - How to Turn Around a Failing ERP Implementation
T2 - Project Management Routines as Boundary Objects
AU - Battleson, Douglas A.
AU - Mathiassen, Lars Kolind
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are very challenging and expensive to implement and past research recognizes that these projects continue to suffer from high failure rates. While the factors that contribute to these failures have been extensively examined, we know little about how to turn failing projects around. In response, this research presents a study of a failing ERP implementation project that was successfully turned around over a twelve-month period. Adapting theory of sensemaking through boundary objects, we explain how a new project manager helped the team members share their individual perspectives on the problematic situation and together develop new directions through mindful enactment of project management routines. As a result, we offer a detailed empirical account of the ERP project turnaround; practical lessons managers can use to intervene into failing ERP projects; and, a theoretical model of how project management routines as boundary objects can help participants make sense of cooperative work in the absence of consensus.
AB - Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are very challenging and expensive to implement and past research recognizes that these projects continue to suffer from high failure rates. While the factors that contribute to these failures have been extensively examined, we know little about how to turn failing projects around. In response, this research presents a study of a failing ERP implementation project that was successfully turned around over a twelve-month period. Adapting theory of sensemaking through boundary objects, we explain how a new project manager helped the team members share their individual perspectives on the problematic situation and together develop new directions through mindful enactment of project management routines. As a result, we offer a detailed empirical account of the ERP project turnaround; practical lessons managers can use to intervene into failing ERP projects; and, a theoretical model of how project management routines as boundary objects can help participants make sense of cooperative work in the absence of consensus.
U2 - 10.28953/2375-8643.1051
DO - 10.28953/2375-8643.1051
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2375-8643
VL - 4
JO - Engaged Management ReView
JF - Engaged Management ReView
IS - 1
M1 - 1
ER -