The phases of ERP software implementation and maintenance: A model for predicting preferred ERP use

Nearly all information technology educators and practitioners are familiar with the concept of a systems development life cycle (SDLC). The SDLC model is mainly based on new software development. The stages vary based on methodology, but mostly include planning and requirements definition, analysis, design of the new system, implementation, and post-implementation support such as maintenance and security. Less explored and known are the stages involved in commercial off the shelf installation. The actual implementation of commercial off the shelf software ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems is an area that is suggested to have a life cycle of its own. The importance of specific phases of this ERP implementation life cycle is the subject of this study. By surveying SAP enterprise resource planning implementations at two divisions of a major manufacturing company, a confirmatory factor analysis confirms the existence of four distinct phases of ERP implementation - preparation and training, transition, performance and usefulness, and maintenance. In addition, the overall preferred ERP use is studied and compared with these factors. It was found that the two significant phases which directly influenced preferred ERP use were preparation and training phase, and performance and usefulness phase. Neither transition nor maintenance was found to significantly affect preferred ERP use. This suggests to practitioners that more focus needs to be placed on the key determinants of preferred ERP use - preparation and training phase, and performance and usefulness phase.