Business process integrity and enterprise resource planning systems : an analysis of workaround practices in a large public sector organisation

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Information Technology (IT) artefacts, such as Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs),promise much with regard to meeting the requirements of organisations. In the knowledgeeconomy, organisations require real time data, information flow and integration of businessprocesses to remain financially viable and competitive. However, organisations often fail to harnessERP systems effectively. This thesis attempts to unpack a section of the complex nature of ERPswith emphasis on the post-adoption phase of the systems' development life cycle. This studyexplores the complex interface between rigid IT artefacts like ERPs and the, often unpredictable,reality of organisational work processes. Focus falls, in particular, on the workaround practices thatend users of the system perform and the effects these have on the integrity of the business process.Based on an extensive literature review, an integrated framework for business process integrity isdeveloped and formulated. This model is applied to the analysis of a qualitative data set compiledduring an empirical investigation of a large Local Government Organisation utilising a proprietaryERP product. The data set includes semi-structured interviews with members of the ERP usercommunity relating to their handling of impositions or deficiencies experienced when using theartefact.To define the relationship between business process integrity and workaround practices, eachworkaround identified is individually analysed to determine the reasons and outcomes that areassociated with its enactment. Results indicate that workaround practices have diverse impacts onthe various dimensions of business process integrity. While, in certain scenarios, they pose seriousthreats to organisational performance, they also play a particularly important role in enhancing theorganisation's ability to handle non-standard business cases. Despite their informal and often covertnature, workaround practices are at the heart of the balance between control and flexibility inorganisations and their existence suggests that, contrary to common beliefs, ERPs only have limitedagency in determining organisational workflow.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University