CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN IMPLEMENTING MRP AND GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE - A SINGAPORE CONTEXT

It is generally acknowledged that Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) could revolutionize manufacturing operations. Making use of data from a recent survey of MRP practices in Singapore conducted jointly by the National Computer Board (NCB) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), this paper provides a profile of manufacturing companies in Singapore that both have and have not implemented MRP. The Critical Success Factors involved in implementing MRP are identified and the theoretical justification behind each factor examined. Finally, the ways in which the Singapore Government can help local companies implement, operate, and maintain MRP systems are discussed. It is an expensive investment, and difficult to implement, due to its complexity. It is hoped that knowledge and understanding of these factors will assist firms in successfully implementing MRP and enable them to further improve their systems in order to maximize returns.