Understanding ERP system adoption from the user's perspective

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a new management technology that advocates an integrated approach to conduct business. While organizations are hoping to apply this technology to improve overall performance, they must understand what it takes for their employees to use it. Although the use of ERP systems may not be voluntary, the understanding of system adoption from the user's perspective is useful in helping the organizations prepare their employees to face new challenges and learn how to make good use of the technology. To analyze factors affecting the ERP system usage, we proposed a conceptual model derived from the Triandis framework. The use of the Triandis framework is based on the previous research that documents the importance of social factors on the adoption of a technology. An empirical study was conducted in Hong Kong to understand the adoption process. Our research results show that social factors are the most significant determinant affecting the ERP system usage. Other factors such as compatibility and near-term consequences are also significant. Based on our findings, we also propose some important managerial implications in connection to promoting the usage. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.