UNDERSTANDING AN ERP CHANGE IMPLEMENTATION IN A LEBANESE BANK: A CRITICAL REALIST ANALYSIS

Purpose:
Enterprise Resource Planning implementation studies focused on different facets or stages of change. The main purposes of this study are to explore an ERP change implementation process of a Lebanese Bank, from the conception of the change need through to the change completion, to get insights as to how and why the implementation occurred the way it had.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs an in‐depth case study method and uses semi-structured interviews for collecting data from key participants. Additional data was obtained from observation and documents. The approach to critical realism is employed permitting to propose mechanisms that help to explain the outcomes observed. A methodology for analysis has been developed using a coding system based on the identification of events, contexts and structures, followed by re-description (abduction) and retroduction to suggest mechanisms for observed processes.
Findings
The mechanisms identified were consistent with theories/mechanisms suggested by earlier research but with some differences. It was realized that the process of change could be effectively examined as a series of phases, with the mechanisms of later phases being shaped by the mechanisms present in preceding phases. Aspects of change were found an interaction of both the social and technical. Key aspects of technology-based change include the nature and interactions of people with each other, and with the technology. Capabilities that were not present in the Bank were developed by its members during the processes. Thus, the capabilities of people and the dynamic capabilities inherent in their relationships are important to contextualizing the nature and the speed of change. The nature of people/machine interactions is also important to realizing system abilities (affordances). Affordances mechanisms explain human interactions with machines and tools. Social mechanisms influenced the way people work with each other in a system. Thus, there were instance of the Bank having to unfreeze attitudes, but this was at all organisational levels and roles.
Research implications
This study contributes to the literature with its whole process of implementation, its new methodology of analysis. It recognizes contextually based structures, systems and interdependent phases.
Originality/value
Significantly, this single case study contributes to understanding of ERP implementation process and strategic management in organisations. Furthermore, data analysis of this study provides methodological guidance illustrating the value of applying critical realism in developing causal explanations and generates better insights about phenomena. It could be followed by researchers and practitioners in similar or different contexts. Accordingly, future ERP implementation processes can be compared and benchmarked. This study also contributes to knowledge by combining different perspectives on understanding technology-based change in organisations.
Keywords: Critical realism, causal mechanisms, affordances, change management, strategy.