Internal It Knowledge and Expertise as Antecedents of Erp System Effectiveness: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

The literature shows that contingency factors such as organizational culture and structure, organization size, top management support, external expertise, and internal support are critical for the effectiveness of Enterprise Research Planning (ERP) systems in adopting organizations. Research on the effect of in-house computer and information technology (IT) knowledge and expertise on the success of such packages is rare. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of computer/IT skills as antecedents of ERP system effectiveness. Using relevant theoretical foundations, a research model was developed to test eight relevant hypotheses. Data was collected in a cross-sectional field survey of 109 firms in two European countries. The partial least squares (PLS) technique was used for data analysis. The PLS results confirmed six out of the eight hypotheses. The study's conceptualization supported the view that in-house computer/IT skills are indeed pertinent to ERP system success in adopting organizations. The research implications for practice and research conclude this study.