Working in the shadows: Understanding ERP usage as complex responsive processes of conversations in the daily practices of a Special Operations Force

Christiansen, Ulrik; Kjærgaard, Annemette; Hartmann, Rasmus Koss

doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2012.01.002

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…However, as with all IS, ERPs too, suffer from large failure rates, partly attributed to the implementation process (Poba-Nzaou & Raymond, 2010). The implementation of an ERP requires significant, organisational change (Boudreau & Robey, 2005) because they enforce standardised processes across the organisation (Christiansen, Kjaergaard, & Hartmann, 2012). Having said that, organisational change is "grounded in the ongoing practices of organizational actors, and emerges out of their (tacit and not so tacit) accommodations to and experiments with the everyday contingencies, breakdowns, exceptions, opportunities and unintended consequences they encounter" (Orlikowski, 1996, p. 65).…”

Section: Is Development and Implementation In Developing Countriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing E-government in Lagos State: Understanding the impact of cultural perceptions and working practices

Choudrie

Zamani

Umeoji

et al. 2017

Government Information Quarterly

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Section: Is Development and Implementation In Developing Countriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing E-government in Lagos State: Understanding the impact of cultural perceptions and working practices

Choudrie

Zamani

Umeoji

et al. 2017

Government Information Quarterly

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“…The operating logic of ERP systems is that every process is first defined in the configuration of the software and then executed exactly as defined, as ensured by the various checks and safeguards of the system (Kallinikos, 2004; Lowe and Locke, 2008). Through their emphasis on (i) process standardization, (ii) rules‐based control, and (iii) intensive collection of data into a centralized database, ERP systems represent one of the most profound contemporary manifestations of the Bureaucratic Theory of organizations (Kallinikos, 2004; Lowe and Locke, 2008; Morton and Hu, 2008; Berente and Yoo, 2012; Christiansen et al, 2012). This classic theory, rooted in the ideas of Weber (1946), Taylor (1911), and Fayol (1949), holds that standard processes, rules, and careful documentation of organizational activities are vital for the successful management of complex organizations where individuals and subunits are highly specialized (e.g., Blau, 1970).…”

Section: Competing Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Frustrated with the inflexibility of ERP systems, many managers have sought help from in‐house developed software or traditional functionally specialized business applications (Upton and Staats, 2008; Deloitte, 2010; Prouty and Castellina, 2011; Ganly and Montgomery, 2012). Often, if the managers have not taken the initiative to replace the ERP system, their subordinates have begun to circumvent its use (Bendoly and Cotteleer, 2008; Xue et al, 2011; Christiansen et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance effects of using an ERP system for manufacturing planning and control under dynamic market requirements

Tenhiälä

Helkiö

2014

J of Ops Management

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Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have a controversial reputation. Critics say that even if ERP systems may be beneficial for organizations operating in stable conditions, they are surely detrimental to organizations that face dynamic market requirements. This is because ERP systems are said to impose such procedures and constraints on organizations that make business processes inflexible to change. In contrast, proponents argue that the information-processing capabilities of ERP systems are crucial for organizations that face dynamic market requirements and also that the criticized procedures and constraints actually support process reengineering. These two contradictory arguments are often found in practitioner literature, but both of them can also be supported by management theory. The central tenets of the Organic Theory of organization design imply that ERP systems should be detrimental when market requirements change frequently, whereas the principles of Rigid Flexibility Theory suggest that they should be advantageous. In this study, we use cross-sectional data from 151 manufacturing plants to determine which argument is more applicable in the context of manufacturing planning and control. The results strongly favor the use of ERP systems under dynamic market requirements. To facilitate the reconciliation of the two contradictory arguments, we discuss how the results may have been influenced by two contextual factors: the predominantly technical nature of the studied organizational system and the tight interdependence of the studied activities.

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“…The arena for new and alternative approaches will therefore become informal settings, and the themes will be perceived as shadow themesperceived as subversive by those involved in the interaction (Stacey, 2011) -happening 'below the radar'. Understanding how innovation can happen in organizations is therefore linked to the understanding of how shadow themes can eventually become increasingly legitimate -in line with Christiansen, Kjaergaard and Hartmann (2012), who recommend that managers include shadow themes in everyday conversation. Rather than seeing such activities as subversive and potentially harmful to the organization, it may be more helpful for managers to appreciate the value of such conversations -or, at the very least, to acknowledge their existence.…”

Section: Processes Of Innovation Will Often Involve Shadow Themesmentioning

confidence: 95%

Innovation as Improvisation ‘In The Shadow’

Larsen

Bogers²

2014

Creat Innov Manage

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In this article, we explore processes of innovation – which are inherently uncertain – from a complexity perspective, in which they are understood as new patterns of experiences as they emerge in human conversational interaction. We reflect on local interactions between people involved in emerging processes of innovation, with a particular emphasis on the improvisational nature of interaction. Through an abductive approach, by iterating actual experiences and our understanding of them, we show that such processes are collective efforts that take place as informal, highly improvised conversations — happening ‘below the radar’ — which may unpredictably offer windows of opportunity to enable change. We show that innovation often emerges as ‘shadow themes’, experienced as subversive by those involved in the moments of interaction. While these themes are embedded in informal conversations and processes, they can be induced by invitations – conscious or unconscious moves that encourage those involved to make spontaneous moves together in a mutually improvised context. Our experience shows that the emergence of shadow themes can have a long‐term impact on the organization and the people involved, and that managers may be ‘in charge but not in control’ of such innovation processes.

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Working in the shadows: Understanding ERP usage as complex responsive processes of conversations in the daily practices of a Special Operations Force

Cited by 14 publications

References 51 publications

Implementing E-government in Lagos State: Understanding the impact of cultural perceptions and working practices

Implementing E-government in Lagos State: Understanding the impact of cultural perceptions and working practices

Performance effects of using an ERP system for manufacturing planning and control under dynamic market requirements

Innovation as Improvisation ‘In The Shadow’

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