Understanding Organization—Enterprise System Fit: A Path to Theorizing the Information Technology Artifact1
MIS QuarterlyPublished 1 December 2010
strong, Volkoff
Citations408
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score4.49
SNIP2.65
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TL;DR
A three-year qualitative study of misfits that arose from an enterprise system (ES) implementation revealed a new conceptualization of the ES artifact, with implications for IT artifacts in general.
Abstract
Packaged software applications such as enterprise systems are designed to support generic rather than specific requirements, and hence are likely to be an imperfect fit in any particular instance. Using critical realism as our philosophical perspective, we conducted a three-year qualitative study of misfits that arose from an enterprise system (ES) implementation. A detailed analysis of the observed misfits resulted in a richer understanding of the concept of fit and of the ES artifact itself. Specifically, we found six misfit domains (functionality, data, usability, role, control and organizational culture) and within each, two types of misfit (deficiencies and impositions). These misfit types correspond to two newly defined types of fit: fit as coverage and fit as enablement. Our analysis of fit also revealed a new conceptualization of the ES artifact, with implications for IT artifacts in general.
Keywords
Business, Management and Accounting
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