ERP System and Implementation-Process Benefits : Implications for B2B E-Procurement

Although a considerable amount of documentation has been published on the alleged benefits of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, rigorous theoretically supported research into this topic has been limited. Furthermore, with the recent popularity of new technologies such as those supporting Business-to-Business (B2B) e-procurement, many have begun to loose focus of the underlying infrastructure upon which these new technologies depend, and which ERP systems provide. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical foundation for the consideration of the criticality of ERP system implementations with regards to the effective utilization of up-and-coming technologies. We approach this task in two steps. First we apply the theory of Swift, Even Flow to illustrate the potential impact that both the Product and Process of ERP implementation can have on overall operational effectiveness. We then utilize the theory of Resource Dependency to suggest the impact that such improved effectiveness might have on the ability of a firm to take advantage of B2B e-procurement technologies. An investigation of 61 B2B success cases reveals that the extent to which firms witness savings through such procurement is dependent not only on the presence of an implemented ERP system but also on the length of time such systems have been present and active