Enterprise systems in international business operations: The benefits and problems of fit in international enterprise systems implementation

Abstract

This research strives to create an in-depth understanding of the benefits and problems of fit in international enterprise systems in both head offices and local business units. Through case study of four international organizations this study intends to assess the alignment between international organizational operations and enterprise systems configuration. Different aspects of the impacts on both head office and local units are then analyzed. Major findings are: • A misfit between international ES configuration and business operation can still lead to successful implementation and beneficial system utilization if the after-implementation business operation fits the ES operation. • ES can be applied by international enterprises to transform the global operation. • International ES implementation can run smoother if BPR is applied. It is hoped that the broad-scope, multi-dimensional impact analysis of international ES fit could provide a useful insights for understanding the various consequences of ES fit in international business operations.