Celia Romm Livermore

ERP Implementation: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Abstract The literature on ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems implementation is replete with stories of unsuccessful project outcomes. One of the issues that have attracted relatively little research is the interplay between national culture and the manner in which the ERP project unfolds. The goal of this article is to explore this issue through the use of two case studies from the US and Italy. The data from the case studies is used to demonstrate the impact of national cultural on the two ERP implementation projects. Based on the unique patterns of the implementation process in each of the two cultures, broader issues of ERP implementation are explored and directions for future research on ERP implementation across cultures are proposed.

ERP Implementation Across Cultures: A Political Perspective

Implementing an ERP project is a political process. This paper starts with a literature review of organizational politics and its implications to the implementation of ERP systems. The Political Strategies Framework which categorizes different ePolitics strategies in the cases is introduced. The framework is applied in the later sections of the paper to case study data from two companies, one in the US and one in Italy, that both implemented a SAP Enterprise Resources Planning Systems (ERP) with very different outcomes. The discussion highlights the political dynamics in each case and the way in which the framework can help us understand these differences. The conclusions section discusses the differences between the political dynamics in each case and the implications from the findings to broader issues of research on ERP implementation and politics.

Virtual Work in a Global Context

As indicated by Saunders (2000), the above definition of virtual teams encompasses a range of different types of work arrangements, including teams whose members seldom meet face-to-face yet are able to work together, and teams who meet regularly face-to-face, but conduct their work in between meetings virtually. In all these arrangements, virtual work is often global work. It is also in many cases cross-national and cross-cultural and is associated with innovative and possibly controversial practices, such as outsourcing.

The Politics of e-Learning: A Play in Four Acts

rights, including translation into other languages reserved by the publisher. No part of this journal may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher, except for noncommercial, educational use including classroom teaching purposes. Product or company names used in this journal are for identification purposes only. Inclusion of the names of the products or companies does not indicate a claim of ownership by IGI Global of the trademark or registered trademark. The views expressed in this journal are those of the authors but not necessarily of IGI Global.

The Politics of E-Learning: A Theoretical Model

The goal of this research was to study the political strategies utilized in the context of E-Learning. The research is based on the E-Learning Political Strategies (ELPoS) model. The model is based on two dimensions: (1) the direction of the political strategy (upward or downward) and (2) the scope of the political strategy (individual or group based). The model assumes that the interaction between these dimensions will define four different types of E-Learning political strategies, which, in turn, will lead to different outcomes. The model is presented in the context of the literature on E-Learning and is accompanied with four short case studies that demonstrate its political strategies. The discussion and conclusions section integrates the findings from the case studies and outlines the rules that govern the utilization of political E-Learning strategies in different organizational contexts.

A Tale of Two Cultures: The Political Behavior of CIO's in the US and India

A review of the literature on the role of the Chief Information Officer CIO reveals the importance of the political aspect of this role. Building on the Political Strategies Framework Romm & Rippa, 2010, this study investigates the utilization of political strategies across two cultures, the US and India. The findings show crucial differences between CIOs political behavior in the two cultures that are in line with the Hofstede 1980 culture model. The paper concludes with a discussion of the differences between CIO political behavior in the two cultures and how the Hofstde cultural dimensions can explain these differences.

When the Virtual and the Real Clash: Power and Politics in a Social Networking Community

This paper focuses on two related aspects–the politics of social networking communities and the impact that clashes between the real and the virtual spheres have on relationships in social networking communities. The starting point for this paper is a series of events that took place in a social networking community involving a dominant member of the community attempting to overpower others, leading to several of the most active members, including the dominant member himself, leaving the community. Following a review of the literature on social networking and politics, the Virtuality/Reality Conflict (VRC) model is presented. The model is used in this paper as a basis for explaining the events in the case and for discussing the implications from this study to research on politics in virtual communities.