Organizational Learning and ERP Post-implementation Phase: A Situated Learning Perspective

In this paper, we interpret the sequence of events and issues that led to the ERP failure during the post-implementation phase in a large IT service management company in Australia. For this purpose, we used theoretical frameworks from the domain of organizational and situated learning. We found that several factors created severe complexities and failure at the post-implementation phase of the ERP: 1) staff’s lack of understanding of the SAP-ERP, 2 the interconnection of ERP with business processes, 3) a disconnection between the training that the vendor provided and actual work practices, and 4) management’s and staff’s misunderstanding about the adequacy of the training and staff engagement. Our findings suggest that the theoretical space that situated learning theories provide can enhance our understanding about post-implementation issues