A profile of ERP adoption in manufacturing SMEs

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to build and validate a typological profile of manufacturing small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in regard to their eventual adoption of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, based on the predisposition of their environmental, organizational, and technological context.

Design/methodology/approach

Provides cluster analysis of secondary questionnaire data obtained from a benchmarking database of 356 Canadian manufacturing SMEs.

Findings

Three types of SMEs were obtained: 140 “internally predisposed” SMEs, 60 “externally predisposed” SMEs, and 156 “unfavourably disposed” SMEs.

Originality/value

Provides a valid framework for analysis that can serve ERP vendors and consultants, as well as SME owner‐managers, the first to better target their offer of products/services, and the second to better position their firm before contemplating the implementation of an ERP system.

Citation

Raymond, L. and Uwizeyemungu, S. (2007), "A profile of ERP adoption in manufacturing SMEs", Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 487-502. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410390710772731