Enterprise resource planning user satisfaction the case study of the Water Services Corporation

Abstract

It is often argued that the enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are the price to enter the world of business. These systems are fundamental for firms to achieve, maintain and enhance their competitiveness. In spite of these notable remarks, the literature does not provide a defined benchmark to measure the level of success of these systems. Nor does the literature provide enough studies addressing the operation phase of ERP systems. Research studies to measure the level of success at Water Services Corporation (WSC), the water utility in Malta and which recently implemented the ERP system, have not been conducted. This study seeks to address the problems relating to these literature gaps, while establishing the level of ERP success at WSC. This is possible by a thirty five item instrument which measures the users’ satisfaction into three categories: system performance characteristics, organisational characteristics and personal characteristics. The results are analysed and compared to historical results in order to establish those variables requiring improvement. These analyses show that improvements could be done to the system performance and to some organisational characteristics. Given that there is limited research seeking to measure the operational phase of ERP systems and that this is the first of its type in a public entity in Malta, this should contribute paramount knowledge in this industry, especially in the Maltese archipelago. This study should serve as a stimulus to further studies which explore the reasons for its result and to ensure that good results are maintained and others improved.