Criteria for ERP selection : tailored to Tampere scale-ups engaged with manufacturing
Claudino, Indiamara; Trigoso Navarrete, Shirley (2024)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024053119486
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024053119486
Tiivistelmä
Despite the growing significance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in business operations, there is a notable gap in ERP literature addressing the needs and challenges of emerging businesses during the ERP system selection process. Hence, this thesis qualitative research focuses on the ERP system selection process, aiming at the creation of suitable ERP system selection criteria tailored to Tampere scale-ups engaged with manufacturing.
The qualitative approach of this research is based on theoretical insights about startups’ lifecycle growth stage, Tampere scale-ups’ characteristics, SCM’s role in the growth stage, and the ERP selection process. The foundational grasp on these topics guides the integration of interviews and a survey with Tampere scale-ups, in addition to a stakeholder analysis of the Tampere startup ecosystem. These investigative techniques enable the establishment of scaleups’ internal situation, identification of SCM’s challenges, and an overview of parties relevant to scale-ups’ growth towards expansion. The results revealed that Tampere scale-ups manage operations and resources for growth with an emphasis on Research and Development (R&D) and operations based on customer-specific KPIs with a predominance of financial metrics. Furthermore, it identified SCM’s challenges related to issues in supplier relationships and regulatory constraints. In the external environment of Tampere scale-ups, financial and technological support highlights the most accessible stakeholders whose support has the highest impact on scale-ups’ growth towards expansion.
The criteria recommended for selecting ERP systems tailored to Tampere scaleups emphasise R&D facilitation, SCM visibility, and financial assistance. These criteria align with Tampere scale-ups’ internal and external environment dynamic by addressing the challenges with scalability, profitability, and innovation development. Consequently, this research reduces the knowledge gap in how scale-ups affect ERP selection processes, highlighting the importance of addressing specific growth needs and operational adjustments due to the complexities of supply chain operations under high uncertainty circumstances.
The qualitative approach of this research is based on theoretical insights about startups’ lifecycle growth stage, Tampere scale-ups’ characteristics, SCM’s role in the growth stage, and the ERP selection process. The foundational grasp on these topics guides the integration of interviews and a survey with Tampere scale-ups, in addition to a stakeholder analysis of the Tampere startup ecosystem. These investigative techniques enable the establishment of scaleups’ internal situation, identification of SCM’s challenges, and an overview of parties relevant to scale-ups’ growth towards expansion. The results revealed that Tampere scale-ups manage operations and resources for growth with an emphasis on Research and Development (R&D) and operations based on customer-specific KPIs with a predominance of financial metrics. Furthermore, it identified SCM’s challenges related to issues in supplier relationships and regulatory constraints. In the external environment of Tampere scale-ups, financial and technological support highlights the most accessible stakeholders whose support has the highest impact on scale-ups’ growth towards expansion.
The criteria recommended for selecting ERP systems tailored to Tampere scaleups emphasise R&D facilitation, SCM visibility, and financial assistance. These criteria align with Tampere scale-ups’ internal and external environment dynamic by addressing the challenges with scalability, profitability, and innovation development. Consequently, this research reduces the knowledge gap in how scale-ups affect ERP selection processes, highlighting the importance of addressing specific growth needs and operational adjustments due to the complexities of supply chain operations under high uncertainty circumstances.