Analyzing Different Strategies to Enterprise System Adoption: Reengineering-Led vs. Quick-Deployment

The literature on enterprise system (ES) adoption suggests that companies use different strategies for implementation — some opting to radically reengineer business processes up-front, while others employ a quick-deployment strategy on the assumption that organizational change will follow. In this article we explore how these two different strategies play out in practice and also consider the factors that influence which approach is taken. We use exploratory data from interviews with consultants who have been involved in multiple ES implementations in external companies, as well as interviews with project members involved in an internal ES implementation. Analysis of the data suggests that some level of reengineering is an inevitable outcome of ES implementation. However, attempts to reengineer up-front is difficult and can be problematic. Much of this stems from how the ES is actually used versus its envisioned (or planned) use. The implications for post-implementation exploitation opportunities are explored.