Knowledge integration by ERP projects teams: Two case studies within SMEs

Authors

  • François DELTOUR TELECOM Bretagne
  • Caroline SARGIS ROUSSEL School of Management de Lille, IAE et IESEG

Keywords:

integration, social capital, cross-functional project, transformation of information systems

Abstract

IS transformation projects involve numerous exchanges between people inside and outside the project team. These projects constitute unique opportunities to integrate knowledge, i.e. to share, create and institutionalize new organizational knowledge. The focus of this research is to understand the knowledge integration process and to study the influence of the social capital of the project team. We carried out two exploratory case studies of ERP projects in SMEs, using a qualitative methodology for both data collection and data analysis. The results show that three closely linked and intertwined phases (namely Collection, Interpretation and Assimilation) constitute the knowledge integration process where interface integrators play a key role. We also show the common influence of the structural, relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital on the three phases of knowledge integration. Finally, we consider the dynamics of internal and external facets of social capital to be particularly relevant in the context of a project. Given that ERP implementation is more and more important for SMEs, our research underlines the structuring role of the project team in this process and highlights the importance of managing knowledge within the project team.

Author Biographies

François DELTOUR, TELECOM Bretagne

François DELTOUR est maître de conférences en gestion à Télécom Bretagne, école d’ingénieur à Brest. Il est membre du laboratoire ICI et du groupement d’intérêt scientifique M@rsouin pour l’étude de la société de l’information. Sa thèse, obtenue en 2004, traite de l’évaluation des intranets d’entreprise par les utilisateurs. Ses recherches actuelles portent sur les pratiques d’acceptation et d’appropriation des technologies de l’information (ERP, messagerie, etc.) ainsi que sur la gestion des connaissances.

Caroline SARGIS ROUSSEL, School of Management de Lille, IAE et IESEG

Caroline SARGIS ROUSSEL a obtenu son doctorat en 2002, à l’université de Lille 1 où elle est maître de conférences. Elle est membre du laboratoire LEM. Elle intervient également à l’IESEG School of Management. Ses thèmes de recherche portent sur la création, la diffusion et l’intégration des connaissances dans des contextes de projets de systèmes d’information. Elle travaille aussi sur les liens entre systèmes de contrôle et gestion des connaissances.

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Published

2010-02-10

How to Cite

DELTOUR, F., & SARGIS ROUSSEL, C. (2010). Knowledge integration by ERP projects teams: Two case studies within SMEs. Systèmes d’Information Et Management (French Journal of Management Information Systems), 15(1), 9–34. Retrieved from https://revuesim.org/index.php/sim/article/view/281

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 1 (2010)

Section

Empirical research

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