The document discusses a case study of ERP implementation at Omantel, the main telecommunications company in Oman. It examines factors like stakeholder consultation, vendor selection, project management, and training that impacted the success of the ERP implementation project. The ERP system introduced significant changes and transformed how Omantel operates. While some employees struggled with using the new system, most felt it improved their jobs. The case study found that stakeholder involvement and transparency throughout all stages of the project were important for the successful implementation of the new ERP system at Omantel.
Enterprise Resource Planning in the IT Field- an Opportunity for System Devel...Quinnipiac University
ERP systems are excellent opportunities for organizations to gain a competitive edge, reduce waste and redundancy, analyze and streamline current business processes. However with this being said, many organizations fail to understand fully the processes behind each department within an organization and how these processes interrelate to one another. For ERP systems to be successful, organizations must take time to examine and evaluate its current processes and look for opportunities for improvement. If done correctly; hundreds of man hours can be saved, resulting in huge financial gains for a company.
The aim of this paper is to examine how business processes and other uses of information technology (IT), connected with ERP, can not only aid to increase efficiency for the company, but in addition, aid to increase the effectiveness of future IT projects for the organization. This paper will first look at the tangible, intangible, and unexpected benefits of an ERP system, outside from the obvious. Then the paper will shift gears and focus on system development and innovation, and how these opportunities can be found in an ERP system by reengineering existing business processes. Several theories and laws are taken into consideration to help better understand where opportunity exists.
Enterprise Resource Planning in the IT Field- an Opportunity for System Devel...Quinnipiac University
ERP systems are excellent opportunities for organizations to gain a competitive edge, reduce waste and redundancy, analyze and streamline current business processes. However with this being said, many organizations fail to understand fully the processes behind each department within an organization and how these processes interrelate to one another. For ERP systems to be successful, organizations must take time to examine and evaluate its current processes and look for opportunities for improvement. If done correctly; hundreds of man hours can be saved, resulting in huge financial gains for a company.
The aim of this paper is to examine how business processes and other uses of information technology (IT), connected with ERP, can not only aid to increase efficiency for the company, but in addition, aid to increase the effectiveness of future IT projects for the organization. This paper will first look at the tangible, intangible, and unexpected benefits of an ERP system, outside from the obvious. Then the paper will shift gears and focus on system development and innovation, and how these opportunities can be found in an ERP system by reengineering existing business processes. Several theories and laws are taken into consideration to help better understand where opportunity exists.
Manufacturing Companies today are constantly in search for ways to achieve
better business performance and sustain competitive advantages through effective
deployment of resources and business processes. To improve business performance,
Manufacturing Companies require an efficient planning and control system that
synchronizes planning of all processes across the industry. Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP) provides a centralized framework for all data and processes of an
industry. It integrates all aspects of a business from planning to inventory control,
manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance, customer service and human resources.
Manufacturing Companies undertake ERP implementations to achieve tangible
benefits including a significant return on investment. Accordingly the most common
benefit of Manufacturing Company is for an increase in response time due to better
availability of information. Another common benefit is increase in interaction across
the company, integration of business operations/processes, improved interaction with
customers, reduced direct operating and labour costs, reduced IT maintenance costs,
improved lead-time, improved inventory levels and improved interaction with
suppliers. A study was undertaken to assess impact of ERP as a Change Management
Tool in Manufacturing Companies. This article presents the key findings, conclusions
and suggestions.
Relationship Between Organizational Factors, Technological Factors and Enterp...IJMIT JOURNAL
There are three stages of Enterprise Resource planning System (ERP) Implementation; which are preimplementation, mid- implementation and post-implementation. In pre-implementation stage the pervious
researchers found that it fail in Organizational and Technological factors. Therefore, this research studies
the Technological Factors availability and the Organizational Factor readiness at Greater Amman
Municipality (GAM) Case study. The statistical results showed that there are availability of the
Organizational factor (Organizational Objectives and Services, Organization culture, and Business
process) for success of ERP system, and indicate the technological infrastructure is available og GAM.
There are three stages of Enterprise Resource planning System (ERP) Implementation; which are preimplementation,
mid- implementation and post-implementation. In pre-implementation stage the pervious
researchers found that it fail in Organizational and Technological factors. Therefore, this research studies
the Technological Factors availability and the Organizational Factor readiness at Greater Amman
Municipality (GAM) Case study. The statistical results showed that there are availability of the
Organizational factor (Organizational Objectives and Services, Organization culture, and Business
process) for success of ERP system, and indicate the technological infrastructure is available og GAM.
Success Factors for Enterprise Systems in the Higher Education Sector: A Case...inventionjournals
Many large organisations have moved to Enterprise System solutions in recent years, including the higher education sector (HES). Whilst the benefits of Enterprise systems are well known, the sector has a social mission and characteristics that do not necessarily map to a commercially-focused corporate conceptualization, and assessing the suitability of any particular enterprise solution requires a qualified set of criteria to be applied. This paper looks at an “essential set” of critical success factors (CSFs) relevant to enterprise systems in the HES and applies them in a case study of a large Australian University. The CSFs found to be most relevant to successful ES deployment show differences from CSFs reported in other studies, mainly those in commercial sectors, suggesting a sector based approach be taken to evaluating ES success. We generalise our practical findings to theory, and propose further theory development and validation through confirmatory case studies and specific hypothesis testing.
Manufacturing Companies today are constantly in search for ways to achieve
better business performance and sustain competitive advantages through effective
deployment of resources and business processes. To improve business performance,
Manufacturing Companies require an efficient planning and control system that
synchronizes planning of all processes across the industry. Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP) provides a centralized framework for all data and processes of an
industry. It integrates all aspects of a business from planning to inventory control,
manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance, customer service and human resources.
Manufacturing Companies undertake ERP implementations to achieve tangible
benefits including a significant return on investment. Accordingly the most common
benefit of Manufacturing Company is for an increase in response time due to better
availability of information. Another common benefit is increase in interaction across
the company, integration of business operations/processes, improved interaction with
customers, reduced direct operating and labour costs, reduced IT maintenance costs,
improved lead-time, improved inventory levels and improved interaction with
suppliers. A study was undertaken to assess impact of ERP as a Change Management
Tool in Manufacturing Companies. This article presents the key findings, conclusions
and suggestions.
Relationship Between Organizational Factors, Technological Factors and Enterp...IJMIT JOURNAL
There are three stages of Enterprise Resource planning System (ERP) Implementation; which are preimplementation, mid- implementation and post-implementation. In pre-implementation stage the pervious
researchers found that it fail in Organizational and Technological factors. Therefore, this research studies
the Technological Factors availability and the Organizational Factor readiness at Greater Amman
Municipality (GAM) Case study. The statistical results showed that there are availability of the
Organizational factor (Organizational Objectives and Services, Organization culture, and Business
process) for success of ERP system, and indicate the technological infrastructure is available og GAM.
There are three stages of Enterprise Resource planning System (ERP) Implementation; which are preimplementation,
mid- implementation and post-implementation. In pre-implementation stage the pervious
researchers found that it fail in Organizational and Technological factors. Therefore, this research studies
the Technological Factors availability and the Organizational Factor readiness at Greater Amman
Municipality (GAM) Case study. The statistical results showed that there are availability of the
Organizational factor (Organizational Objectives and Services, Organization culture, and Business
process) for success of ERP system, and indicate the technological infrastructure is available og GAM.
Success Factors for Enterprise Systems in the Higher Education Sector: A Case...inventionjournals
Many large organisations have moved to Enterprise System solutions in recent years, including the higher education sector (HES). Whilst the benefits of Enterprise systems are well known, the sector has a social mission and characteristics that do not necessarily map to a commercially-focused corporate conceptualization, and assessing the suitability of any particular enterprise solution requires a qualified set of criteria to be applied. This paper looks at an “essential set” of critical success factors (CSFs) relevant to enterprise systems in the HES and applies them in a case study of a large Australian University. The CSFs found to be most relevant to successful ES deployment show differences from CSFs reported in other studies, mainly those in commercial sectors, suggesting a sector based approach be taken to evaluating ES success. We generalise our practical findings to theory, and propose further theory development and validation through confirmatory case studies and specific hypothesis testing.
Understanding Inductive Bias in Machine LearningSUTEJAS
This presentation explores the concept of inductive bias in machine learning. It explains how algorithms come with built-in assumptions and preferences that guide the learning process. You'll learn about the different types of inductive bias and how they can impact the performance and generalizability of machine learning models.
The presentation also covers the positive and negative aspects of inductive bias, along with strategies for mitigating potential drawbacks. We'll explore examples of how bias manifests in algorithms like neural networks and decision trees.
By understanding inductive bias, you can gain valuable insights into how machine learning models work and make informed decisions when building and deploying them.
Welcome to WIPAC Monthly the magazine brought to you by the LinkedIn Group Water Industry Process Automation & Control.
In this month's edition, along with this month's industry news to celebrate the 13 years since the group was created we have articles including
A case study of the used of Advanced Process Control at the Wastewater Treatment works at Lleida in Spain
A look back on an article on smart wastewater networks in order to see how the industry has measured up in the interim around the adoption of Digital Transformation in the Water Industry.
HEAP SORT ILLUSTRATED WITH HEAPIFY, BUILD HEAP FOR DYNAMIC ARRAYS.
Heap sort is a comparison-based sorting technique based on Binary Heap data structure. It is similar to the selection sort where we first find the minimum element and place the minimum element at the beginning. Repeat the same process for the remaining elements.
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Sachpazis:Terzaghi Bearing Capacity Estimation in simple terms with Calculati...Dr.Costas Sachpazis
Terzaghi's soil bearing capacity theory, developed by Karl Terzaghi, is a fundamental principle in geotechnical engineering used to determine the bearing capacity of shallow foundations. This theory provides a method to calculate the ultimate bearing capacity of soil, which is the maximum load per unit area that the soil can support without undergoing shear failure. The Calculation HTML Code included.
NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN CONDENSING HEAT EXCHANGERS...ssuser7dcef0
Power plants release a large amount of water vapor into the
atmosphere through the stack. The flue gas can be a potential
source for obtaining much needed cooling water for a power
plant. If a power plant could recover and reuse a portion of this
moisture, it could reduce its total cooling water intake
requirement. One of the most practical way to recover water
from flue gas is to use a condensing heat exchanger. The power
plant could also recover latent heat due to condensation as well
as sensible heat due to lowering the flue gas exit temperature.
Additionally, harmful acids released from the stack can be
reduced in a condensing heat exchanger by acid condensation. reduced in a condensing heat exchanger by acid condensation.
Condensation of vapors in flue gas is a complicated
phenomenon since heat and mass transfer of water vapor and
various acids simultaneously occur in the presence of noncondensable
gases such as nitrogen and oxygen. Design of a
condenser depends on the knowledge and understanding of the
heat and mass transfer processes. A computer program for
numerical simulations of water (H2O) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
condensation in a flue gas condensing heat exchanger was
developed using MATLAB. Governing equations based on
mass and energy balances for the system were derived to
predict variables such as flue gas exit temperature, cooling
water outlet temperature, mole fraction and condensation rates
of water and sulfuric acid vapors. The equations were solved
using an iterative solution technique with calculations of heat
and mass transfer coefficients and physical properties.
Hierarchical Digital Twin of a Naval Power SystemKerry Sado
A hierarchical digital twin of a Naval DC power system has been developed and experimentally verified. Similar to other state-of-the-art digital twins, this technology creates a digital replica of the physical system executed in real-time or faster, which can modify hardware controls. However, its advantage stems from distributing computational efforts by utilizing a hierarchical structure composed of lower-level digital twin blocks and a higher-level system digital twin. Each digital twin block is associated with a physical subsystem of the hardware and communicates with a singular system digital twin, which creates a system-level response. By extracting information from each level of the hierarchy, power system controls of the hardware were reconfigured autonomously. This hierarchical digital twin development offers several advantages over other digital twins, particularly in the field of naval power systems. The hierarchical structure allows for greater computational efficiency and scalability while the ability to autonomously reconfigure hardware controls offers increased flexibility and responsiveness. The hierarchical decomposition and models utilized were well aligned with the physical twin, as indicated by the maximum deviations between the developed digital twin hierarchy and the hardware.
Hybrid optimization of pumped hydro system and solar- Engr. Abdul-Azeez.pdffxintegritypublishin
Advancements in technology unveil a myriad of electrical and electronic breakthroughs geared towards efficiently harnessing limited resources to meet human energy demands. The optimization of hybrid solar PV panels and pumped hydro energy supply systems plays a pivotal role in utilizing natural resources effectively. This initiative not only benefits humanity but also fosters environmental sustainability. The study investigated the design optimization of these hybrid systems, focusing on understanding solar radiation patterns, identifying geographical influences on solar radiation, formulating a mathematical model for system optimization, and determining the optimal configuration of PV panels and pumped hydro storage. Through a comparative analysis approach and eight weeks of data collection, the study addressed key research questions related to solar radiation patterns and optimal system design. The findings highlighted regions with heightened solar radiation levels, showcasing substantial potential for power generation and emphasizing the system's efficiency. Optimizing system design significantly boosted power generation, promoted renewable energy utilization, and enhanced energy storage capacity. The study underscored the benefits of optimizing hybrid solar PV panels and pumped hydro energy supply systems for sustainable energy usage. Optimizing the design of solar PV panels and pumped hydro energy supply systems as examined across diverse climatic conditions in a developing country, not only enhances power generation but also improves the integration of renewable energy sources and boosts energy storage capacities, particularly beneficial for less economically prosperous regions. Additionally, the study provides valuable insights for advancing energy research in economically viable areas. Recommendations included conducting site-specific assessments, utilizing advanced modeling tools, implementing regular maintenance protocols, and enhancing communication among system components.
Saudi Arabia stands as a titan in the global energy landscape, renowned for its abundant oil and gas resources. It's the largest exporter of petroleum and holds some of the world's most significant reserves. Let's delve into the top 10 oil and gas projects shaping Saudi Arabia's energy future in 2024.
1. CAT3 PPT
TOPIC:- ERP implementation in Omantel: a case study
NAME:- Jai Shankar Rai
ADMN NO:- 19SCSE1010297
NAME:- Jatin Dutt Gaur
ADMN NO:- 19SCSE1010229
NAME:- Karan Kumar
ADMN:- 19SCSE1010885
NAME:- Lav Patel
ADMN NO:- 19SCSE1010732
SUBJECT:- Enterprise Resource Planning (BTCS9607)
SECTION:- ELECTIVE SECTION-6
2. ABSTRACT
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems if successfully implemented bring about
competitive advantages. On the other hand, project failure could, in an extreme case, cause an
organisation to go out of business. Mapped against existing literature on ERP critical success
factors, this paper examines environmental factors that impacted on the adoption of ERP by
The Oman Telecommunication Company (Omantel). A case study methodology is used to
study perceptions of the ERP system implementation project in Omantel. —Many studies in
literature have shown the importance of ERP system in companies’ effectiveness, and this is
because ERP system have become one of the main prerequisites, a price of entry, and a strong
and integrated IT infrastructure for many companies enabling them to compete in the local and
global marketplace, and ensuring them to gain a competitive advantage in the global economy
particularly with the current e-business era. This study will investigate the critical success
factors (CSFs) that can play a role during the implementation process in Omani organizations
and will identify the critical success factors that affecting ERP system implementation success
during the three implementation stages which are pre-implementation stage, implementation
stage and post implementation stage. It is very important that experiences of ERP projects are
shared across countries and sectors.
3. INTRODUCTION
There are a wide variety of tools and systems that have been developed to enable organisations to become more
competitive, one of these tools is enterprise resource planning (ERP). ERP systems are all about ensuring that
operational systems being used by an organisation are fully integrated. The purpose of using ERP is to improve and
simplify the internal business processes, which typically requires re-engineering of current business processes (Huang
et al., 2004). The idea is to combine various systems into a single database (Payne, 2000). This approach will enable
the organisation to have a single view of its business by ensuring that systems that support different functionalities
within the organisation are combined (Kumar and van Hillegersberg, 2000). There are quite a few advantages of
adopting ERP as part of as an organisational strategy. For one, ERP systems support an organisation’s desire for
systems integration which means that organisations will not have to manage separate systems independently. In this
case, the organisation optimises its processes which then improves the entire supply chain process, and integrates
functionalities leading to increased transparency across the organisation. In most cases to continue to support this
optimisation, the organisation also develops sets of expert common capabilities. The result is that the organisation is
most likely to save on operational costs due to rationalisation and systems integration. It is expected that such savings
on operational costs will be transferred to lower costs for the customer. At the same time, the integration of systems
should lead to the provision of a more memorable experience for the customer as service provision becomes more
seamless. ERP systems can also empower employees by providing them with real-time data (Davenport, 1998). It is
also connected with greater job flexibility by providing a platform that enables the expansion of individual awareness,
creativity, and innovation. Overall, existing statistics suggest that 63 per cent of large ERP customers are of the
opinion that they do realise some major business benefits from their ERP implementations (Gould, 2004). ERP
systems are however key strategic resources for the majority of organisations. Their importance is demonstrated by
statistics which show that they usually comprise the largest segment of an organisation’s applications budget (Aloini
et al., 2007).
4. LITERATURE REVIEW
Many companies around the world commence implementing ERP systems in 1990s; the main reason behind the
implementation of ERP systems is to re-engineer business processes through a uniform information system
(Rajagopal, 2002.). During the mid of 1990s to 2000, around 30,000 companies worldwide, as a minimum, have
implemented ERP systems (Mabert et al., 2003). Companies worldwide have been spending $10 billion dollar per
year on ERP system (Yusuf et al., 2004). Since 1996 until 2003 there was a tremendous upward growth of ERP
systems, but in the last few years ERP systems seems to be forgotten and that lead to a significant drop in ERP
market. There are many success records of ERP systems implementation in many companies such as Cisco systems,
Eastman Kodak, Autodesk, IBM, Fujitsu Microelectronics, Panasonic, ChevronTexaco, and Tektronix. These
companies have achieved the expected benefits of ERP systems. For example, Autodesk Software Company used to
take two weeks to deliver an order to a customer but after ERP implementation it takes only 4 hours to deliver the
same order. Another example, ERP systems enabled Cisco to save large costs and improved their revenue which
makes the company able to reap a tremendous millions of dollars every year. ChevronTexaco improved its supply
chain management through ERP system and achieved a profit of $100 million every year. IBM’s R/3 implementation
was one of the largest success implementation in the world (Chen, 2001; Davenport, 1998; Turban et al., 2008;
Sheikh, 2003). On the other hand, there are also other companies experience failures in ERP systems, for instance Dell
Computer, FoxMeyer Drug, Boeing, Dow Chemical, Hershey Foods, and Mobil Europe, encountered large loss due to
ERP systems failure. For example, Dell computer anticipated that ERP systems fail to cope with their sales volume.
Therefore, Dell cancelled the ERP project and lost $115 million dollars. Another example, FoxMeyer Drug suffered a
loss of $100 million dollars and was bankrupt after ERP implantation (Chen, 2001; Davenport, 1998).
5. ERP system implementation in Oman:-
ERP system is growing progressively in Oman and the implementation of ERP system increasing rapidly
among many Omani sectors particularly in manufacturing sector. Many systems have been introduced and
implemented in Omani companies; however the ERP system is one of the popular systems among Omani firms.
Omani companies need to be prepared before initiating any ERP project in order to achieve optimum use of the
system and thus gain better business performance and successful ERP system project (OIT Report, 2013; Al
Hinai, Edwards, & LHumphries, 2013). In fact, the increasing number of manufacturing companies and the
competitive environment among many firms in Oman provides a large opportunity for ERP vendors to
penetrate Omani market. The information system market in Oman is constantly growing and it is a promising
marketplace, particularly with the continuous implementation of ERP systems in large companies as well as in
small and medium enterprises. Yet, it requires more attention from researchers and professionals (OIT Report,
2013). In fact, there are quite reasonable number of Omani companies implemented and used ERP systems
such as Bank Muscat, Khimji Ramdas, Oman LNG, Omantel, OTE Group, Oman Cement Company, Petroleum
Development Oman, Ahlibank, Suhail Bahwan group, Sohar Aluminum, Vale Oman, Oman Methanol
Company, Powertech Engineering, and many others. But on the other hand there are also many other
companies are reluctant to adopt ERP systems, and this is could be because of the failure records of ERP
systems in many international and local companies (SAP Forum, 2013). A case study has been conducted on
Omantel which examined seven critical success factors of ERP system implementation i.e. stakeholder
consultation, vendor selection, project management, stakeholder management and communication, training,
risk management, and system reengineering and software customization. The findings of the study show a
positive impact of ERP system on Omantel, which made a significant change in the way of doing business in
the company (Maguire et al., 2010). More than 30 large enterprises in Oman that are currently using ERP
system were all of them requested to complete the study survey.
6. The case study:-
The success or failure of a research exercise has been demonstrated to be directly related to the research
methodology adopted (Easterby-Smith et al., 1993; Yin, 1989). This particular study focused on how an
organisation behaved during a major exercise of systems interactions. For this reason, it became
imperative that this study was conducted using a research approach that emphasised both subjective and
contextual interpretation of events (van Strien, 1997). For this reason, we adopted a single case study
approach as the primary mode of research. It is imperative to highlight that the use of single source-case
studies is well represented in research (Eisenhardt, 1989). In this particular case, based on earlier work
by Yin (1989), the use of Omantel as a single case study is valid as it can be argued that within the
Omani context, due to the size of its operations, it is representative of the telecommunication industry.
Our main reason for choosing this approach was because our investigation was primarily directed at
studying current phenomena in a real world context (Yin, 1989). This approach has been used even
though it is not generally popular in project management. In particular, we mention the work of Jaafari
(2003), who suggests that creative-reflective models are most appropriate when studying complex
projects. Of particular relevance is the fact that this approach is heavily reliant on the competencies of
project management professionals. Omantel is the sole licensed operator in the Sultanate of Oman for
fixed line telephony. The company presently operates as a monopoly in the Public Switched Telephone
Network and Internet Service Provider markets. The company has a mobile subsidiary (Omanmobile)
which offers mobile services and operates as a duopoly with Nawras which is owned by Qatar
Telecommunication Company.
7. The government of Oman is the major shareholder of the parent company Omantel. Omantel has been
providing communication services for nearly four decades and currently, the number of people who are
employed in Omantel and its subsidiary Oman Mobile is about 2,600. The group achieved a profit of 80
Omani Rial (£108 million) by the end of 2006 (Omantel Financial Statements, 2006). Omantel
commissioned the ERP project for two major reasons. In the first place, the company sought to ensure
that it was strategically placed and ready for the anticipated liberalisation of the Omani
telecommunications industry. To achieve this, it has sought to upgrade its capabilities in terms of
network technologies that will support best practice controllable work flows (Al Wohaibi, 2006). The
second driver was a need by the organisation to position itself to be able to meet national development
requirements as identified by the United Nations (ESCWA, 2003). In February 2005, an agreement
between Omantel and Oracle, one of the leading global ERP providers (Huang et al., 2004) with about
14.5 per cent of market share (Jakovljevic, 2001) was signed, with the project being initiated
immediately. The project was planned to be completed in exactly 12 months after initiation. However,
the implementation process overran by about six months, with completion of all ERP package transfers
from the test environment completed in June 2006. The overrun was primarily driven by a limited
number of IT/IS staff within Omantel possessing necessary Oracle integration expertise. This caused
major communication problems between Omantel staff and the technical team from Oracle (for example
in explaining systems architecture of existing legacy systems). There was also limited in-house expertise
within Omantel on Oracle products. This meant that Oracle’s initial contract to focus solely on
implementation was soon expanded into a consultancy role.
8. The findings obtained from the case study are discussed and analysed in this section, and combined into themes. These
findings (not determined directly from this case study) are mapped against earlier discussed critical success factors that
impact on ERP systems implementations (Finney and Corbett, 2007; Nah et al., 2003):
. stakeholder consultation;
. vendor selection;
. project management;
. stakeholder management and communication;
. training;
. risk management;
. system re-engineering and software customisation.
The introduction of the new ERP system is the most significant change within Omantel since the drive to liberalise the
Omani telecommunications industry commenced. These new systems have the potential to deliver significant benefits to
the organisation. They are also expected to fundamentally transform the way Omantel delivers services to all of its
customers. Ultimately, it is the first major step the organisation has taken in readiness for the full liberalisation of the
telecommunications industry in Oman. Unlike the more chaotic strategic alignment approach adopted by NITEL (Ojiako
and Maguire, 2006) which led to poor customer perception (Onwumechili and Okereke-Arungwa, 2003), the findings
indicate that the impact of the ERP system on Omantel is considered in a more positive light. For example, a majority of
the company’s employees were of the opinion that the newly introduced systems had made a considerable difference to
their jobs. It is however important to highlight that overall evaluation of the performance of the system still raises
concern. We show that just over half of employees sampled felt that the new system was easy to use. This point reinforces
the need to address employee training as a matter of urgency. At the same time, it reiterates that the effects of earlier
failure of management to engage with employees during system design is still lingering.
9. CONCLUSION
ERP is no longer a western European or North American issue. By its very nature its implementation is complex and far-
reaching. There are plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong. Its multinational nature means that further research should
be undertaken in a range of countries to identify the political, cultural, and behavioural repercussions of implementation. The
scope and complexity of ERP means that any opportunity to gain insights from this system development process should be
grasped with both hands. We do not have all the answers with regard to this process and so any way the process can be
facilitated should be made available to a wider audience. This research has examined the key environmental factors that have
impacted on the adoption of ERP by a large organisation in Oman. It highlighted the implementation of strategic systems that
would transform the capabilities of the company at a time of major change within the sector. There has been a dearth of
research with regard to ERP implementation with Oman. There has been some research in the Middle East in the area of ERP
but the fact that an internal member of staff undertook the interviews meant that fur [...] study? Their insight into internal
strategies and documentation was made available and this added to the richness of the research. This research has also shown
how important it is to view ERP implementation as a strategic operation for the organisation at every stage. Adopting a
stakeholder involvement philosophy at an early stage of development paid dividends for Omantel. This openness seems to
have facilitated an effective system development process that, in turn, led to a successful implementation. This particular
investigation has highlighted the benefits that can accrue from a commitment to full consultation and transparency
throughout the various stages of ERP implementation. During any large system development there is a temptation for the
various stakeholder groups to be secretive about the scope of the project and their roles within it. However, this can often
have serious consequences in relation to areas such as system testing. This crucial area can only be wholly addressed if
rigorous testing takes place – and this will only occur if there is a united effort to provide the requisite test data for the
various processes and elements of the system. Many organisations underestimate the organisational impact of ERP
implementations. Even the timing of the implementation can have adverse effects on various parts of the organisation or
strategic partners, i.e. customers and clients. Viewing the consultation process as important also allowed Omantel to collect
strategic intelligence that would help with the risk management that should always underpin any ERP implementation. The
critical aspect of vendor selection was based on Oracle’s commitment to make great efforts to understand Omantel’s core
business. However, probably more important in the longer term was Oracle’s ability to demonstrate that it had the
infrastructure, experience and reputation to align with Omantel’s vision and business objectives.