CSFs, Benefits and Barriers during the Implementation of ERP in the Dissertation

CSFs, Benefits and Barriers during the Implementation of ERP in the Security Forces Hospital Program (SFHP) from the Management Perspective - Dissertation Example This paper aims to determine how the Security Forces Hospital Program (SFHP) in Saudi Arabia can successfully implement and maximize the benefits of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Aside from providing a short background on SFHP and the need to consider implementing ERP system, this paper will summarize the research aim, research objectives, research justification, research scope, summary of relevant literature, proposed research methodology, research ethics, and strategies that will be use in collecting data. The implementation of ERP system within a hospital setting is unique due to the fact that healthcare organization such as the case of a hospital is often divided into heterogeneous functional areas (i.e. Human Resources, Financial and Cost Management, Patient Care Management, and Clinical Management among others). To give the readers a better understanding of this subject matter, this study will first discuss what ERP is all about followed by identifying the hospital management benefits associated with the use of ERP system. Although the process of customizing the development of ERP will enable the healthcare administration of SFHP to incorporate specific hospital rules in the system, the implementation of ERP systems can lead to the development of organizational conflicts.... healthcare professionals, the SFHP will be able to deliver safe and high quality health services to the local people (Security Forces Hospital Program 2012b). To integrate internal and external information that are useful in making necessary business and management decisions, the ERP system involves the use of information technology (Bidgoli, 2004, p. 656). Although implementing ERP system can be useful in terms of integrating the hospital management system of SFHP, there will always be some challenges associated with the implementation of ERP system. Considering the future business benefits associated with the process of investing on the customization of ERP systems, this study will carefully examine how the development and implementation of ERP systems could further improve the quality of medical services provided by the healthcare professionals who are currently employed at SFHP. Research Aim This study aims to identify the CSFs and to examine the benefits and barriers and difficu lties related to the possible implementation of ERP at SFHP. Research Objectives In relation to the research am, the following objectives will be used as a guide throughout the completion of this study: 1. To conduct a literature review with regards to the critical success factors (CSFs), benefits and barriers of a successful ERP implementation; 2. To determine how the SFHP can maximize the benefit of implementing a newly customized ERP system; 3. To establish if these CSFs exist at SFHP; 4. To identify potential benefits and barriers to a successful ERP implementation at SFHP; and 5. To provide a list of recommended actions when managing the barriers to a successful ERP system. Research Justification This is a shortage of ERP studies in Saudi. Despite a long list of management benefits