E-government system evaluation: The case of users' performance using ERP systems in higher education

In: Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, Band 11, Heft 3, S. 306-342

Abstract

Purpose
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are complex and comprehensive software designed to integrate business processes and functions. Despite the difficulties and risk, the adoption of ERP systems is expanding rapidly. Universities make large investments in information systems and expect positive impacts. However, universities are facing serious challenges in implementing new technology. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the impact of ERP systems on higher education (HE) from the perspective of stakeholders' performance.


Design/methodology/approach
This research paper conducted a case study of an ERP system in a Saudi university to explore the impact of ERP system on the performance of the system's stakeholders among the university's employees.


Findings
The system quality factors (flexibility, compatibility, availability of right data, availability of currency, ease of use and timeliness) were found to affect performance positively, as were service quality factors (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness and assurance). This research further found that factors from pre-implementation, implementation and post-implementation phases had a direct effect on stakeholders' performance.


Research limitations/implications
Future research would be useful during the maturity phase to include all stakeholders in several Saudi universities. In addition, more research can be beneficial to test the applicability of the impact of the ERP system on stakeholders' performance in other public sector organisations and in the private sector.


Practical implications
The results suggest that organisations in general and HE institutions in particular should focus on the early stages and the implementation phase if they wish to achieve high standards of stakeholder performance.


Originality/value
This research makes a novel contribution by attempting to evaluate the impact of service quality on stakeholder performance in the ERP environment. The contribution uses service quality as a dimension consisting of four factors – reliability, assurance, tangibility and responsiveness. All four factors were found to be significant on ERP stakeholders' performance.