Challenges with Enterprise Resource Planning. Management Case Study

Challenges with Enterprise Resource Planning
Name 
Institution 
 
Abstract
Some challenges and barriers retard different processes that would rather be helpful if they succeed. Implementation of enterprise resource planning as well faces numerous challenges ranging from technical ones to financial and even workforce challenges. Remedies should, however, be put in place to counter the challenges. These remedies can be summarized into proper preparedness by an organization. This piece of work analyzes the different challenges faced in the implementation of an ERP system and recommends remedies to beat the barriers. 
 Challenges with Enterprise Resource Planning
Introduction
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is software that integrates all the functionalities of a business into one system. An organization’s management uses it to oversee the day to day business activities. The functions that are brought together under one functionality by an ERP system include project management, risk management, procurement activities, accounting as well as operations in the chain supply division (Rodrigues & Fernandes-Rodrigues, 2011). This software simply helps in planning, budgeting, predicting, and reporting on the financial results of a given organization. This is advancement in the business sector that is a result of technological advancement. Every investor will want his or her business to be updated with the current technology and will, therefore, adopt the ERP system. There is, however, barriers and challenges that are faced while adopting a new development in an organization like the use of the ERP software. An example of ERP software is Epicor ERP 10, which can be installed on an organization’s computers or external servers, and it allows users to have access to the data remotely using other different devices (Das & Dayal, 2016). 
Barriers and Challenges of ERP and their remedies
Technical problems
ERP systems operate on hardware since they are software. Hardware comes with different specifications that suit different software differently. This means that the ERP system adopted will need specific hardware. This will prompt the organization to purchase new hardware unless the organization is running a cloud-based server. It is acquiring new hardware when the existing one is fine, bringing in technical challenges. This will incur other requirements of looking for a specialist to install the ERP system in the new servers. There might be a total shut down of business activities for some time as the new system is being installed, leading to losses. The hardware might not be compatible, too, leading to more technical issues and more losses for the organization (Babaei et al., 2015). This issue can be resolved by having experts to fully analyze all the organization’s hardware and then give a suggestion of the best ERP system that will be compatible with the existing hardware. Where new hardware is needed, then the experts should prescribe the best one. This will help to avoid the purchase of counterfeit hardware or hardware that is not compatible with the procured ERP system. Carefulness is key to ensuring that this challenge is addressed adequately. 
Implementation cost
Rolling out a new program in a business organization is very costly. The business is forced to spend more resources on researching, acquiring, and installing the ERP system. New personnel might have to be employed to handle the software efficiently. Most organizations will prefer to retrain their employees to acquire the new required skills. All these cost the organization money (Costa et al., 2016). 
The solution to this challenge lies with the management of any organization. They should always set aside funds of emergency and the organization’s development budget. This will ensure that there is money to finance any new development under testing, which the organization wants to incorporate. This way, other budgets will not be interfered with to finance an upcoming technological advancement that an organization is testing (Rodrigues & FernandesRodrigues, 2011).
Time for sufficient testing
Technology comes with so much pressure to adopt it or not. In the context of business organization, there is always hard enough time to test and prove the effectiveness of the technology. ERP system stresses many organizations in this way too. Organizations do not get adequate time to test and critically analyze the software efficiently. This is the case, especially where other competing companies have already adopted an ERP system. Enough testing is required to check...