An Investigation and Classification of ERP Project Managers' Required Skills

Abstract

Implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs) is a complex and costly process that is usually accompanied with serious risks. Numerous research projects have been conducted to illuminate ERP Critical Success Factors (CSFs) so as to identify the main factors in enhancing success rate. Although project managers' skills of ERP system implementation projects are viewed as one of the most effective factors in the success of such projects, scant attention has been paid to them and their unique aspects have not been sufficiently discussed in the extant literature. Hence, this article aims at identifying the most relevant skills of ERP project managers and proposing a classification scheme. Based on the results of the robust Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), 16 identified skills were grouped into four distinct categories: “managerial,” “project management,” “human resource,” and “technical.” The results of this article can help scholars and managers to grasp an in-depth understanding of the skills required for project managers and the challenges they have to mitigate while implementing ERP projects.