A study of critical success factors for enterprise systems implementation by SMEs

Due to the unique characteristics of small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), critical success factors (CSFs) identified in the context of large enterprises may not be readily applicable to SMEs. This paper aims to enhance the current understanding of CSFs for ES implementation in SMEs. It synthesizes a set of CSFs that are likely to be significant for ES implementation in SMEs and then explores the perception of 30 SMEs regarding influential CSFs through an analysis of online customer success stories. The study highlights some differences in CSF identified in the literature and those perceived by SMEs. By identifying CSFs of high importance within the context of SMEs this study improves the prospects of successful ES implementation. It also identifies knowledge gaps that could be addressed in future studies to enhance the current understanding of CSFs for ES implementations in SMEs.