Critical Issues Across the ERP Life Cycle in Small-and-Medium- Sized Enterprises: Experiences from a Multiple Case Study

The paper reports on a multiple case study conducted in five Small-and-Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). These companies have implemented ERP systems and the focus is on the critical issues, activities and key actors across different stages of the ERP life cycle in these enterprises. SMEs have less resources and competencies about complex ERP systems compared to larger companies. Thus ERP projects have proved to be risky and costly for SMEs. SMEs can easily be an easy prey for experienced vendors and consultants and end up with a system far from what they expected.