Adoption of Enterprise Systems in Chinese SMEs: Contrasting User and Provider Experiences

Much of the available literature on Enterprise Systems (ES) is set in the context of (large) Western organizations, with an emphasis on the user perspective. The survey method is dominant in this literature, with a focus on what motivates a firm to implement ES and on the factors that are critical to implementation success. In the main such survey work treats ES implementation as an event with the analysis focused on input factors and outputs. In contrast, this paper presents a broader based examination of ES implementation in Chinese companies - in this case SMEs - by considering not only the user perspective but also those of the ES provider and the wider institutional setting. Additionally, the use of the case study method captures the dynamics of the implementation process and the changing relationships between the stakeholders. Both actor network theory and institutional theory inform the analysis. The findings are potentially significant and challenge user-centered theories of adoption. In the context of China the institutional influences are shown to be weaker than the government agencies intended or anticipated.