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This paper examines the prospects of developing rational policy processes. The approach taken is to examine two components of policy processes. First, the paper analyses the way in which rationality has been applied to three different models, or modes of public administration: Weberian bureaucracy; market or rational actor political behaviour; and managerialism. The analysis suggests that “rational” approaches to public administration are inherently value‐laden, emphasising norms such as institutional integrity, representation or efficiency. Second, analysis is undertaken of policy implementation which is one phase of the policy process. The paper examines “top‐down”, “bottom‐up”, institutional and statutory‐coherence approaches to policy implementation. Contrasts amongst these competing models of policy implementation reinforce previous findings that there appears to be little prospect of achieving policy rationality because of the inability of the current approaches to policy analysis to enable reconciliation of fundamental normative assumptions underpinning the approaches. The current methods utilised by policy analysts do not appear to be able to provide either the tools or the structures required to achieve instrumental rationality in policy sciences.

Suggests that recent models of programme implementation have attempted to accommodate both “top‐down” and “bottomup” concerns within their framework. Some analysts have argued that future development of implementation analysis requires further consolidation of these models and the range of variables identified as having a significant impact on outcomes. Compares the commonalities and differences between three recent implementation analytical frameworks. Argues that a diversity in approaches strengthens the capacity of implementation analysis to accommodate differences in policy environments. Thus, future implementation would be better served by developing analytical tools which assist practitioners to choose appropriate implementation models for different policy situations.

While metaphors are widely used in strategy teaching and development, this study aims to present an approach how to benefit from metaphor analysis in strategy implementation. The authors find that metaphors used by organizational actors in strategy implementation processes carry a great range of implicit meanings and tacit knowledge that – when made explicit and critically examined – may serve as early warning signals to anticipate difficult or problematic developments in the strategy rollout phase.

The authors conducted narrative interviews with the main protagonists involved in the implementation of a strategic knowledge management project for the sales force of a multinational telecommunication solution provider. The data collected resulted in the surfacing of distinct groups of metaphors used by different organizational groups at different phases of the project implementation.

The metaphor analysis showed that metaphors not only reflect but also foreshadow project developments, and thereby reveal organizational conflicts that may erupt at later stages of the strategy implementation. Learning through metaphors can be realized through a sensitization to the detrimental effects of particular metaphors, as well as through the revelation of inconsistencies between the metaphors used and the exposed behaviors.

The study is an in-depth case study of a strategy implementation project in one organization. While the findings are related to the particular case context, the methodological approach to use metaphor analysis as an early warning signal in strategy implementation can be replicated for strategy implementation processes in general.

Organizations may use metaphor analysis as a tool to calibrate to what extent their strategy implementation is aligned with initial strategic objectives. Metaphor analysis will be particularly helpful to check if there is an alignment in the implementation approach between different organizational groups. Such analysis can serve as an early warning signal for the strategy implementation phase.

The approach provides an inexpensive but very effective way of anticipating problematic project developments and unforeseen difficult collaborations during strategy implementation processes. With its focus on metaphors, it captures implicit meanings and connotations that business languages tend to filter out, yet that play a powerful role for enabling or obstructing strategy implementation.

This paper aims to provide a review of information and communication technology (ICT) models and frameworks in the implementation of one communication technique namely electronic data interchange (EDI). The main body of this paper describes and explains the usage of these tools and any specific industries in which they are applied. The tools are then individually analysed and then compared for similarities, dissimilarities, and their associated attributes. The methodology used divides the models into two categories, electronic data interchange specific and more generic. A set of integrated questions based on conceptual, research, and practical issues are then applied. These answers are rated, using a Likert type scale system, and then compared. This analysis informs the construction of a generic model for inter‐organisational analysis, and conclusions concerning approaches are discussed. The analysis also forms the basis for the model selection process in specific scenarios.

To explore the current literature base of critical success factors (CSFs) of ERP implementations, prepare a compilation, and identify any gaps that might exist.

Hundreds of journals were searched using key terms identified in a preliminary literature review. Successive rounds of article abstract reviews resulted in 45 articles being selected for the compilation. CSF constructs were then identified using content analysis methodology and an inductive coding technique. A subsequent critical analysis identified gaps in the literature base.

The most significant finding is the lack of research that has focused on the identification of CSFs from the perspectives of key stakeholders. Additionally, there appears to be much variance with respect to what exactly is encompassed by change management, one of the most widely cited CSFs, and little detail of specific implementation tactics.

There is a need to focus future research efforts on the study of CSFs as they apply to the perspectives of key stakeholders and to ensure that this stakeholder approach is also comprehensive in its coverage of CSFs. As well, there is need to conduct more in‐depth research into the concept of change management. One key limitation of this research is the occurrence of duplication in the frequency analysis of the success factors. This is attributed to secondary research being the main methodology for a large number of the articles cited.

This research provides a comprehensive compilation of all previously identified ERP implementation success factors, through a clearly structured methodological approach.

The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the benefits of the application of a requirements engineering framework to assist Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) development. This framework combines the technology-driven and the process-driven approaches for requirements analysis and implementation. Specific business process modeling methods enhance the framework and assist the formulation of the functional specifications of the ERP system and the management of requirements.

A case study strategy was chosen as the most appropriate method to answer the research question and test the theoretical propositions. The case study’s unit of analysis is a Greek manufacturing company and its ERP implementation project. A requirements engineering framework enhanced with business process modeling methods was applied and the results were evaluated using metrics for ERP implementation success. Data were collected using multiple sources of evidences, including interviews with various stakeholders, structured questionnaires, direct observations, vendors’ functionality papers and company’s documentation.

This study proves that the configuration of ERP’s reference models together with the adjustments of organization’s processes, provided through a structured requirements engineering framework can lead to reliable functional specifications, a smooth transition to an ERP system and, eventually, to successful ERP implementation, concerning its alignment with requirements.

A single case study is conducted in a typical manufacturing company, providing opportunities for further research in other industries, testing in parallel well-defined requirements and other success factors for ERP implementation.

The paper fulfils the identified needs for applied methodologies and frameworks for requirements engineering which can assist successful ERP implementations.

This study aims to broaden the understanding of the additive manufacturing (AM) body of knowledge, presenting a model better suited to the current level of technological development that supports the decision to implement AM in industries, based on the experience of companies in the industry of orthopedic medical implants.

Based on the design-science research, the model for the decision to adopt the AM was designed and submitted to experts from the industry of orthopedic implants in Brazil for refinement. For the empirical test of the final model, interviews were used in a company that was considering implementing AM and in another that was not, to evaluate the model.

The model considers seven dimensions for decision analysis of AM implementation: legal constraints, financial, technological, operational, organizational, supply chain and external factors, being subdivided into 42 criteria that play a relevant role in the implementation decision. The analysis factor of each dimension and criteria are also presented.

The model seeks to be as complete as possible and can be used by various industrial productive sectors, incorporating the analysis of the requirements of health regulatory agencies, suitable for the analysis of the decision to implement AM for the manufacturing of medical implants, not found in other models.

The purpose of the paper is to examine the major factors that may influence industries to implement reverse logistics. Thus, the practice of reverse logistics can be promoted by suggestions provided for businesses to eliminate the identified barriers.

In this paper, a questionnaire is developed and the survey is conducted among Hong Kong businesses to collect data on the perception of companies on reverse logistics implementation. Nine hypotheses are set to investigate its influence on company background information, recognition, and perception on reverse logistics, as well as the internal and external factors. Statistical analysis is carried out to test the data collected. Managerial implications are presented to encourage industries to implement reverse logistics.

The result of the statistical analysis shows that internal and external factors significantly influence reverse logistics. Financial and human resources play an important role in companies' implementation of reverse logistics, whereas tangible resources do not have much influence on the practice. Companies with good cooperation and relationship with other business partners can implement reverse logistics.

There has been increasing concern on environmentally friendly activities worldwide to protect the environment. Therefore, the concept of reverse logistics should be focused on for the return of goods for remanufacturing.

Previous studies have been conducted to explore the barriers that may hinder industries from implementing reverse logistics in specific industries. Only a few studies have been conducted to investigate the internal and external measures that influence its implementation.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a substantial organization gradually builds a management accounting system from scratch, changing its accounting routines by learning processes. The paper uses the experiential learning theory and the concept of learning style to investigate the learning process during management accounting change. The study aims to expand the domain of management accounting change theory to emphasize the learning-related aspects that can constitute it.

The paper provides an interpretation of management accounting change based on the model of problem management proposed by Kolb (1983) and the theory of experiential learning (Kolb, 1976, 1984). The study is based on a 14-year longitudinal case study (1994‐2007). The case examined can be considered a theory illustration case. Data were obtained from a broad variety of sources including interviews, document analysis and adopting an interventionist approach during the redesign of the costing system.

The paper contributes to two important aspects of management accounting change. First, it becomes apparent that the costing information change was not a discrete event but a process of experience and learning conducted through several iterations of trial-and-error loops that extended over the years. Second, the findings reveal that the learning process can alter management accounting system design in a radical or incremental way according to the learning style of the people involved in the process of change.

Because of the adopted research approach, results could be extended only to other organizations presenting similar characteristics. Several further areas of research are suggested by the findings of this paper. In particular, it would be of interest to investigate the links between learning styles and communication and its effect on management accounting change.

The paper includes implications for the management of learning during management accounting change, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this process.

This paper is one response to the call for an interdisciplinary research approach to the management accounting change phenomena using a “method theory” taken from the discipline of management to provide an explanation of the change in management accounting. In respect of the previous literature, it provides two main contributions, namely, the proposal of a model useful both to interpret and manage learning processes; the effect of learning style on management accounting routines change.

The purpose of this paper is to consolidate the critical success factors (CSFs) as published in enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation case studies. The authors perform the analysis and propose the final CSFs based on the reported ERP implementation process stages.

The paper follows the eight category coding steps proposed by Carley (1993) and utilizes only ERP implementation case studies to identify a distinct set of critical success factors. The 37 case studies used in this paper provide a reasonable sample from different countries and contexts. Two methodologies were followed, one for the literature review process and the other for the analysis and synthesis.

Out of 64 reported CSFs that were extracted from the literature and subsequent detailed analysis and synthesis the authors found a total of 22 factors that are distinct. These factors which encompass change management, are proposed with five ERP implementation stages.

The final set of success factors proposed in this study gives a consolidated and unified view of the significant variables to be considered during all the stages of ERP implementation. The research is limited to case study literature and does not account for ERP implementation models and frameworks. Another limitation would be the scope of the literature searched which is that of the Management Information Community.

The proposed CSFs can be used by practitioners in five ways: assess implementation of an ERP; ex-ante assessment; comparative analysis with other implementation experiences; utilize CSFs from model as part of key performance indicators; and utilize the model to establish a concise strategy to project management process for the ERP implementation.

ERP implementation is complex. The promise has not yet been fully realized. An ERP-enabled organization entails primarily strategy and change management. To that effect, all stakeholders are impacted by ERP implementation. This paper, identified CSFs extracted from cases of ERP implementation and proposes a model to support its project management, user satisfaction and sustainability. The results aim at reducing costs, maintaining timeline, reducing employee anxieties and with a successful implementation, better service to customer base.

This paper is the first attempt to present a consolidated list of CSFs and mapping them to the stages of an ERP implementation as reported from the industry. It originality is its focus on utilizing rigorous published case studies with the hope that future case studies would utilize the work to report on the same factors. The value is that as the case studies are increased, comparison and differentiation between is enhanced.