Determinants of ERP implementation knowledge transfer

Our study examined the determinants of ERP knowledge transfer from implementation consultants (ICs) to key users (KUs), and vice versa. An integrated model was developed, positing that knowledge transfer was influenced by the knowledge-, source-, recipient-, and transfer context-related aspects. Data to test this model were collected from 85 ERP-implementation projects of firms that were mainly located in Zhejiang province, China. The results of the analysis demonstrated that all four aspects had a significant influence on ERP knowledge transfer. Furthermore, the results revealed the mediator role of the transfer activities and arduous relationship between ICs and KUs. The influence on knowledge transfer from the source’s willingness to transfer and the recipient’s willingness to accept knowledge was fully mediated by transfer activities, whereas the influence on knowledge transfer from the recipient’s ability to absorb knowledge was only partially mediated by transfer activities. The influence on knowledge transfer from the communication capability (including encoding and decoding competence) was fully mediated by arduous relationship. 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.