User Acceptance of ERP Systems in the United States

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are widely used in most industries today because of the benefits they offer: improved integration of business processes, improved cost control, improved decision making, improved customer service, and improved profitability. Although much IS research has been published concerning acceptance of enterprise systems, adoption issues, or critical success factors in implementing an ERP system, little research has been presented that focuses on the ERP usage behavior. The purpose of this research is to attempt to extend the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model in order to predict the acceptance of ERP systems among its users in the United States. INTRODUCTION Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and other corporate-wide systems, such as Supply Chain Management and Customer Relationship Management, are widely used in most industries today. These systems have become very popular because they integrate all of a company’s business processes and share a common database (Topi, Lucas, and Babaian, 2005). Additional applications such as sales force automation, call centers, knowledge management, and data warehousing have emerged in recent years (Boudreau, 2002). As of 2005, U.S. firms have spent more than $165 billion on enterprise applications (Laudon, 2006). Enterprise systems are increasingly used because of their potential to increase organizational and individual users’ productivity, along with providing many other benefits (Hwang, 2005; Gefen, 2004; Ash and Burn, 2003, Mahowald and Levitt, 2005; Avalone, 1999). Because these enterprise systems are usually complex, they are both difficult and costly to implement successfully and numerous research studies indicate that the final benefits are often uncertain (Edwards, 2005). When businesses implement an ERP system, these complex systems usually create a burden on the employees to use them effectively (Topi, et.al., 2005). User acceptance of information technology, specifically complex enterprise systems, has received much attention in MIS research journals during the past several years. Several models, such as the Technology Acceptance Model, Theory of Reasoned Action, and the Theory of Planned Behavior Cognitive, propose several constructs to explain end-users’ acceptance behavior and IT usage (Davis, 1989; Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980; Ajzen, 1985). Recently, the Technology Acceptance Model has been applied to ERP systems to explain the complex implementation and adoption issues by stakeholders and end users (AmoakoGyampah & Salam, 2004; Gefen, 2004). Amoako-Gyampah & Salam (2004) found that the use of managerial interventions, such as training and communication, to influence the acceptance of ERP systems are supported, since perceived usefulness and ease of use contribute to usage ERP systems. Gefen (2004) also found that the perceived usefulness of ERP contributes to client assessment that their business relationship with the vendor is worthwhile.