ERP in the Education Sector: Evidence from Portuguese Non-higher Education Institutions

摘要

Although there is a considerable body of literature on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, the education sector has received little attention. This paper responds to calls for sector-specific research by investigating the adoption, implementation difficulties and post-implementation benefits of ERP systems in non-higher education institutions. To this end, it uses a multiple case study approach of three Portuguese small and medium-sized schools and develops a model based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. The findings show that the TOE framework provides a useful explanation of ERP adoption, while many implementation difficulties and benefits are generally consistent with extant literature. Some unique, sector-specific insights also emerged. The findings are discussed, and avenues for further research are suggested.