Customising industry standard computer systems for universities: ERP systems and the university as a ´unique´ organisation

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are widely used by large corporations around the world. Recently universities have turned to ERP as a means of replacing existing management and administration computer systems. In this article we provide analysis of the rollout of an ERP system in one particular institution in the UK, the particular focus being on how the development, implementation and use of both generic and university specific functionality is mediated and shaped by a fundamental and long standing tension within universities: this is the extent to which higher education institutions are organisations much like any other and the extent to which they are ´unique´. Our aim is not to resolve this tension but rather to show how similarities and differences are actively constructed and literally ´brought into being´ during various phases of this technical project. This occurs both as a process of standardisation within the University and as series of struggles to customise the system. Our conclusion is that managing this process has become a key task, as well as difficulty for universities. The research presented here is based on a participant observation study carried over the period of three years, and is informed by ideas from actor network theory as well as material culture