Research on Organizational Learning Mode in the Life Cycle of ERP System: a Case Study of Westlake Electronics Group

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is not only a software system, but also an advanced management idea. The goals of enterprises´ implementing an ERP system are to make full use of enterprise´s resource. Some enterprises benefit much from implementing ERP system. But some enterprises fail and even go bankrupt. Why are their results so different? This paper tries to explain it from organizational learning perspective. We argued that organizational learning competency is a determinant factor of implementing ERP system successfully. There are 4 stages in the life cycle of ERP, including introducing stage, implementing stage, crisis stage, and decline stage. We argue that there is a leading organizational learning mode in each stage of ERP´s life cycle. With formal intra-organizational training and learning from others, an organization can accumulate knowledge and overcome knowledge barriers, which will help to implement ERP system successfully.