The ERP implementation project is a joint effort of many groups of people - the package vendor's team, the outside consultants, the in-house implementation team, the end users and th~ company management. In this chapter, we will see how to organize the internal resources of the company for the ERP implementation. The most frequently asked question is "who within the company should participate in the project?" and the natural response is almost everyone. Since the ERP system is an integrated package, everyone in the company have to participate in one way - or the other. The functionality of a complete ERP system will extend to practically every sector of the company.
The implementation of the ERP system demands that the managers and the operational staff should understand how the new information environment would work. They should be given clear picture about what are going to be changed in the current setup and whaf'additional facilities the new technology will give the end-user. This is important because the new technology and the additional responsibilities that they get when the new system is in place will overwhelm many people. So it is important to give an idea to everybody involved what to expect before the project starts.
For the right level of participation to occur, a group of representatives selected from various departments bf the company will need to involve themselves at several levels. Some members of the project team will work on the project full time - in tandem with the consultants and vendors team. Some others will help in coordinating the tasks of 'the different sections, and make available all the resources required to the implementation team. The management representatives will monitor the progress of the project and will make decisions
and take corrective actions to keep the project on schedule and within budget. Some other members will participate - part time - during workshops and training.
One important thing that should be kept in mind is that the effective participation of the in-house personnel is not possible without the full commitment of the top management. It is the responsibility of the top management to see that the people who are designated to the implementation team on a full time basis are not interrupted in any other way or with any other work.
Who should be assigned to the implementation team? This is very important question as the success of the implementation and the continued functioning of the system will depend on these people and their ability to grasp the new tasks and technologies. Also, the question of employee loyalty is very important. The key members who are assigned to the implementation team will suddenly find that the training and experience that they have gained have dramatically increased their market value. The temptation for le;;iving the company for higher salary will be there. So when choosing the people .for the implementation team, the company management should take these things into consideration.
Once the ERP system is implemented, the current processes and procedures will be replaced by new ones. The job descriptions responsibilities will change. The information islands that existed throughout the company - in the form of the departmental systems and databases - will be rep.laced by a central database and there will be information integration. An acti0'1 taken by an employee can trigger a lot of procedures and affect a lot of other functions - almost instantaneously. The technology will bring with it a series of new concepts and resources that must be mastered and correctly used to get the best out of the ERP systems. The format, the speed and the content of the management information systems will change. The decision-making processes will change as the decision-makers can get accurate information, in the form the want and when they want it. ERP packages will institute new business models and practices.

The company should depute its best and most efficient employees to the implementation team. The company should invest in these people and should create opportunities for them to excel within the company so that they can grow with the company. These are the people who are actually running the business; these are the people who don't have time for anything else; these are the very same people, everybody will turn to in a crisis. And these are the very people who should be assigned to the implementation team. The ERP implementation is a very complex and sophisticated project, which involves technological as well as cultural changes. It is not the place for people without any initiative, dedication and enthusiasm. It is not the place for people who do not have any team skills or who have communication problems. It is not the place for people whom the boss does not want. In fact a$signing some people, just because they are the only ones available is one of the most crucial mistakes that the management can
make. They will be jeopardizing the entire project by taking such an action. The ERP implementation project' needs people who can grasp new ideas quickly, who have an open mind to new technologies and concepts and who love challenges. These people should have a never say die attitude and should be capable of working as a team. These: men will be pioneers, as they will be taking their organizations through untested environments and uncharted waters. Their ability to think quickly, improvise effortlessly, innovate fast and act without hesitation is critical for the success of the project.