Acknowledgements
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to the Almighty God for the good health and wellbeing to complete my studies. Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Prof. Irina Zlotnikova for the continuous support and guidance of my master’s study for her patience, enthusiasm, and immense knowledge. Her supervision helped me in my research and writing of the thesis. Besides my supervisor, I would like to thank my fellow discussion group from the Computer Science and Information Systems department and Dr. Dina Machuve for their encouragement and insightful comments and suggestions. Also I would like to express my sincere thankfulness to the SMEs which participated on my study. Lastly, I would like to thank my family for their support and best wishes iii | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT.................................................................................................... i CERTIFICATION .................................................................................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................. viii LIST OF APPENDICES........................................................................................................................ ix ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction to the Problem .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.3 General and Specific Objectives ................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Research Questions ....................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................................. 5 1.6 Dissertation Organisation .............................................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................................... 7 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 ERP Systems in SMEs .................................................................................................................. 7 2.3 Open Source ERP Systems ........................................................................................................... 8 2.4 Advantages of the Open Source ERP Systems ............................................................................. 8 2.5 Critical Success Factors for ERP Systems Adoption .................................................................. 10 2.6 Related Works in Open Source ERP System Evaluation and Selection ..................................... 13 2.6.1 Open Source ERP Systems Selection Survey [24] .............................................................. 13 2.6.2 Framework for Selecting Open Source ERP Systems [41] .................................................. 13 2.6.3 Carvalho’s Evaluation Method for Open Source ERP Systems [42] ................................... 15 2.6.4 Al-Saleem’s Evaluation Method for Open Source ERP Systems [43] ................................ 15 2.6.5 Model for Evaluating and Selecting Open Source ERP Systems [27] ................................. 16 2.6.6 Framework for ERP System Selection Using AHP Method [44] ........................................ 17 2.6.7 Theoretical Model for Open Source ERP Systems Selection by SMEs [45] ....................... 18 2.6.8 Method for Evaluation of Open Source Customer Relationship Management Software [46] ...................................................................................................................................................... 19 2.6.9 ERP Solution Selection Criteria in Medium-Sized South African Companies [48] ............ 19 2.6.10 Enterprise Resource Planning Selection for Railway Industry [49] .................................. 20 2.7 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 20 iv | P a g e CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY........................................................................ 24 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 24 3.2 Sample Size ................................................................................................................................. 24 3.3 Research Design .......................................................................................................................... 24 3.3.1 Qualitative Approach ........................................................................................................... 25 3.3.2 Quantitative Approach ......................................................................................................... 25 3.4 Methods Used for Determining the Components of the Open Source ERP systems Selection 3.4.1 Identification of the Critical Success Factors for the Open Source ERP Systems Adoption ......................................................................................................................................................26 3.4.2 Methods for Identification of the Criteria for the Selection of the Open Source ERP Systems ......................................................................................................................................... 26 3.4.3 Methods for Identification of Open Source ERP systems Quality Characteristics .............. 27 3.5 Methods Used for Evaluation and Ranking of Open Source ERP Systems ................................ 27 3.6 Methods Used for Validating the Open Source ERP Systems Selection Model ........................ 28 3.7 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 28 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.......................................................................... 29 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 29 4.2 Data Collection Results and Discussions .................................................................................... 29 4.2.1 Background Information ...................................................................................................... 29 4.2.2 ERP System Benefits Indicated by Respondents ................................................................. 29 4.2.3 Factors Limiting Adoption of ERP Systems ........................................................................ 30 4.3 Results of Identification of Components of the Open Source ERP System Selection Model .... 31 4.3.1 Results of Identification of the Critical Success Factors for the Open Source ERP System Selection Model ................................................................................................................................ 31 Ranking of Critical Success Factors for ERP Selection ................................................................ 32 4.3.2 Identification of the Selection Criteria for Evaluating an Open Source ERP system .............. 35 4.3.3 Identification of the Evaluation Criteria Related to the Adopting Organisation ...................... 38 4.3.4 Identification of the Open Source ERP System Quality Characteristics ................................. 40 4.4 Open Source ERP System Selection Model................................................................................ 41 4.5 Results of the Evaluation of the Open Source ERP Systems ...................................................... 43 4.5.1 Evaluation of the Ten Open Source ERP Systems ............................................................... 43 4.5.2 Results of Evaluation and Ranking of the Open Source ERP Systems ............................... 44 4.6 Results of Validation of Open Source ERP System Selection Model by SMEs ......................... 45 4.6.1. Web ERP Open Source System .......................................................................................... 48 v | P a g e 4.6.2 Open ERP System ................................................................................................................ 50 4.6.3 ERP Next Open Source System ........................................................................................... 50 4.6.4 Summary of the Results of Validation of Open Source ERP System Selection Model ....... 51 4.7 Conclusion