A Wider Solution for Training and Teaching ERP Systems in the Workplace

Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERP systems) are business systems that combine data from across a company into one streamlined database (Bradford, 2015). ERP systems are intended to make people’s lives easier and more convenient in the workplace, but they can be cumbersome to deal with for employees, even those with experience. This thesis aims to understand and offer solutions to three key problems in using and implementing ERP systems, incorrect implementation, a lack of proper resources, and low motivation. It offers a framework of three solutions that are easy to implement and maintain. The first is to offer proper change management because “Change management is the body of knowledge that addresses change within the context of an organization,” (Bradford, 2015). The second is to understand employees as individuals with unique backgrounds and learning styles. Finally, the third is to implement an easily searchable database of common questions and issues that arise when using the ERP system, but for each individual department. These are then applied to the transition of Blackboard to Canvas at Arizona State University with a short informal survey that was sent out to faculty members. Lastly, this thesis describes how to motivate employees to want to use these solutions and changes.