ERP on Employees Productivity in the Telecommunication

Problem statement

In the telecommunication sector in Australia, the companies are using several operating systems for different departments to collect the information or data. For that there is no consistency of receiving the data timely. For that the employee of the organization are less productive(Rachev et al., 2013).

Literature review:

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is collection of softwares which constitute a total software system which the business enterprises use to perform their day-to-day operations. This information technological support helps in the decision making process of the organization. The scope of ERP is huge and its practical life implementation is numerous. The advantages offered by ERP have helped it gain much significance in the business world. The present industry situation is characterized by dynamic changes in the market environment and ever increasing competition.

Keywords: ERP System, Organizational Objectives, Employee Productivity, Effect of Technological Advancement in the Telecommunication Industry, Productivity Analysis, Service Quality, Employee Innovation.

Concept of ERP

As mentioned above ERP is total system which co-ordinates and facilitates the business activities of a business organization. To keep pace with the dynamic nature of the business environment and stakeholder demands, implementation of contemporary technologies have become indispensable such as the ERP system (Abugabah, Ahed, et al. 2010). This research paper intends to review the effect of ERP system on the productivity of employees in the telecommunication industry of Australia. The critical review will explore all the possible advantageous avenues an organization can discover within and outside the industry. We will evaluate the effect of these avenues on the level of effectiveness and efficiency of the employees engaged in the telecommunication sector.

As pointed out earlier ERP is a collection of softwares which find their implementation in various business processes that are undertaken by a telecommunication company. The various avenues where ERP system is implemented are supply chain management, manufacturing, inventory control, manufacturing activities, sales support, customer relationship management, accounting, costing, financial management, etc. The main aim behind implementing ERP is to facilitate an informative decision making process. With the help of an ERP system the management of the company is able to make informed decisions which ultimately cater to the achievement of the pre-determined goals of the concern. Such effective and efficient decision making helps in maximizing profits and the wealth of the stakeholders (Beheshti, Hooshang M., et al. 2010).

CRM module of ERP and its effect on sales of employees

ERP is basically noticed to supply different reliable and available customer oriented data, which further helps the employees to perfectly manage and carry out their pre sales activities. Also it helps the employees to perform different automatic sales process and deliver a consistent form of customer service. The CRM module helps employees to recognise the different forms of market trends problems in sales as well as developed business opportunities which are likely noticed to throw impact over sales performance (Donner, et al 2011).  The employees are further noticed to make access over the updated communication history with their customers to strengthen their relationship with the customers. In this way, employees of different companies strive to increase their sales performance by supplying superior form of customer services and enhance their relation with customers. The CRM module of ERP is further noticed to impose control over the sales process of the company that is followed by the employees. it is noticed to authorize the sales staff of the company by supplying them with details that includes information on inventory status, the cost structure and delivery time of the products, habits and special demands placed by the customers so that the company puts effort in producing such products and expand the sales platform of the company (Gulati, 2012).  With the use of CRM software he employees are able to supply value added services to their customers so that they could stay at the forefront of their business competitors with a good reputation in the market, also with the CRM module the employees of the company are able to successfully upgrade their existing knowledge on customers’ needs and supplying hose services or products in time strengthen the sales structure of the company. It would be further research with SAP CRM which supplies information on the different aspects of sales and helps the employees to collect different predictive information that might throw impact on the sales performance. The idea of implementing different channels within the business that includes internet, telephony, carrying out field sales that help in optimising the customer’s relationship would be helpful for the research (Hesse-Biber 2010).  

Effect of ERP on Productivity of Employees

In an arena where ERP has made the entire management process automated, the productivity of the employees get affected. This may happen in a positive or negative manner, both. This impact has been studied in details previously. Notable research works are McAfee and Upton 1996, Ross in 1998, Davenport also in 1998, AT Kearney in 1996, 1998 and in 2000, Gattiker and Goodhue in 2000, MSDW CIO Surveys on Enterprise Softwares from 1999 to 2001. As discussed above the needs of the telecommunication industry has changed to a huge extent (Ifinedo and Princely 2010). Cut throat competition requires the telecommunication companies to co-ordinate their activities in an efficient manner so as to provide seamless service to the consumers. Implementation of ERP has enabled integration, co-ordination and execution of different business processes in an efficient manner throughout the organization (Momoh, A., R. Roy et al. 2010).

The level and quality of productivity of the employees is a very much important element to the management of the telecommunications company. As they are a part of the service industry, it becomes imperative for them to interact with the end customers in an efficient manner so as to satisfy their demands (Venkatesh, Viswanath, Hillol Bala, et al. 2010). The employees of the telecommunication industry are engaged in direct customer handling and hence their work force has to be well trained. Implementation of ERP system in the organization helps the employees to perform their jobs with much accuracy and as a result they get the scope to focus more on customer handling (Morris, Michael G., et al. 2010). This in turn increases their service quality and enables to resolve disputes quickly. Prompt service by the employees increases their productivity and customer satisfaction. The employees become more and more involved in generating innovative ideas to serve the customers of the company. This level of effectiveness is only achieved by implementing a total system which reduces the extra burdens of the employees. As a result the sense of accountability and responsibility increases in the employees. The involvement of IT in the decision making process has resulted to be an asset for the companies engaged in the telecommunication industry (Qutaishat and Fadi Taher,2012).

Gaps in Existing Literature

This research is based on the earlier studies which were conducted in the 1990’s. Since then a lot of changes have taken place. This research intends to bridge those gaps and arrive at a conclusion which will be taken to be most appropriate in contemporary times. This research intends to measure the sensitivity of changes in the productivity of employees with the implementation of ERP systems in organizations. The degree of change is still not arrived at to the exact pinpoint. This research intends to find out and measure the exact amount of change that takes place in productivity after and before implementation of ERP system.

Summary

This study was able to demonstrate the importance of ERP systems in the present business world for companies engaged in the telecommunication industry in Australia. It was able to address the issues related to the implementation of an ERP system on the productivity of the employees of the organization. Employee behavior and effectiveness is influenced by a number of variables which has a great impact on the functioning and decision making process of a company. To achieve the objective of customer satisfaction by implementing ERP system requires the employees to be involved throughout the implementation process. The employees shall be given the freedom to choose the manner in which they will require assistance from the ERP system. This will definitely enhance the efficiency of the employees and will help them to perform their duties in a much effective manner.

Research methodology

The researcher will be applied different statistical models and techniques based on the requirements of this research(Leavy and Hesse-Biber 2010). For conducting this research the data and information will be needed and a work structure should be prepared(Hesse-Biber 2010). The deductive research approach will be going to use by the researcher to collect the practical data and information that are required for this study. The researcher will going to use the descriptive research design that helps to gather the actual data.For this research both quantitative and qualitative data are going to use that will help the researcher to analyze the data more accurately(Gulati 2012).

Data collection approach

After the preparation of the research design the researcher will going to collect the data from different sources. The researcher will going to apply hypothesis test (Z test), central tendency, inferential statistics and dispersion, regression analysis for conducting this research. The primary and secondary both the data are necessary to conducting this research. To take the feedback from the employee some precise questionnaire will going to prepare by the researcher(Donner and Zou, 2011). To make the research qualitative some face-to-face interview will going to take by the researcher. All the data will be classified according to the variables. The researcher will apply some statistical analysis to attain the outcomes of this study. For this, the research will going to take total sample size of 100. 70 employees and 30 customers are included in this total sample size. The customer will going to tell the after implementing this system what quality services they will be provide by the organization.

Data Analysis

The researcher will going to use different charts, tabulations, graphs that will help the researcher to analyze the outcomes. The actual data and information that is going to help the researcher take some important decisions about the impact of employee’s work efficiency within the organization. Based upon the quantitative method the researcher will going to analyze the data and information that will going to help for conducting the research process.

Interpretation of research outcomes

Based on the research outcomes the organizations can increase their employees’ productivity and make the customer satisfied. To assess the needs and requirements of the employee within the organization an interpretation should be given clearly by the researcher so that the organizations can improve their business activities in the long-run(Bryman and Bell, 2011).

Expected research outcomes

The results of the research will help the organization to take some important decisions in the future. The important factors, numerical analysis of the survey that will be taken from the customer and the employee that will going to be included. Whether any other aspects are there that are preventing the organization to implement this system will be going to disclose. After the research process it will be very easy to understand the reason behind the employee’s productivity in the organization. The z test will specify the outcomes that will help the organization to clearly understand their issues. The outcomes of this research will going to help the organizations to maintain a standardized processes within the organization. This research will help the organization to maintain the timeliness.

Conclusion

To conduct this particular study the researcher has mentioned the whole process in this particular study. In order to analyze the necessary issues that this research intends to focus on, the researcher is quite affirm that the application and the following strategies seem to be quite essential.

Reference List

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