Enhancing ERP Adoption in Government Training Institutions for Effective Financial Management: A Case of Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA)

Abstract

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is the largest application software that increasingly being adopted by Higher Learning Institutions (HLI) both private and public institutions in developing countries. However, there is high rate of failures of ERP system implementation in higher learning institutions specifically in the strategies of integration with other information systems like Student Management System (SMS), human resource management and Accounting information systems for the purpose of enhancing financial management. Thus, this study aimed at enhancing the ERP system adoption in higher learning institutions with a special attention to government training institutions in Tanzania. Initially information was collected through literature review; primary data was gathered through structured questionnaires received from a total of 40 respondents working with Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA) which implement ERP system (Epicor). The study revealed several factors that slow the process of implementing ERP system at HLIs. These factors are; lack of technical awareness about the system, user of the system are not involved in the system requirements, top management support, ERP system implementations strategies, IT-infrastructure and experience in IT adoption process. Furthermore, it is found that phased adoption strategy is more suitable approach for adopting new ERP system in the government training institutions environment. Similarly the study revealed that ERP system plays important role in enhancing financial management in HLIs. Conclusively, the study proposed the integrated ERP system implementation framework using phased approach to suite the government higher training institutions environment.

Keywords: ERP system, Government training institutions, adoption strategy