Abstract
This paper highlights the criticality of the ‘End-Users’ factor to the success or failure of the ERP venture. This descriptive case highlights the ineffectiveness of the current approaches to ERP end-users’ “training and competency building”, that are commonly applied in ERP implementations. We propose as an alternative, a new structured approach that redefines the traditional role of “ERP Training” from isolated implementation project activities concerned with introducing end-users to “how to” use ERP applications to an integral part of a comprehensive “knowledge & change management” strategy that advocates a holistic life-cycle approach to managing ERP Critical Success Factors (CSF).The investigation benefits from the “iceberg competency model”, the “training management cycle”, and “Kirk-Patrik’s evaluation model” as the theoretical basis and context for drawing a comparison of the suitability and effectiveness of training approaches adopted in major ERP implementations in UAE. The proposed approach, which is built around ‘end-user characterization’ as the main input into ‘competency building’ is flexible enough to plug into standard ERP methodologies and may be projected throughout the ERP life-cycle. The end-users characterization and competency building approach (EUCCB) is expected to contribute to healthy levels of ERP usage and utilization that leads to positive business gains and return on investment.