Agile methods for ERP system implementation: analysis and recommendations on the Odoo case and B2B companies

The digitalization of our world has brought to companies a lot of new challenges and has stressed the importance of resiliency, efficiency and adaptability. They are now operating in environment where the availability of customers’ data is bigger than ever, however the ability to manage it is increasingly difficult for companies without the adequate tool. This is one of the reasons ERP systems are becoming more and more popular and occupy a bigger place in the priorities of a company's managament. Nonetheless, their implementation is risky and has in the past often resulted in failures. This is why the utilization of agile methods instead of traditional project management approaches in ERP implementation can bring a new perspective on how to make companies more suited to their always changing environments. This thesis highlights different managerial implications during the implementation of an ERP system, whether we look at the implications pertaining to the B2B sector they operate in or the agile implementation method they use. The use of ERP systems in B2B sectors induces a need for strong relationships with the customer base and a fluid communication as companies are bound by longer contracts. It also induces, for companies having complex technical processes in place, a need for more control and security over the data coming in and out of the company. Finally, as ERP systems are used as complete business tools instead of just IT tools, the use of ERP systems in B2B environments creates a need for standardization. It also helps the ERP provider with more practical tasks like the maintenance of the software. There are also implications to the use of agile methods to implement ERP systems. First, on the level of adoption and expertise of the client as they are often various levels of knowledge across the company implementing it. In addition to that, changing business environments are pushing for the use of iterative cycles and progressive implementation. Finally, agile methods create more opportunities for feedbacks and the addition of clients’ inputs. Therefore, there is a stronger sense of continuous improvement. Our work concludes by giving recommendations to ERP integrators on the balance of knowledge between clients and development team; the empowerment of the client during an implementation; the harmonization of business process modelling inside the development team and the use of incremental deliveries during the elaboration of prototypes.