A Collaboration Model for ERP User-System Interaction

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have received well-deserved attention from both the industry and the research communities, yet the usability of these systems remains a challenge. This paper proposes a model of the usability of ERP systems based on collaboration theory. In this model, Commitment to Joint Activity (CJA), Mutual Responsiveness (MR), and Commitment to Mutual Support (CMS) are properties of Shared Cooperative Activity between the user and the ERP system. The strength of this collaboration (conceptualized as the interaction of the individual properties: CJA, MR, and CMS) impacts the system's usability. The proposed constructs are illustrated with data from a field-based case study. Our findings provide initial support for our model of human-computer collaboration in ERP systems.