What are two common drawbacks of implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution? Choose 2 answers

Two of the most widely recognized drawbacks of ERP implementation are the significant time and resources required. These projects are lengthy, often taking years to fully implement, and the financial and operational benefits are typically not realized until well after the system goes live (A). Furthermore, ERP systems fundamentally change how work is done, requiring comprehensive and often complex training for employees across the organization to ensure they can use the new, integrated system effectively (B).

C. The cost savings and/or payback is impossible to measure in terms of bottom line: While measuring ERP ROI can be complex, it is not impossible; companies use various financial and operational metrics to assess payback.

D. It must always be customized and too much customization may slow down projects: ERP systems do not always require customization; a common strategy is to adapt business processes to the software's standard "best practices."

1. Davenport, T. H. (1998). Putting the Enterprise into the Enterprise System. Harvard Business Review, 76(4), 121–131. This foundational article highlights that ERP projects are long, expensive, and require significant organizational change, including extensive training.

2. Umble, E. J., Haft, R. R., & Umble, M. M. (2003). Enterprise resource planning: Implementation procedures and critical success factors. European Journal of Operational Research, 146(2), 241-257. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217(02)00547-7. The paper identifies high costs, long implementation times, and the need for extensive user training as major challenges (Section 3.2).