Implementing Electronic Data Interchange: A Nontechnological Perspective

This paper investigates the success factors for implementing electronic data interchange (EDI). Previous research has highlighted the fact that these success factors are broader than just the technological issues associated with a new system. The importance of nontechnological issues during the implementation of EDI was investigated and verified by this study. At the initial stage of implementing EDI the technological and nontechnological factors are of equal importance. However, because technological issues are more easily controlled and thus managed, the issues that require the most management effort are nontechnological. This study shows that the key nontechnological success factors, in order of importance, are planning, top management commitment, the management of trading partner relationships, the degree of structural integration achieved, education and training, and staffing the implementation team.