How important are change champions for the implementation of an organizational change ? A specific case study of organizational change with the support of an ERP tool

Details

Supervisors

Guilmot, Nathalie

Faculty

Louvain School of Management
Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences de gestion, à finalité spécialisée
Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

This thesis develops the research seeking to specify the importance of change champions for the implementation of a change. As organizational change can take on many forms and applies to different scopes, the literature on organizational change considered key in a continuously changing environment, is developed and structured. Next, the current research on change champions, definitions, roles, and follow-up is developed. To develop findings, a specific case study, concerning the change towards real-time accounting within BDO Belgium with the help of an ERP tool is qualitatively studied. In order to understand the applicability of our results for our research, the current use of ERPs and key users are developed beforehand, as well as the real-time accounting process. Three hypotheses are raised concerning the role of key users and limitations towards the scope of change implementation. The link between key users and Technology champions is set. Findings suggest that change champions role is key for change implementation as well as for ERP tools implementation. Though some conditions and limitations apply to these findings such as the collaboration and communication between different types of change champions and the presence of sufficient hierarchical lever.