Practical know-how of the Global Project

Hitoshi Goto

Ukihiko Takagi

In Part 5, we discussed tax and legal systems that we should know in the implementation of business systems overseas. This time, we will look at the method of interacting successfully with local experts.

Can we really organize a project structure?

For dealing with tax and legal system, country and local consultants are required. However the number of expert consultants may be limited in some countries and regions.

This is a case about developing a system that implemented with Oracle-E-Business Suite (hereinafter referred to as EBS) as ERP package in Brazil. In Brazil, SAP (competing ERP packages) has an overwhelmingly higher market share than EBS. When we recruited EBS consultants, the number of experts in the business areas required at the beginning of the project was not enough, however while we proceed with the project, people gradually joined.

Based on this experience, we got lessons learned that we have to consider local market share of packaged software, assign consultants for packaged software targeted in a country or region, and organize project structure carefully in advance.

Creating a cross-functional team of experts

Overseas experts often have little interest in the field outside their areas of expertise, so please be careful. Even though they have sense of responsibility, there are times when they do not consider other areas, so we need to support it with project structure.

This is a story when we migrate ERP package from old system to EBS in Brazil.

When we confirmed the important points regarding to migration to a consultant in charge of a Brazil specific module, he replied "My module is not subject to migration, so it is okay". However it wasn't until Japanese member noticed and pointed out that that tax rate calculation of other modules would change by installing that Brazil module. We drew the picture and explained it to him and he understood the situation but he asked "How is that related to me?"

The solution is to prepare a cross-functional team of experts that bundles these experts together. It is best to have such a team of members from the countries and regions, because it is better to talk with local team leader because it is difficult for Japanese to catch up local tax, legal system and functions.

It is important to clarify their roles and responsibilities by preparing team like this at the contract stage.

For cross-function teams that requires management including their outside areas of expertise, it is also effective to provide incentives and bonus to increase their motivation.

Since it is difficult to prepare such a team (especially to find a leader), it is also important to build a trust relationship so that it is possible to gather the same members of the team that has once succeeded when there is similar project in the future.

<<Read [Part 5]Read [Part 7]>>

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