MES Implementation: Critical Success Factors and Organizational Readiness Model

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) have evolved to alleviate the drawbacks of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems by providing real-time information exploitation from the shop floor. In parallel with the increasing number of companies adopting MES, MES vendors have exponentially increased over the past two decades. While companies tend to focus merely on the technological aspects of the MES implementation, the adoption of MES implies an organizational transformation process that needs to be properly addressed by companies for implementation success. This is important because the new functions, services, and operability offered by the MES needs to be aligned with existing business processes and practices. Considering the human, technological, and organizational aspects holistically, this paper outlines critical success criteria and proposes an organizational readiness model for MES implementation.