Why do shadow systems exist after an ERP implementation? : Lessons from a case study

One of the main promises of an ERP implementation is the ‘full integration of a business’. Reports of shadow systems in post ERP implementations suggest that this is not always the case. Using an exploratory single case study method with grounded theory coding techniques this study investigates why shadow systems exist after an ERP implementation. This paper provides a theoretical framework which reveals that the causal factors found in the categories of technology, organization, business procedures and people all contribute to the phenomenon of shadow systems in an ERP context.