Open Access

Nikita Fjodorovs, Philipp Harder

• During the selection and implementation of complex (manufacturing related) IT systems, such as ERP or MES, organizations often mainly focus on meeting current requirements. However, to ensure that these IT systems can also accommodate future, unforeseen requirements, it is essential to design and implement IT systems that are adaptable to change. The adaptability of IT systems is influenced not only by technical but also by human and organizational factors. Furthermore, companies are rarely isolated in their efforts: they often depend on external IT system vendors, introducing additional external forces into the dynamic. This creates a socio-technical information system composed of the implementing organization, an IT vendor, and the IT system itself, each with a variety of underlying elements. Any change in one of these elements can trigger changes in the others, highlighting the importance of understanding the interdependencies among them. Currently, there is no comprehensive framework that outlines these interdependencies, and in practice, potential conflicts are often identified only through the experiences of individual employees or consultants. This paper presents a model that maps the interdependencies between these elements, enabling the identification of both leading and dependent elements. Such model can support strategic planning and risk management in the implementation of new as well as adapting existing IT systems. Future research could explore linking of specific change drivers to these elements, thereby enhancing the understanding of the adaptability of socio-technical information systems in manufacturing companies as a whole.