Abstract
This research study addressed the issue of the implications of language differences for the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation processes in Saudi public universities as a specimen of organizations where employees come from different linguistic backgrounds. In these universities, Arabic is the dominant language for different reasons including linguistic identity and accessibility. ERP units in these universities are required to use Arabic for all the ERP applications, screens, and practices for linguistic identity purposes. There are several employees in these universities who cannot understand Arabic and therefore cannot comprehend the ERP system resulting in problems and difficulties in their work delivery. This study designed a survey in order to investigate the impact of linguistic diversity on ERP implementation and data was collected from 788 participants in 7 Saudi public universities. The rationale of this study is that these Saudi universities have employees from different countries that speak different languages and at the same time require ERP applications, screens, and practices to be done in Arabic. Results clearly indicate that linguistic barriers pose a big challenge to ERP implementation processes and have a negative impact on various ERP implementation practices. It is suggested that universities should select ERP systems that include multi-language capabilities, encourage employees to adopt English as a foreign functional language, and provide opportunities for employees to improve their language skills for the successful implementation of ERP systems. (c) 2018 The Authors. Published by IASE.