609 Assignment 2 & Discussion 2

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Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning
Fourth Edition

Chapter Two

The Development of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Objectives

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

Identify the factors that led to the development of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems
Describe the distinguishing modular characteristics of ERP software
Discuss the pros and cons of implementing an ERP system
Summarize ongoing developments in ERP

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Introduction

Efficient, integrated information systems are very important for companies to be competitive
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can help integrate a company’s operations
Acts as a company-wide computing environment
Includes a database that is shared by all functional areas
Can deliver consistent data across all business functions in real time

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

The Evolution of Information Systems

Silos
Information systems configuration used until recently
Companies had unintegrated information systems that supported only the activities of individual business functional areas
Current ERP systems evolved as a result of:
Advancement of hardware and software technology
Development of a vision of integrated information systems
Reengineering of companies to shift from a functional focus to a business process focus

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Computer Hardware and Software Development

Computer hardware and software developed rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s
First practical business computers were the mainframe computers of the 1960s
Over time, computers got faster, smaller, and cheaper
Moore’s Law
Number of transistors that could be built into a computer chip doubled every 18 months

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Computer Hardware and Software Development

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Figure 2-1 The actual increase in transistors on a chip approximates Moore’s Law

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Computer Hardware and Software Development (cont’d.)

Advancements in computer software
1970s: relational database software developed
Provide businesses the ability to store, retrieve, and analyze large volumes of data
1980s: spreadsheet software became popular
Managers can easily perform complex business analyses

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Early Attempts to Share Resources

By the mid-1980s, telecommunications developments allowed users to share data and peripherals on local networks
Client-server architecture
By the end of the 1980s, the hardware needed to support development of ERP systems was in place
By the mid-1980s, database management system (DBMS) required to manage development of complex ERP software existed

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

The Manufacturing Roots of ERP

Manufacturing software developed during the 1960s and 1970s
Evolved from simple inventory-tracking systems to material requirements planning (MRP) software
Electronic data interchange (EDI)
Direct computer-to-computer exchange of standard business documents
Allowed companies to handle the purchasing process electronically

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Management’s Impetus to Adopt ERP

Hard economic times of the late 1980s and early 1990s caused many companies to downsize and reorganize
Stimulus to ERP development
Inefficiencies caused by the functional model of business organization
Silos of information
Limits the exchange of information between the lower operating levels

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Management’s Impetus to Adopt ERP (cont’d.)

Figure 2-2 Information and material flows in a functional business model

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Management’s Impetus to Adopt ERP (cont’d.)

Functional model led to top-heavy and overstaffed organizations incapable of reacting quickly to change
Process business model
Information flows between the operating levels without top management’s involvement
Further impetus for adopting ERP systems has come from compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Requires companies to substantiate internal controls on all information

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Management’s Impetus to Adopt ERP (cont’d.)

Figure 2-3 Information and material flows in a process business model

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

ERP Software Emerges: SAP and R/3

1972: five former IBM systems analysts in Mannheim, Germany formed Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung (Systems Analysis and Program Development, or SAP)
SAP’s goals:
Develop a standard software product that could be configured to meet the needs of each company
Data available in real time
Users working on computer screens, rather than with voluminous printed output

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

SAP Begins Developing Software Modules

During their work for German chemical company ICI, Plattner and Hopp had developed the idea of modular software development
Software modules: individual programs that can be purchased, installed, and run separately, but that all extract data from the common database
1982: SAP released its R/2 mainframe ERP software package

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

SAP Begins Developing Software Modules (cont’d.)

1980s: sales grew rapidly; SAP extended its software’s capabilities and expanded into international markets
By 1988, SAP had established subsidiaries in numerous foreign countries

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

SAP R/3

1988: SAP began development of its R/3 system to take advantage of client-server technology
1992: first version of SAP R/3 released
SAP R/3 system was designed using an open architecture approach
Open architecture: third-party software companies encouraged to develop add-on software products that can be integrated with existing software

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

New Directions in ERP

Late 1990s: Year 2000 (or Y2K) problem motivated many companies to move to ERP systems
By 2000, SAP AG had 22,000 employees in 50 countries and 10 million users at 30,000 installations around the world
By 2000, SAP’s competition in the ERP market:
Oracle
PeopleSoft
Late 2004: Oracle succeeded in its bid to take over PeopleSoft

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

New Directions in ERP (cont’d.)

PeopleSoft
Founded by David Duffield, a former IBM employee
Today, PeopleSoft, under Oracle, is a popular software choice for managing human resources and financial activities at universities
Oracle
SAP’s biggest competitor
Began in 1977 as Software Development Laboratories (SDL)
Founders: Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

New Directions in ERP (cont’d.)

SAP ERP
Latest versions of ERP systems by SAP and other companies allow:
All business areas to access the same database
Elimination of redundant data and communications lags
Data to be entered once and then used throughout the organization

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

New Directions in ERP (cont’d.)

Figure 2-4 Data flow within an integrated information system

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

New Directions in ERP (cont’d.)

Current SAP ERP system: SAP ECC 6.0 (Enterprise Central Component 6.0)
Sales and Distribution (SD) module
Materials Management (MM) module
Production Planning (PP) module
Quality Management (QM) module
Plant Maintenance (PM) module
Asset Management (AM) module

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

New Directions in ERP (cont’d.)

Current SAP ERP system: SAP ECC 6.0 (Enterprise Central Component 6.0) (cont’d.)
Human Resources (HR) module
Project System (PS) module
Financial Accounting (FI) module
Controlling (CO) module
Workflow (WF) module

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

New Directions in ERP (cont’d.)

Figure 2-5 Modules within the SAP ERP integrated information systems environment (Courtesy of SAP AG)

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

SAP ERP Software Implementation

Not all companies that use SAP use all of the SAP ERP modules
Company’s level of data integration is highest when it uses one vendor to supply all of its modules
Configuration options allow the company to customize the modules it has chosen to fit the company’s needs

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

SAP ERP Software Implementation (cont’d.)

Tolerance groups
Specific ranges that define transaction limits
SAP has defined the tolerance group methodology as its method for placing limits on an employee
Configuration allows the company to further tailor tolerance group methodology

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

SAP ERP Software Implementation (cont’d.)

Figure 2-6 A customization example: tolerance groups to set transaction limits

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

SAP ERP Software Implementation (cont’d.)

Features of SAP ERP
First software that could deliver real-time ERP integration
Usability by large companies
High cost
Automation of data updates
Applicability of best practices
Best practices: SAP’s software designers choose the best, most efficient ways in which business processes should be handled

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

ERP for Midsized Companies

By 1998
Most of the Fortune 500 companies had already installed ERP systems
ERP vendors refocused their marketing efforts on midsized companies
SAP All-in-One
Single package containing specific, preconfigured bundles of SAP ERP tailored for particular industries
Can be installed more quickly than the standard ERP product

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

ERP for Midsized Companies (cont’d.)

Application hosting
Third-party company provides the hardware and software support
Makes ERP systems like SAP more appealing to midsized companies
SAP and Oracle are facing competition from smaller providers of ERP software

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Responses of the Software to the Changing Market

In mid-1990s, many companies complained about the difficulty of implementing SAP R/3 system
SAP responded by developing Accelerated SAP (ASAP) implementation methodology
Eases the implementation process
SAP continues to extend capabilities of SAP ERP with additional, separate products that run on separate hardware and extract data from the SAP ERP system

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Choosing Consultants and Vendors

One person cannot fully understand a single ERP system
Before choosing a software vendor, most companies:
Study their needs
Hire an external team of software consultants to help choose the right software vendor(s) and the best approach to implementing ERP

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

The Significance and Benefits of ERP Software and Systems

More efficient business processes that cost less than those in unintegrated systems
Easier global integration
Integrates people and data while eliminating the need to update and repair many separate computer systems
Allows management to manage operations, not just monitor them
Can dramatically reduce costs and improve operational efficiency

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Questions About ERP

How much does an ERP system cost?
Should every business buy an ERP package?
Is ERP software inflexible?
What return can a company expect from its ERP investment?
How long does it take to see a return on an ERP investment?
Why do some companies have more success with ERP than others?

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

How Much Does an ERP System Cost?

Size of the ERP software
Corresponds to the size of the company it serves
Need for new hardware that is capable of running complex ERP software
Consultants’ and analysts’ fees
Time for implementation
Causes disruption of business
Training
Costs both time and money

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Should Every Business Buy an ERP Package?

Some of a business’s operations, and some segments of its operations, might not be a good match with the constraints of ERP
Sometimes, a company is not ready for ERP
ERP implementation difficulties result when management does not fully understand its current business processes and cannot make implementation decisions in a timely manner

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Is ERP Software Inflexible?

Many people claim that ERP systems, especially the SAP ERP system, are rigid
Options for customization offered by SAP ERP
Numerous configuration options that help businesses customize the software to fit their needs
Programmers can write specific routines using Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP)
Once an ERP system is in place, trying to reconfigure it while retaining data integrity is expensive and time-consuming

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

What Return Can a Company Expect from Its ERP Investment?

ERP eliminates redundant efforts and duplicated data; can generate savings in operations expense
ERP system can help produce goods and services more quickly
Company that doesn’t implement an ERP system might be forced out of business by competitors that have an ERP system
Smoothly running ERP system can save a company’s personnel, suppliers, distributors, and customers much frustration

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

What Return Can a Company Expect from Its ERP Investment? (cont’d.)

Cost savings and increased revenues occur over many years
Difficult to put an exact dollar figure to the amount accrued from the original ERP investment
ERP implementations take time
Other business factors may be affecting the company’s costs and profitability
Difficult to isolate the impact of the ERP system alone
ERP systems provide real-time data
Improve external customer communications

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

How Long Does It Take to See a Return on an ERP Investment?

Return on investment (ROI): assessment of an investment project’s value
Calculated by dividing the value of the project’s benefits by the project’s cost
ERP system’s ROI can be difficult to calculate
Peerstone Research study
63 percent of companies that performed the calculation reported a positive ROI for ERP
Most companies felt that nonfinancial goals were the reason behind their ERP installations

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Why Do Some Companies Have More Success with ERP Than Others?

Usually, a bumpy rollout and low ROI are caused by people problems and misguided expectations, not computer malfunctions
Executives blindly hoping that new software will cure fundamental business problems that are not curable by any software
Executives and IT managers not taking enough time for a proper analysis during planning and implementation phase
Executives and IT managers skimping on employee education and training

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Why Do Some Companies Have More Success with ERP Than Others? (cont’d.)

Usually, a bumpy rollout and low ROI are caused by people problems and misguided expectations, not computer malfunctions (cont’d.)
Companies not placing ownership or accountability for the implementation project on the personnel who will operate the system
Unless a large project such as an ERP installation is promoted from the top down, it is doomed to fail
ERP implementation brings a tremendous amount of change for users

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Why Do Some Companies Have More Success with ERP Than Others? (cont’d.)

For many users, it takes years before they can take advantage of many of an ERP system’s capabilities
Most ERP installations do generate returns

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

The Continuing Evolution of ERP

Understanding the social and business implications of new technologies is not easy
ERP systems have been in common use only since the mid-1990s
ERP vendors are working to solve adaptability problems that plague customers

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Summary

Speed and power of computing hardware increased exponentially, while cost and size decreased
Early client-server architecture provided the conceptual framework for multiple users sharing common data
Increasingly sophisticated software facilitated integration, especially in two areas: A/F and manufacturing resource planning

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Summary (cont’d.)

Growth of business size, complexity, and competition made business managers demand more efficient and competitive information systems
SAP AG produced a complex, modular ERP program called R/3
Could integrate a company’s entire business by using a common database that linked all operations
SAP R/3, now called SAP ERP, is modular software offering modules for Sales and Distribution, Materials Management, Production Planning, Quality Management, and other areas

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition

Summary (cont’d.)

ERP software is expensive to purchase and time-consuming to implement, and it requires significant employee training—but the payoffs can be spectacular
For some companies, ROI may not be immediate or even calculable
Experts anticipate that ERP’s future focus will be on managing customer relationships, improving planning and decision making, and linking operations to the Internet and other applications through service-oriented architecture

Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning, Fourth Edition