Case Study 2: Implementation Strategies
Raheem Dow
Dr. Manning
Information Systems for Decision - Making
February 13, 2018
MEMO
TO: Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O), Trader Joe’s Grocery Company
FROM: Raheem, IT Specialist Trader Joe’s Grocery Company
DATE: 02/13/2018
REFERENCE: ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
Currently, Trader Joe’s Grocery Company is experiencing massive growth regarding company’s size, consumers, operations, and staff. In fact, according to future business forecasts, the company is likely to expand two-fold due to an exponential increase in demand. This expansion and growth boom necessities the streamlining of operations and IT specialists recommend for the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
In the modern world, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have been absorbed by almost all small and complex organizations due to its ability to integrate all business processes into one company-wide solution. In fact, Enterprise Resource Planning system is a multi-module transaction-oriented application program that supports enterprises to streamline the essential parts of business operations. It is achieved through the deployment of a centralized database that all business units have access too. It is imperative to note that the systematic consolidation and dynamic management of an enterprise’s resources as key benefits of implementing Enterprise Resource Planning systems. There are other many benefits such as improved productivity, increased efficiencies, improved performance, coordination, and service delivery, and decreased costs. Also, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems evolving capabilities and emerging advancements have made it as the most standard framework for integrating business functions.
Significant changes and competitive advantage
There are many benefits to implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solution, and they include the following: improved productivity, increased efficiencies, improved performance, coordination, and service delivery, and decreased costs. Other include competitive advantages, collaboration in an entity, forecasting, regulatory compliance, flexibility, and mobility. In this discussion, the priority is to outline the significant changes that the corporation may understandably obtain within the product offered during the next three years.
The significant changes that may occur include integrated information, streamlined operations, mobility, regulatory compliance, and service delivery. In the traditional mode of operations, enterprise-wide information is located at different points, and it is very complicated to ensure smooth and flexible sharing of information. However, an Enterprise Resource Planning system will ensure that all information is placed in a centralized position that is securely accessed by all legitimate information users.
Meaning that concerns with data located across separate databases will be a no issue and other platforms such as Customer Relationship Management software can be integrated with the ERP system hence, ensuring data consistency, accuracy, and immediate availability. Also, a sophisticated company like Trader Joe’s will automate business operations across different departments and branches hence, providing accurate and real-time information. Additionally, real-time capabilities also enhance mobility features thus, enabling staff to telework and resulting in improved productivity and immediate response to emerging issues. Finally, ERP is an automated technology system that has features that prevent data re-entry unlike in traditional methods where data is replicated multiple times in separate databases.
Therefore, from the significant changes, one can outline the competitive advantages. They include the following: the management’s competitive advantage processes, the organization’s competitive advantage processes, extensions to ERP system, and creative use of information from ERP systems. ERP systems generate big data that is analyzed using business-IT intelligence tools to reveal informative patterns that can be used to make organizational or managerial decisions.
Adaptation
The information system addresses or adapts to the introduction of these new product offerings through a well-defined selection and implementation procedure. In the first place, the implementation process should be preceded by a careful selection method that involves defining key strategic decisions on the necessary system or the current system’s requirements, future state business processes, and developing an organizational change management plan. By outlining the prior mention aspects, one can define a clear migration strategy and plan that will lead to a realization of successful implementation of an ERP system as well as reaping the benefits across the enterprise.
Incorporation
The capabilities of an ERP system are very many, and they include features such as scalability, information gathering, integration of information, and many more. The advantages of incorporating these capabilities in the initial information system design are very vital to any organization. First of all consider, integration of information and whereby concerns such as with data located across separate databases will be a no issue, and other significant platforms such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software will be integrated with the ERP system hence, ensuring data consistency, accuracy, and immediate availability.
Secondly, consider the amount of data that is accurately generated by the automated systems and the means in which it can be deployed to support critical decision-making forums. ERP systems generate big data that is analyzed using business-IT intelligence tools to reveal informative patterns that can be used to make organizational or managerial decisions. Thirdly, unlike in traditional systems where data is replicated multiple times in separate databases ERP systems are designed with a feature that prevent re-entry of data hence, enhancing accuracy, consistency, and integrity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are essential to an organization as it improves productivity, enhance mobility, improved information integration, support big data analytics, service delivery, and scalability. Besides, it supports manufacturing companies or supply chain in developing appropriate inventories through correct entries.
Yours Truly,
Raheem Dow
References
Ganesh, K., Sivakumar, P., Anbuudayasankar, S. P., & Mohapatra, S. (2014). Enterprise Resource Planning: Fundamentals of Design and Implementation. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
In Abramowicz, W., In Alt, R., & In Franczyk, B. (2017). Business Information Systems Workshops: BIS 2016 International Workshops, Leipzig, Germany, July 6-8, 2016, Revised Papers.
Pelphrey, M. W., & CRC Press. (2015). Directing the ERP implementation: A best practice guide to avoiding program failure traps while tuning system performance.
Samara, T. (2015). ERP and Information Systems: Integration or Disintegration. Wiley.
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