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Enterprise Resource Planning Systems: Impacts and Future Directions

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Systems Engineering for Business Process Change

Abstract

Over the past 10 years a dominant information technology (IT) strategy has emerged: the adoption of single-vendor Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. ERP systems are highly integrated standard software packages that automate core corporate activities such as finance, human resources and logistics. They are currently the preferred method by which businesses replace legacy systems and the application market alone is worth in the region of $20 billion. This chapter investigates the evolution of ERP systems from their roots in supporting manufacturing operations to their expansion into other areas of the enterprise and beyond. An analysis of the operational and strategic implications of the widespread adoption of this class of standard software is presented which is drawn from detailed case research and the academic and business literatures. The focus of the analysis is on the strategic impact of ERP systems in organisations. The chapter concludes by examining how ERP systems may evolve further and considers the legacy implications of adopting this kind of IT strategy.

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag London

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Light, B., Holland, C. (2000). Enterprise Resource Planning Systems: Impacts and Future Directions. In: Henderson, P. (eds) Systems Engineering for Business Process Change. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0457-5_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0457-5_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-1146-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-0457-5

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