ERP systems
ERP systems may not be the most appropriate solution for all types of organizations. For which of the following do you believe that ERP systems would be suitable:
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a business management program that helps organizations to use a system of integrated systems to manage the enterprise. EPR programs are specialized to be used in various areas. For example, some EPR programs are tailored to be used for product development, material purchasing, marketing, accounting, inventory as well as Human Resource. For example, an EPR system can be used by an aircraft manufacturer such as the Boeing Company to purchase materials, for inventory, marketing, and accounting purposes. An EPR system can also be used in a government department of transport for inventory purposes.
It can also be used for managing human resources in the government department. Similarly, an EPR program is very instrumental when installed in a National Health Services to electronically manage patients’ records as well as manage records of the employees. The use of the EPR system in NHS can make it possible for patients’ information to be shared by all the departments in the hospital. Similarly, an EPR system can still be used in a retail organization. For example, McDonald can use an EPR system for accounting, inventory, marketing as well as sales management.
The computing company should adopt an EPR solution. This is because the EPR system will help the company to facilitate the purchasing of components from the Asian suppliers that are required for assembly of the netbook-like table machines. Implementation of an ERP system in the computing company will help in the inventory, accounting, and marketing of the netbook-like table machines. Also, the ERP solution will help the various departments in the computing company to share various data that is required to enhance efficiency in the production as well as marketing purposes.
Small and medium businesses are adopting ERP to differentiate themselves. A medium-sized company that adopts an ERP solution is in a position to establish a competitive edge over its rival businesses that do not have the system. This is because an ERP system will make the training of employees easier. Another advantage of implementing an ERP system that requires employees to master only one single system that they use to accomplish multiple tasks.
Moreover, an ERP program helps a business to save a lot of time because of its efficiency as well as accuracy. Also, an ERP program helps businesses to access relevant data more easily which it can use to analyze current conditions and adjust accordingly. In summary, an ERP program helps businesses to use shared management reporting tools, use a common database as well as coordinating information across company-wide business processes.
Thus, ERP systems support efficient operations of business processes by integrating business tasks that relate to marketing, sales, manufacturing, logistics, accounting, and financing. However, implementing an ERP system in an older business can be very difficult. It is difficult because it requires training all the workers on how to use an ERP system which results in a major downtime as the organization switches all its functions to the new system. In such a case, the ERP system may lower the competitive advantage of the enterprise as it will result in reduced performance.
There is no single indicator that suggests that a business requires implementing an ERP. However, any business that is taking a long time to reconcile its financials at the end of the month or a business whose sales forecasts depend on guesswork requires implementing an ERP. Also, a business that has a problem in keeping up with the volume of orders as well as satisfying its customers should install an ERP system. Moreover, a company that is not conversant with the amount of inventory that it has in the warehouse should adopt an ERP solution.
Data store
A data warehouse is a centralized repository containing comprehensive detail and summary data that provides a complete view of customers, suppliers, business processes, and transactions, from a historical perspective with little vitality. The DesignerTopFashion should consider developing a Data Warehouse that it can use to manage its data. A data Warehouse will help the DesignerTopFashion to improve its data quality as well as minimizing inconsistent reports.
The data warehouse will help the retailer organization to have a centralized location where historical data as well as current data that entails all-important entities for DesignerTopFashion are found. The data warehouse developed will enable appropriate entries to be entered from all the 10,000 stores. Some important aspects that are associated with the data warehouse are the static nature of data inputted that makes it impossible to alter the data once it is added and the data can be inputted from inside as well as outside the enterprise.
Storing data in a centralized location is advantageous for DesignerTopFashion as it will be easier for the users to analyze it and derive different solutions that could have been difficult if the data were analyzed separately. Analyzing data from multiple sources will make it possible for DesignerTopFashion to get patterns and connections that cannot be derived in any other manner.
Some challenges that DesignerTopFashion will experience by having a data warehouse is the difficulty that is associated with cleaning, loading, and extracting the data before being inputted into the data warehouse. Another problem that DesignerTopFashion will experience is the problem of compatibility. For instance, a new application system may not compatible with old programs that are being used. The data warehouse is not easy to use and it requires training of those users who will be using it.
If the data warehouse is being accessed online, then it must be well secured to avoid being hacked. Otherwise, the security of the information stored can be jeopardized. It is very complicated to maintain a data warehouse and those firms which plan to implement it must find out if the benefit associated with a data warehouse outweighs its shortcomings. This is because after paying for the data warehouse, the DesignerTopFashion will require to pay extra money for maintenance purposes.
DesignerTopFashion should consider all factors before implementing the data warehouse. The management of DesignerTopFashion should establish the benefits that the retainer will derive from implementing the data warehouse. The benefits should be weighed against the costs that are involved in its implementations as well as its maintenance. It is after this analyzes that the management at DesignerTopFashion should decide if DesignerTopFashion should go ahead and develop a data warehouse. This will be decided if the management establishes that its benefits are worth the huge costs and time that accompany its development and maintenance.
DesignerTopFashion should implement an ERP system that will assist the firm to coordinate the company information across all its wide business processes. The ERP will assist it to use a common database as well as share management reporting tools. By implementing an ERP, DesignerTopFashion will enhance its efficiency by integrating business tasks that relate to marketing, sales, accounting as well as logistics to maximize its performance and profits generated.