Enterprise Resource Planning - Essay Example

Implementing Enterprise Resource Planning for the US Army Main points ERP is a vital system for the army, due its ability to introduce information and knowledge superiority ERP allows the army to respond to combat effectively and promptly The implementation of ERP requires key considerations such as cost, leadership and supervision consistency and cultural and organizational change forecasting. Both internal and external stakeholders should be included should be the implementation process Configuration of the ERP is essential to ensure that the system is compatible with the traditional business processes Customization of the ERP helps to make it possible for a business to apply ERP without changing its business processes. ERP customization has the disadvantage of making it require new and scarce technical resources, while limiting the general functionality. Questions 1. What are the key goals in the army using an ERP system? The goals in the Army using the ERP include the need to anticipate and respond to the everchanging operational environment, which requires the army to be well versed in information and knowledge management. This can only be achieved through the implementation of the ERP system (Real-World Case, 183). Another key goal for the use of the ERP by the army is to enhance its ability to employ and sustain responsive combat, which is achievable through the knowledge superiority that is offered by the ERP system. The implementation of the ERP prepares the army to be decisive, making it to have the superiority and dominance in combat. Finally, a key goal for the use of the ERP by the army is to help the army streamline its operations, practices and process, making them more efficient (Real-World Case, 183). 2. What are the key implementation considerations that need to be done in the implementation of the ERP? The key implementation considerations made include the sources of failure in the process of transformation. The failure by an institution to forecast and thus plan for the likely organizational and cultural changes that comes with the transformation, which entails the introduction of the ERP in the army can easily cause a failure to the implementation process (Real-World Case, 184). Leadership and sponsorship consistency is also a major consideration, since the introduction of ERP requires the consistency of leadership and supervisors, which is rarely the case in the army. Stakeholder alignment is also an essential consideration, since all the stakeholders in the army should be aware and supportive of the transformation. Cost considerations should also be made, since the implementation of ERP requires substantial resources, which should always be supplied, for the success of the process (Real-World Case, 184). 3. How has the change management process incorporated into the implementation? The change management was incorporated in the process through the change of the army process into business-like, since the ERP could not fully address the army system, which is quite different from the normal business transactions and processes. These changes entail the incorporation of some traditional aspects of the army systems such as cost and performance measures into the ERP system, while introducing new concepts such as the measurement of effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction, both internal and external (Real-World Case, 185). Additionally, the change management process was incorporated into the system through the reconfiguration of the ERP, to include a new code, other than change the existing one, a process known as extension. This is essential to include some of the army processes, which cannot be run by the ERP due to their unique nature, into the ERP system (Real-World Case, 186). 4. Discuss the pros and cons to customizing the system The pros of customizing the system is the fact that it will enhance the continuation of the normal processes, without the necessity for business change, since the reconfiguration will introduce the traditional business systems into the ERP (Real-World Case, 185). However, the cons include the fact that customization of the ERP eliminates the chances of benefiting from the subsequent ERP software functionality advancements and updates, since customization changes the ERP to suit the business systems only, limiting the general functionality of the ERP software (Real-World Case, 186). Additionally, the customization of the ERP introduces new and scarce technical resources requirement, which sets the functionality of the customized system at the risk of failing to perform effectively, on the event that such scarce resources are non-existent (Real-World Case, 187). Summary ERP is a superior system that can be introduced into the army system, and help the army to be more effective and efficient, in responding to combat requirements. Additionally, it is a source of military superiority, since it introduces a system of managing knowledge and information, making it possible for the army to obtain the superior capability to respond to combat whenever needed (Real-World Case, 183). However, the implementation of the ERP in the army does not just come simply, owing to the unique systems that the army has, which are different from the normal businesses processes. Therefore, there are various key considerations that require to be made when implementing the ERP system in the army. Such key considerations include earlier anticipation of the cultural and organizational changes that are likely to occur as a result of the implementation and preparing to address them (Real-World Case, 185). The other thing is that cost considerations should be made in advance, to ensure that the implementation of the ERP is fully funded. Leadership and supervision consistency is a key aspect of the implementation process, where constituency of the leaders and supervisors in the process should always be maintained. To achieve the ERP usability and its compatibility with the army processes, some configuration of the system is necessary. However, the configuration should not be done in terms of modifying the original codes supplied by the vendor, since that would render the system incapable of being advanced and updated by the vendor. The configuration should be done through a process of extension, where new codes are added to those supplied by the vendor with the ERP, since this will allow system upgrade and software updating, while providing for the compatibility of the ERP with the traditional army processes (Real-World Case, 186). Customization is yet the other necessity of the ERP implementation, where the ERP can be modified to suit the unique processes of the army. This is beneficial since it provides for an opportunity for the business to utilize the ERP, without the need to change its business processes. However, the configuration of the system is least advised, since it contributes to the creation of a system that operates for the business only, while negating the other ERP functionality (Real-World Case, 187). Therefore, the introduction of ERP in the army is a complex process, which requires commitment to and readiness to accept change. Works cited Real-World Case: United States Army. US army website on ERP Implementations, (n.d.). 183-188. Print. Read More