Advanced resource planning as decision support module to ERP.

In this paper, we show that the planning and decision-support capabilities of the MPC (Manufacturing Planning and Control) system, which forms the core of any ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) package, may be substantively enhanced by including a Decision Support Module (DSM) as an add-on at the midterm planning level. This DSM, called Advanced Resource Planning (ARP), serves as parameter setting process as well as tool for improving the structure of the ERP system itself. The ultimate goal of the DSM is to yield realistic information both for scheduling, sales and marketing, strategic and operational decision making and suppliers and customers.

From ERP to advanced resource planning: Improving the operational performance by getting the inputs right.

In this paper, we show that the planning and decision support capabilities of the MPC (Manufacturing Planning and Control) system, which forms the core of any ERP package, may be greatly enhanced by including an Advanced Resource Planning (ARP) module as an add-on at the midterm planning level. This ARP module enables to estimate the impact of variability, complexity and dynamic system behavior on key planning parameters. As such, it yields realistic information both for short-term planning purposes and for reliable lead time quotations. We show how dynamic behavior impacts the operational performance of a manufacturing system, and discuss the framework for incorporating the ARP module into the ERP system.Planning; Operational performance; Performance; International; Science;

Reference Model in BPMN Notation for a Production Scheduling System

Companies are progressively investing in practices aimed at improving the quality of management, with the main purpose of enabling them to operate competitively in the present market. For this, it is necessary to document the activities and information of the existing business processes in the organization, aiming at reducing time and cost in the elaboration of the particular model. In this context, the objective of this work is to develop a reference model of the Production Scheduling (PS) processes, an important module of production planning and control (PPC). The research methodology used in this work was divided into the following stages: study of PS and business process modeling, definition of reference model processes, choice of methodology and process modeling tool, development of reference model and prototype of the software and, finally, analysis of results. The modeling notation used was the BPMN, since it is considered a standard language in the field of process modeling. The prototype was developed through the Delphi interface in order to apply the model to support the implementation of business management programs. As results, from a formal documentation, the model proved to be a useful mechanism in the understanding of the processes raised and appropriate in the support to the implantation of production management tools

Understanding Behavioral Sources of Process Variation Following Enterprise System Deployment

This paper extends the current understanding of the time-sensitivity of intent and usage following large-scale IT implementation. Our study focuses on perceived system misfit with organizational processes in tandem with the availability of system circumvention opportunities. Case study comparisons and controlled experiments are used to support the theoretical unpacking of organizational and technical contingencies and their relationship to shifts in user intentions and variation in work-processing tactics over time. Findings suggest that managers and users may retain strong intentions to circumvent systems in the presence of perceived task-technology misfit. The perceived ease with which this circumvention is attainable factors significantly into the timeframe within which it is attempted, and subsequently impacts the onset of deviation from prescribed practice and anticipated dynamics

Improving Information Flow within the Production Management System with Web Services

The efficiency of the production planning and control process in construction depends significantly on the reliability and timely availability of resource information. The Last Planner system for production control mandates that a construction task should not be started unless all the seven resource prerequisites are in satisfactory condition. Failure to do so results in wasteful processes. However, this information is not readily available due to the lack of systems integration that prevails within the industry. Current implementations of the last planner system mostly rely on the team leaders‘ and foreman‘s ability to gather the required information for the weekly planning meetings and also for the look-ahead planning. However, much time is wasted chasing relevant information due to the above-mentioned problems. Also, the reliability of planning could be much improved if there is a system available, which aggregates resource information from various project stakeholders in one place. In such a situation, web services could provide an ideal platform for integration as they provide a flexible way to integrate disparate systems, with choreography based on identified business processes drawn from Last Planner and implemented using BPMN/BPEL. With the improvement in connectivity as a result of better availability of high speed Internet through mobile and fixed networks, there is a better opportunity for information integration through web services. A conceptual framework based on web services is put forward which aims to improve the information flow within the industry and provide the right information at the right time to enable better planning and control within the production system

Business value of information technology in small and medium sized companies

Organizations that obtain the maximum benefit from their IT investments recognize that, today, most IT investments involve not just technology but business change as well. They are really business investments with a technology component. Success with IT value management starts with joint accountability between IT and business managers. However, the majority appear to be using standard financial measures such as ROI, net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), or similar metric. While this is certainly an improvement over not measuring anything, exclusively using financial measures has serious flaws. A number of IT value methodologies that were developed during the past few years and employed in actual IT investment analysis such as the Business Value Index (BVI), Total Economic Impact (TEI), Val IT and Applied Information Economics (AIE). All four methodologies provide a set of tools to help organizations more accurately predict returns from their IT investments and overcome many of the weaknesses in using simple financial metrics. Measuring the value of IT-enabled business change will be critical to almost every organization as technology becomes embedded in virtually every business process. The most important IT tool in companies is the integrated information systems including the standard ERP, hardware, communication networks and the human resources as users. The selection and implementation of ERPs are very important and long term decision making. Supporting the evaluation of ERP in its life cycles decision tools were developed by our research work. These tools are the Services assisting pre-selection (ERP-Select), Decision supporting tool capable of evaluating ERP (ERP-Compare), Decision supporting tool (ERP-Eco) developed for the evaluation of economic value of ERP

The applicability and impact of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems:results from a mixed method study on Make-To-Order (MTO) companies

The effect of a Make-To-Order (MTO) production strategy on the applicability and impact of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is investigated through a mixed method approach comprised of an exploratory and explanatory survey followed by three case studies. Data on Make-To-Stock (MTS) companies is also collected as a basis for comparison. The exploratory data demonstrates, for example, that MTO adopters of ERP found the system selection process more difficult than MTS adopters. Meanwhile, a key reason why some MTO companies have not adopted ERP is that it is perceived as unsuitable. The explanatory data is used to test a series of hypotheses on the fit between decision support requirements, ERP functionality, and company performance. In general, a poor fit between the decision support requirements of MTO companies and ERP functionality is identified, although certain modules can lead to performance improvements – most notably for Customer Enquiry Management (CEM). MTS companies make more use of planning tools within ERP systems, and it is concluded that production strategy is an important contextual factor affecting both applicability and impact. Follow-up cases with two MTO adopters and one MTO non-adopter develop a deeper understanding of the survey results. For example, in one adoption case, a system was rented to minimise the consequences of making a poor selection decision. Future research could explore how more MTO-specific planning concepts can be embedded within ERP systems to improve alignment

Workflow Management Systems and ERP Systems: Differences, Commonalities, and Applications

Two important classes of information systems, Workflow Management Systems(WfMSs) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, have been used to support e-business process redesign, integration, and management. While both technologies can help with business process automation, data transfer, and information sharing, the technological approach and features of solutions provided by WfMS and ERP are different. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of these two classes of information systems in the industry and academia, thus hindering their effective applications. In this paper, we present a comprehensive comparison between these two classes of systems. We discuss how the two types of systems can be used independently or together to develop intra- and inter-organizational application solutions. In particular, we also explore the roles of WfMS and ERP in the next generation of IT architecture based on web services. Our findings should help businesses make better decisions in the adoption of both WfMS and ERP in their e-business strategies