Enterprise Systems

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

You are expected to devote a total of about 8 hours per week to this subject. This means that in addition to the three hours per week in class, you should devote roughly 5 hours each week reading and preparing for your presentations and working on the Projects.

Students who are enrolled in the two year 200 point Master of Information Systems must have completed 50 points of study to enrol in this subject.

Organizations around the world are increasingly turning to packaged enterprise application software vendors to provide computer-based applications to support their core business processes. Twenty years ago most such computer-based information systems were custom built. Today, most core systems are built around packaged software. The generic name for the suite of packaged-software-based systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems is Enterprise Systems.

In this subject we explore the enterprise systems phenomenon in considerable detail. Our goal is to understand the advantages and limitations of enterprise systems, how best to implement packaged enterprise application software (PEAS), and future directions that PEAS are likely to head as vendors respond to market pressures for integration between heterogenous information systems. Students will normally undertake approximately 30 hours of hands-on exercises with software from a leading vendor, SAP.

This subject provides students with an understanding of the nature of enterprise systems and their implementation within organizations. Topics include:

* Introduction to Enterprise Systems

* Implementing Enterprise Systems

* Benefits from Enterprise Systems

* Organizational Issues with Enterprise Systems

* Future Issues for Enterprise Systems

• A 30 minute group class presentation, due date to be determined by a schedule that will be distributed early in the semester (10%);
• A written assignment of 2000 words due at the end of week 3 of semester (10%);
• A written assignment of 2000 words due at the end of week 8 of semester (20%);
• A written assignment of 2000 words due at the end of week 10 of semester (20%);
• A 2-hour written examination in the examination period (40%) - the exam must be passed to pass this subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

The key generic skill that students will develop through studying this subject is argument analysis. The ability to evaluate evidence that authors provide to support their arguments-use of the so-called "scientific method"-is one of the most important skills a person can develop. It is what has enabled human beings to progress from living in caves to living in the increasingly complex and prosperous world in which we live today.

At the conclusion of this subject students should have:

• a good understanding of the role of enterprise systems (including ERP, CRM, and SCM) in the worldwide software marketplace in the year of study;
• an appreciation of the factors that need to be managed if packaged enterprise application software (PEAS) is to be implemented on time, within budget, to specification, and produce ongoing benefits for its host organization;
• a good understanding of the factors likely to lead to increased benefits from ES use, including the importance of organizational learning and cultural factors in achieving ES success;
• considered opinions on the directions that the packaged enterprise application software market is likely to head in future, including the likely push to "adapative business solutions".