| The mantra of the modern-day organization is | | | | entities. Implementing ERP software systems |
| innovation. In order to stay competitive in | | | | in any organization is not easy. A wide range |
| the market, companies require increasing | | | | of applications make ERP software systems |
| globalization and flexibility. Challenging | | | | complex and impose changes on staff |
| issues faced by companies today are the | | | | practices. People generally don't like |
| management of large-scale projects and | | | | change, and ERP asks them to change how they |
| cooperation among enterprises within | | | | do their jobs, thus making implementation of |
| geographically distributed networks. | | | | ERP systems a painful task. Implementing ERP |
| Companies desperately need innovations; | | | | systems generally takes one to three years. |
| however, the inflexibility of | | | | Before actually jumping to the bandwagon of |
| legacy-information technology infrastructure | | | | implementing ERP systems, though, |
| slows down the process. Today, organizations | | | | organizations must check the suitability of |
| need information technology to support | | | | prospective ERP packages. Every industry is |
| flexible business strategies rather than hold | | | | unique, and ERP systems must be designed to |
| them back. In order to survive, organizations | | | | cater to the industry's specific |
| must develop innovative strategies that: | | | | requirements. To implement ERP systems in |
| • Sense and respond to real-time | | | | cost-effective manners, consultants with |
| customer demands • Gain market insight | | | | expertise in ERP implementation should be |
| by extending processes beyond the enterprise | | | | employed. ERP vendors provide professional |
| • Adapt to market changes • | | | | services in consultancy, customization, and |
| Implement new ways of doing business | | | | support. Some of the leading vendors of ERP |
| Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software | | | | systems are SAP, Oracle Applications, The |
| is the answer to the agility and flexibility | | | | Sage Group, Microsoft Dynamics, and SSA |
| required by today's organizations. ERP | | | | Global Technologies. Successful |
| software helps organizations easily manage | | | | implementation of an ERP system by any |
| efficiency, productivity, and cost, thus | | | | organization requires trained personnel and a |
| freeing the human and financial resources to | | | | corporate policy that will protect the data |
| execute innovation and growth strategies. The | | | | integrity of the ERP system. To train |
| origin of ERP can be traced back to its | | | | personnel involved with the implementation |
| application in the manufacturing environment; | | | | and testing stages of the ERP system, |
| however, today, the term "ERP systems" has a | | | | adequate funds have to be allocated. ERP |
| much broader scope. Today, Enterprise | | | | professionals are in demand. For ERP |
| Resource Planning systems (ERPs) are not just | | | | professionals experienced in SAP, People |
| limited to planning resources. Instead, the | | | | Soft, Oracle, Baan, or any other ERP package, |
| purpose of an ERP system is to integrate all | | | | there is a booming job market. Companies need |
| of an enterprise's departments and processes | | | | them for hardware and software support. Some |
| into a unified system. It is not easy to | | | | of the areas in which ERP professionals are |
| develop a software infrastructure that | | | | in demand are: • Production • |
| simultaneously holds an entire company | | | | Materials • Accounting • |
| together and also supports all of the | | | | Marketing • Human Resource Development |
| external business processes that the company | | | | Some of the industries in which ERP |
| engages in. But, if done successfully, the | | | | professionals work are insurance, defense and |
| payback is tremendous, and in fiercely | | | | security, construction, material management, |
| competitive environments, enterprises need | | | | pharmaceutical, electrical, automobile, and |
| such integrated approaches to survive. Some | | | | heavy engineering. Pay for ERP professionals |
| of the key traits of ERP system-integrated | | | | depends on the natures of work they are doing |
| solutions are: • They address business | | | | and the experiences they have. For |
| processes. • They are modular. Some of | | | | independent consultants, earnings are higher |
| the examples of modules in an ERP include | | | | than for those working for organizations. ERP |
| manufacturing, supply chain, financials, | | | | professionals work in two |
| customer-relationship management, human | | | | areas-implementation and development. |
| resources, warehouse management, and | | | | Prospective ERP professionals can either work |
| decision-support systems. • They use | | | | with consultants like Anderson or KPMG, whom |
| unified databases to store data for all | | | | software providers have certified for |
| system modules. • They allow companies | | | | developing ERP systems for client companies, |
| to reach to their suppliers, customers, and | | | | or they can join ERP-package providers like |
| partners. • They address almost areas | | | | SAP and Oracle. Companies are continuously |
| of companies' business functions. Regardless | | | | striving to develop the best practices for |
| of the organization's business or charter, | | | | ERP implementation. One of the factors that |
| ERP systems are capable of covering all basic | | | | will drive the future development of ERP |
| functions, which make them the preferred | | | | systems is the availability of trained |
| choices of just businesses but also | | | | personnel, keeping the market for ERP |
| non-profit organizations, non-governmental | | | | professionals hot. |
| organizations, governments, and other large | | | | |