Enterprise Resource Planning

This book takes a generic approach to enterprise resource planning systems and their interrelationships, covering all functional areas of this new type of management challenge. It discusses the re-design of business processes, changes in organizational structure, and effective management strategies that will help assure competitiveness, responsiveness, productivity, and global impact for many organizations in the years ahead. Specific chapter topics cover the evolution of enterprise resource planning systems; their planning, design, and implementation; relationship to sales and marketing, accounting and finance, and production and materials management; managing an ERP project; and supply chain management and the eMarketplace. For business consultants and management personnel involved in process re-engineering, and information systems specialists.

• Chapter 1: A Foundation for Understanding Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
• The Emergence of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
• What Is ERP?
• The Evolution of ERP
• The "Integrated" Systems Approach
• Business Benefits of ERP
• ERP Modules
• ERP Design Alternatives
• The Business Case for ERP
• Cost-Benefit Analysis for ERP
• Can ERP Provide a Competitive Advantage?
• The Challenge of Implementing an ERP System
• Summary
  
• Chapter 2: Re-engineering and Enterprise Resource Planning
• Background
• Business Process re-engineering
• Process Modeling
• Re-engineering at Reliable Finance Company
• Background of the Business
• Analysis of the Current Loan Application and Screening System
• Current Problems
• Objectives
• Making Re-engineering Work
• How Information Technology Facilitates ERP
• Emergence of Client-Server Computing
• Integrated Databases
• The Emergence of Process Enterprises
• ERP and Business Process Change
• Summary
  
• Chapter 3: Planning, Design, and Implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
• Traditional Systems Development
• New Approaches to Systems Development
• The ERP Systems Development Process
• Planning: Making the Business Case for ERP
• Requirements Analysis
• Design: Re-engineering versus Customizing
• Alternative ERP Design Options
• Detailed Design
• ERP Implementation Steps
• Summary
  
• Chapter 4: ERP Systems: Sales and Marketing
• Case: Atlantic Manufacturing
• Sales and Distribution
• Credit
• Customer Service and Repair
• Sales and Marketing Process
• Management Control Processes in Sales and Marketing
• Sales Management Processes
• Sales Forecasting Processes
• Advertising and Promotion
• Product Pricing Systems
• Sales and Marketing Modules in ERP Systems
• ERP and Customer Relationship Management
• Customer Service
• Integration of Sales and Distribution with Other Modules
• Summary
  
• Chapter 5: ERP Systems: Accounting and Finance
• Case: Atlantic Manufacturing
• Accounting and Finance Processes
• Management Control in Accounting
• Cash Management Processes
• Capital Budgeting Processes
• Accounting and Finance Modules in ERP Systems
• Financial Accounting Modules in ERP
• Management Accounting Modules in ERP Systems
• The New Role for Management Accounting
• Summary
  
• Chapter 6: ERP Systems: Production and Materials Management
• Case: Atlantic Manufacturing
• Materials and Manufacturing
• Purchasing
• Background
• Production Planning and Manufacturing Processes
• Management Control Processes in Production and Manufacturing
• Material Requirements Planning (MRP)
• Capacity Planning Processes
• Production Planning and Manufacturing Modules in ERP Systems
• Materials Management Modules in ERP Systems
• The Future of ERP in Manufacturing and the Supply Chain
• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and ERP
• Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Systems
• Data Collection
• eBusiness Strategies in Manufacturing ERP
• Summary
  
• Chapter 7: ERP Systems Human Resources
• Case: Atlantic Manufacturing
• Recruiting
• Human Resources Data Administration
• Compensation and Benefits Administration
• Human Resource Management Processes
• Human Resources Information Systems
• Human Resource Modules in ERP Systems
• Attributes of Human Resource Modules in ERP Systems
• Management Control Modules in ERP Systems
• Integration of HR Modules with Other Modules
• Summary
  
• Chapter 8: Managing an ERP Porject
• What Research Shows about ERP Project Implementation Success
• Causes of Information Systems Projects
• Risk Factors in Information Systems Projects
• Risks in Implementing an ERP System
• Technology Risk
• Organizational Risk
• People Factors
• Project Size
• Managing Large-Scale ERP Projects
• Managing the Risk Factors in ERP Projects
• Comparison of Successful versus Unsuccessful ERP Projects
• Project-Related factors
• Project Division
• Project Leadership
• Project Focus
• Role of the Project Champion
• Project Schedule
• Additional Factors
• User Training
• Management Reporting Needs
• Technological Challenges
• Two Projects: Fox Meyer versus Dow Chemical
• Summary
  
• Chapter 9: Supply Chain Management and the eMarketplace
• Supply Chain Management (SCM)
• Impact of SCM on Productivity
• The Evolution of Partnerships
• eBusiness and ERP
• Introduction to eBusiness
• Business-to-Business (B2B) Marketplaces in the Supply Chain
  
• eSupply Chain and ERP
• SAP's mySAP.com
• Supplier Relationship Management: SAP's eProcurement
• Business Intelligence with ERP
• Data Warehouses
• Data Mart
• Data Mining
• Business Intelligence Vendors
• Future Directions for ERP
• Increased Integration through the Supply Chain
• Use of Shared Services and Application Service Providers
• Application Software Integration
• Summary
  
• Integrated Case Study: Bandon Group, Inc.
  

In my opinion a very good first book on ERP-systems. Explains in calm, easy to understand language what an ERP system is, what it consists of, what implications an implementation may bring forth, etc.

If you want to understand what all the fuzz about ERP is about, this is really a recommended reading. Enjoy.