MIS2101 – Spring 2015

http://www.erpsoftwareblog.com/2015/02/study-finds-companies-struggle-erp-system-selection/

Successfully implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system can be extremely expensive and time consuming. To make matters worse, the selection of an ERP system comes with many variables. This article/study was posted on the “ERP Software Blog” and it depicts the struggles that companies face when trying to select the correct ERP system. One of the main issues that companies run into is that they cannot predict whether the ERP system will still be useful to them five or ten years from now. Due to the high cost and time spent on implementation, companies should aim to retain their ERP system for at least a ten year time frame. The article also stated that 77% of companies who were interested in investing in an ERP system wanted the system to be completely implemented within six months. Of that 77%, 41% wanted the system implemented within three months. The last point that stood out to me was that 19% of all ERP users wanted a change in system because the one that they were currently using was too expensive for their needs. This article showed me that although ERP systems are helpful, they can be hard to predict, and challenging to implement.

As technology evolves, will the time that it takes to implement an ERP system ever successfully meet the six month time frame that most companies want?

To avoid implementing a system that isn’t useful, what internal questions should companies address when planning an ERP implementation?

Do you think that consulting a business solutions firm such as The Resource Group will help guide your selection correctly?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2015/01/27/five-catalysts-accelerating-cloud-erp-growth-in-2015/

With the technology we have today ERP are becoming updated along with it. Cloud ERP are more popular than a normal ERP because of the use of smartphones and other smart devices. This article explains the 5 reasons why cloud ERP are becoming more popular. It states that SaaS (software as a service) solutions will more than double the traditional ERP to 78 billion and that the traditional ERP will decline by 30%, traditional ERP has been declining since 2013. Hybrid ERP save up to 6 times to cost of capital investment for a company cumulatively over 5 years. Therefore it is a better investment for a company to have a Hybrid ERP. It also goes on to talk about how crucial mobility is to help with more complex manufacturer’s supply chain, distribution, selling and service channels. This also brings back BYOD and whether or not employees will be able to use the Cloud ERP on their own devices.

1. Do you think providing employees with smartphone with access to the Cloud ERP system will help with business processes?

2. Do you think that Cloud ERP will help with customer satisfaction overall?

3. Will Cloud ERP completely wipe out a Traditional ERP? and Why?

http://www.erpnews.net/676/rfid-based-real-time-tracking-systems-hospitals/

ERP is becoming a common term among businesses for good reason. Ultimately, ERP allows business to operate more effectively and efficiently. Hospitals usually lagging in efficiency are starting their leap into the technological advances, which have created great value for an array of industries including, (industrials, retail, services, etc). However, can these ERP programs creating efficiency for hospitals actually create greater risks to the public? The system referenced in the article (Real Time Location Systems or RFID) uses radio frequencies to locate tools or patients within a facility. These locators can save material costs, time, and possibly create patient turnover efficiencies to help treat more patients, how could anyone not implement these systems. Other than costs; some points for discussion are how will these radio frequencies interact with the technologies in the hospital. Will these technologies open avenues for hackers or create possible danger. How will health care professionals react to essentially being tracked for every step they take throughout the day? ERP fundamentally creates efficiencies in all businesses; however, the healthcare industry has higher risks with life or death situations and standards of care versus transactions.

1.   Would efficiencies created by implementing the RFID system out way possible risks
2.  Would you implement the RFID program as the CEO of a health system?
3.  Overall how does the advancement of technology in health care increase/decrease the patient experience?

http://www.informationweek.com/software/information-management/inside-avons-failed-order-management-project/d/d-id/1113100

Avon began an ERP project to implement a SAP based order management system, which was intended to go global. The project was piloted in Canada, but Avon decided against a global implementation after the software project went wrong. The new site that was launched in Canada combined SAP ERP and CRM applications with a front-end system built on IBM WebSphere e-commerce software. This new system caused Avon’s sales representatives many problems. The new mobile ERP system was suppose to allow sales reps to use the website as an easy and more efficient way to accept orders, reserve inventory, and communicate with other business units. However, they had difficulties logging into the new website and accepting orders on it.  This caused Avon to lose as many as 16,000 representatives across Canada. SAP was the main vendor in this project, but SAP only worked on the ERP and CRM applications. Avon used SAP as the back-end engine for order entry, but Avon used IBM WebSphere e-commerce software for the web front end.

1) Who do you think is to blame for this ERP failure- Avon, SAP, IBM WebSphere, the sales representatives, or a combination?

2) Chapter 7 talks about five recommendations that provide an understanding of some of the challenges involved in implementing enterprise systems: 1) Secure executive sponsorship, 2) Get help from outside experts, 3) Thoroughly train users, 4) Take a multidisciplinary approach to implementations, 5) Look beyond ERP. Which of these recommendations do you think Avon failed to do?

http://www.occupy.com/article/outsourcing-big-brother-how-fbi-and-cia-use-private-contractors-monitor-social-media

It was discussed in Chapter 6 that not only do corporations monitor and attempt to learn from social media patterns and posts but also that government agencies do to look into employees, criminals, and possible terrorist organization communications and money transfers. However, this article informs us that Palantir Technologies, which is not part of the U.S Government at all is the leading firm doing this surveillance on behalf of our government, or “Big Brother” as they call it. This article delves further into the concept of Open Source Intelligence, or OSINT, which allows all of our social media interactions to be tracked through purposely placed backdoors. Furthermore, not only are the FBI and CIA responsible for this monitoring but rather the DIA, DHS, and countless other law enforcement agencies. Due to vague descriptions of what constitutes “suspicious” or “questionable” internet activities, it may be easier than one would believe to end up on the watch list of one of the countless agencies employing Palantir Technologies or the other “Big Brother” firms.

1. Is our right to privacy being violated by allowing government agencies, as well as independent contractors such as Palantir, to monitor and access our social media for any reason under the blanket of national security?

2. Do the benefits of OSINT and Social Media monitoring outweigh the negative effects that could come with it? Can we justify arresting or investigating innocent people due to algorithm flaws or misunderstanding (Boston Marathon) in the name of national security?

http://www.newsday.com/opinion/oped/crowdsourcing-america-s-cybersecurity-is-an-idea-so-crazy-it-might-just-work-dominic-basulto-1.9908877

There is no doubt that in our world today we are virtually dependent on cyberspace, and in no way is that dependence coming to a halt. Yet with this dependence brings on the threat of hackers, and the security, or lack thereof, leaves society in vulnerable situations due to the amount of delicate information that is shared within the cyber world. The article I am sharing addresses the idea of using crowdsourcing as a defense against cyber-attacks. It is not necessarily a new concept, as groups like the Conficker Working Group came about in 2008 when more than two dozen companies and agencies came together to combat major hacking threats. Crowdsourcing emanates the term ‘strength in numbers,’ which ultimately raises the chances of having a successful defense. Though the key word is chance; there will always be a dangers that may arise in any situation. The idea is to increase your probability to overcome these potential obstacles.

Questions:
1.) Can crowdsourcing benefit cybersecurity effectively and efficiently? Are Cyberattacks impossible to defend due to the constant evolution of hackers worldwide?
2.) Do the positives outweigh the negatives when implementing crowdsourcing? (As stated by Robert Ackerman, Jr., you don’t sincerely know who is contributing to any and every community, i.e. the “Trojan Horse” theory.)