Charles Møller

ERP II: a conceptual framework for next-generation enterprise systems?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to frame next‐generation enterprise systems (ES).Design/methodology/approach – The model is based on a retrospective analysis of the evolution of enterprise systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) research and emerging business requirements.Findings – The paper proposes a conceptual framework for extended enterprise resource planning (ERP II). The aim of this model is to compile present ES concepts into a comprehensive outline of ERP II, thus composing a generic map and taxonomy for corporate‐wide enterprise systems.Research limitations/implications – The paper concludes that the ERP research needs to broaden its perspective in order to accommodate itself to the new issues of next‐generation enterprise systems.Practical implications – The model is seen as a first step towards a tool to analyse and design complex enterprise systems architecture.Originality/value – This paper is the first attempt to formalize and capture the ERP II concept and the next‐generation e...

ERP implementation: an integrated process of radical change and continuous learning

This paper seeks to develop management theory that can be used to increase the likelihood of ERP implementation success. The paper argues and demonstrates that an ERP implementation can be understood as an intended radical change that can be managed to some extent. But during the use of the system, incremental changes are bound to take place, which are unintended and difficult to manage. Using, therefore, and combining positivist and constructivist viewpoints, six different propositions on ERP implementation are developed. The paper reasons that organizations that understand these propositions are more likely to implement and use ERP successfully. The findings of a longitudinal case study of the implementation and use of BaaN in a Danish company support the propositions put forward in the paper.

Process innovation laboratory: a new approach to business process innovation based on enterprise information systems

Most organizations today are required not only to operate effective business processes but also to allow for changing business conditions at an increasing rate. Today nearly every business relies on their enterprise information systems (EIS) for process integration and future generations of EIS will increasingly be driven by business process models. Consequently business process modelling and improvement is becoming a serious challenge. The aim of this paper is to establish a conceptual framework for business process innovation (BPI) in the supply chain based on advanced EIS. The challenge is thus to create a new methodology for developing and exploring process models and applications. The paper outlines the process innovation laboratory (Π-Lab) as a new approach to BPI. The Π-Lab is a comprehensive framework and a collaborative workspace for experimenting with process models. The Π-Lab facilitates innovation by using an integrated action learning approach to process modelling in a controlled environment. The study is based on design science and the paper also discusses the implications to EIS research and practice.Most organizations today are required not only to operate effective business processes but also to allow for changing business conditions at an increasing rate. Today nearly every business relies on their enterprise information systems (EIS) for process integration and future generations of EIS will increasingly be driven by business process models. Consequently business process modelling and improvement is becoming a serious challenge. The aim of this paper is to establish a conceptual framework for business process innovation (BPI) in the supply chain based on advanced EIS. The challenge is thus to create a new methodology for developing and exploring process models and applications. The paper outlines the process innovation laboratory (Π-Lab) as a new approach to BPI. The Π-Lab is a comprehensive framework and a collaborative workspace for experimenting with process models. The Π-Lab facilitates innovation by using an integrated action learning approach to process modelling in a controlled environment. The study is based on design science and the paper also discusses the implications to EIS research and practice.

Complex service design: A virtual enterprise architecture for logistics service

This paper presents an interdisciplinary systems approach to service modeling, design and deployment. The study is based on a longitudinal case study of the development process of a complex logistic service system based on an advanced logistics model. The case examines the development of a Virtual Enterprise Architecture (VEA) for an automatic high-speed transport and sorting system applied in airports for baggage handling. The study traces the evolution of the system from the early conceptual phases to a successful commercial service deployed at Changi, Singapore Airport. The study is conducted using a retrospective analysis of the case using a design science research approach. The paper evaluates and discusses the issues of creating and designing a new complex logistics service, distinct from the physical product, based on an advanced discrete event-based simulation model. The paper concludes by presenting a generalized and validated conceptual framework for a VEA based on an advanced simulation model. The paper thus contributes to the field of service systems and service management by identifying a novel approach to effective design of a new service.

What is Business Process Management: A Two Stage Literature Review of an Emerging Field

Business Process Management (BPM) is an emerging new field in business. However there is no academically agreed upon conceptual framework. The aim of this paper is to establish a conceptual framework grounded in the recent literature. The purpose of this work is to ensure a better foundation for future research and to discussion of the implications of BPM on Enterprise Information Systems (EIS). The starting point of this study is a focused literature review of the BPM concept. This literature review leads to the formulation of a conceptual framework for BPM which is evaluated using a quantitative lexical analysis of a broader literature sample. Finally the implication of the BPM on EIS is discussed and potential future research opportunities are outlined.

The role of enterprise systems in supply chain networks: a taxonomy of supply chain strategies

This paper proposes a taxonomy for supply chain integration strategies. The taxonomy is based on the contingencies of supply chain network coupling and the Extended Enterprise Systems (EES) architecture in the supply chain. The purpose of this model is to map the portfolio of relations in the supply chain and to choose the right supply chain strategy. The work is based on a comprehensive study of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) literature and the study suggests that there is an emerging new research potential for Enterprise Systems (ES) in the supply chain.

Unleashing the Potential of SCM: Adoption of ERP in Large Danish Enterprises

This article argues that with the present state of enterprise resource planning (ERP) adoption by the companies, the potential benefits of supply chain management (SCM) and integration is about to be unleashed. This article presents the results and the implications of a survey on ERP adoption in the 500 largest Danish enterprises. The study is based on telephone interviews with ERP managers in 88.4% of the “top 500†enterprises in Denmark. Based on the survey, the article suggests the following four propositions: (i) ERP has become the pervasive infrastructure; (ii) ERP has become a contemporary technology; (iii) ERP adoption has matured; and (iv) ERP adoption is converging towards a dominant design. Finally, the article discusses the general implications of the surveyed state of practice on the SCM research challenges. Consequently we argue that research needs to adjust its conceptions of the ERP concept towards ERP II in order to accommodate to the emerging practices.

Towards Intelligent Supply Chains: A Unified Framework for Business Process Design

In their struggle for operational excellence, global companies face challenges in finding a common denominator to streamline and align supply chain operations across business units. The ever growing complexity of managing global flows of products, information and capital increases the risk of deploying inapt operations leading to deterioration of profits. To address this problem, the authors propose a unified business process design framework based on the paradigm of intelligence. Intelligence allows humans and human-designed systems cope with environmental volatility, and the authors argue that its principles applied to the context of organizational processes can increase the success rate of business operations. The framework is created using a set of theoretical based constructs grounded in a discussion across several streams of research including psychology, pedagogy, artificial intelligence, learning, business process management and supply chain management. It outlines a number of system tasks combined in four integrated management perspectives: build, execute, grow and innovate, put forward as business process design propositions for Intelligent Supply Chains.

A collaborative learning environment for management education based on experiential learning

In many areas of applied sciences, such as management and engineering, the generation and dissemination of theory and knowledge is increasingly woven into practice. This leaves teaching and research institutions with the challenge of developing and organising teaching activities that are effective from a student learning perspective. This paper presents the design and the operating principles of a learning environment that has been formulated in a joint development by teachers and researchers of the universities of Zaragoza (Spain) and Aalborg (Denmark). In this paper we describe what the learning environment developed consists in, beginning by presenting the theoretical foundation considered for its design, to then describe it in detail and present it. Finally, we will discuss the implications of this environment for researching and teaching in this field, and gather the conclusions of this study and the future developments to be considered.

Solution Prototyping with Design Thinking: Social Media for SAP Store: A case study

Information and knowledge workers as well as other employees who are not part of a research or product development team are barely exposed to innovation creation processes. Design Thinking as an innovation method is typically used in R&D. This research analyses whether a short-cycled Design Thinking method can be developed, so employees outside R&D can be taken out of their daily jobs and innovate without falling too much behind with their operational work. Alongside with short-cycled DT session there are potential impacts on business and hence on management. Business Thinking barriers are tried to be broken and Design Thinking advantages are increasingly preferred by management. This case study based paper provides key insights into how DT phases and behavior can be changed for creating synergy across employees, management and products from which the end-consumer benefits. The Social Media for SAP store case study combines a conceptual and product oriented solution derivation with Design Thinking.