This diploma thesis deals with the implementation of an information system for the operational management of small engineering companies with a focus on custom manufacturing. The thesis describes the current state of production control without support of the information system. Based on the identified shortcomings, the requirements and criteria for the new information system were developed. Then the selection of the information system and its implementation during production is dissected. At the end of the thesis there is described the production control with the support of the selected information system and the economic evaluation for acquisition of the information system.

This master´s thesis focuses on the integration between ERP system and CRM system on Microsoft´s platform as a part of solution that has been developed by Navertica, a.s. for the use in healthcare facilities. As a part of this thesis the technologies to implement this integration will be evaluated and the integration proposal will be introduced on a chosen entity.

This diploma thesis deals with the selection of a suitable information system, which should help to streamline business processes and adapt to the competition. The information system is selected for the accounting office ProfiAccount s.r.o. based on their predetermined needs and requirements. The first part of the thesis devotes the theoretical basis to acquaint readers with the issue of information and communication technologies. The second part analyzes the current state of the system in the company based on selected analyzes. The most important part is the selection of the system itself on the basis of content, business and technical criteria. The diploma thesis is supplemented by risk analysis, which is an integral part of every project and process.

This master´s thesis focuses on possibilities of electronical data interchange (EDI) within chosen ERP system Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. As a part of this thesis an analysis of company´s requirements for electronical data interchange (EDI), document creation and processing will be performed and a proposal of covering those requirements within the environment of the chosen information system will be suggested.

More companies of differing structures and sizes are starting to utilize CERP systems where it contributes to eliminating most physical investments needed for a traditional ERP system. This makes CERP systems more obtainable for small firms compared to traditional ERP systems where fees can be adapted to fit the firm size. However, there are no established information about CSFs pertaining to CERP in small Swedish firms and thus leading to this study. The purpose of this study is to generate knowledge on the critical success factors of the post implementation phase of CERP systems. This has been done through an abductive methodology where CSFs pertaining to CERP in small Swedish firms have been identified through the lens of a unified CSF model and analyzed using structural contingency theory. The data in the study was collected through semi-structured and unstructured interviews that were conducted with respondents in management positions in small Swedish firms utilizing CERP systems. This led to the findings of the study where eleven CSFs pertaining to CERP during post implementation were identified. These findings suggest a high importance in the factor, vendor dependability where a control shift from the organization to the vendor was identified pertaining to CERP during post implementation in small firms. This differed from the findings of earlier research pertaining to CSFs for ERP during post implementation in large firms where the control was suggested to be mostly with the organization.

Det råder hög konkurrens på många olika marknader. Företag har i olika utsträckning implementerat affärssystem för att kunna konkurrera i en allt hårdare miljö med snabbare förändringar. Syftet med denna studie är att identifiera nyckelfaktorer för en lyckad implementering av ERP-, Enterprise Resource Planning, -affärssystem, med fokus på produktionsprocesser inom lean. För den empiriska undersökningen valdes ett svenskt företag som fokuserar på att ytbehandla metallprodukter åt svenska kunder. Komplikationer uppstod för implementering av ERP och implementeringen försenades. Denna studie utreder dessa problem och identifierar nyckelfaktorer för en lyckad ERP implementering. Utöver detta visar denna studie att företagets försening av implementering av ERP beror på komplexa faktorer där företaget inte har lyckats med att bejaka nyckelfaktorer för en lyckad implementering av ett affärssystem. Företaget har påbörjat ERP-implementering utan att ha utfört en adekvat analys av vad affärssystemet kommer att medföra för positiva och negativa effekter samt pga. resursbrist inte kartlagt sina egna produktionsprocesser innan implementering. Studiens huvudsakliga slutsats är att företaget måste ta ett beslut hur de skall fortskrida med implementeringen då det kommer att kosta kapital och extra personal samt utbildning för att affärssystemet skall kunna implementeras och för att företagets produktionsprocesser skall kunna dra maximala fördelar av affärssystemets implementation. Denna studie befäster tidigare resultat angående kritiska nyckelfaktorer och en lyckad implementering av ERP-affärssystem. Utöver detta tillförs välbehövlig kunskap om skräddarsydd ERP-implementering i en svensk kontext. Komplementariteter mellan humana resurser och kritiska nyckelfaktorer har identifierats och analyserats för en lyckad implementering av ERP. Betydelsen av en adekvat kartläggning av flöden och produktionsprocesser före man startar en ERP-implementering har också visats i så väl tidigare forskning men också här i denna studie. Slutligen visas här också att alla delar i företaget, såväl produktion, flödeshantering och humana resurser deltar i ett delikat samspel där inte enbart ERP-affärssystemet skall anpassas till dessa delar men också att det är essentiellt att delarna anpassas för en lyckad ERP-implementering. / Different markets today are highly competitive ones. Firms have in varying degree implemented ERP in order to be able to compete in an increasingly harsh and rapidly changing environment. The purpose of this study has been to identify key factors for a successful implementation of ERP with a focus on production processes within lean. For the empirical study and survey, a Swedish company which focuses on surface-treating metal products. Complications arose with their implementation of a new ERP and the implementation was delayed. This study investigated these problems and identified key factors for successful ERP implementation. Furthermore, this study has shown that the firm’s delay in implementation of ERP has been due to complex factors whereas the company has not been able to comply to key factors for successful implementation and they have started an implementation process without adequate analysis, resources and level of education. This study confirms earlier results regarding critical success factors and a successful implementation of ERP. Furthermore, valuable knowledge on new and customised ERP-software implementation in a Swedish context is added to a growing body of earlier research on ERP-implementation in SMEs. Complementarities between human resources and critical success factors have been identified and analysed for a successful implementation of ERP. The importance of an adequate mapping of flows and production processes before the implementation of ERPs have been shown in earlier research but also here in this study. Finally, this study also shows that all analysed parts of the company; production, supply chain management and human resources participate in an intricate interplay; showing that it is not only essential that the ERP system is adapted to these individual parts but also that these integral parts of the company themselves are adapted to the ERP.

The number of older adults is estimated to double from 52 million to 95 million by 2060. Approximately 80-85% of older adults are diagnosed with a chronic health condition. Many of these chronic health conditions are influenced by diet and exercise, suggesting improved diet and eating behaviors could improve health-related outcomes. One factor that might improve dietary habits in older adults is food-related inhibitory control. We tested whether food-related inhibitory control, using behavioral (response time, error rate) and scalp-recorded event-related potential (ERP; N2 and P3 components) measures of food-related inhibitory control differed between younger and older adults over age 55. Fifty-nine older adults (31 females [52.5%], Mage=64, SDage=7.5) and 114 younger adults (82 females [71.9%], Mage=20.8) completed two go/no-go tasks, one inhibiting to high-calorie stimuli and one inhibiting to low-calorie stimuli, while electroencephalogram (EEG) data were recorded. Older adults had slower overall response times than younger adults, but this was not specific to either food task. There was not a significant difference for accuracy between younger and older adults, but both groups' accuracy and response times were significantly improved during the high-calorie task than the low-calorie task. For both the N2 and P3 ERP components, younger adults had greater amplitude than older adults, but this effect was not food-specific, reflecting overall generalized lower inhibitory processing in older adults. Of note, P3 amplitude for the younger adults demonstrated a specific food-related effect (greater P3 amplitude for high-calorie no-go) that was not present for older adults. Findings support previous research demonstrating age related differences in inhibitory control though those differences may not be specific to inhibiting to high-calorie foods.

This thesis evaluates the existence and viability of lean ERP systems in today’s manufacturing industry. Results from the research show that current practitioners of lean – who also utilize ERP systems – do not have a strong enough link between the two to consider their ERP systems, and overall organizations, as being truly lean. Few articles and research papers in today’s body of knowledge contain information on the concept of lean ERP. A survey, sent to numerous industry professionals and posted on lean manufacturing websites, provided the results necessary for statistical analysis. The conclusions obtained from this survey analysis provided a strong foundation for additional, more focused, research of lean ERP systems.

This Master's Thesis compares technologies used in the architecture of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems to evaluate the benefits and advantages of emerging technologies. The emerging technologies, Cloud Computing, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Multi-Tenancy, could significantly alter the current ERP space and become a primary part of ERP Systems of the future. A survey was sent to industry professionals to obtain feedback on their company's ERP Systems and to collect their comments on these new technologies. The survey results and related analysis show that Emerging Cloud ERP Systems outperform Traditional Legacy ERP Systems in all important characteristics - Accessibility, Business Cost, Implementation Time, Mobility, Scalability, Upgradability, and Usability. Cloud Systems were also found to have a shorter implementation time and a larger proportion of Cloud Systems were on the most recent version of software. Furthermore, industry professionals identified Cloud Computing, SaaS and Mobility as the emerging technologies of the coming decade. This thesis demonstrates that there are significant benefits for companies to use ERP Systems that use the emerging technologies and that the shift to Cloud ERP Systems has begun.

This study aims to explore critical factors about the implementation process in start-ups or small companies. Earlier research has indicated that there are several critical factors that have a negative influence on the performance if not being reached. The theoretical background is based on four different dimensions, critical factors, strategic work, phases, and the organizational size. It states that some critical factors of why implementation processes often disclose as a failure, depend on, not enough resources allocated in terms of both time and economics. The theoretical background also indicates that the strategic alignment between its purpose and the existing processes align together as an important factor for success. Research also indicates that perhaps it’s not the company size that matters, but the collection of people within the project. To come up with how small companies could make implementation processes work. The study has collected empirical findings by five semi structured interviews. The collected findings tell us that communication is highly rated, both for problem solving and to learn about each other to increase the trust between us. But also, that the first phase of a project is perhaps the most important and therefore also more communication is considered better. It tells us the importance of the right competence in the right places, this is considered more important than a fancy strategical work in smaller companies. The analysis and discussion suggest that there need to be more focus on factors in general processes to ensure that they are always thought of. This could possibly generate greater results. Also, it’s suggested that smaller companies should focus more on internal competence rather than which strategic road map they should take. Conclusion, the study cannot say that smaller companies need to adjust their approach in an implementation process compared to a greater company, instead it seems to rely on other factors. The study has identified eight specific factors that are of great value in small companies. Including, competence, communication, and resource allocation. / Studiens syfte är att utforska faktorer i implementationsprocesser hos mindre företag för att avgöra vilka som är mest kritiska för att lyckas med ett implementationsprojekt. Tidigare forskning har visat att det finns flertalet critical factors som har en negativ inverkan ifall de inte uppfylls. Tidigare forskning utgår ifrån fyra dimensioner; kritiska faktorer, strategiarbete, faser och organisationens storlek. Den visar att många implementationsprocesser misslyckas på grund av att mängden resurser i form av tid och pengar underskattas. Det strategiska arbetet är viktigt samt, att det är synkroniserat med de redan existerande processerna. Tidigare forskning och litteratur har påvisat att det inte behöver vara storleken på ett företag som bestämmer dess begränsningar eller möjligheter. Snarare är det sammansättningen av personer i projektet som är avgörande. Studien använder semistrukturerade intervjuer för datainsamling av fem informanter. Den insamlade empirin, visar att det är viktigt med kommunikation för att lära känna varandra och kunna lösa problem. Likaså ansågs kommunikation vara en avgörande faktor i de första faserna av projektet för att så tidigt som möjligt lösa alla frågetecken och skapa förtroende för varandra. Det ansågs även att kompetens på rätt plats var betydligt viktigare än strategin som helhet, speciellt i ett mindre företag. Analys och diskussionsdelen tar upp vilka kritiska faktorer mindre företag anser är de viktigaste och hur de används i implementationsprocessen. . Det kan finnas en poäng för mindre företag att specialisera de interna kunskaperna istället för att testa äventyrliga strategier för tidigt. Slutsatsen från studien är att företag inte behöver tänka annorlunda i implementationsprojekt. Studien har identifierat åtta faktorer som påverkar snarare än storlek samt att fokus bör ligga på att förhålla sig till dessa, däribland kompetens, kommunikation och resursalokering.