Over the years many organizations have implemented an enterprise system (ES), also called enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, to streamline the flow of information and improve organizational effectiveness to produce business benefits which justify the ES investment. The effectiveness of these systems to achieve benefits is an area being proactively researched by both professionals and academia. However, most of these studies focus on ‘what ESs do’ rather than ‘how ESs do it’. The purpose of this study is to better understand how organizations derive benefits from utilization of an ES and its data. This study utilizes a transformational model of how ES data are transformed into knowledge and results to evaluate the impact of ES information on organizational functions and processes and how this can lead to business benefits. The linkage between expected outcomes, utilization of ES data in decision-making processes, and realized or unrealized benefits provides the reason for this study. Findings reveal that the key benefits commercial firms seek from an ES include improving information flow and visibility, integration and automation of functions, cost reductions by reducing inventory, and achieving process efficiencies for both internal and external operations. The various tools and methods businesses use for transforming ES data into knowledge include the use of data warehouses and business intelligence modules that assist in extraction and manipulation of data, and reporting on particular data objects. Web portals are actively utilized to collaborate between stakeholders and access real-time information. Business tools such as KPI reporting, balanced scorecards and dashboards are used to track progress towards realizing benefits and establishing analytical decision making. Findings emphasize that benefit realization from an ES implementation is a holistic process that not only includes the essential data and technology factors, but also includes other factors such as business strategy deployment, people and process management, and skills and competency development. Findings reveal that business organizations generally lack in producing value assessments that often lead to weak business cases and insufficient benefit models which cannot be used for benefit tracking. However, these organizations are now realizing that it is not enough to put in an ES and expect an automatic improvement. Organizations are now establishing analytical and knowledge-leveraging processes to optimize and realize business value from their ES investment.

<p>Enterprise system (ES) is being considered an important phenomenon in the corporate use of information technology, enhancing organizational cross functional efficiency and effectiveness through the integration of all the information flowing through a company. The implementation and use of this system involve high expenditure and risk and it has a great impact in every aspect of an adopting organization. The wrong selection of this system would have an adverse effect on the company performance. So the selection of this system deserves considerable attention from the practitioner and researcher.</p><p>In this study, our objective is to identify the influencing factors on the ES selection process from the existing theory and investigate them in real life situation from the client and vendor’s perspectives.</p><p>To fulfil the first objective of the study, we have made a comprehensive review on ES literature and synthesized an integrated framework of influencing factors on the ES selection process. To fulfil the other objective, we have made a qualitative empirical study through multiple case study approach. To collect necessary in-depth information, we have used purposive sampling and general interview guide approach. The integrated framework has guided us in empirical study and the cross case analysis of empirical data has been performed on the basis of this framework from the view point of client and vendor.</p><p>The result of this study shows that there exists a good fit between client and vendor views about the influencing factors on the ES selection process, in spite of insignificant imbalance between them. The result also reveals that most of the influencing factors of integrated framework have been recognized both by client and vendor with some diversity. Three new influencing factors: geographical proximity, requirement specification and sales skill of vendor have emerged from the study.</p>

<p>Within the electric power industry, the average company's enterprise system - i.e. the overall system of IT related entities - is today highly complex. Technically, large organizations posses hundreds or thousands of extensively interconnected and heterogeneous single IT systems performing tasks that varies from enterprise resource planning to real-time control and monitoring of industrial processes. Moreover are these systems storing a wide variety of sometimes redundant data, and typically they are deployed on several different platforms. IT does, however, not execute in splendid isolation. Organizationally, the enterprise system embraces business processes and business units using as well as maintaining and acquiring the IT systems. The interplay between the organization and the IT systems are further determined by for instance business goals, ownership and governance structures, strategies, individual system users, documentation, and cost. </p><p>Lately, Enterprise Architecture (EA) has evolved with the mission to take a holistic approach to managing the above depicted enterprise system. The discipline's presumption is that architectural models are the key to succeed in understanding and administrating enterprise systems. Compared to many other engineering disciplines, EA is quite immature in many respects. This thesis identifies and elaborates on some important aspects that to date have been overlooked to a large extent. Firstly, the lack of explicit purpose for architectural models is identified. The thesis argues that the concerns of a company's Chief Information Officer (CIO) should guide the rationale behind the development of EA models. In particular, distribution of IT related information and knowledge throughout the organization is emphasized as an important concern uncared for. Secondly, the lack of architectural theory is recognized. The thesis provides examples of how theory, or analysis procedures, could be incorporated into the Enterprise Architecture approach and hereby concretely drive the development of the architectural models. Due to the nature of enterprise systems, EA theories inevitable will be of an indicative character. Finally, in relation to the models as such, three aspects are highlighted. Firstly, the cost of collecting information from the organization to populate models is routinely neglected by the EA community. This expense should be evaluated in relation to the utility of analyses that the information can provide in terms of better informed decision making by the CIO. Secondly, models (and meta-models) must be kept consistent. And thirdly, the design of models is restricted by the limited mental capabilities of the minds of the model users. CIO concerns must consequently be easy to extract from the Enterprise Architecture models. </p><p><b>Key words:</b> Enterprise Architecture, Enterprise System, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Information Technology (IT) Management, Architectural Theory, Electric Power Industry</p>

Daugeliui įmonių ar organizacijų reikalingos informacinės sistemos, skirtos valdytį jų procesus duomenis. Darbe analizuojamos verslo procesų, transakcijų modeliavimo galimybės, technologijos, standartai: RUP, UML, XML (XMI), MERODE, R. Gusto, WAE, BPMN, MDA, Agile. Deliau analizuojamas verslo procesų modelis ir jo plėtinys BPMN. Pateikti pasiųlymai notacijos išplėtimui duomenų objektais, modelių ir elementų interpretacija modeliuojant o modelius panaudojant kodo generavime. Sudarytas ir ištestuotas pilnai funkcionuojančio ir dalykinę sritį atitinkančio kodo generavimo algoritmas. / In nowadays a lot of business companies and organizations are using information systems. This paper analyses business transactions, tools and technologies for transactions and process modelling of information and enterprise systems. Analyzed popular technologies like UML and its extensions, RUP, XMI, MDA. Familiarized with MERODE and Agile methods. More closely analyzed BPMN notation and its possibilities for code generation. BPMN notation augment with data objects for better code generation solutions. It also gives better understanding of data flows and influence of business process and transactions. Defined process and transactions modelling strategy which allows better code generations solution too. Made-up, practically materialized ant tested code generation algorithm.

Within the electric power industry, the average company's enterprise system - i.e. the overall system of IT related entities - is today highly complex. Technically, large organizations posses hundreds or thousands of extensively interconnected and heterogeneous single IT systems performing tasks that varies from enterprise resource planning to real-time control and monitoring of industrial processes. Moreover are these systems storing a wide variety of sometimes redundant data, and typically they are deployed on several different platforms. IT does, however, not execute in splendid isolation. Organizationally, the enterprise system embraces business processes and business units using as well as maintaining and acquiring the IT systems. The interplay between the organization and the IT systems are further determined by for instance business goals, ownership and governance structures, strategies, individual system users, documentation, and cost. Lately, Enterprise Architecture (EA) has evolved with the mission to take a holistic approach to managing the above depicted enterprise system. The discipline's presumption is that architectural models are the key to succeed in understanding and administrating enterprise systems. Compared to many other engineering disciplines, EA is quite immature in many respects. This thesis identifies and elaborates on some important aspects that to date have been overlooked to a large extent. Firstly, the lack of explicit purpose for architectural models is identified. The thesis argues that the concerns of a company's Chief Information Officer (CIO) should guide the rationale behind the development of EA models. In particular, distribution of IT related information and knowledge throughout the organization is emphasized as an important concern uncared for. Secondly, the lack of architectural theory is recognized. The thesis provides examples of how theory, or analysis procedures, could be incorporated into the Enterprise Architecture approach and hereby concretely drive the development of the architectural models. Due to the nature of enterprise systems, EA theories inevitable will be of an indicative character. Finally, in relation to the models as such, three aspects are highlighted. Firstly, the cost of collecting information from the organization to populate models is routinely neglected by the EA community. This expense should be evaluated in relation to the utility of analyses that the information can provide in terms of better informed decision making by the CIO. Secondly, models (and meta-models) must be kept consistent. And thirdly, the design of models is restricted by the limited mental capabilities of the minds of the model users. CIO concerns must consequently be easy to extract from the Enterprise Architecture models. Key words: Enterprise Architecture, Enterprise System, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Information Technology (IT) Management, Architectural Theory, Electric Power Industry

This dissertation investigates the dynamics that underlie enterprise performance and takes a significant step toward showing how it might be predicted. In a novel approach, a comprehensive Enterprise System Architecture (ESA) is developed that introduces separate layers for strategic and operational processes, respectfully. We identify four broad dimensions that contribute to and influence enterprise performance: (1) enterprise processes, (2) technology-based support of enterprise processes [denoted information systems], (3) technology structure and deployment [denoted information technology], and (4) Enterprise Architecture (EA). Detailed interviews were conducted with ten executives, mostly from the aerospace and defense industry, along with a web-based survey of aerospace and defense industry executives. We empirically determine a value for each dimension of maturity and individually assess it as a predictor of enterprise performance. ESA maturity is calculated as the weighted summation of each of dimensional maturity, and is also evaluated as a predictor of enterprise performance. Results indicate that ESA maturity, the weighted summation of process maturity, information systems maturity, information technology maturity, and enterprise architecture maturity, is a good predictor of enterprise performance. In order to provide some practical utility to our empirical results, we outline an ESA maturity assessment framework to enable decision-makers to assess the overall maturity of an enterprise system. Two other extensions of our research results, the development of a strategic layer analysis / portrayal tool, and enterprise system simulation, are also briefly described.

Over the years many organizations have implemented an enterprise system (ES), also called enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, to streamline the flow of information and improve organizational effectiveness to produce business benefits which justify the ES investment. The effectiveness of these systems to achieve benefits is an area being proactively researched by both professionals and academia. However, most of these studies focus on ‘what ESs do’ rather than ‘how ESs do it’. The purpose of this study is to better understand how organizations derive benefits from utilization of an ES and its data. This study utilizes a transformational model of how ES data are transformed into knowledge and results to evaluate the impact of ES information on organizational functions and processes and how this can lead to business benefits. The linkage between expected outcomes, utilization of ES data in decision-making processes, and realized or unrealized benefits provides the reason for this study. Findings reveal that the key benefits commercial firms seek from an ES include improving information flow and visibility, integration and automation of functions, cost reductions by reducing inventory, and achieving process efficiencies for both internal and external operations. The various tools and methods businesses use for transforming ES data into knowledge include the use of data warehouses and business intelligence modules that assist in extraction and manipulation of data, and reporting on particular data objects. Web portals are actively utilized to collaborate between stakeholders and access real-time information. Business tools such as KPI reporting, balanced scorecards and dashboards are used to track progress towards realizing benefits and establishing analytical decision making. Findings emphasize that benefit realization from an ES implementation is a holistic process that not only includes the essential data and technology factors, but also includes other factors such as business strategy deployment, people and process management, and skills and competency development. Findings reveal that business organizations generally lack in producing value assessments that often lead to weak business cases and insufficient benefit models which cannot be used for benefit tracking. However, these organizations are now realizing that it is not enough to put in an ES and expect an automatic improvement. Organizations are now establishing analytical and knowledge-leveraging processes to optimize and realize business value from their ES investment.

Over the years many organizations have implemented an enterprise system (ES), also called enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, to streamline the flow of information and improve organizational effectiveness to produce business benefits which justify the ES investment. The effectiveness of these systems to achieve benefits is an area being proactively researched by both professionals and academia. However, most of these studies focus on ‘what ESs do’ rather than ‘how ESs do it’. The purpose of this study is to better understand how organizations derive benefits from utilization of an ES and its data. This study utilizes a transformational model of how ES data are transformed into knowledge and results to evaluate the impact of ES information on organizational functions and processes and how this can lead to business benefits. The linkage between expected outcomes, utilization of ES data in decision-making processes, and realized or unrealized benefits provides the reason for this study. Findings reveal that the key benefits commercial firms seek from an ES include improving information flow and visibility, integration and automation of functions, cost reductions by reducing inventory, and achieving process efficiencies for both internal and external operations. The various tools and methods businesses use for transforming ES data into knowledge include the use of data warehouses and business intelligence modules that assist in extraction and manipulation of data, and reporting on particular data objects. Web portals are actively utilized to collaborate between stakeholders and access real-time information. Business tools such as KPI reporting, balanced scorecards and dashboards are used to track progress towards realizing benefits and establishing analytical decision making. Findings emphasize that benefit realization from an ES implementation is a holistic process that not only includes the essential data and technology factors, but also includes other factors such as business strategy deployment, people and process management, and skills and competency development. Findings reveal that business organizations generally lack in producing value assessments that often lead to weak business cases and insufficient benefit models which cannot be used for benefit tracking. However, these organizations are now realizing that it is not enough to put in an ES and expect an automatic improvement. Organizations are now establishing analytical and knowledge-leveraging processes to optimize and realize business value from their ES investment.

Over the decades, as organizations begin to move globally there has been a sporadic flow of information in their supply chain. Competition today is forcing companies to integrate tightly with their suppliers and customers, in order to reduce the time available to flex the supply chain (SC) (Koh S.C, Saad S, Arunachalam S, 2006). The integration of firms and departments and information is getting more and more complicated. Regardless of enterprise system solutions being introduced as “integrated suites” they have failed to accomplish application and supply chain integration (Themistocleous, M. Irani, Z. O‟Keefe, and R. 2001). Therefore, this thesis aims to explore, gain better understanding and to explain the balance that may occur between the challenges and benefits gained from integrating enterprise resource planning and supply chain management.Our topic of interest could be view from both developers and user perspective. Developer/consultant‟s perspective is based on the viewpoint of those involved in and responsible for developing enterprise solutions. User‟s perspective, this perspective gives insight to how the integration process is perceived by organisations actually using the solutions. We chose the User perspective because we consider the user to be the direct beneficiary of whatever outcome is gotten from both the business solutions and its integration.In order to achieve a purposeful thesis. We decided to use an interpretive perspective which focus on exploring and gaining insight into issues of integrating enterprise system solution. We used both the inductive and the deductive approaches in our research. This would be advantageous due to the nature of our research topic, as there is little existing knowledge about the integration of enterprise systems solution within supply chain and there are lots of literatures related to the enterprise system solutions (ERP and SCM) been observed. The inductive approach would guide us to choose one or a few specific interactions to explore in-depth, while the deductive approach would aid us when making an hypothesis, since we would be collecting ideas about previous research and theories in order to guide us and make comparison.Conclusively, we found that the balance between challenges and benefits of ERP and SCM are unequivocal, as the benefits surpass the challenges and the effect of challenges on organisation‟s benefit is that it prolongs the short term benefit.

Syftet med denna kandidatuppsats i informatik är att ge fallföretaget underlag att använda föratt kunna förbereda sina medarbetare inför ett systembyte och därmed undvika vanligafallgropar. Uddeholm AB är studiens fallföretag och syftet har formulerats utifrån ettkunskapsbehov företaget upplever. Litteraturstudier har använts för att precisera studiensfrågeställningar och som underlag för en intervjuguide som användes i intervjuer medanvändare och systemexperter.Undersökningsfrågorna handlar om vilka åtgärder som behöver vidtas för att förberedaanvändare inför det kommande affärssystemsbytet, samt hur dessa åtgärder ska utföras. Dessafrågor har besvarats från både ett användarperspektiv och perspektiv från systemexperter.Slutsatserna ur ett användarperspektiv var att användarinvolvering var viktigast. Detta menaranvändarna kan göras genom att de får vara delaktiga i att identifiera brister i det nuvarandesystemet och därmed bidra med hur de anser att det kommande systemet ska anpassas. Andraslutsatser var att key users kunde användas till att motivera medarbetarna, att få tid tillutbildning innehållande introduktion, testning i verklig miljö, ta del av nya funktioner menäven att jämföra nya affärsprocesser med nuvarande som användarna inte ville skulle ändras.Manualer ansåg användarna vara oväsentliga medan däremot lathundar, chattfunktioner ochhjälpbubblor hade varit bättre. Aktiva ledningsstöd ansåg användarna vara viktigt och det kangöras genom att de delar med sig av lättillgänglig information, har en kontaktperson blandanvändarna och att användarna får delta i möten och avstämningar.Systemexperterna anser att användarinvolvering är oerhört viktigt och menar att workshopskan användas för detta men berättar inte i vilket syfte. Utbildning i det nya systemet ärmycket väsentligt anser de också. Deras uppfattningar om utbildningens innehållöverensstämmer med användarnas med avseende på introduktion och ta del av nya funktioner.De nämner interaktiva filmer som en del av användarutbildningen vilket inte användarnanämner men deras förslag med testning i verklig miljö kan vara jämförbart. Systemexperternaanser att det kan vara en nödvändighet att användarna ändrar sina arbetsprocesser. Dettaskiljer sig ifrån användarnas önskemål. Systemexperterna anser också att ledningens aktivastöd inte är viktigt vilket också skiljer sig från användarnas uppfattning som menar attledningens stöd är väsentlig.