Systems Development and Systems Analysis
There is no doubt that we are living in an information age where computing power is ever increasing and the demand for processing capability is as well. As businesses grow into moderate to large organizations, the need for a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software system becomes inevitable. Companies can benefit from the functions and organization of these software systems because they integrate key processes of the business, such as order entry, manufacturing, procurement, accounts payable, payroll, and human resources. As technology increases, the capability of these ERP systems is always expanding and the need to update and make changes happens constantly. This paper is going to
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Companies take on software projects to also keep competitive advantage to increase the quality, quantity, and speed of information. Imagine companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Wal-Mart or Toyota who are multi-continental with subsidiaries around the globe. Companies such as these require a comprehensive ERP system that can allow business processes to be dispersed geographically to consolidate data in real time. “It is estimated that each year corporate America spends over $300 billion on more than 200,000 software projects” (Romney 589). As you can see systems such as these come at a high price but also have implementation problems, and generally take years to fully complete. A case for an ERP system can be seen by looking at Nestle, who have multiple subsidiaries. In 2000, “Nestle, SA decided that it wanted to leverage its size and begin acting like the giant it is.To do so, it signed a $200 million contract with SAP to roll out an ERP system to its 230,000 employees in 80 countries around the world” (Olsen, pg 53). You may ask yourself why does it take so long to implement? Well for a company to put a new ERP system into place it requires tons of planning to ensure that the company will feel the leverage of size they wanted and to experience better efficiency throughout the …show more content…
The first step to the SDLC is System Strategy, which sounds like what it is, to develop a systems strategy. In this step, the information needed to purchase, develop, or modify a system is gathered. In the Systems Strategy stage the company “reflects the organization’s current position relative to where it needs to be in the long term to maintain strategic advantage” (Hall 550). There is three tasks at hand in this step: assessing the organization’s strategic information needs, developing a strategic systems plan, and creating action plans. Developing a system that follow the strategic information needs of the organization is the foundation for the following steps. The vision of top management and the company 's mission statement is assessed and put forward into the system. As well as this, the industry in which the company operates has to be analyzed in order to assess the strategic business needs and competency analysis to measure the company 's effectiveness in order to determine strengths and weaknesses. To assess strategic information needs, the organization must also develop an architecture description in order to identify the structural properties that will define the components and building blocks for the system. After that, a formal project proposal is created for management to decide whether they would like to proceed with the new systems project and if it is worth it
A system integrated approach would improve the business process and hence enable the different functions to share information. It was clearly identified that the ERP deployment would benefit the company through all these elements. In the case, benefits of ERP adoption were not quantified but improved cost and better pricing strategy were discussed to justify the ERP project financially. It can be interpreted that ERP, leading to improved cost analysis, cost control, less redundancy, optimized production and better pricing, would result in low costs and hence higher profit for the company. Financial justification for the ERP adoption can also be inferred through the fact that it would lead to resolution of several problems which the company faces
Wilmot & Hocker discusses various ways to assess conflict particularly when we choose to intervene in other people’s conflicts. They discuss the system theory as one of the beneficial theories that can help us intervene when we have a conflict. A system theory is a full assessment of how the overall system works and finding communication patterns within the systems (Wilmot & Hocker, 2011). Understanding the nature of organizations can be important to a person who is trying to find out a more organized way to handle and intervene conflicts. Sometimes conflicts get to the point where you get so frustrated that it can become confusing or you can not see the interpersonal dynamics that occur. In our last unit, we learned that emotions could have
...tion requirements. Similarly, the systems analysis, or define phase, is the deliverable which defines the system’s requirements. This includes taking the deficiencies in the existing system and addressing them with specific proposals for improvement. These proposals can be to ensure that the new EHR has all the necessary requirements to qualify for certification and help to narrow down vendor selection. Incorporated into the SDLC is a maintenance phase in which constant upkeep and evaluation is needed to ensure an operational system that is properly maintained, supported and secured. During this phase, system users should be kept up-to-date about the latest modifications and procedures. It is therefore important to know that your vendor has a good standing reputation and plans to provide continuous support for your software throughout the product’s lifecycle.
Ziff Davis, an American publisher and internet company, wrote a small document on the top 5 reasons ERP systems fail and how to fix those reasons. The document makes an interesting point of “failure is often a perception, rather than a quantifiable measure of outcomes (Ziff Davis 2),” meaning companies may think they have failed by their perception, when in actuality they didn’t proper measure their outcomes or potential outcomes. The first reason the document goes over is “setting unrealistic expectations at the outset. (3)” The document claims that a company is eager and excited to implement the system without fully defining business requirements and goals (3). This ties back with that perception and measurement dilemma. The company perceived everything was going to be well with the implementation, but failed to measure out goals and requirements. Ziff Davis goes into the fact that companies fail to realize “the level of resource commitment the project will take (5)” and that “Done properly ERP can and will transform your business by automating and re-engineering its beating heart: its business processes. (4)” Again these point out to that perception and measurement factor. Another reason the document goes over is “Not involving key stakeholders (6)”. Ziff...
Conclusion ERP software can assist corporations in the effective management of resources and maintain smooth operations. The accounting cycle can be integrated into the ERP systems so that all aspects can be maintained and verified. Requirements to maintain system to verify that all transactions are valid, authorized and properly recorded is required when completely the accounting functions and financial statements. Enterprises that have used ERP systems have seen increase in growth, effective production and increased sales. Customer service is increased with proper pricing, shortened delivery time and products available when needed.
Baldridge criteria of performance excellence [criteria of excellence]. (2010). Retrieved July 13, 2010, from Department of Commerce website: http://www.baldrige.nist.gov/Education_Criteria.htm
Systems approach is based on the fundamental principle that all aspects of a human problem should be treated together in a rational manner (Healy, 2005). I have divided this essay into relevant sections that cover an overview of systems ideas, general systems theory and ecological systems theory. This assignment will also include Germain and Gittermans life model, and it will be related back to the case study that has been provided. Limitations of systems theory will also be discussed.
At the moment, Enterprise resources planning (ERP) systems had become important systems in the modern business world. The meaning of ERP itself is an integrated software package composed by a set of standard functional modules (production, sales, human resources, finance, etc.) developed or integrated by the vendor that can be adapted to the specific needs of each customer (Esteves et al. 2000).
Technology is amazing. Some people might argue technology is bad, some might argue that technology is good, but no one can deny that technological achievements of modern age are awe inspiring. It is a fact, however, that society as a whole relies heavily on technology. Everyone uses technology in their everyday lives such as cell phones, laptops, the Internet and so on. It might be said that technology is the one of the reasons people living today enjoy a higher level of comfort and higher standard of living than people living hundred years ago. However, even today, with so many technological advances, it is still possible for technology to fail. Approximately 77% of businesses rely on information systems for their success today, and when an information system fails, it causes a significant problem for that company. There are many famous information system failures throughout history such as Snap-On’s order-entry system failure which caused company to lose $50 million in the first half of 1998, or FoxMeyer’s failed implementation of ERP which drove the company into the bankruptcy. The information systems failure that is going to be focus of this paper, is the Hershey Foods Corporation’s failure at implementing Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) in 1999, causing problems with order management and fulfillment, rendering Hershey Foods Corporation unable to fulfill many orders, which dropped company’s revenues by 12% compared to the previous year. This essay is going to look at what Enterprise Resource Planning is, how and why the implementation at Hershey Foods Corporation failed (compared to some other companies...
... utilitarianism could be done in a wrong way. For example, an act of stealing from the rich to give the benefits to the poor, will still be considered a good action. Even though the process could be considered as a crime, the purpose or result however, is to promote the happiness of the poor people; for what matters to utilitarianism is the results only, not the motives nor the methods – hence the questions arise about utilitarianism being unjust. However, according to Mill arguments regarding the protests, justice actually preserves peace among people, and that is the implementation of the definition of utilitarianism itself.
There were several factors that contributed to Hershey’s ERP system failure. Firstly, Hershey’s expedited the implementation of their new ERP system in 1999 due to Y2K worries. Hershey’s switched out their business software in an instant in 1999 - a very risky practice known as a ‘big bang’ approach. Secondly, Hershey’s failed to enter all pertinent data into the new ERP systems. Without all the necessary data, the computer systems cannot do a good job improving business processes. Thirdly, a lack of project oversight and good communication resulted in system failures that cost Hershey’s about $150 million dollars in lost sales.
The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) consists of phases used in developing a piece of software. It is the plan of how to develop and maintain software, and when necessary, replace that software. In 2007 during my hospital’s transition to a new software system, I was fortunate enough to be included in the process. I did not get involved until the implementation phase, but from then on, until now, I remain very active in the process. I decided to highlight the Waterfall Model of SDLC. The Waterfall Model is a “sequential development process” with each phase continuing in a line (McGonigle and Mastrian, 2012, p. 205).
ERP systems are packaged software designed for a client server environment, whether traditional or web-based.
The ERP system allows a strategic flow of information between all areas within an enterprise in a consistently productive manner. The purpose of implementing an ERP system in a company is when the company isn’t operating efficiently. Look at it like this, when your body is sick, you know you need to take medicine, you just can’t stand the taste. And in the same way, when your company isn’t operating efficiently, you’ve got to take steps to correct it. Most companies just fear the disruption, the learning, and the cost, and the inconvenience of it all.
ERP systems cost may directly affect on the point that the purchasing of the license is the only main implementation cost, but in reality if we check the whole scenario it is twice or thrice the cost of software license While small and large companies fit into the interval suggested by Bingi, Sharma, and Godla, (1999) for software license, the percentage in mid-sized companies was significantly higher.If we talk about the cost of hardware it is viewed that the organization with the preinstalled IT department invest less amount by 25 % as compared to other companies without IT setup as they also spend hardware cost (Mabert, Soni, and Venkataramanan (2001a).If hardware cost is removed then only difference between big and small organization the percentage of the software and its license.