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Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems offer distinct advantages in this new business environment as they lower operating costs, reduce cycle times and (arguably) increase customer satisfaction. This paper examines, via a questionnaire, the underlying reasons why companies choose to adopt ERP systems, their impact on management process including implementation problems encountered. The empirical evidence confirms a number of benefits derived from ERP systems particularly for management process but also, problems encountered. Results provide the basis for future research on the potential of ERP systems, for more effective business integration.

As businesses world‐wide begin to adopt enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in increasing numbers, academics are deciding how to utilise these types of systems in information systems (IS) curricula. Alliances with some of the ERP vendors have enabled some universities to develop innovative courses and subjects. Nevertheless, the limited research in this area has only outlined case studies or examples of ERP use in IS. In this paper we outline how ERP systems can be incorporated into a broad IS curriculum model such as IS’97, thus providing a guide to institutions that may be contemplating the use of ERP in their curriculum.

This paper seeks to propose a business intelligence (BI) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrated framework that adds value to enterprise systems.

A conceptual approach is taken.

ERP systems integrate all facets of the business and make data available in real time. BI tools are capable of accessing data directly from ERP modules.

The value‐added system proposed allows enterprise‐wide transaction data to be collected and analyzed for organizational decision‐making processes.

During the 1990s, companies focused on the adoption of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to solve integration problems. However, ERP systems automate core business activities without solving underlying business structures and processes. As a result a number of disparate applications often coexist with ERP systems. To better understand ERP and application integration (AI) problems, this paper proposes to identify, analyse and present the problems of ERP systems, as well as examining new approaches for AI. In doing so, a multi‐choice questionnaire has been designed, and was distributed to ERP specialists over the Internet. Responses show that ERP systems amplified the need for integration, as existing systems have to be incorporated with ERP applications. AI securely incorporates functionality from disparate applications, and has shown to lead to the development of new strategic business solutions for enterprises. The results of the research confirm AI as a new means of system integration that adds value by placing business logic in the applications network, thus creating a more dynamic information systems infrastructure.

This article seeks to provide a conceptual model that explains the complexity of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to general and project managers in a non‐technical manner that is easily understood.

The 4Ps business model serves as a starting‐point to derive the ERP model because most managers are familiar with it and can therefore relate to it with ease. An ERP system is divided into four major components, namely, the software, the customer mindset, change management, and the flow of processes within it. A fifth component, methodology, encircles these four components to ensure that they are integrated and implemented in an organised manner.

ERP is more than just software. Unless a clear understanding exists of the different components and their integration, ERP projects will continue to be plagued by failure. This model is applicable to any ERP system as it is generic and vendor‐independent and helps in determining the scope of an ERP project.

The suggested model is conceptual in nature and provides a holistic view of ERP. It does not attempt to provide a detailed, step‐by‐step approach for implementing an ERP system.

The conceptual model enables general and project managers to understand ERP systems better without becoming overwhelmed by product or technical detail. This will facilitate the successful implementation of ERP systems, thus ensuring project success and, ultimately, organisational success.

To determine what criteria are used in enterprise resource planning (ERP) selection process and what criteria are the most important for firms.

Through an extensive literature review, 15 selection criteria for the ERP selection process were identified and two were added after initial interviews. A questionnaire including these criteria was formed to secure data from companies. A single informant method was used for each company. To measure the importance of various critical factors a five‐point Likert scale was used in the questionnaire.

Fit with parent/allied organisation systems is identified as the most important selection criterion. Cross‐module integration, compatibility between other systems, and references of the vendor are identified important factors respectively. Statistically significant differences were also determined between companies using MRP/MRPII versus those using own or no program for “better fit with organisational structure” and “fit with parent/allied organisational systems” criteria.

The effect of each selection criterion on ERP implementations failure rates is still to be investigated.

Useful information about selection criteria on ERP systems for both vendors and firms planning to use these systems.

Two new selection criteria were proposed for the ERP system selection process and some important differences between the criteria used by firms from developed countries and developing countries are determined.

Two distinct phases of ERP have been identified. The first phase refers to the changes that an organization undergoes in transforming from the old system and “going live” with the ERP system. The second phase, also called the second wave of ERP, refers to the actions subsequent to ERP implementation, that enable the organization to achieve the full capabilities and benefits of ERP. The paper examines the problems organizations frequently experience with ERP implementations, and suggests strategies for extending the value of ERP systems.

The continuing development of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems has been considered by many researchers and practitioners as one of the major IT innovations in this decade. ERP solutions seek to integrate and streamline business processes and their associated information and work flows. What makes this technology more appealing to organizations is increasing capability to integrate with the most advanced electronic and mobile commerce technologies. However, as is the case with any new IT field, research in the ERP area is still lacking and the gap in the ERP literature is huge. Attempts to fill this gap by proposing a novel taxonomy for ERP research. Also presents the current status with some major themes of ERP research relating to ERP adoption, technical aspects of ERP and ERP in IS curricula. The discussion presented on these issues should be of value to researchers and practitioners. Future research work will continue to survey other major areas presented in the taxonomy framework.

This paper aims to investigate the impact of integrating Sustainable Enterprise Resource Planning (S-ERP) systems and lean manufacturing (LM) practices on sustainability performance, especially in Egypt as an emerging country.

The authors carried out an experimental study with a sample of 144 professional accountants of MPA, MBA and DBA students at two of the top universities in Egypt.

The results provide significant evidence that the integration of S-ERP systems and LM practices implementation improve sustainability performance. However, there is no significant evidence that S-ERP adoption contributes to the success of LM practices implementation.

Because of the chosen research approach, this study is limited to use of a laboratory experiment design. Empirical evidence based on quasi experiments on a field setting would add value to the current literature.

Findings provide practical insights for the manufacturing sector managers into the benefits of integrating S-ERP systems and LM practices for sustainability performance improvement (e.g. reducing cost and waste, increasing operational efficiency). For ERP vendors, findings highlight how ERP vendors introduce “enablers” that incorporate LM best practices into their ERP systems and also how those vendors conform to the software sustainability criteria in the design of ERP applications.

Contrary to previous studies that addressed the individual impact of S-ERP systems and LM practices on performance, this paper experimentally gives an indication of the impact of concurrent implementation of S-ERP and LM practices on sustainability performance, especially in developing countries.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of some organizational information technology (IT) factors (i.e. IT assets, employees' IT skills, IT resources, and satisfaction with legacy IT systems) and their interacting effects with two contingency factors (i.e. organization's size and structure) on enterprise resource planning (ERP) system success.

Surveys were conducted in two European countries. Respondents came from diverse, private, and industrial organizations. Relevant hypotheses were developed and tested using a structural equation modeling technique.

The analysis supported – partially or fully – six of the eight hypotheses formulated. For example, the data indicated strong positive relationships between IT assets and IT resources, on the one hand, and ERP success, on the other. Organization's size and structure were also found to be moderators in some of the relationships. Also, the analysis revealed that satisfaction with legacy IT systems increased with ERP success, which was an unexpected finding.

This study contributes to the literature, being among the few to investigate the effects of organizational IT factors and their interacting effects with relevant contingency factors in the context of ERP system success. Methodologically, the study utilized a “non‐deterministic” model to facilitate deeper insights into the effects of variables.