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Unit 11: Enterprise Resource Planning – II

with the external-focused applications of Supply Chain Management (SCM) and a company’s Notes
supply chain partners.

Figure 11.1: Trends in the Evolution of ERP Applications

e-Busines Suites

Inerenterprise ERP

Web-enabled ERP

Flexible ERP

Source: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0070909636/125778/OBrienCh6.pdf
All of these developments have provided the business and technological momentum for the
integration of ERP functions into e-business suites. The major ERP software companies have
developed modular, Web-enabled software suites that integrate ERP, customer-relationship
management, supply chain management, procurement, decision support, enterprise portals,
and other business applications and functions.

Example: These include Oracle’s E-Business Suite and SAP’s mySAP. Some e-business
suites disassemble ERP components and integrate them into other modules, while other products
keep ERP as a distinct module in the software suite.
Of course, the goal of these software suites is to enable companies to run most of their business
processes using one Web-enabled system of integrated software and databases, instead of a
variety of separate e-business applications.
ERP and related applications are improving continuously especially in the last decade. Even
though there was an economic downturn in the later half of the decade, companies were keen on
implementing ERP applications and solutions in order to reduce their expenses in the long run
and to ensure efficiency of their operations.

Notes Integrating all the process across various departments helps companies avoid
redundant work and in turn reduces the operational expenses. It also helps the company in
the long run, by helping with accurate data to analyse and project for the future.
Here are some other rising trends in ERP applications and Software we have been noticing this
decade:
l SMB Segment: Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) are growing at a much faster rate in
the digital age. Thanks to the ability to build applications on the cloud – a lot of minor
tasks across business verticals can now be handled through applications and this has

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