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Unit 10: ERP Future Directions
In a similar manner, BAAN provides an offering called OrgWare that is based on the use of a notes
tightly integrated business-modeling tool, combined with business-specific templates that help
to automatically configure the software to suit specific operational needs.
BAAN is currently in the process of enhancing this tool with new setup wizards to accelerate
software implementation on the Windows NT platform.
Task BAAN is working to deliver a Java-based Web interface to all its products.
Discuss the features of Java based application.
Case Study Building the it infrastructure
lfred is a do-it-yourself entrepreneur who built up his fortune in trading. He traded
in anything and everything, and kept close control of every activity. That was how
Ahe had grown rich enough to indulge in his one dream — to build a college in his
hometown. A college that would be at par to the ones in the better cities, the ones in which
he could not study himself.
Work started a year back and the buildings were coming along well. He himself did not
use computers much and became hooked to the Internet and e-mail only recently. He
was determined to provide a PC with Internet connectivity to every students and faculty
member. He was currently engrossed in plans for the 100-seater computer lab.
What was confusing him was the choice of Internet connectivity. He had about a dozen
quotes in front of him. Recommendations ranged from 64 kbps ISDN all the way to 1
Gbps leased line to Guwahati, which was almost 200 km away. Prices ranged from slightly
under a lakh all the way up to ` 25 lakhs and beyond. He did not understand most of
the equipment quoted firewall, proxy server, cache appliance. Nor was he sure what the
hidden costs were. Although it went against his very nature, he would have to identify a
trustworthy consultant who would help him make sense of the whole thing.
Questions
1. In the context of the given case, what managerial issues need to be addressed by
Alfred? Why is it important for managers to be tech savvy?
2. What is the importance of a ‘systems consultant’ to an organization? What skills
should he/she possess?
10.9 summary
l z To solve the problems of “information-glut” arising from the evermore affordable
information and communication technologies that provide for evermore high-capacity,
fast, long-distance transmission, organizations would need to introduce methods for
“selective dispersion of information” to their various parts.
l z Work tasks would be grouped in organizational units created around a common program
for information processing.
l z Improvements in telecommunications will make it easier to control (which will be primarily
a matter of information exchange) organizational units dispersed over different parts of the
world.
LoveLy professionaL university 181
