IntroductIon
In today’s highly competitive manufacturing
environment, firms are implementing enterprise
resource planning systems to address the problem
of fragmentation of information or “islandsof information” in business organizations. ERP
systems promise to computerize an entire business
with a suite of software modules covering
activities in all areas of the business. Furthermore,
ERP is now being promoted as a critical link for
integration between all functional areas within
a firm’s supply chain, and has shown to be a
significant contributor to a corporation’s success,
if implemented correctly. ERP systems improve
efficiency within the four walls of an enterprise
by integrating and streamlining internal processes
(Anderson, 2000; Koch, 1999). Kalling (2004)
has also speculated that ERP may be a source of
competitive advantage.