Abstract
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a complex software. We use information flow metrics to quantify complexity of ERP software. The information flow metrics is defined in terms of flow of information within and among module/function/process. We compute complexity of sales and order process of a popular ERP package (SAP) using information flow metrics. We conclude that the complexity of the ERP package is due to the underlying business process. We then quantitatively show that configuration process of an ERP system is also complex. The complexity figures can be used to make the management commit appropriate resources to an ERP project. If an organization has used transaction processing systems, followed by management information systems and decision support systems in a networked environment, the organization may implement ERP using big bang approach. Otherwise, a phased approach is much safer and it will give organization time to mature.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Arinze, B., Anandarajan, M.: A Framework for Using OO Mapping Methods to Rapidly Configure ERP Systems. Communications of the ACM 46(2), 61–65 (2003)
Brown, A.B., Hellerstein, J.L.: An approach to benchmarking configuration complexity,Technical Report: RC23146(W0403-071) (March 10, 2004)
Brown, A.B., Keller, A., Hellerstein, J.L.: A model of configuration complexity and its application to a change management system. In: Ninth IFIP/IEEE International Symposium on Integrated Network Management, pp. 631–644 (2005)
Buckhout, S., Frey, E., Nemec, J.: Making ERP Succeed: Turning Fear into Promise. Strategy and Business, 2nd Quarter (1999) http://www.strategy-business.com/technology/99208/
Card, D., Agresti, W.: Measuring Software Design Complexity. Journal of Systems and Software 8(3), 185–197 (1988)
Cardoso, J.: How to Measure the Control-flow complexity of Web Processes and Workflows. In: IEEE International conference on Web Services (ICWS05), Orlando (2005)
Curtis, B.: Measurement and Experimentation in Software Engineering. In: Curtis, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the IEEE, 68th edn., pp. 1144–1157 (1980)
Drucker, P.F.: The new Realities. Harper & Row, New York (1989)
Henry, S., Kafura, D.: Software structure metrics based on information flow. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 7(5), 510–518 (1981)
Kock, N.F., McQueen, R.J.: Product Flow, Breadth and Complexity of Business Processes: An Empirical Study of Fifteen Business Processes in Three Organizations. Business Process Re-engineering and Management Journal 2(2), 8–22 (1996)
Kumar, V., Maheshwari, B., Kumar, U.: Enterprise resource planning systems adoption process: A survey of Canadian organizations. International Journal of Production Research 40, 509–523 (2002)
Motwani, J., Subramanian., R., Gopalakrishna., P.: Critical factors for successful ERP implementation: Exploratory findings from four case studies. Computers in Industry 56(6), 529–544 (2005)
Nolan, R.: Managing the computer resources: A stage hypothesis. Communications of the ACMÂ 16(7) (1973)
Nolan, R., Croson, D.C., Seger, K.N.: The stages theory: A framework for IT adoption and organizational learning. Harvard Business School 9, 141–193 (1993)
Phukan, A., Kalava, M., Prabhu, V.: Complexity metrics for manufacturing control architectures based on software and information flow. Computers and Industrial Engineering 49, 1–20 (2005)
Rolland, C., Prakash, N.: Bridging the Gap between Organizational needs and ERP functionality. IEEE Requirements Engineering Journal 5(3), 1–25 (2000)
Sathish, S., Pan, S.-L., Raman, K.: Using Stakeholder Theory to Analyse Knowledge Sharing During Enterprise Systems. In: Implementations, 8th Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, Shanghai, China, pp. 336–349 (2004)
Stedman, C.: Failed ERP gamble haunts Hershey. Computer world 33(44), 1–2 (1999)
Toffler, A.: Powershift. Bantam Books, New York (1991)
Umble, E.J., et al.: Enterprise Resource Planning: Implementation and Critical Success Factors. European Journal of Operations Research 146, 241–257 (2003)
Vogt, C.: Intractable ERP A Comprehensive Analysis of Failed Enterprise-Resource-Planning Projects. ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes 27(2), 62–67 (2002)
Zuse, H.: Software Complexity: Measures and Methods. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin (1991)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Bansal, V., Negi, T. (2008). A Metric for ERP Complexity. In: Abramowicz, W., Fensel, D. (eds) Business Information Systems. BIS 2008. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 7. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79396-0_32
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79396-0_32
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-79395-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-79396-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)