In the first week, we reviewed the basic components of an enterprise and how the business processes connect each component hence minimize the silo effect while at the same time enable collaboration within an enterprise. However, manually updating or transferring information across functional departments is not an efficient method, which can lead to time delay or overhead, and that is why ERP systems are necessary in this modern, rapid business environment.
The Internet has changed the purchase behaviors so differently. Twenty years before, people had to go to a physical store for shopping. Nowadays I can shop online for the next season IT items before the product is even produced. Although the quality is not guaranteed (you can read people’s funny preorder reviews online), it is still an improvement (or unsuccessful innovation) and I believe one day, there will be an online service that directly connects consumers and manufacturing factories across the world. No matter how this service will be implemented in the future, I believe it must be based on the current ERP design. I am looking forward to the details of ERP system and how to design an effective, optimized one.