- ERP implementation is push oriented, as ERP forces organization to accept standard integrated business processes. ERP serves as a bottom-up approach since its implementation starts from elemental business process. Individuals within the organization cannot select their own business processes for use in new system, but are instead required to accept proposed standard business processes from ERP. This push orientation can be expected to generate resistance from members of organization.
- Basic concept of EAI is mainly in its externality of enterprise integration with lower costs and less programming using existing applications. EAI, is pull-oriented in that existing applications and business processes are used to map and integrate separate functionalities of an enterprise into a form that is more acceptable to members of organization. EAI is designed as top-down, due to its business-mapping procedure.
Both approaches consume huge amount of time to build integrated systems but ERP seems to takes longer to implement. While ERP forces adoption of standard business processes, EAI enables enterprise integration over business object levels. ERP thereby supports centralized business strategy while EAI accommodates decentralized processes.
ERP implementation requires re-engineering of business process prior to adoption of ERP, however, EAI implementation enforces business-mapping processes to EAI architecture.
http://searchsap.techtarget.com/tip/EAI-primer-for-SAP-XI-and-middleware-technologies