Itech5402 | Enterprise Systems | Assessment Answers

Write a report on the following research topic. The report must include at least one case study to reflect the topic of discussion.

• Implementation of Cloud based ERP systems

Introduction

The concept of the cloud computing is one of the most advanced and most researched thing in the world right now. The cloud can be explained as the web based servers that are used for the purpose of storing data, using as a platform and other. Cloud computing have reached each and every sector of the world, forum marketing to sales, hospitals to personal computer and others. The cloud is one of the major thing that have been taking place in the past few years. The major benefit of using the cloud computing is that with the use of this there is less requirement of using the various proprietary software, instead a single software that is present in the cloud architecture can be used. This helps the organisation in reducing the cost of different kind of the software also helps in the process of data security. The cloud based enterprise system is one of the major example of such software that are present in the cloud servers. The ERP or the enterprise resource planning can be explained as the bundle of the software that is used for the purpose of the transaction through the wide business process. The ERP uses a large and varied number of databases that are connected with each other for the purpose of storing data and hence keeping the data safe.  Installing the propitiatory software is not like the installing of t the ordinary software but requires huge investments and needs to take major risks.

This paper introduces the concept of the cloud based ERP system and how these have helped the organisation in the process of developing the planning system in better manner. Further this paper researches some of the major articles that have been researched in the past. Further the paper explains the details about the system of the paper.

Article 1

ERP system:

Al-Ghofaili, A. A., & Al-Mashari, M. A. (2014, August). ERP system adoption traditional ERP systems vs. cloud-based ERP systems. In Innovative Computing Technology (INTECH), 2014 Fourth International Conference on (pp. 135-139). IEEE.

In the paper of the Abdullah A. Al-Ghofaili explains in details about the concept of the cloud based systems and the standard systems. In this paper the researchers describes the major benefits of using the Cloud based systems instead of the standard ERP software (Ali, Khan & Vasilakos, 2015). The paper well explains the basics of the cloud computing system and how the cloud computing can help in the regular life. The researchers explains further that how the cloud system can be used for the purpose of the delivering software services. The researchers explains some of the major cloud computing services that the cloud services provides, such as the On demand self-service, Broad network access, Resource planning , Pay per use  and other services that are provided by the cloud architectures. The enterprise based resource planning in the cloud system is the example of the resource planning. The researcher further explains in the paper the concept of the SAAS and the PAAS services that are offered by the cloud servers. The SAAS can be explained as the software as a service while the PAAS can be explained as the platform as a service. These are the most important concepts of the cloud computing that have been explained in the paper (Almorsy, Grundy & Müller, 2016).The major purpose of the paper is to explain the difference between the standard enterprise software and cloud based software. The cloud ERP systems as explained a by the researchers is nothing more than hosted ERP in the cloud platform. The ERP in the cloud system helps in the process of the reducing the cost and also requires less amount of the hardware requirements. Hence this can be said as the perfect solution in terms of saving money. The cloud based ERP system runs in the SAAS platform. The SAAs platform is very low in the terms of the price and the cost and hence are very much useful in the small scale organisations. This also helps the small scale organisations for ensuring proper secure of the data. ERP can also be included in the IAAS level of the cloud services. IAAS is known as the infrastructure as a service.

According to the researchers most of the organisation uses the multi-tier architecture system which have three basic tiers (Rittinghouse & Ransome, 2016). The client tiers then the Middle tier and the third data tier. Further the researchers explains about this the ERP system adoption and how it can be done in a very easy manner. According to the researchers the steps for the process of the adoption of the ERP system are

• The Top management support
• Change in the management plan
• Tanning and proper education to the employees
• Project management
• Selection of vendor
• Dedicated resources
• Reediness of the technology
• System designing and configuration

However these facts are more applicable to the traditional ERP systems but are also applicable for the cloud system architecture (Xia et al., 2016). This paper provides some of the major instructions and for the process that are required for the process of the implementation of the cloud computing.

Article: 2

Helo, P., Suorsa, M., Hao, Y., & Anussornnitisarn, P. (2014). Toward a cloud-based manufacturing execution system for distributed manufacturing. Computers in Industry, 65(4), 646-656.

This paper is about the cloud based manufacture executing the system for the process of the distributed manufacturing process. This paper describes the business process of the supply chain management and how these helps in the process of market efficiency (Jain & Sharma, 2016). The paper describes the ERP process related to the supply chain management process and how these helps in the process. Further in this paper the shows us how the centralised ERP systems works and how it helps in the process of the higher interoperability of the data systems in order to enhance the data systems. According to the scientist the ERP systems provides comprehensive transaction management systems that helps in the processing of the data that are spread in the separate locations (Chen et al., 2015).  According to the researchers the ERP provides some of the best support in the process of the supply chain management systems. The cloud based ERP system helps in the centralised integration of the all the up to dates information using one single platform. Hence this helps in the process of the management of the supply chain management in a better way. The methodology that is used for the process of the research and analysis of the supply chain management. The researchers explains the process of the functional requirements (Al-Ghofaili & Al-Mashari, 2014). The researchers analysis of the critical programs should be easy to be changed and hence to ensure the process of the program. Further the functionality of the set of support of the multi-site and manufacturing. Further the no installation is required in the cloud based system. Connections of the external software is one of the other major factor that can help in the process of enhancing the supply chain.  Further explaining the cloud based solutions the researcher explains as the combination of the various IT technologies, hardware and situation and distributed computing. The solutions of the SAAs layer of the cloud architecture and hence can be explained as the cloud based systems. Further the refreshers well explains the NETMES interface that helps in the process of the user interfaces and business logic and the data link layer logics. Further the researchers well explains the process through which the ERP system can be implemented in the cloud system (Gangwar, Date & Ramaswamy, 2015)s. Also the researchers explains the future works that must be done in order to enhance the cloud based enterprise management system and the cloud computing.

Article -3

López, C., & Ishizaka, A. (2017). GAHPSort: A new group multi-criteria decision method for sorting a large number of the cloud-based ERP solutions. Computers in Industry, 92, 12-24.

In this paper the researchers also explains the details the ERP systems for the process of the business transaction processes. The group analytic hierarchy process of sorting the method (Hunton,  Wright & Wright, 2015). The researchers explains the process of the cloud computing paradigm in the last few years have increased in a sufficient manner. The adoption of the advanced technologies have helped the organisation in the better analysis of better business processes. The researchers explains the cloud based enterprise resource planning systems as the form of the software that is been used with the help of the cloud architecture in order to ensure proper business structure and planning (Dhaliwal, 2017).  The cloud based systems not owner based software but are packages that are present in the cloud architecture which the users can rent for a period of time. Further the researcher explains what kind of the problems can be faced by the people while using the cloud based systems and how this kind of the problems can be reduced (Costa, et al., 2016). The enterprise resource planning systems are the most used and most common software replacement that is been used in the cloud systems. This is also one of the most cost efficient system that is been used in the present times (Ten Hompel, Rehof & Wolf, 2015).   One of the major thing that is been well explained in this paper is the GAPHSort method which helps in the process of the group decision making processes. The method is used for the process to assign the alternatives to the predefined classes in order to enhance the group decisions. The researchers also well explains the problem definition of the GAPHSort theory and what are the benefits of this algorithm. Further the researchers well explains the sorting methods that can be used for the purpose of the sorting procedure in order to enhance the ERP system and how these can help the organisations in better analysis of the cloud architecture in the ERP systems. It is well described in the paper that the sorting process of the ERP vendors is one of the most important thing that is to be done in order to ensure that the processes of the running of the ERP goes in a smooth way (Leon, 2014). Further explaining the sorting procedure’s the researchers discusses the best possible method for sorting. In the discussion section the researchers explains the depending on the circumstances. One of the major topic point that is brought to highlight is that the internal employees plays important role in the process of managing the resources of the organisation (Gholamzadeh et al., 2018). The results that are shown in the paper provides some of the major examples that ensures that the GAPHSort is one of the best way for the process of sorting the vendors in any organisation. The researcher explains that the cloud architecture is one of the most important software model that can be used for the purpose of ensuring the cloud computing.

Cloud Architecture Enterprise resource Planning:

The enterprise resource planning as explained above is one of the most important software that is used for the process of managing of databases. The enterprise resource planning can be explained as number of the software that are bundled up together in order to ensure smooth flow of the organisation in a better manner (Seethamraju, 2015). Some of the major features of the enterprise resource planning are Distribution process management

• Accounting and financial applications: The cloud helps in the proper analysis of the accounting and the financial applications cross managing every aspect of the finance related systems.
• Assess business needs: The cloud enterprise resource planning helps in the proper analysis of the future needs of the business and thus helps in the process of the expanding the business (Tian & Xu, 2015).
• Configure prices:  Managing and configuring the right prices of the products is one of the other major property of the enterprise resource planning.
• Facilitate better project planning:  Making and enhancing the project plan is one of the other major property of the project planning (Chofreh et al., 2014. The cloud architecture helps in better analysis of the project planning and thus ensuring a better plan.
• Improve accuracy of financial data: With the help of the centralised database systems the becomes easier to control the financial data and hence reducing any chances of errors.
• Lower purchasing costs: when the enterprise resource planning is a software based then the user needs to buy other software that can help in the process (Kurbel, 2016). Thus using the cloud architecture ensures that the price of the software are low as there is not any need to buy proprietary software.
• Manage human resources and payroll: The cloud enterprise resource planning helps in better analysis of the employee payroll management systems. IT becomes easier with the help of the centralised data base in order to enhance the payroll option in a better manner.
• Reduce redundant tasks: With the use of the centralized database systems it becomes easier for to reduce the chances of data redundancy and hence increase the quality of the data.
• Services knowledge base: This helps in ensures better knowledge of the systems and the modern technology and hence ensuring proper data analysis.
• Supply chain management: The supply chain management is one of the other major feature for cloud based enterprise resource planning as this helps in maintaining a proper database of the supply chain managers (Antero, 2015).

The cloud based enterprise resource planning system can be explained all the software all together in the cloud platform which ensures proper security and management. The cloud based enterprise resource planning have some of the major profits and benefits which encourages users to use this system (Sustainment, 2014). One of the major advantage is that the user or does not have to buy proprietary software for the process managing the resources, instead can use the cloud systems in rental basis. One of the other major thing that helps in the cloud process is that there is only one software that is needed to be controlled and there is no need to use multiple software (Ahmad, Ibrahim & Garba, 2015). This is one of the major ensure that cloud systems helps in the process of the enterprise management resources. Some of the other major benefits of using the cloud based system is the reduction of the data redundancy (Chang et al., 2015). The data redundancy can be explained as the duplicity of the data. The cloud helps in this process as with the use of cloud the chances of duplicity of the data is tend to zero. One of the other major problem of the organisation that is easily solved with the help of using cloud enterprise resource planning is that the chances of data loss is zero. When the data is uploaded in the cloud system the chances of the data is nearly zero as the data is always backed up. Some of the other major usability features that is provided with the cloud features is that as the transactions are always made in an online platform, the user and client interaction increases.  Also both the parties gets notified if there is any change in the planning of the project. Payment options are also increased with the help of the cloud systems as it helps in ensuring proper payment structure. One of the other major backlog of using the cloud architecture is that when the enterprise grows the needs of the organisation also changes and hence there comes the need of the planning (Altamony et la., 2016). Thus new features have to be ensured if there is any change.

Apart from the advantages of using the cloud architecture there are some of the major disadvantages in the cloud architecture also. One of the major disadvantage of using the cloud based enterprise resource planning is that the admin of the organisation losses some amount of the controls form the responsibility and most of the control is done by the provider of the cloud system (Migdadi et al., 2016).  Initial integration issue is one of the other major thing that is often faced by the management of the organisation and there is a need to look after this challenges in a serious manner. The security of the data is one of the other major thing that has to be considered. If there is any loss vulnerability from the source of the provider then it can also hamper the data of the organisation. Some of the major organisation that provide the cloud based enterprise resource planning systems are the oracle solutions. The enterprise resource planning made by the oracle is one of the best software that is available

Conclusion

Thus concluding the topic, it can be said that the cloud based enterprise resource planning is one of the most important software that can be used for the purpose of enhancing the business procedures. The management of enterprise resource planning helps in the process of better analysis of the internal data. This ensures that all the data that are present in the systems of the servers are secured. One of the major advantage is also that the administration ensures that all the data are backed up in proper manner. It must be said that using the cloud based enterprise resource planning helps the businesses to grow and ensure that there is proper flow of the business data. According to many of the researchers this is one of the most important software that have been developed in past years that helps in the process of managing a business in proper manner. Some of the major points that must be kept in mind there must be proper study for the vendor of the provider hence ensuring that there is proper data analysis.

References

Ahmad, S., Ibrahim, S., & Garba, S. (2015). Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems in Banking Industry: Implementations Approaches, Reasons for Failures and How to Avoid Them. Journal of Computer Sciences and Applications, 3(2), 29-32.

Al-Ghofaili, A. A., & Al-Mashari, M. A. (2014, August). ERP system adoption traditional ERP systems vs. cloud-based ERP systems. In Innovative Computing Technology (INTECH), 2014 Fourth International Conference on (pp. 135-139). IEEE.

Ali, M., Khan, S. U., & Vasilakos, A. V. (2015). Security in cloud computing: Opportunities and challenges. Information sciences, 305, 357-383.

Almorsy, M., Grundy, J., & Müller, I. (2016). An analysis of the cloud computing security problem. arXiv preprint arXiv:1609.01107.

Altamony, H., Al-Salti, Z., Gharaibeh, A., & Elyas, T. (2016). The relationship between change management strategy and successful enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations: A theoretical perspective. International Journal of Business Management and Economic Research, 7(4), 690-703.

Antero, M. C. (2015). A Multi-case Analysis of the Development of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) Business Practices. Morten Friis-Olivarius The Associative Nature of Creativity.

Chang, B., Kuo, C., Wu, C. H., & Tzeng, G. H. (2015). Using fuzzy analytic network process to assess the risks in enterprise resource planning system implementation. Applied Soft Computing, 28, 196-207.

Chen, C. S., Liang, W. Y., & Hsu, H. Y. (2015). A cloud computing platform for ERP applications. Applied Soft Computing, 27, 127-136.

Chofreh, A. G., Goni, F. A., Shaharoun, A. M., Ismail, S., & Klemeš, J. J. (2014). Sustainable enterprise resource planning: imperatives and research directions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 71, 139-147.

Costa, C. J., Ferreira, E., Bento, F., & Aparicio, M. (2016). Enterprise resource planning adoption and satisfaction determinants. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 659-671.

Dhaliwal, A. (2017). An Analysis of Applicability of Cloud Computing in Higher Education. Indian Journal of Computer Science, 2(2), 41-50.

Gangwar, H., Date, H., & Ramaswamy, R. (2015). Understanding determinants of cloud computing adoption using an integrated TAM-TOE model. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 28(1), 107-130.

Gholamzadeh, A., Ariani, F., & JaromÃr, J. Ã. (2018). roadmap for Sustainable Enterprise Resource Planning systems implementation (part III). Journal of cleaner production.

Helo, P., Suorsa, M., Hao, Y., & Anussornnitisarn, P. (2014). Toward a cloud-based manufacturing execution system for distributed manufacturing. Computers in Industry, 65(4), 646-656.

Hunton, J. E., Wright, A. M., & Wright, S. (2015). Retraction: Are Financial Auditors Overconfident in Their Ability to Assess Risks Associated with Enterprise Resource Planning Systems. Journal of Information Systems, 29(2), 235-235.

Jain, D., & Sharma, Y. (2016). Cloud computing with ERP-A push business towards higher efficiency.

Kurbel, K. E. (2016). Enterprise resource planning and supply chain management. SPRINGER-VERLAG BERLIN AN.

Leon, A. (2014). Enterprise resource planning. McGraw-Hill Education.

López, C., & Ishizaka, A. (2017). GAHPSort: A new group multi-criteria decision method for sorting a large number of the cloud-based ERP solutions. Computers in Industry, 92, 12-24.

Migdadi, M. M., & Abu Zaid, M. K. S. (2016). An empirical investigation of knowledge management competence for enterprise resource planning systems success: insights from Jordan. International Journal of Production Research, 54(18), 5480-5498.

Rittinghouse, J. W., & Ransome, J. F. (2016). Cloud computing: implementation, management, and security. CRC press.

Seethamraju, R. (2015). Adoption of software as a service (SaaS) enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Information systems frontiers, 17(3), 475-492

Sustainment, A. (2014). Enterprise Resource Planning.

Ten Hompel, M., Rehof, J., & Wolf, O. (Eds.). (2015). Cloud computing for logistics. Springer.

Tian, F., & Xu, S. X. (2015). How Do Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Affect Firm Risk? Post-Implementation Impact. Mis Quarterly, 39(1).

Xia, Z., Wang, X., Zhang, L., Qin, Z., Sun, X., & Ren, K. (2016). A privacy-preserving and copy-deterrence content-based image retrieval scheme in cloud computing. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, 11(11), 2594-2608.