Preconditions for the Successful Introduction of an Integrated System

Paolo Capodanno, CIO, Elettronica SpA

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1967

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Paolo Capodanno, CIO, Elettronica SpA

Know how to Benefit from SAP

The change of processes introduced by SAP system and the integration of the various procedures within the company, need an integration of technical skills within IT Department. The organizational change, introduced by the ERP system, also affects the IT department which must be able to organize the IT procedures by process and meet the needs of users through a structured system of demand management.

In a word—technological expertise should be integrated with the business competencies IT department also must plan, since the early years of the SAP adoption, an appropriate strategy for upgrading the system as a function of the enhancement issued by SAP in order to benefit from the innovations introduced by the system.

Versatility of SAP

The current and future rate of data growth is primarily the result of a revolutionary expansion in the global business world, fueled by the explosive proliferation of the Internet, Social network and Cloud services. The worldwide networking of millions of computers enables the high speed exchange of data between companies and across national borders.

The economy of the 21st century is being characterized by cooperative business models, in which all of the partners are integrated into the business process and integrate their own processes through ERP systems such as SAP. The administration of these huge volumes of data represents an enormous challenge to all companies so ERP systems have enabled companies to manage their growth. SAP has made it possible to integrate the processes within companies and to make data available in an online and diffuse way. SAP has allowed to standardize processes and knowledge within the companies and to adopt the best practices of each sector/process in such a way that companies have been able to focus on their core business. Now this standardization is helping in spreading the purchase of services in the cloud way. The next-generation applications can integrate transaction processing with high speed in-depth analysis in real time, greatly improving the effectiveness and efficiency of processes across the enterprise.

"SAP has made it possible to integrate the processes within companies and to make data available in an online and diffuse way"

SAP can now directly embed intelligence analysis in the basic transactions to change their business processes according to the needs of business models that were not previously feasible.

ERP System as a Vehicle in Creating Enterprise Value

The introduction of ERP systems such as SAP opens the possibility for IT Department to come out from the back office, where the technology is kept and manipulated, bringing IT to operate on the field by sharing goals and priorities with the business. The ERP system becomes a vehicle for creating enterprise value.

In this perspective, the SAP project is no longer reduced to only technological investment, but rather an investment of organizational nature. Because of the pervasive and organizational nature of the ERP system, there is a risk that the project is too theoretical, without carefully considering a deeper involvement of users and an adequate training of human resources called to work the change.

In summary, I think there are six fundamental organizational preconditions for the successful introduction of an integrated system. - Small Number Of Customization - The Existence Of A Clear And Tangible

Sponsorship Of Top Management Towards the Project

- The Strong Involvement Of Users And their Training
- The Contribution Of External Resources and Expertise
- The High And Proven Professionalism Of Internal and External Involved
- The adoption of best practices and standards