ERP implementations are at risk to extensive cost overruns. Discuss three of the more commonly experienced problems area
Training. Training costs are invariably higher than estimated because management focuses primarily on the cost of teaching employees the new software. This is only part of the needed training. Employees also need to learn new procedures, which is often overlooked during the budgeting process.
System Testing and Integration. In theory, ERP is a holistic model in which one system drives the entire organization. The reality, however, is that many organizations use their ERP as a backbone system that is attached to legacy systems and other bolt-on systems, which support unique needs of the firm. Integrating these disparate systems with the ERP may involve writing special conversion programs or even modifying the internal code of the ERP. Integration and testing are done on a case-by-case basis; thus, the cost is extremely difficult to estimate in advance.
Database Conversion. A new ERP system usually means a new database. Data conversion is the process of transferring data from the legacy system's flat files to the ERP's relational database. When the legacy system's data are reliable, the conversion process may be accomplished through automated procedures. Even under ideal circumstances, however, a high degree of testing and manual reconciliation is necessary to ensure that the transfer was complete and accurate. More often, the data in the legacy system are not reliable (sometimes called dirty). Empty fields and corrupted data values cause conversion problems that demand human intervention and data rekeying. Also, and more importantly, the structure of the legacy data is likely to be incompatible with the reengineered processes of the new system. Depending on the extent of the process reengineering involved, the entire database may need to be converted through manual data entry procedures.
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Dean Hardware, Inc. is comprised of five operating segments. Information about each of these segments is as follows (in thousands): Rakes Pails Shovels Hardware AccessoriesSales to outsiders$94 $506 $44 $122 $28 Intersegment transfers 4 26 14 30 24 Interest revenue - outsiders 2 - 4 8 - Interest revenue - intersegment - 6 - - 22 Operating expenses - outsiders 116 414 40 102 26 Operating expenses - intersegment 2 20 6 16 22 Interest expense - 12 - 2 22 Income taxes (4) 10 4 6 2 Tangible assets 18 116 12 12 8 Intangible assets - - 4 8 6 Intersegment
receivables 8 6 - - - ?Which operating segments are reportable under the revenue test? A. Pails and Hardware. B. Rakes, Hardware, and Accessories. C. Rakes and Hardware. D. Rakes and Pails. E. Rakes, Pails, and Hardware.
A leader who lets followers take responsibility for task accomplishment and has less involvement with followers is using ______.
A. directing behaviors B. supporting behaviors C. delegating behaviors D. coaching behaviors
Southern Security makes safes for storing valuables such as jewelry and family records
When Ed sold safes for the company, he had to be prepared with a response when a prospect said, "I have no room for a safe" or "My family heirlooms aren't valuable enough to put in a safe". In other words, Ed had to ________. A) prepare several different closings B) use a canned sales presentation C) treat each sale as a transaction D) utilize cold calling E) anticipate objections
A civil law system is based on:
a. constitutions and codes. b. cases and codes. c. constitutions and cases. d. tort law and contract law.