Challenges in ERP Implementation and Customization Issues

The assignment content discusses the challenges of implementing ERP systems, including the costs and customization issues that can arise. WillyPlus SAP ERP solution is presented as a way to effectively manage time, cost, and quality to estimate overall productivity. The content also touches on big data analytics, highlighting its customer-centric objectives, challenges, and risks. It emphasizes the importance of decision-making culture and long-term sponsorship for big data analytics. Finally, it discusses the application of data analytics and business intelligence for organizations using SAP Business Objects Data Visualization.

Running head: ISM 5150 FINAL ASSIGNMENT
ISM 5150 Final Assignment: Project Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1ISM 5150 FINAL ASSIGNMENT
Table of Contents
Answer to Question 1......................................................................................................................2
The Information Systems Strategy Triangle: Explanation and Interpretations...........................2
Relevance of the Topic and engaging with Course and Faculties...............................................2
Effective Professionalism with the Topic Understanding...........................................................3
Managing IT Projects: Explanation and Interpretations..............................................................4
Relevance of the Topic with Course and Faculties.....................................................................4
Effective Professionalism with the Agenda.................................................................................5
Answer to Question 2......................................................................................................................6
Disadvantages and Advantages of ERP Systems........................................................................6
Challenges, Tackling Challenges, and use of WileyPlus SAP ERP Solution.............................7
Answer to Question 3......................................................................................................................8
Primary Business Objectives of Big Data Analytics, Challenges and Risks...............................8
Application of Data Analytics and BI for Organization: SAP Business Objects Data
Visualization................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Answer to Question 1
The Information Systems Strategy Triangle: Explanation and Interpretations
The topic is about providing alignment between a triangle called Information Systems
Strategy and three vertices being decisions over business strategy, Information Systems (IS)
strategy, and organizational strategy. The topic discussed about business strategy models,
organizational strategy and design and alongside information Systems Strategy (Peppard &
Ward, 2016). The topic concluded the discussion with a suitable framework to create social
business strategy. Based on topic summary, it can be summarized that three vertices of the
Information Systems Strategy Triangle depends on each other and each of the vertex can drive
two of them (Pearlson, Saunders & Galletta, 2016). For instance, business strategy can drive
organizational strategy and Information Systems Strategy. On the other hand, organizational
strategy complements business strategy and IS strategy complements business strategy.
Relevance of the Topic and engaging with Course and Faculties
Working with group helped the learner to achieve understanding about strategy and how
the strategy could be executed with proper planning process. Group study and their discussion
helped the learner to apply strategic elements such as timeline, cost estimation, formulation of
plan into a complete strategy. The strategic plan can be applied for learning the three types of
strategies in this topic related course such as business strategy, Information Systems (IS)
strategy, and organizational strategy (Laudon & Laudon, 2016). Furthermore, when learner
understood about these strategies; the course work recommended some relevant case studies such
as Dell, Amazon, Zappos, Best Buy, and others. Case studies can help the learner to gather

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practical knowledge about the strategic decisions that the organizations taken to maintain
Information Systems Strategy Triangle.
The forum discussions help to share ideas, to declare individual concepts for helping
others, to provide individual opinions to resolve others understanding issues and others. Forum
discussion can act as distributed network for considering detailed analytical view of individuals
(Chang, 2016). Weekly online meeting helped in team understanding and providing individual
support for learning the entire course as well. These two processes such as forum discussions and
online group meeting can engage learners with others along with course faculties.
Effective Professionalism with the Topic Understanding
This topic is about strategy and decision-making over three types of strategies such as
Business Strategy, Organizational Strategy and Information Systems (IS) Strategy. This topic
about Information Systems Strategy Triangle can highlight learning effectiveness so that team
leadership, entrepreneurship skills can be improved for any learner. The topic can engage each
learner with team discussion and considering their individual opinions regarding decision-
making skills. The learner can easily understand about strategic planning for any business
decisions with strategic alignment as well. Therefore, this course is effective for learners to grasp
overall view of the business goals and relation between strategies. To be professional personnel,
this particular course can help any learner to apply strategies along with balancing organizational
strategies and IS strategies as well. Leaner can assess organizational and IS strategy depending
on evaluation of business strategy. The learner can include their individual ideology and
contributions to strategic views about organization, business, and Information Systems.

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Furthermore, this course shown proper model identifications and application of them based on
strategy types.
Managing IT Projects: Explanation and Interpretations
Primary function of Information System (IS) organization to build and implement
systems; the course topic discussed about project definition and identification of primary
stakeholders. The topic has depicted a detailed description about management of Information
Technologies (Pearlson, Saunders & Galletta, 2016; Aubry & Lavoie-Tremblay, 2017). Several
system development methodologies and approaches are mentioned and compared to each other
so that individual approaches and methodologies can be discussed. This course concluded the
management of IT projects with reviewing the critical success factors of any project such as
change management and risk management. Therefore, in summary, primarily, any project is
dependent over their stakeholder activities; how they coordinate with each other and
collaboratively finish all activities (Eriksson, Larsson & Pesamaa, 2017). Some methodologies
that common to all projects; are mentioned such as SDLC, agile programming, prototyping, and
RAD model.
Relevance of the Topic with Course and Faculties
For any learner, working with group help for understanding about management process
for IT projects. Besides, the group activities can provide overall view in which the activities
should be completed and how the activities will be prioritized for accomplishment. Project
definition and review of project management plan can provide major details about fundamental
activities that should be achieved during project life cycle (Bai, So & Tang, 2016). Furthermore,
the project life cycle such SDLC, RAD model, prototyping, and agile programming model can

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help the learner to understand different methodologies and when those methodologies are
applicable based on project nature. The case studies about project approaches help the learner to
gain detailed discussions about project completion process so that they can apply such
knowledge in practical project management field.
Group meeting over online can get in touch with all faculties about sharing student and
learner thought instantaneously. The weekly online meetings can support learners for getting
expert, faculty, and professor advices. Moreover, forum discussions can involve discussion with
course faculties and individual learners. Therefore, forum discussion can occur between
individual groups regardless of barriers of communication about the course help and detailed
opinion sharing (Rekonen & Bjorklund, 2016). Forum discussions can resolve individual
understanding issues and discuss individual learning knowledge with others.
Effective Professionalism with the Agenda
The topic discussed about IT project management with all specific details about project
definition, management discussions, and overview of different methodologies. The discussion
related to methodologies provides understanding about project and its nature so that individual
learner can clearly apply these mentioned methodologies for properly managing the projects. The
topic can provide proper teamwork so that accomplishment of project can be achieved within
shorter timeline. The project management activities can improve skills that are required for being
project manager and the learner can understand about project activities as in how to segment
responsibilities, how to schedule them, how to allocate resources to each activity and more
project manager skills. Therefore, this course is effective for learners to grasp overall view of the
project management and detailed success factors identification. The project management is

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essential for any professional personnel to handle projects like a project manager while
considering balance between time, cost and quality aspects of any project.
Answer to Question 2
Disadvantages and Advantages of ERP Systems
ERP system has some better sides for meeting business needs and requirements. The
advantages are mentioned as:
Lower costs: The implementation process for ERP lessens the cost and expenses for
organizations to increase efficiency. ERP software can handle several activities such as CRM
(Customer Resource Management), financial accounting, Human resource management, SCM
(Supply Chain Management), and e-commerce; therefore, total ERP package cost is lesser than
incorporating all these in one organization for operation.
Total Visibility: The ERP software can allow important processes for accessing data to
every department (Badewi et al., 2017). The data visibility is considered as strength for ERP as it
provides accessibility based on management hierarchy over the organization.
Improved Reporting and Planning: The ERP suite implementation has unified
reporting system for each process. The single source of information makes it easier to report data
for operational departments.
Better Customization: ERP software offers several applications integration over single
organization so that multiple applications can be operated and handled (Jain & Sharma, 2016).

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Improved Efficiency: ERP software offers reduced IT cost with reducing time and effort
for ERP implementation. The ERP can eliminate repetitive processes so that team members can
focus on revenue affecting important activities.
Better Customer Services and Support: Customer services can receive better benefits
from utilization of ERP software so that client information can be streamlined and centralized.
The sales team can focus on maintaining customer relationships in domestic and global way.
However, some disadvantages exist for ERP solutions; that can influence implementation
of ERP into business. The disadvantages are mentioned as:
Direct and Indirect Cost: Direct and indirect cost is considered as higher than up-front
implementation process (Badewi et al., 2017). However, the indirect cost considered work force
and resource cost into procedures.
Customization Issues: Customization is considered as potential advantage; though if
customization is not handled properly; then this advantage can turn out to be potential
disadvantage for ERP system.
Challenges, Tackling Challenges, and use of WileyPlus SAP ERP Solution
The business and operations in organization can face major challenges regarding
implementation costs and issues related with customization. The direct cost is most important
challenge that occurs for start-up businesses. The upfront cost for implementation can be higher
for small-to-medium organizations. Direct cost can include planning, testing, configuring, and
customization cost along with actual implementation cost (Ossimitz, Wieder & Chapman, 2016).
Indirect cost is considered as another challenge that should be resolved when financial cost is

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accounted in ERP implementation. Customization issues can be of greater impact for potential
problems in ERP related pitfalls.
Direct and indirect cost can be managed with proper planning of activities. Customization
process can be handled based on decision-making of customization. Decision about platform
should be chosen so that these disadvantages can be resolved with assessment of entire system.
WillyPlus SAP ERP provides integrated interface for handling all activities of ERP along
with planning all expenses and other implementation processes (Umar et al., 2016). The SAP
ERP solution can effectively manage time, cost and quality in order to estimate the overall
productivity of the organization. Moreover, the WillyPlus ERP solution can engage all
operational parts with management personnel.
Answer to Question 3
Primary Business Objectives of Big Data Analytics, Challenges and Risks
Big Data Analytics has some customer-centric objectives for using existing and newly
accessible internal sources for data. Big data analytics has proper initiatives based on seeking
customers with better, developing meaningful relationship customers over improving operations
so that customer experience can be increased (Watson, 2014). The focus and successful big data
analytics depends on starting with specific and mentioned objectives with building-based
approach. The organization can gain unprecedented insights over customers for operations and
analysis with new data sources for large volumes with highly structured data (Erl, Khattak &
Buhler, 2016). Data can bring more contexts for insights with organizational decision-making.

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However, in some context, the big data analytics need to meet some specific
requirements. The organizations should consider some constraints for meeting requirements of
big data analytics. The specific requirements should be listed with specific and narrowly
segmented with appropriate objectives so that those can be understood and connected with
customers easily for operational improvements. Therefore, the sponsorship for big data analytics
should be long-term with committed bond for ensuring strong support financially. Based on the
nature of the projects, sponsorship could be department wise and over senior executive level
(Williams, 2016). CIO can be responsible so that development and maintaining of big data
infrastructure can be kept under his/her jurisdiction. Some certain organizations such as Google
aligns the business and IT strategies in parallel so that big data analytics can control IT strategy
and business goals as well (Choi, Chan & Yue, 2017). For other organizations, the importance is
provided to operational issue resolving, skill shortage management, new personnel recruiting,
nurturing experienced personnel; and their requirements are turned into projects.
Therefore, the big data analytics and related business objectives should have decision-
making culture in order to proceed towards business intelligence based system architecture.
Moreover, the big data analytics based running business makes the operation process based on
statistics, analytical data, and previous value analysis values as well.
Application of Data Analytics and BI for Organization: SAP Business Objects Data
Visualization
Data analytics and business intelligence is major part of applications for Decision-making
and decision based systems. Therefore, in current era of informatics, analytics tools and BI based
DSS system management is highly dependent over big data and application of big data (Watson,

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2014). Big data is completely application based and the organized data is used for supporting
single sets of decisions over relevant decisions. During the year 1990, wider variety of Business
Intelligence and analytics tools required a support from large amount of data; bulk amount of
data was required to support reporting, executive Information Systems management at that time.
To incorporate separate databases for independent data-marts to run each application was more
expensive and likely to cause inconsistencies in data with failure in supporting the enterprise
applications (Williams, 2016). Therefore, as a solution; management of enterprise data
warehouse in second generation came into picture; and in third generation real-time data
warehousing practice was performed.

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References
Aubry, M., & Lavoie-Tremblay, M. (2017). Rethinking organizational design for managing
multiple projects. International Journal of Project Management.
Badewi, A., Shehab, E., Zeng, J., & Mostafa, M. (2017). ERP Benefits Capability Framework:
Orchestration Theory Perspective. Business Process Management Journal, 24(5).
Bai, J., So, K. C., & Tang, C. (2016). A queueing model for managing small projects under
uncertainties. European Journal of Operational Research, 253(3), 777-790.
Chang, J. F. (2016). Business process management systems: strategy and implementation. CRC
Press.
Choi, T. M., Chan, H. K., & Yue, X. (2017). Recent development in big data analytics for
business operations and risk management. IEEE transactions on cybernetics, 47(1), 81-
92.
Eriksson, P. E., Larsson, J., & Pesamaa, O. (2017). Managing complex projects in the
infrastructure sector—A structural equation model for flexibility-focused project
management. International Journal of Project Management, 35(8), 1512-1523.
Erl, T., Khattak, W., & Buhler, P. (2016). Big data fundamentals: concepts, drivers &
techniques. Prentice Hall Press.
Jain, D., & Sharma, Y. (2016). Cloud computing with ERP-A push business towards higher
efficiency.

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Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2016). Management information system. Pearson Education
India.
Ossimitz, M., Wieder, B., & Chapman, P. (2016, May). Management Accounting Functionality
in SAP Solutions–Implications for Research and Practise. In International Conference on
Enterprise Systems, Accounting and Logistics (ICESAL) 2016.
Pearlson, K. E., Saunders, C. S., & Galletta, D. F. (2016). Managing and Using Information
Systems, Binder Ready Version: A Strategic Approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Peppard, J., & Ward, J. (2016). The strategic management of information systems: Building a
digital strategy. John Wiley & Sons.
Rekonen, S., & Bjorklund, T. A. (2016). Adapting to the changing needs of managing innovative
projects. European Journal of Innovation Management, 19(1), 111-132.
Umar, M., Khan, N., Agha, M. H., & Abbas, M. (2016). SAP-ERP implementation: Change
management model using qualitative approach. International Journal of Computer
Science and Network Security (IJCSNS), 16(6), 9.
Watson, H. J. (2014). Tutorial: Big data analytics: Concepts, technologies, and
applications. CAIS, 34, 65.
Williams, S. (2016). Business intelligence strategy and Big Data analytics: a general
management perspective. Morgan Kaufmann.