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Case

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Sapphire Group: Deciding on an Integrated Enterprise System Application

Arif Jalil Piracha, Syed Zahoor Hasan


INDUSTRY : Textile

AREA : Management Information Systems

ORGANIZATION : Sapphire Textile

LENGTH : 30

LUMS No : 18-428-2004-1

PUBLICATION YEAR : 2004

DESCRIPTION

KEYWORDS:

Sapphire Group,Integrated Enterprise System Application,Managemen Information Systems,Textile Industry,Business Objectives,Consultants,Implementation


DESCRIPTION:

1. Importance of clearly defined objectives for any IT projects. 2. Need for linking proposed solutions with the specific business objectives and organizational capabilities. 3. Significance of taking a phased and gradual approach in implementing new IT solutions ¿ need to distinguish between ¿real¿ urgency for quick implementation and the perceived urgency to rush. 4. Highlight the factors that influence ability of an organization to derive benefits from outside consultants ¿ need for spelling out clear TORs and expectations for hiring consultants. 5. Understand the differences in various objectives for implementing an enterprise system. Scope: Full scale (packages) vs limited (supplier) & ICI Phases: One-go implementation vs phased (KSB) (Packages) Purpose: a) Integration & access to information for decision making ¿ no immediate competitive pressure ¿ Packages b) Reporting needs and coordination ¿ ICI c) Competitive pressure ¿ access to financial and cost information (supplier) d) As a key tool to instill major organizational transformation ¿ KSB e) Tool for managing rapid expansion and multi-location growth ¿ Nirala. 6. How the same technology may be utilized by a specific organization depending on how the needs are perceived ¿ Ferguson and Techlogix approaches to use of Oracle Financials at Sapphire. 7. Roles and responsibilities of senior management, IT managers and consultants in use of IT. 8. Factors that influence top management¿s decisions to select and choose consulting firms ¿ Techlogix and Ferguson comparison by Shahid Abdullah. 


LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Importance of clearly defined objectives for any IT projects. 2. Need for linking proposed solutions with the specific business objectives and organizational capabilities. 3. Significance of taking a phased and gradual approach in implementing new IT solutions ¿ need to distinguish between ¿real¿ urgency for quick implementation and the perceived urgency to rush. 4. Highlight the factors that influence ability of an organization to derive benefits from outside consultants ¿ need for spelling out clear TORs and expectations for hiring consultants. 5. Understand the differences in various objectives for implementing an enterprise system. Scope: Full scale (packages) vs limited (supplier) & ICI Phases: One-go implementation vs phased (KSB) (Packages) Purpose: a) Integration & access to information for decision making ¿ no immediate competitive pressure ¿ Packages b) Reporting needs and coordination ¿ ICI c) Competitive pressure ¿ access to financial and cost information (supplier) d) As a key tool to instill major organizational transformation ¿ KSB e) Tool for managing rapid expansion and multi-location growth ¿ Nirala. 6. How the same technology may be utilized by a specific organization depending on how the needs are perceived ¿ Ferguson and Techlogix approaches to use of Oracle Financials at Sapphire. 7. Roles and responsibilities of senior management, IT managers and consultants in use of IT. 8. Factors that influence top management¿s decisions to select and choose consulting firms ¿ Techlogix and Ferguson comparison by Shahid Abdullah. 


SUBJECTS COVERED:

Management Information Systems