INSTRUCTORS:

Dr. William DeLone, Associate Professor of Management and Information Systems

Nicole Gardner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Kathryn Harvey, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Ted Brown, PricewaterhouseCoopers

OFFICE: Battelle, Room G18

OFFICE PHONE: (202) 885-1959; Fax (202) 885-1916

OFFICE HOURS: Monday 4:00 to 5:15 pm and 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm By Appointment

E-MAIL wdelone@american.edu

kathryn.l.harvey@us.pwcglobal.com

HOME PHONE: (301) 762-2768 (Emergencies only!)

The course will cover Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Topics include rationale for acquiring and implementing ERP, selection of ERP software, integration of processes and transactions in ERP, and the challenges associated with successful implementation of global ERP applications. The course will include exposure to the most popular ERP software, SAP. Students will receive hands-on experience with SAP software.

Course packet of readings and cases. Available in AU Bookstore

Implementing SAP R/3: How to Introduce a Large System into a Large Organization by Nancy H. Bancroft, Manning Publications, 1997.

SAP R/3 Business Blueprint: Understanding the Business Process Reference Model by Thomas Curran, et.al., Prentice Hall, 1997.

Students will understand the scope of ERP systems and corporate motivation for implementing ERP. Students will appreciate the challenge associated with implementing such large-scale systems and the dramatic impact these systems have on key business processes. Students will learn how to develop work plans for an ERP implementation. Students will gain an understanding of process integration inherent in ERP. Students will experience the SAP software system through computer-based training materials and hands on experience.

Most class sessions will involve lecture and extensive discussion of ERP systems based on content contained in the textbooks, readings and cases. Students will be expected to make substantial contributions to the learning process through participation in class discussion and participation in electronic discussions in Lotus Learning Space. Students will be responsible for several team assignments and an individual case study.

The assignments are designed to familiarize students with the major challenges involved in specifying, selecting and implementing ERP. Reading assignments and written assignments are assigned for each class. Pre-reading assignments must be completed before each class. This will facilitate your participation in the class discussion. Written assignments include a Request for Proposal (RFP), a proposal in response to an RFP, an ERP work plan and a case study. Students, in teams of three, will be responsible for the RFP, a responding proposal, and the ERP work plan. Students will submit their case studies individually. Oral briefings will be required for your team work plans.

All written assignments will be posted electronically using Lotus Learning Space over the Internet.

Final grades will be based on the following weighted-rating scheme:

Class Participation                     20%

RFP & Proposal (team)             20%

ERP Work Plans (team)            40%

Case Study (individual)             20%

This class requires a consistent and substantial week to week commitment on the part of the student. Students are expected to complete reading assignments prior to class and to participate actively in class discussion. Written assignments are due in class on the specified due date. Late work will receive no credit. Any student who must miss class on the day an assignment is due, should either email the assignment, FAX assignment, or have a classmate hand the assignment to the professor by the assignment due date.

Class participation is measured by your active involvement in discussion of the cases and readings. Your physical presence is necessary but by no means sufficient for class participation. The classroom experience will be valuable for all of us only if we all commit to taking an active role. Additionally, you will be expected to participate in electronic discussions within our class "Learning Space."

In accordance with The American University's Academic Regulations, cheating in any form will not be tolerated. This includes plagiarism or receiving inappropriate assistance on examinations and/or assignments. Cheating is an extremely serious academic offense. Allegations of cheating will be referred to the Dean of the Kogod College for appropriate action.

Class 1 (March 22^nd)

Pre-Reading Assignment:

"Putting the Enterprise into the Enterprise System," Thomas Davenport, Harvard Business Review

Welcome/Introduction

Class Overview & Expectations – Bill DeLone

Ice-breaker – Kathy Harvey & Ted Brown

What is ERP?

ERP vs. Best-of-Breed Comparison

What’s Behind the ERP Revolution?

Solving Y2K Issues

Systems Replacement

Technology Advancements – Internet, EDI

Business Benefits

Global Requirements

Major Providers of ERP Systems

SAP

PeopleSoft

Oracle

Course Administration & Logistics – Bill DeLone

Reading Assignment:

Cisco Systems: Implementing ERP

Implementing SAP R/3: Introduction, Chapter 1: A Tour of the R/3 System

SAP R/3 Business Blueprint: Introduction, Chapter 1: Business Engineering & Enterprise Optimization & Chaper 5: Sales Logistics

Group Assignment:

Create RFP for Software Selection (use combination of handout materials and Internet research)

 

Class Discussion on Reading Assignment (15 minutes) – Facilitated by Ted Brown

Business Process Integration (Part 1 of 3)

Sales & Marketing (1 hour) – Kathy Harvey

Procurement (1 hour) – Kathy Harvey or Ted Brown

Reading Assignment:

SAP R/3 Business Blueprint: Chapter 6: Production Logistics & Chapter 7: Procurement Logistics

Information Flows in Manufacturing Under SAP R/3

Complete CBT (mandatory) Getting Started with SAP

Complete CBTs (optional) Sales & Distribution Fundamentals, Materials Management Fundamentals

Group Assignment:

Metalco: The SAP Proposal

Respond to RFP as the software vendor SAP

 

Open Discussion on Completing RFP Responses (30 minutes) – Kathy Harvey

What was the process your team used?

From the vendor perspective: What was good about RFP? What was missing?

How would you change your group’s original RFP?

Business Process Integration (Part 2 of 3)

Inventory Management (40 minutes) – Ted Brown

Production (1 hour) – Ted Brown

Reading Assignment:

Implementing SAP R/3: Steps in the Process Chapter 7: Phase 1 – Focus, Chapter 8: Phase 2 – Create the As Is Picture

SAP R/3 Business Blueprint: Chapter 8: External Accounting & Chapter 10: Business Planning & Controlling, Chapter 9: Organization & Human Resource Management

Complete CBT (optional) Production Planning Fundamentals

Complete CBT (mandatory) Financial Accounting Fundamentals

Business Process Integration (Part 3 of 3)

Finance (1 hour) – Ernest Little

Human Resources (45 minutes) – Kathy Harvey

Class discussion – What does this mean? Integration of Business Processes with Information Technology (Man vs. Machine) (30 minutes) – Ted Brown

Reading Assignment:

Implementing SAP R/3: Chapter 9: Phase 3: Create the To Be Design, Chapter 10: Phase 4 – Construction & Testing and Phase 5 – Actual Implementation

Group 1 – Lab Session at Pricewaterhouse Coopers – Kathy Harvey & Ted Brown

Pre-Reading Assignment:

Implementing SAP R/3: Chapter 11: Managing Change: The "Political" Challenges & Chapter 12: Team Formation & Development

Secrets of a Successful Implementation (1½ hours) – Nicole Gardner

Change Integration – Executive Alignment, Management & User Commitment, Communications, Organizational Change & Job Redesign

User Education & Training

Implementation Methodology & Strategies (45 minutes) – Nicole Gardner

"Big Bang"

Phased Rollout by Geography

Phased Rollout by Business Unit

Phased Rollout by Functional Area

Building a Global Template

Reading Assignment:

SAP R/3 Business Blueprint: Chapter 2: The Business Blueprint, Chapter 12: Architecture of the R/3 System, Chapter 13: R/3 Framework & Infrastructure, & Chapter 14: Business Engineering in R/3

SAP R/3 Business Blueprint: SAP: Sophisticated Customizable Enterprise Software

Group Assignment: Due May 3^rd

Design High-Level Workplan using Provided Scenarios

Include 1-page Executive Summary and rationale for the decisions the group made

 

Class 7 (May 3rd)

Technical Infrastructure & Architecture (½ hour) – Kathy Harvey

2-Tier vs. 3-Tier

Available Databases

Global Implications (1 hour) – Bill DeLone

The Future of ERP (½ hour) – Kathy Harvey

Electronic Commerce

Bolt-On Packages

Sales Automation

Acquisition of "Davids" by Goliaths

Reading Assignment:

SAP R/3 Business Blueprint: Chapter 15: New Age Enterprise

Implementing SAP R/3: Chapter 3: The R/3 Basis Technology, Chapter 4: Configuring SAP R/3, Chapter 13: Changes in User & IT Roles and Chapter 14: Lessons Learned

Individual Assignment:

Prepare a 2-page, single-spaced comparative analysis of the following case studies

 

Class 8 (May 11^th)

End User Impacts – Guest Speaker from Mobil – 1 hour

Class Discussion – The Keys to Implementing ERP in a Global Environment & Workplans

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