Discussion questions for Why ERP?
 

1.  What is the objective Dan Bragg has in mind for the implementation of SAP R/3 at McDougle's Furniture in North Carolina?
 

2.  What is Mr. McDougle's objective for the implementation of SAP R/3 in his furniture factory in North Carolina?
 

3.  Does Billy want to implement SAP R/3 at the North Carolina furniture plant?
 

4.  What would his objectives be if he did want to do so?
 

5.  Why was the implementation of SAP R/3 successful in Ohio?
 

6.  What are other examples of other companies where it could be successful?
 

7.  What are examples of companies where SAP R/3 might not be successful?
 

8.  What would you have done differently if you had been Billy in this situation?
 

9.  Is it possible to install a commercial ERP system and still get a competitive advantage from your information system?
 

10.  Why are commercial ERP systems so popular?

Answers

Additional advanced questions:

1. With hindsight, what might Billy have done differently before he went to the R/3 school?

2. How about while he was in school? Might he have done some things differently

3. Did he ask the right questions in Ohio? Could he have learned something helpful?

4. As the train began to gather steam after Mr. Bragg came to North Carolina, could Billy have changed its course?

5. It is difficult to know in detail, but what steps would you recommend that he follow, now that he is back at the plant?

 

One managers opinion

 

Additional Discussion Questions (from Dick Garrett - IU)

Why ERP Discussion Questions

  1. What kind of factory is McDougal Furniture?  What type of production process do they probably use?
  2. Who is Billy Armbruster?  What is his role in the factory and what is his role in the book?
  3. What does SAP stand for?  (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing)
  4. Is SAP software real time or batch?
  5. What is data redundancy?  Why is data redundancy a problem in a computer system?
  6. What does it mean to have single source data – what are some advantages of single source data?
  7. Do users need to learn German to use SAP?  What about the different world currencies – do we need to pick a single currency?  How does it handle currencies?
  8. What is the first example given to show how R/3 works – describe this example. See p 28
  9. Can you see something that is wrong with the way the meeting was set-up?  (Didn’t check avail. of participants)
  10. How could R/3 help to eliminate a recent problem at McDougal re the $20,000 desk?
  11. What’s ASAP (accelerated sap)
  12. What are the 5 phases of implementation?
    1. Proj prep – organize team, etc.           10%
    2. Business Blueprint  configure software parts  20%
    3. Realization  testing software   45%
    4. Final preparation   end user training    25%
    5. Go live and support
  13. Should a company pay consultants to modify the SAP software to fit their particular needs or try to accept it the way it comes off the shelf.
  14. Why does SAP use codes?
  15. Can the two separate plants run on one SAP system or should each plant have their own version of the software?  Advantages/disadvantages of each method?
  16. Walk through example starting on page 50.
  17. Sketch out the steps to procure something.  P 55
  18. What does drill-down capability mean? p 60
  19. What flexibility does SAP offer w.r.t the BOM?  p 63
  20. What is scalability as it relates to the use of the SAP system?  p66
  21. Explain the three tiered architecture (also called a three-tiered client-server system) used for computer support of SAP p 66
  22. What does this quote mean?  “As soon as we finish something, we use the bill of materials to calculate the material that must have gone into that item.”  P 104
  23. How do the financial folks deal with the payment for hardware?  P 104
  24. How does the Ohio plant obtain demands for their MPS?  P 105
  25. Do they screen the demand data coming in from their customers?  How? P 106
  26. What does EDI mean?  How is it used?
  27. Contrast the two plants N. Carolina and Ohio.  In what ways are they the same and in what ways are they different?
  28. Does Billy want to install SAP in the NC plant?  What portions does he think might work and what requirement would these portions satisfy?  p 131
  29. What does the NC plant folks discover as they discuss R/3 with other furniture cos.? P114-115
  30. A consultant discusses companies that should not consider R/3.  What kind of companies are these?  p 115 (no IT experience, no discipline, no training capability, and depended on flexibility for success.)
  31. What position does Mr McDougal take wrt to installation of SAP? P116
  32. What position does Billy take at this point in the story? p119+
  33. What do you think about Billy?  Is he resistant to change or is he right?
  34. What does Billy want for his people?  Is he correct?  (wants involvement and info.)
  35. What happened with the SAP implementation at the NC plant? P 123  What role does Billy plan at this point?
  36. What three things did billy feel were wrong with the implementation? P124

(the way they got started and the objectives of the project, lack of involvement of the people and use of the people who knew how to run the plant, too many corners were cut in the configuration of R/3)

  1. What is Billy’s final advice about installing R/3?  P 127 1. talk, 2. communicate, 3. discuss