Information integration for supply chain management: An empircal investigation of ERP systems in manufacturing

The modern business environment has become increasingly dynamic, and firms must react quickly to changes in market boundaries and product technologies. While recent advances in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have the potential to reduce the costs of coordinating activities across the supply chain, full realization of the benefits of implementing complex IT projects rarely occurs.; This dissertation examines the operational practices and procedures that are associated with the effective use of integrated information systems for supply chain management, within the context of ERP use by North American manufacturing firms. The central premise of the study is that a coaligned portfolio of organizational aptitudes called ERP competence is associated with greater improvements in business performance.; We have developed a rigorously validated measurement instrument to capture a firm's organizational aptitudes and business performance related to the implementation and use of an ERP system. Data collected with this instrument were used to refine a model of the effect of ERP competence on improved business performance. Results indicate that manufacturing firms may benefit by reallocating scarce organizational development resources toward those aptitudes that have the greatest impact on business performance improvements in an ERP environment.