Study On The Evolution Path Of Small And Medium Manufacturing Enterprises’ Information Construction

There are lots of small and medium enterprises in China, and their overall level ofinformation technology is still relatively backward, in which manufacturing enterprises, due to thecomplexity, redundant management, and particularity involved in the industry, have moredifficulties in information construction. Based on many years of practice and theoretical study, thisthesis has made an objective analysis of such issues as lack of awareness of informationconstruction among small and medium manufacturing enterprises executives, vague businessorganizations, non-standard business processes, lack of talents and funding, and, under a morerealistic premise, conducted a research on the small and medium manufacturing enterprises’information construction.Creatively referring to the essence of the traditional Chinese classic “Book of Changes”, thisthesis compares Nolan model and the thoughts of evolution law described by the hexagram Qianfrom the “Book of Changes”, and then discusses the stages of small and medium manufacturingenterprises’information construction. Through the discussion the notion that small and mediummanufacturing enterprises’information construction should fall into stages is more profoundlyunderstood. Therefore it is beyond dispute that small and medium enterprises should not conductsuch integrated information technology construction as ERP until their information technologyand their management has reached a certain level. Prior to that, there are a lot of basic works to bedone.This thesis emphasizes that small and medium manufacturing enterprises’informationconstruction must be based on their management notions, and consistent with their strategicdevelopment of business. It is unrealistic for entrepreneurs to seek blindly the newest or highesttechnology, hoping to solve all the management problems with the high-tech information systems.No matter what kind of information technology or systems, enterprises must first deal with thebasic work of their internal management.In information technology construction, small and medium manufacturing enterprises shouldtake more advantage of their organization, and they should not rely totally on their chiefexecutives. This is because, in the case of in small and medium manufacturing enterprises,information technology construction is important but not so urgent, therefore the chief executives,who often act as a "fire chief", spend their time and energy on urgent and important issues. Incontrast, in large enterprises with a relatively complete organizational structure, the chiefexecutives are able to focus more on the issues of strategic importance. Therefore, for the majorityof the small and medium manufacturing enterprises, they should make their own informationtechnology strategic planning and develop their organizations via the process of informationtechnology construction. In turn, the development of their organizations is beneficial to theinformation construction.In addition, the information construction should not be mechanically limited to the stagesnotions. For small and medium manufacturing enterprises, it is essential to introduce newtechnology and advanced industrial/information technology modules, and to integrate those twokinds of modules.In conclusion, with an intensive case analysis of one failure of ERP implementation, thisthesis further clarifies that in the information construction process, small and mediummanufacturing enterprises should not blindly seek the high-tech. To be successful, they must lay agood foundation, follow objective laws, and promote business information construction.