Enterprise Systems for Management Instructor’s Manual – Motiwalla & Thompson

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CHAPTER 2 – SYSTEMS INTEGRATION

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES •
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Understand the impact of organizational structure on information systems
Find out about the types of functional silos in organizations
Learn about the evolution of information systems technology generations and architectures and their influence on a silo environment
Know what systems integration is and why it is important for organizations
Understand the role of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in systems integration CHAPTER OUTLINE

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Opening Case: AIR CARGO’s e-ENTERPRISE SYSTEM
Functional Silos
a) Horizontal Silos
b) Vertical Silos
c) Business Process and Silos
Evolution of IS in organizations
a) IS Architectures
b) IS Fictionalizations
Systems Integration
a) Logical Versus Physical SI
b) Steps in Integrating Systems
c) Benefits of System Integration
d) Limitations of System Integration
ERP and Systems Integration
a) ERP’s Role in Logical Integration
b) ERP’s Role in Physical Integration
Implications for Management
Case 2-2 Real-World Case: Systems Integration at UPS Corp

CHAPTER OVERVIEW This chapter discusses the evolution and importance of Systems Integration and the role of ERP systems in systems integration. The chapter begins with a discussion on information silos. If you think of an agricultural silo it is an immense vessel used for storing grain, as a representation of departments in a company. Just like a agricultural silo is self contained and has all the resources it needs with little interaction with the outside world, a silo’d information system is separated and does not work together with other systems. The chapter discusses two types of “silo”