VOL IX, No. 2, 2008 72 Issues in Information Systems
SUP
PLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE SYSTEMS INTEGRATION AND
VERSION UPGRADES: VENDOR AND CUSTOMER BASED FRAMEWORK
Ganesh
Vaidyanathan, Indiana University South Bend, gvaidyan@iusb.edu
Asghar Sabbaghi, Indiana University South Bend, Sabbaghi@iusb.edu
Yan Fu, Indiana University South Bend, yanfu79@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Integration and upgrade phases of an information
systems project are as critical to an organization as
the first time the system is implemented. In order to
make the ex-post implementation of an IT project
completely successful and sustain the adopted
information systems, the basic definition of success
needs to be extended to include customer
satisfaction factors as well as vendor capabilities.
This study focuses on identifying the key elements
that managers consider when making the decision
to upgrade and integrate supply chain management
systems that are already in use. We present a
framework on both vendor and customer
perspectives in the evaluation of supply chain
management software systems integration and
version upgrades.
INTRODUCTION
S
upp
ly chain management (SCM) has received
much attention in an intensified global market due
to its key role in the integration of key business
processes within and outside organizations. It has
been widely recognized that actions taken by one
member of the chain can influence the profitability
and survival of all others in the chain [15]. As the
members of supply chain successfully streamline
their own operations, the next opportunity for
improvement and a prime source of competitive
advantage is through better coordination with their
suppliers and customers [23]. Therefore, a well
coordinated and an integrated supply chain
management solution is needed to help manage
efficient and effective flow of materials,
information, and funds across the entire supply
chain, from suppliers to component producers to
final assemblers to distributors, and ultimately to
the consumer.
Important applications must run continuously and
without interruption, and yet also must be changed
to fix bugs or upgrade functionality [12]. New
Internet technologies such as e-procurement
software and advanced supply chain planning
systems can greatly simplify integration and
implementation [11]. At the same time, the
software needs to have a seamless upgrade path so
that the release of new or changed features does not
compromise existing integration or functionality
[10]. The SCM software market has a lot of players,
and many of them are tied to specific industries as
deep knowledge of an industry and its partner
networks is a key factor in the creation and support
of SCM software [19]. Some of the top SCM
solution providers are SAP, Oracle, Infor, i2
Technologies, and Manhattan Associates. For most
of these venders, SCM software contains a series of
individual software applications. Since none of
them has a complete single package for each
component of supply chain management, SCM
integration and periodical upgrading becomes
necessary and important for businesses to achieve
supply chain excellence. When it comes to
deciding whether integration or upgrading is
needed, what key elements do managers consider
when making those decisions? Moreover, when
choosing a SCM solution for SCM integration or
upgrading, how do managers decide which solution
fits their business the best?
Customers will judge the quality of software
maintenance differently from that of software
development [22] which means that to deliver high
quality results in software maintenance, both the
functional quality and the technical quality
dimensions are important. In order to provide high-
quality software maintenance for the customers,
different and additional processes are needed from
those provided by high-quality software
development vendors [22]. In this case, are there
different factors that are considered by vendors and
customers in choosing software solution for SCM
integration or upgrading? If so, what are those
factors? There is a gap in literature in answering
these questions as evidenced by researchers who
claim that far less attention has been devoted to the
post implementation activities of maintenance and
upgrades [3].
The objective of this paper is to identify the key
elements that customer managers consider when
making the decision to upgrade and integrate
supply chain management system that are already
in use. We use SCM as a test bed to identify such
elements as SCM software tends be unique with
respect to integration and version upgrades. We
develop a framework to understand the key
elements used by managers when they decide on
integration and upgrading of supply chain
management systems.
h
ttps://doi.org/10.48009/2_iis_2008_72-79
