Mission Critical: Realizing the Promise of Enterprise Systems

As information-dependent companies of all types continually expand, acquire, merge, and globalize, the need to share critical data--between far-flung sites, independent divisions, and even neighboring departments--increases exponentially. Thomas Davenport, director of the Institute for Strategic Change at Andersen Consulting and a professor of information management at Boston University, advocates integrated enterprise systems (or ESs) to expedite the process. In Mission Critical, he explains how these inherently complicated, unfailingly expensive, and yet potentially vital programs can best be coordinated with existing operations. He explores specific benefits as well as possible drawbacks. And he shows why some of the biggest players in the business world have succeeded in their ES efforts, while others with equal resources and similar goals have not.

While a properly designed ES will facilitate rapid dissemination of electronic data to pertinent employees, partners, and customers through Internet or intranet access, Davenport repeatedly claims, the key is handling this "as a business project, not a technical one." This means clearly defining objectives from the outset, utilizing executives with power to execute the required organizational changes, and incorporating explicit across-the-board incentives and penalties that are tied to the project's ultimate conclusion. Top managers and information specialists will find helpful guidance here on all relevant aspects of the process, including pre-implementation procedures, software selection, organization-wide strategies, and tips on using an ES to its full advantage. --Howard Rothman