ERP problems and application integration issues: an empirical survey

TLDR

Enterprise Resource Planning systems were introduced to integrate infrastructure and solve organizational problems, yet they often fail to deliver expected benefits, especially as autonomous heterogeneous applications coexist, creating unresolved integration challenges that new Enterprise Application Integration software aims to address. The study investigates ERP integration problems via an internet-based survey and evaluates a new Enterprise Application Integration approach. The authors conducted an internet-based survey of ERP users and analyzed responses to assess the effectiveness of Enterprise Application Integration solutions. The findings suggest that Enterprise Application Integration can resolve ERP integration issues.

Abstract

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems were introduced into companies to solve various organisational problems, and to provide an integrated infrastructure. Although ERP packages offer advantages to enterprises, they have not achieved many of their anticipated benefits. Autonomous and heterogeneous applications co-exist in companies with ERP systems and integration problem having not been addressed. This paper seeks to make contribution to this area by studying and analysing ERP problems through an Internet based survey. Responses are analysed in detail and a new approach to integration problem; the enterprise application integration (EAI) is examined. EAI is a new class of integration software that leads to the development of strategic business solutions by securely incorporating functionality from disparate applications. EAI could be the solution to ERP's integration problems.