ERP Systems : New-Fangled Approach to Manage Technology for Competitive Advantage

Presently, a large portion of technology resources is being devoted to complying with ever changing regulatory requirements from a myriad of sources. Being competitive in this scenario requires adoption of new technology and management methodologies, such as just-in-time, electronic data communications, work order-less scheduling, billing, supply chain management, knowledge management, customer relationship management, ERP Systems and many more latest buzzwords which advent from day-by-day. Packaged ERP systems are now incorporating functionality to support these new methodologies as it had got new-fangled approach to integrate & amalgamate in order to bring them under one roof and also to make the process streamlined. This paper explores ERP as an ambivalent technology of power on the one hand; it may tighten management control by bringing a new level of panoptic visibility to organizational activities; on the other hand. The embedded business model within the ERP may drive empowerment of employees and greater control relaxation through the configuration of new process design. For most enterprise, ERP systems are the vital backbone of all of their business transactions and communications, ERP systems nowadays are increasingly becoming beyond simply being the core of transaction processing for large, complex enterprises, they are often the launch pad for entrepreneurial initiatives such as e-business and B2B commerce.