Integrated Business Processes with ERP Systems

Integrated Business Processes with ERP Systems covers the key processes supported by modern ERP systems. This textbook is designed for use as both a reference guide and a conceptual resource for students taking ERP-focused courses using SAP. It examines in depth the core concepts applicable to all ERP environments, and it explains how those concepts can be utilized to implement business processes in SAP systems.

Hallmark Features:

• Integrated Business Processes with ERP Systems approaches topics using an integrated process perspective of the firm. Each process is discussed within the context of its execution across functional areas in the company, with special emphasis on the role of data in managing the coordination between activities and groups. Students will gain a deep appreciation for the role of enterprise systems in efficiently managing processes from multiple functional perspectives.
• Running Case Study - Many key examples, demonstrations, and assignments incorporated throughout the book are based on a fictional company, Global Bike Incorporated (GBI). GBI exists virtually in the GBI ERP system, which will be used to provide hands-on experience with executing the various processes in SAP ERP.
• Real-World Examples - In addition to the integrated approach and the GBI case study, the text includes multiple scenarios that demonstrate how businesses actually utilize ERP capabilities. Examples of both positive and negative issues associated with enterprise systems are integrated throughout the chapters to illustrate the concepts with real-world experiences.

About the Authors

Simha R. Magal, Ph.D., is professor of management (MIS) and director, ERP initiative, in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University. He received his doctorate from the University of Georgia. His primary research interests include e-business and enterprise systems. Dr. Magal's articles have appeared in such publications as MIS Quarterly, Journal of MIS, and Information and Management, among others, and he has served on the editorial boards of several journals. Dr. Magal has taught courses related to business processes and enterprise systems that utilize SAP for more than a decade. He is an SAP-certified associate consultant and a TERP10 academy instructor.

Jeffrey Word, Ph.D., is vice president of product strategy at SAP AG. He is responsible for defining SAP's future product strategy and for fostering product innovation within SAP. Dr. Word has worked for several Global 1000 companies in the high-tech industry for nearly 20 years, specializing in business and IT strategy. At SAP, he has driven the evolution of the company's enterprise technology strategy, with a special focus on corporate process improvement initiatives and services-based IT architecture design. Dr. Word earned his Ph.D. in information systems at Manchester Business School in England.