Reviews (4)

Due diligence if you're evaluating ERP systems
This book is more suited as an executive guide for anyone who is considering ERP or evaluating ERP systems.In fact, the book appears to have been designed with busy senior management and executives in mind because it's focused, hits all of the key points and each chapter is treated as a whitepaper that ends with case studies reinforcing the topic and references.Also, the author makes excellent use of window diagrams throughout to convey information.A random example if this is in chapter 11 where the linkage between implementation approach (big bang vs. phases) is shown by impact of the extent of changes to be made to ERP modules (minimal to extensive) vs. Number of modules in implementation (few to many) and how this translates to the preferred method.This is but one of many such examples.

The book is organized into four parts: (1) introduction, (2) ERP systems and capabilities, (3) ERP life cycle (deciding, selecting, designing, post implementation and training) and (4) electronic commerce and risk.

Each section is backed with cited references and necessary facts with which to decide whether or not to opt for an ERP system, and if so, how to select the correct package.The references and citations extend into every chapter, which I liked because when the author cites a fact, such as a typical cost of an ERP implementation ... you know where that figure came from.I normally do not like discussions of specific products in general books, but given the narrow field of ERP vendors the discussion of each of the major players, their company histories and market position is appropriate for this book given the subject and audience.

I personally liked the case studies at the end of each chapter because there were specific to the chapter's topic, were drawn from real life, and were frank about the problems encountered and how they were addressed.This is a gold mine for executive management seeking to determine the true scope, cost and potential value of an ERP project.I also like how each option for implementation was thoroughly covered.

Overall, this book provides complete coverage of all of the issues and factors that need to be examined before taking the plunge into an ERP system. It will definitely allow executive management to make informed decisions, and will also prepare IT and business stakeholders for the realities of an implementation.This book will pay for itself many times over for the intended audience. It is clear, concise and factual.

Most issues are shared with usual IS
The book does not lack interesting subjects, but most of them are not peculiar of ERP systems, and could be suitable for many other kinds of software systems. Gap analysis, costs, human resources and chains are problems people are dealing with since the first computer entered the business word. I would have liked a publication in which briefly summarized process and data issues would be referred to a proper functional, and even technological, architecture of ERP. I do need buy and read a book whose title is ERP in order to get a description of the problems whilst the book is supposed to dissert about their solutions. The latter target has been someway met, but not fully reached.

Reviews (3)

Highly recommended for those interested in the topic
Shapiro's book is really an interesting introduction to modeling the Supply Chain. After an easy to follow overview on the tools: Linear Programming (Simplex) and Mixed Integer Programming (with an appendix over the Branch and Bound method), these fundamentals are applied to strategic and tactical issues related to modeling the SC. Some actual applications together with their outcomes make examples more credible and dowm to earth. Examples run on excel's solver are strightforward and useful to get a basic handle on the topic.

Several chapters on an unified optimization methodology for planning SC problems and databases are also interesting. The book ends up with a reviw on how decisions are taken within an organization and the role of modeling and optimization techniques. Its plain english is another positive point.

My only "but" could be an overly superficial treatment of hot topics in SC as facilities location whereas covering issues as Corporate Financial Planning far from the core of the book. All in all a profitable bought.

Práctico, Nivel Táctico - Operativo, Muy Útil
Para todos los latinos que esten pensando optimizar las operaciones de una empresa, sea Logística, Inventarios, Producción, les digo: Este libro es la mejor alternativa para aquellos que quieran diseñar, modelar e implementar el SCM en la empresa. Los modelos son mas prácticos que en "The Logic of Logistics" que es muy pero muy matemático, me asusté cuando lo abrí, integrales, derivadas y otras cosas que prefiero no recordar, la verdad, es que ni lo entendí, a pesar de que considero que tengo un nivel poco mas que aceptable en ese campo, debe ser porque estaba en ingles, no?. Los capitulos 3 - 6, presenta los modelos matemáticos. Es 100% Investigación de Operaciones: programación lineal, redes, simulación, es decir el libro de Taha o el Solow, o el Hillier en resumen con ejemplos muy ilustrativos. En el libro hay una dirección para que te bajes un software de optimización muy útil. Te acuerdas del LINDO, el LINGO, el método SIMPLEX, etc? Sabes usar el Solver del Excel? Ahí te explica todo, pero lo mejor de todo que podrás aterrizar esos conocimientos en tu empresa. Esencial para aquellos que trabajen en el área de Planeamiento y Control de la Producción. Yo encuentro este libro en el nivel táctico-operativo, será muy útil para los que quieren hacer un plan de operaciones como Tesis. También explica como modelar los sistemas de información para implementar eficientemente el supply chain, pero hay poco de eso (Atención Ing. de Sistemas e Informáticos, pero les puede servir para comenzar!!). Del cap. 7 al 11, estan las aplicaciones de los modelos en una empresa. Control de Inventarios, Planeación agregada, miren la tabla de contenidos del libro, les dará una buena idea. Lo encuentro mas aplicativo que Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Strategies for Reducing Cost and Improving Service) de Martin Cristopher que es muy teórico. El mismo Prentice Hall lo clasifica en Libros de Estrategia, es decir puras letritas y letritas. El libro de Shapiro te dice: "Manos a la Obra", El de Martin Christopher dice lo que dicen los Gerentes: "Esto es lo que yo quiero, ahora vean como lo logran".Espero que el modesto comentario de un alumno de Ingeniería industrial(UNI) les ayude a que encuentren lo que buscan.

Reviews (3)

Excellent look at trends in SCM at a price
I perused this book- essentially a collection of articles/research papers by the authors that they have elaborated on. The purpose of the book (as presented by the editors) is to look at some of the current research areas in SCM. There are some outstanding chapters and topics in here for those interested in SC research on the Quantitative side. However, this is NOT a qualitative, business oriented book and so certain amount of OR knowledge is required. In fact some of the content is fairly advanced and mathematical and makes casual reading impossible. Serious readers will find much in the book though. My only gripe is the cost- I feel that it's ridiculously high for the type of audience it's intended for - primarily academia. Definitely worth it if you are into research or can afford it.

Classic, Reference, Research on SCM
This is a very expensive book and I don't have for the price-reason. However, I read it cover-to-cover and I found this book is not expensive for its price at all. As you can see from book details, six parts of this book are serious issues of Supply Chain Mamangement (SCM).The first uniqueness of this book is the combination of all six major issues in a single "thick" book.Part 1, basic concept, not only give you the basic idea and definition, but the foundation to understand other related issues of SCM.Part 2, Supply contract, is another uniqueness, since not many books talk about.The value information (part 3) is the bullwhip effect, which you can find in several journals. However, this book talks about the way to reduce the bullwhip effect as well as variation of information.The forth part is the weakest of this book (in my opinion) since it doesn't pay more attention on multi-commodity impact on other areas (which I believe it's very important).Part 5 is quite obsolate (the second weakness), but still great for reference or the first story if you are new to globalization of SCM.The sixth part is the real-meat, particulary Chapter 27.Chapter 27 compiles over 100 literatures in SCM.Over 100 papers are categorized and shown concept/methodology.I found it's very useful for literature reviews or SCM research.Chapter 27 traces back to the first journal before the "name" of SCM was coined.Chapter 23 is another meat of this book, written by Shapiro. The integration of strategics, tactical and operation are well descibed.Shapiro extended the work in this book to his book.This is one of the milestone book in this century.

Reviews (13)

Useful for those not in the know of ERP Project Management
This book will prove especially useful to the ones not in the know of ERP (and not only ERP) implementation project management. It has a really comprehensive chapter sequence and it is easy to read even by people that have just a year's experience on SAP (or other ERP software). The key concepts -pointed out by the author - that make an ERP implementation succesfull are useful to both consultants & managers.
For the ones already experienced in project management though, it is just a different opinion on the matter.

In need of an update
I've been collecting implementation/admin books over the last few months in prep for a large CRM and BW install at a client site. This one is fine from a generic perspective, but needs to be updated if the author expects people to still buy it. I'll stick with Jose Hernandez's admin book, George Anderson's implementation book, and Naeem Hashmi's BW book - the best out there.

Reviews (13)

REVIEW FOR STUDENTS
I read this book as a requirement for my Management Informations Systems class. While it is a dry read, I acknowlege that it was a noble effort to present the information in the form of a novel. Do not read this book if you are an expert on SAP or very familiar with ERP systems. This is little more than a text book put in the form of one large example. Keep your expectations low and you'll be fine.

Why ask why?
I picked up this little jewel hoping to learn something about SAP's R/3 product and believe me, it took some serious effort to plow my way through this loathsome tale.The Goal has been done to death by everyone, including Goldratt, and this book is a pale imitation of that classic novel.If you know absolutely nothing about MRP or ERP, then this book might be helpful.It does motivate the need for such systems and production controls in general.The book also has some screen shots of SAP's product, so at least you'll have some basic familiarity with that system before you see it on a workstation.I think I'd rather read the User's Guide to R/3 (or to my VCR) than read this book.

Why ERP?No, really, why ERP?
I wouldn't even make paper airplanes with this book - because they would suck too.When millions of books were burned in WWII, why did they miss this one?

Reviews (17)

Excellent reference, thick college text
This is a textbook appropriate for a college-level course at the upper division or graduate level.It gives very thorough coverage of the entire field in one book, and most students really like the book in satisfaction questionnaires, but some feel overwhelmed until after the material is covered in class.I focus on specific chapters or sections of chapters for a single-semester course.

It is an excellent reference for key elements of DSS and related systems.I've followed it through several editions, and when new chapters are introduced, they may be verbose--but they are more focused in later editions.The authors do a good job of describing how computer-based systems support structured, semi-structured, and unstructured decisions and the design, intelligence, and choice framework.The book also has several good general chapters that provide an overview and describe different types of decision support systems.It includes sections on object-oriented systems and knowledge management (KM) systems.It is pretty theoretical and covers a lot of material, yet it's my favorite text for its purpose.

throw it into the trash
Used it for school, found it dry, boring, ugly. I got frustrated every time I picked up the book. Really want to throw it into the trash if not for the resell value.

Reviews (7)

Business Logistics Management
I am teacher in the university. I need him.

Practice in Logistics
I believe that this book is very usefull for the people that really want to practice with some basic logistic concepts as TSP problems, Routing problems, Inventory Policies etc. The use of the computer programs providedby the CD rom is the winning chioce to get really focused on theseproblematics.

Isbn: 0130857319
Sales Rank: 892081
Subjects:  1. Application software    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computers    5. Information Management    6. Management - General    7. Management Information Systems    8. Purchasing    9. Computers / Management Information Systems   

Editorial Review

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.