Mission Critical: Realizing the Promise of Enterprise Systems

This book has never received the recognition that it deserves. It is about ERP systems ... or Enterprise Systems (ES) as Davenport calls them. If you're interested in the STRATEGIC issues of ERP systems, then you'll learn that there are surprisingly few books on this topic on the market. Davenport's contributions are the best that I've found. Especially, I found his discussion of implementation approaches on speed and focus (quick relief vs. long-term competitiveness) interesting. Also his perspectives on "after the implementation" were far ahead of his time. In addition, his considerations on the implementation plan's options on scope and function (process phasing vs. big bang vs. geographical or business unit phasing) are illustrative. Perhaps Davenport's book could be better structured, but considering the quality of the arguments in the text, I can live with it. Content before structure. Five stars! Peter Drucker wrote in 1999 "we have spend the last 50 years on the T in IT, we need to spend the next 50 years on the I in IT". If you read Davenport's book, you'll be better prepared to capture the information part than the technology part in ERP systems. If you're interested in the more tactical and operational issues of ERP systems, then buy Brady's "Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning" (2001) and Hamilton's "Maximizing your ERP System - A practical guide for managers [in manufacturing firms]" (2002). I also recommend Kalakota's "E-Services" (2003) that takes the full concept of the next step for an extended ERP system (including Multi-Channel Customer Relationship Management, Supply Chain Management, Product Lifecycle Management, Employee and Business Partner Collaboration, etc). Finally I have to mention "Why ERP? A Primer on SAP Implementation" by Jacobs and Whybark. It's a wonderful little book - actually a business novel - on ERP systems. I read it twice ... before entering a job as e-business manager with SAP R/3 as back-end system. Great help. Peter Leerskov, MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business

Davenport does a brilliant job of explaining what enterprise systems are and what they can accomplish in any organization. He suggests, however, that they are worthless "unless they lead to better information or better ways of doing business. I think that enterprise systems are without doubt an impressive technical feat, but I am primarily concerned that organizations get business value from them." Throughout his book, he addresses key issues such as these:1. What enterprise systems are and why they are important2. The promise and the perils involved3. How to decide whether or not to implement enterprise systems4. How to integrate enterprise systems with strategy and organizational structure5. How to integrate enterprise systems with business processes and information6. How to achieve value while implementing enterprise systems7. How to transform the practice of management with enterprise systems8. How to use enterprise systems to manage the supply chain9. The future of ES-enabled organizationsAs Davenport explains in Chapter 1, "Enterprise systems offer the first great opportunity to achieve true connectivity, a state in which everyone knows what everyone else is doing in the business all over the world at the same time. And because they represent the first great opportunity for connectivity, they pose one of the greatest threats to the status quo that companies have ever faced." Hence the importance of one of the the book's most valuable sections, the Appendix, in which Davenport provides "A Technical Overview of Enterprise Systems." Those who feel threatened by an enterprise system will seize any and all opportunities to point out its technical flaws. At best, enterprise systems are complex, difficult to install, and inflexible. However, Davenport points out, they "will remain the most capable, integrated systems in the history of the world. They may have their flaws, but they are also the answer to our information systems prayers." I agree.

With an easy-to-read writing style, Davenport clearly explains how to go about getting the kind of results from ESs which business executives expect. While many people involved in implementations might get lost in the details and lose sight of the overall objective, Davenport offers extremely useful check-lists and guidelines to make sure your bosses will be happy. Finally, the multitude of real-life examples reassures the reader that the book is not just a set of theoretical hypotheses. I couldn't imagine planning a future ES or working on an existing one without knowledge of this book.

....on implementing ES/ERP systems for your business' continued success in a world of rapidly changing technologies. Although not a technical book, Mission Critical is an invaluable guide that can help ERP managers, as well as IT specialists and top-level management differentiate between implementing leading edge and "bleeding-edge" technologies for their organizations. Focusing on business, not technology, the strategic guidelines provided by Davenport can help any company - whether large or small - translate their business needs into technological solutions.

Davenport hits another one on the nose. This is a great top-level look at achieving business goals using enterprise system software. If you've got one or are implementing one, you should read this book.