Maximizing Return on Investment Using ERP Applications -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface -- My Own Journey -- The Early Years (1963-1973) -- Foundations (1973-1988) -- Manufacturing Operations Optimization (1989-1991) -- Business Support Optimization (1991-1994) -- Business Process Reengineering and SAP -- This Book -- Note -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Action -- Thinking -- Context -- Part I: A Leadership Perspective -- Chapter 1: The Law of Unintended Consequences -- Introduction -- What Is the Law of Unintended Consequences? -- Management Systems -- Example 1: Services Industry -- Example 2: Manufacturing and Distribution -- The Challenge -- Summary -- Notes -- Chapter 2: Leadership and Change in an Integrated Business World -- Introduction -- The Universe Outside, the Universe Within -- The Journey -- The Evolution of Integrated Programs for Continuous Improvement -- A Deeper Look into Integration -- MRP II Comes to the Mainstream -- The Move to IT-Related Applications Solutions -- Leaders and the Leadership Gap -- Vision -- What Does a Leader Do? -- Align Employees to the Vision -- Summary -- Notes -- Chapter 3: A Historical Business Perspective of ERP -- Introduction -- Legacy Systems (1960-1970/1990) -- It's All about the Back Office: Getting a Single Version of the Truth (1970-1990) -- Improving the Business (1990-2000) -- The Business Suite: Enriching the Functionality (1996-2005) -- Getting Information and Analysis out of the Data Ocean (1997-2007) -- Corporate Reporting and Dashboards (2007-Today) -- The Era of Governance: Implications for the Future -- Summary -- Notes -- Part II: Contextual Analysis -- Chapter 4: Return on Investment-Developing the Business Case -- Introduction -- Example 1: Cost Reduction -- Example 2: Greater Manufacturing Capacity Leading to Increased Sales -- Providing Business Value to an Enterprise.

Identify Improvement Opportunities -- Identify Current Return on Investment Projects/Programs -- Identify Ownership Issues -- Identify Probable Causes -- Design New Business Processes -- Identify Areas of Conflict between Functional Areas -- Build a Believable Return on Investment Case -- Establish a Governance Process at the Executive Level -- Summary -- Note -- Chapter 5: Business Process Analysis -- Introduction -- Where Are We Headed? -- Business Process Design -- Process Understanding Reveals Complexity -- Business Process Management -- Skills to Include -- Business Knowledge -- IT Applications Process Knowledge -- Native Business Processes in the ERP Application -- Training in Process Thinking -- A Plan for Action -- Summary -- Notes -- Chapter 6: Business Culture, Politics, and Organization -- Introduction -- Cultural Barriers and Enablers -- Keys to Understanding Culture, Politics, and Organization -- Executive Barriers -- Destructive Incentives -- Origins of the Current Design -- I Am What I Lead -- Levels of Empowerment -- Mean Time to Change One's Mind -- Compiling Insights Gained -- Relating These Insights to the Project Itself -- Summary -- Notes -- Chapter 7: IT Strategy Review -- Introduction -- An Example of a Flawed IT Strategy -- What the Introduction of ERP Meant -- A Better Way -- Stop Viewing ERP as Purely a Cost Center, Rather Than an Asset -- View SAP as a Tool That Is Expected to Produce Continuous Business Benefits-ROI -- Eliminate the "Cool Tools" Approach to Technology Tools -- Flatten the Investment Curve -- Empowering the Future by Optimizing the Past -- Summary -- Note -- Chapter 8: Workforce Education and Readiness -- Introduction -- The Workforce as a Learning Organization -- Workforce Education -- Transactional Training -- Functional or Technical Training -- Business Education in an Integrated Business World.

Summary -- Part III: A New Program Governance Approach -- Chapter 9: Integration of Organizational Needs -- Introduction -- Approach to the Analysis Process -- Consolidation -- Summary -- Chapter 10: Developing a Governance Process -- Introduction -- Leadership Challenges -- Program Governance Process -- Executive Steering Committee -- Program Governance Office -- Project Management Office -- Continuous Improvement Programs -- Five Business Aspects -- Upgrades -- Additions to the ERP Platform -- Collection of Work Requests -- Introduction of New Technologies -- Summary -- Chapter 11: Organizational Change Management -- Introduction -- Expanding the Role of OCM -- Organizational Change Management with Leaders -- The Trusted Adviser -- Change Management Process -- Identify Areas of Intended Change, Up and Down the Organization -- Understand the Components of the Organization That Will Have to Change -- Choose the Tools That Will Have to Be Created/Deployed to Manage These Changes -- Define the Educational Needs That Will Provide Skill Sets to Optimize Results -- Summary -- Chapter 12: Conclusions and Opportunities -- The Journey -- The Next Step -- Leadership -- The Path Forward -- The Law of Unintended Consequences -- How Insights Relates to Manufacturing -- The Story Is Economic -- Summary -- Notes -- Postscript -- Summary -- About the Authors -- About the Website -- Index.