An Object-Oriented Awareness-Based Methodology for ERP

It is now believed that success of ERP systems is largely dependent on not only the successful evaluation, selection, implementation and post-implementation of ERP systems, but also on integrating it with the organizational business processes. On the other hand, nearly all business processes are collaborative in the sense that multiple human agents or actors interact with one another for achieving one or more process goals. As a result, one can claim that one major factor in successful implementation of the ERP systems is development of appropriate conceptual models of the ERP process from various perspectives. In this chapter the writer, being a member of the CSCW (computer supported cooperative work) research community, introduces a conceptual model for ERP which has an emphasis on the collaborative nature of ERP process that explicitly addresses the “awareness” and “knowledge-sharing” issues within the ERP process. This conceptual model demonstrates collaboration requirements of the actors behind individual business processes as well as the relationships among these business processes. This chapter is intended to introduce to the ERP community a relevant piece of work in conceptual modelling from the perspective of CSCW with the aim of attracting research collaborators for further investigation in these fields.