Using the paper started in Week One, add an additional 3 to 4 pages (1,050 to 1,400 words) describing your strategies for managing the project as follows:
Running head: Brewton Business Scenario
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As the project manager, I will be responsible for the planning, procurement, and implementation of the ERP system proposed by Brewton business. To ensure the success of the project, I will require the input of several stakeholders during the implementation process that will play different but interconnected roles. The first key stakeholder will be Mark Brewton, Chief Executive Officer.as the leader of the company, Mr. Mark has directed the IT director to acquire and implement the enterprise system, and he holds the view that it will help streamline accounting and purchasing processes. Mr. Mark will play an oversight role as well as developing the ERP implementation team and assessing its overall performance. He will also be responsible for approving the entire project budget with input from the chief finance officer.
The second stakeholder will be Mike Benson, the Information Technology Director. The IT director and his team will be responsible for the day to day operations of the ERP software and the infrastructure that connects all employees to the ERP system. The IT director will also be responsible for drafting the project budget. The third key stakeholder will be Barbara Scharer who’s the Chief Financial Officer for the company. Barbara will be in charge of the financial management section of the proposed ERP system. She will also be interested in the budget proposal that will be submitted by the IT director and will be responsible for its approval (Lech, P. 2016).
Finally, the last stakeholders I will involve in the implementation process will be the users and employees at the company. New systems bring about change in any business due to the implementation of a new and different set of business processes, and this mostly leads to change resistance (Lech, P. 2016). User input during the implementation process will be essential in fulfilling all requirements and harmonizing all issues raised as well as providing a channel for users to interact with ERP system before it’s finally rolled out (Lech, P. 2016).
The entire process of implementing an ERP system can bring numerous challenges for all stakeholders involved. These challenges have the potential of derailing the project progress or lead to its complete failure (Seo, G. 2013). As the project manager, I’ve acknowledged a few challenges and the first challenge anticipated while working with the above stakeholders is the lack of effective communication. To avoid this, during the ERP implementation process I will ensure effective communication by organizing meetings where all stakeholders will air their opinions and provide feedback. Another challenge is employee morale. Individuals assigned to ERP projects are often put under the stress of lengthy working hours with extra workload and sometimes no off days (Seo, G. 2013). This is not exempted for Brewton’s case since the ERP system will be expansive and be developed to serve many users. The stress which is associated with the implementation can potentially decrease the stakeholders’ output and negatively impact the implementation process. To counter this, I would propose that the company’s executive leadership which comprises of the CEO, CFO, and human resources director must provide flexible working hours to achieve better results.
The human resources needed to implement the ERP system will consist of different individuals performing different roles, and the first one is the project manager (Lech, P. 2016). Being the project manager, I will be involved in managing the project team, project budget, and ensuring that the schedule is adhered to. The second human capacity needed will be the IT director and his team whose main role will be to assist with installation and configuration of the system and also providing technical training to all employees.
The third human resource needed will be the system administrator who will be responsible for the collective setup and technical aspects of the administration of the ERP system. The final human capacity needed will be the technical support team who will assist employees and customers with ongoing operational issues. This team will deal with the continuing needs of both users and customers during implementation and even after roll out.
For the purposes of using the system production mode, several computers and network resources will be required, and they include desktops, monitors, and laptops together with fast and reliable servers which should be hosted in an expanded server room in the IT department. The enterprise system will also be customized to ensure that future releases and updates from the vendor are easy to be integrated into the deployed system (Lech, P. 2016). An SQL server database that supports all the ERP application will also be built and integrated into the network. The network for the entire production floor will be built using category six cables since they can run for distances of up to 100 meters and deliver high and reliable speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
References
Lech, P. (2016). Implementation of an ERP system: A case study of a full-scope SAP project. Journal of Management and Finance, 14 (1), 49, 64.
Zach, O. (2012). ERP system implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises.
Tambovcevs, A., & Tambovceva, T. (2013). ERP system implementation: benefits and economic effectiveness. publication. editionName, 215-221.
Seo, G. (2013). Challenges in implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in large organizations: similarities and differences between corporate and university environment (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
