Enterprise wide business management using EDEN TM as a platform

Date
2003-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Rapid Product Development Division (RPD) of the Global Competitiveness Centre (GCC) identified the need to automate and integrate their organisational business processes a nd to share common data and practices a cross the entire enterprise in a real-time environment. Different software applications such as Microsoft" Excel, Microsoft" Access, the University's Financial System and others, are used to complete a single project. A system was therefore needed to provide the capabilities to integrate all of these applications into one workable system. The most perceived technology to create such an environment, namely Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), was found to be too sophisticated and expensive. The Knowledge Management Software Solution, called EDEN™, was identified as the most appropriate technology that could fulfil the needs of the RPD. Different modern management approaches, such as Theory of Constraints (TOC) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and process modelling tools were combined to build three roadmaps on the EDEN™ (Enterprise Design Navigator) platform to provide an enterprise wide business solution. A roadmap will aid as a guide that leads the user through a series of steps in order to create an understanding of the methods to be used when starting a new project or product design. The three roadmaps developed are Project Management, Product Development and Business Functions. The Project Management Roadmap was developed because all the RPD's work for clients is managed in the form of a project. This Roadmap should provide the necessary guidance and support to manage any project. The most important processes of the RPD are without doubt the product development processes. The Product Development Roadmap was developed with detailed procedures to assist with any product design. The business functions of the RPD are functions, such as finance and management information, that support the organisation's operations and the project management processes. The Business Functions identified for the RPD was combined into the Business Functions Roadmap. The main 0 bjective 0ft he thesis was toi ntegrate the business p rocesses a nd a II the software applications into one workable system and to share common data in a real-time environment. This was successfully accomplished by making use of the roadmaps and of the EDEN™ Environment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Rapid Product Development Division (RPD) van die Global Competitiveness Centre (GCC) het die nood om hul besigheid prosesse te outomatiseer en te integreer geïdentifiseer asook om hul data en beste praktyke met die hele besigheid te deel in 'n "real-time" omgewing. Verskillende sagteware toepassings soos Microsoft" Excel, Microsoft" Access, die Universiteit se Finansiële Sisteem en ander, word gebruik om een projek uit te voer. 'n Sisteem was dus benodig om al hierdie verskillende sagteware toepassings in een werkbare sisteem te integreer. Die mees toepasbare tegnologie om so 'n omgewing te skep, genaamd "Enterprise Resource Planning" (ERP), was gevind as te duur en te kompleks. Die "Knowledge Management Software Solution", genaamd EDEN™, was geïdentifiseer as die mees toepasbare tegnologie. Verskillende moderne bestuur benaderings, soos ''Theory of Constraints" (TOC) en "Customer Relationship Management" (CRM), asook proses modelleer tegnieke was gesamentlik gebruik 0m drie" road maps" te b ou op te EDEN™ platform. A" roadmap" dien as 'n riglyn wat die gebruikers sal ly deur 'n reeks van stappe met die doelom 'n beter verstaanbaarheid te kry van die tegnieke wat gebruik word wanneer 'n nuwe projek begin word. Die drie "Road maps" is Projekbestuur, Produk Ontwikkeling en Besigheid Funksies. Die Projekbestuur "Road map" was ontwikkelomdat alle werk wat gedoen word deur die RPD bestuur word in die vorm van 'n projek. Hierdie "Roadmap" sal die nodige leiding en ondersteuning bied vir die bestuur van enige projek. Die belangrikste prosesse van die RPD is sonder twyfel die produk ontwikkeling prosesse. Die Produk Ontwikkelings "Roadmap" is ontwikkel met gedetailleerde prosedures om bystand te bied met enige nuwe produk ontwikkeling. Die besigheid funksies van die RPD is funksies, soos finansies en informasie bestuur, wat ondersteuning bied aan die besigheid se operasionele en projekbestuur prosesse. Die geïdentifiseerde besigheid prosesse van die RPD was gekombineer om die Besigheid Funksies "Road map" te ontwikel. Die hoof doel van die tesis was om die besigheid prosesse en al die sagteware toepassing te integreer in een werkbare sisteem asook om data te deel in 'n "real-time" omgewing. Dit was suksesvol bereik deur gebruik te maak van die "roadrnaps" en die EDEN™ omgewing.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
Keywords
New products, Knowledge management, Dissertations -- Industrial engineering
Citation