Mission Critical: Realizing the Promise of Enterprise Systems

While a properly designed ES will facilitate rapid dissemination of electronic data to pertinent employees, partners and customers through Internet or Intranet access, Davenport repeatedly claims, the key is handling this "as a business project, not a technical one". This means clearly defining objectives from the outset, utilising executives with power to execute the required organizational changes and incorporating explicit across-the-board incentives and penalties that are tied to the project's ultimate conclusion. Top managers and information specialists will find helpful guidance here on all relevant aspects of the process, including pre-implementation procedures, software selection, organization-wide strategies and tips on using an ES to its full advantage. --Howard Rothman, Amazon.com