April2018
THEVALUEOFAGILITYINERPDURINGDISRUPTIVETIMES
Fitandfunctionalityhasalwaysbeenthelinchpininselectingsoftwarethatrunsyourbusiness.WhencompaniesareaskedtostackrankthepriorityofselectioncriteriaforEnterpriseResourcePlanning(ERP)solutions,thisisclearlyatthetopoftheleaderboard,followedcloselybycompletenessofsolution.Whilefeaturesandfunctionsareindeedimportant,thereisdangerinmakingadecisionsolelyonwhatyouneedtoday,becauseitmightnotbewhatorallthatyouneedinthefuture.
The2018MintJutrasEnterpriseSolutionStudyfound90%ofcompaniesbelievetheyfacesomelevelofriskintheirbusinessesand/orindustriesbeingdisruptedbynewinnovativeproducts,newwaysofsellingorpricingexistingproductsorservices,entirelynewbusinessmodels,orsomecombinationofalloftheabove.Andthenofcoursetherearestillthemoretraditionaldisruptivefactorslikeexpansionandgrowth,organizationalrestructuringandregulatorychanges,justtonameafew.
Allthisdisruptioncanhaveacascadingimpactonbusinessapplicationrequirements,makingagility-theabilitytoeasilyinnovate,evolveandchange-evenmoreimportantthancurrentfunctionality.Howwellpreparedareyoufortheunpredictable,yetinevitabledisruptiveforcesofthedigitaleconomy?Afterall,weliveinverydisruptivetimes.
DISRUPTION?WHATDISRUPTION?
Weaskedsurveyparticipantsinour2018MintJutrasEnterpriseSolutionStudytoestimatethelevelofrisktheyfaceintheirindustry(andthereforetheirbusiness)beingdisrupted(Figure1).
Figure1:Howmuchriskdoyoufaceinyourindustrybeingdisrupted?
Source: Mint Jutras 2018 Enterprise Solution Study
Data Source InthisreportMintJutrasreferencesdatacollectedfromits2017and2018(andprior)EnterpriseSolutionStudies.Foryearsthisannualstudyhasinvestigatedperceptions,goals,challengesandstatusofsoftwareusedtorunabusiness,aswellastheimpactofthesesolutionsontheenterprise.
Eachstudycollectedresponsesfromover400participantsfromcompaniesofallsizesfromverysmalltoverylarge,representingawiderangeofindustries.
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Whileonly7%feltthatriskwashighand/orimminent,most(90%)dounderstandtheriskisreal.Whilemorethanhalf(51%)feelstheriskislowornonexistent,wehavetoask:HowdoyouthinkthetaxiindustrymighthaveansweredthisquestionontheeveofthelaunchofUber?DoyouthinkthehotelindustryanticipatedAirbnb?DidBlockBusterforeseethedevastatingimpactNetflixwouldhaveonitsbusiness?Whatkindofdisruptionislurkingoutthereforyou?
DIGITALDISRUPTIONTheInternetandthedigitaleconomymadeallofthesedisruptionspossibleandnoneweredecadesinthemaking.Comparedtoslow,evolutionarychangesofthepast,theyliterallyhappenedalmostovernight.
Thistypeofdisruptionmightcomefromavarietyofsources.Weaskedsurveyparticipantstoselectthesinglemostlikelycauseofpotentialdisruption(Figure2).
Figure2:Whatismostlikelytocausethisdisruption?
Source: Mint Jutras 2018 Enterprise Solution Study
Whilethethreatfromnew,innovativeproductsmayhavethelesserdisruptiveimpactonbusinessprocessesandbusinessmodels,itdoesrequirecompaniestoplacemoreemphasisoninnovation.Windowsofopportunitycanopenandcloseveryquickly.OfcourseanagileERPsolutionisn’tallyouneedtoacceleratenewproductintroductions,butyoualsodon’twantittobethereasonyoucan’trespondtonewmarketdemandsortakeadvantageofnewandunprecedentedopportunities.
Newwaysofselling/pricingexistingproductsmightincludesubscriptionstoservicesoroutcomesthatreplaceoutrightsaleofproducts.Ratherthansellingamachine,youmightinvoiceforuptimeorhoursofproduction.Youmightshipaphysicalproductforfreeandchargeforusageand/orconsumables.Softwarecompaniesthatusedtoofferperpetuallicensesmightnowalso(orinstead)offersubscriptionstosoftwareasaservice(SaaS).Andsoftwareismoreandmoreoftendeliveredasacomponentofproductofferingstoday.Thesetypesofchangescanhaveamajorimpactonhowyouinvoice,
HowdoyouthinkthetaxiindustrymighthaveassessedthethreatofdisruptionontheeveofthelaunchofUber?DoyouthinkthehotelindustryanticipatedAirbnb?DidBlockBusterforeseethedevastatingimpactNetflixwouldhaveonitsbusiness?Whatkindofdisruptionislurkingoutthereforyou?
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recognizerevenueandmanagecash.AndthesechangesmustbereflectedinyourERPsolution.
Theimpactofentirelynewbusinessmodelsisevenhardertopredictbecauseoftheinherent“newness.”Youdon’twantyourERPsolutiontobethereasonyoucan’tcapitalizeonthatbrilliantnewideathatcancreateanewrevenuestream.YourERPmustadaptasyourbusinessevolves.
AndwhataboutnewtechnologieslikeBlockchainorembeddedsensorsthatmakeproducts“smart?”Thesetechnologiescanhavearippleeffect,subsequentlychangingorcreatingnewbusinessmodels.
Andtheoptionmostlikelytobeselected-28%ofoursurveyparticipantsexpectchangetocomefromacombinationofthesedisruptivefactors,whichisevenhardertopredict.Youmustcontinuetosupportyourcurrentrevenuestreamsinconjunctionwiththesenewopportunities.
DON’TFORGETTHEMORETRADITIONALDISRUPTIONDisruptionisnotentirelyneworexclusivelytheresultofthedigitaleconomy.Growthandregulatorychangesareperhapsthetwomostcommoncatalysts.Howeverwhilenotexclusivelytheresultthereof,growthisinfactimpactedbythedigitaleconomy.TheInternethasleveledtheplayingfieldforglobalization.Innovationandadvancedtechnology,combinedwiththeInternet,haveopeneddoorstoopportunitiesallaroundtheworld.Newconsumermiddleclasseshavesprungupincountriesthatwerehardlyindustrializedashortdecadeago,creatingunprecedentedgrowthopportunities.Butwindowsofopportunitycancloseasquicklyastheyopen.
Totakeadvantageoftheseopportunities,youmightexpandintonewterritorieseitherorganicallyorthroughmergersandacquisition,bothofwhichcancausedisruptionthroughouttheenterpriseandplacenewrequirementsonfinance,accountingandcompliancereporting.Thismayalsoresultinorganizationalrestructuring.Ifyourorganizationalandreportingstructureisstillhardcodedintoyourchartofaccounts,youareseverelylimitedinhowandhowquicklyyoucanrestructure.
WhetherchangeisinitiatedbygrowthorbythefactorsshowninFigure2,theseinturn(orindependently)cancausechangestoaccountingmethodsandreportingrequirements.Achangeinaccountingmethodmightbemadeatthediscretionofexecutivemanagement,butmoreoftenisimposeduponanenterprisethroughnewlawssuchasthoseintroducedin2002withtheSarbanes-OxleyActandtheconvergenceofstandardsandreportingrequirementsofInternationalFinancialReportingStandards(IFRS)andUSGeneralAcceptedAccountingPrinciples(GAAP).
Aperfectexampleofregulatorychangesthatcanbedisruptiveisthechangetorevenuerecognitionasaresultofthemergingofaccountingstandards(ASCandIFRS).TheseplaceadditionalfunctionalrequirementsonERP,requiring
ASC 606 and IFRS 15 InMay2014,FASBissuedAccountingStandardsUpdate(ASU)2014-9,RevenuefromContractswithCustomers(Topic606).AtthesametimetheInternationalAccountingStandardsBoard(IASB)alsoissuedInternationalFinancialReportingStandards(IFRS)15,RevenuefromContractswithCustomers.Indoingso,thesetwogoverningbodieslargelyachievedconvergence.Theseconvergedstandardsforrevenuerecognitionwentintoeffectthebeginningof2018forpublicentities,bringingverysignificantchangestofinancialstatementsandreportingforanycompanydoingbusinessundercustomercontracts.
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changestoinstalledaccountingsoftwarethatarenotinsignificant.Dependingonyourbusiness,thesenewruleshavethepotentialofcreatingthemostsignificantchangesaccountantshavefacedinmany,manyyearsandapplytoanycompanythatentersintocontractswithcustomerstotransfergoodsorservicesorforthetransferofnonfinancialassets.Withthetrendtowardsasubscriptioneconomy,therearefewerandfewercompaniesthatareimmune.
THEBUSINESSCASEFORCONTINUOUSIMPROVEMENT
Giventheacceleratingpaceofchangeandtheunprecedentedpotentialforbusinessdisruption,itshouldbeeasytojustifyabusinessstrategythatembracescontinuousimprovement.Withtheadventof“leanmanufacturing”andSixSigma,manufacturersinparticularhaveadoptedcontinuousimprovementinmanufacturingprocessesforsometimenow.Byproactivelytakingthesameapproachtothesoftwarethatrunsyourbusiness,youpositionyourselftoweatherthestormofdisruption.YetthisapproachisrareinERPimplementations.
AnERPimplementationshouldbefocusedonoutcomes:growth,profits,andefficiencies.Butitissoeasyfortheevaluation,implementationandongoingoperationofERPtobesubsumedbythefeaturesneededtomeettheobjectivesofthebusinessataspecificmomentintime.Thosefeaturesbecometheprimaryobjectiveandtheconnectiontothebusinessstrategygetsblurredorforgotten.
Maybeyoustartoutwiththeobjectiveofreducingproductioncosts.Youmighthavededicatedproductionfacilitiestooptimizelabor,machineandinventorycosts.Youselectasolutionandimplementthefeaturesthatprovideasolidfoundationforthisapproach.Whathappenswhencustomerresponseandlead-timesbecometheprimaryobjectivesinstead?Asoundbusinessstrategymightbetomoveproductionclosertocustomers,whohappentobelocatedaroundtheglobe.Butifthefoundationyoucreatedwaspouredinconcrete,itwillbedifficult,ifnotimpossibletochangeitwithoutdestroyingit.WillitmeanrippingoutyourERPsolutionandreplacingitonlytofacethepossibilityofanotherchangeinstrategyonceimplemented?
Whathappenswhenyouintroduceentirelynewbusinessmodels?
DREADEDBUTINEVITABLECUSTOMIZATION
Companiescannolongeraffordtorespondtothesetypesofchallengesliketheyusedto.Indaysgoneby,companieswereforcedtohandlethiskindofchangeinthesamewaytheyhadalwayshandledgapsinfunctionality:throughcustomizationofthesoftware.Inthepastcustomizationwasinvasive;itmeantmuckingaroundinsourcecode.Notonlywasthisacostly,lengthy
AnERPimplementationshouldbefocusedonoutcomes:growth,profits,andefficiencies.Butitissoeasyfortheevaluation,implementationandongoingoperationofERPtobesubsumedbythefeaturesneededtomeettheobjectivesofthebusinessataspecificmomentintime.
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andtime-consumingprocess,italsocreatedbarrierstoupgrades.Itwastheequivalentofpouringthatcement.
Butinnovationisfarmoreimportanttodaythanithaseverbeen.Businessconditions,processesandevenentirebusinessmodelsaremuchmorefluidthaneverbefore.Nocompanycanaffordtostagnate,norcantheyaffordlongleadtimestoimplementchange.
Thisisexactlywhymodern-dayERPsolutionshavebecomemuchmoreconfigurable,allowingyoutopersonalizeandtailorthesolutiontoyourindividualneedswithoutcostlyandinvasivecustomization.Weaskedour2017EnterpriseSolutionStudyparticipantstocheckoffallthedifferenttypesof“customization”theybelievedtheyneeded(Figure3).Keepinmindthatmostanychangetothesoftwareortheuserexperienceistypicallyreferredtoas“customization.”
Therearetendifferenttypesof“customization”listedinFigure3.Theyaresortedbythelikelihoodofthembeingrequired.AnymodernERPworthitssaltshoulddeliversevenoutofthefirsteightofthese(changingdatamodelsistheexception)withoutrequiringanyinvasivecodechangesandwithoutbuildingbarrierstoconsuminginnovation.
Figure3:Whattypeofcustomizationdoyoubelieveyouneed?
Source: Mint Jutras 2017 Enterprise Solution Study
Ifyourcurrentsolutiondoesnotallowyouto“customize”throughthistypeofconfigurationandtailoring,if“customizing”preventsyoufromconsuminginnovation,adaptingtobusinesschangeorrespondingtonewbusinessornewbusinessmodels,youneedanewone.It’sassimpleasthat.Andwhenyousearchforanewsolution,youshouldnotbethinkingofonethatwilllastfive
Nocompanycanaffordtostagnate,norcantheyaffordlongleadtimestoimplementchange.
“Customization” Manymodern,technology-enabledERPsolutionstodaydeliverahighlevelofpersonalizationandconfigurationwithoutcustomizationasdefinedintheclassicsenseofinvasivecodechanges.
Ifyourcurrentsolutiondoesnotallowyoutorespondtonewbusinessornewbusinessmodels,youneedanewone.
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toeightyears.Therightsolutionshouldnotonlyevolve,butalsoeasilyadapttochangingbusinessneeds.Lookforasolutionforlife.
Addingorchangingdatamodelsorthestructureofthosemodelsislessuniversallyavailable,butwiththerightkindofmodernarchitecture,iscertainlydo-able.
Thelasttwomayormaynotrequirecodechanges.Customlogicmayverywellbeaccommodatedthroughapplyingbusinessrulesthatcanbesetandmaintainedbybusinessusersresponsibleforcreatingandenforcingthoserules,withnoprogrammingorothertechnicalskillsrequired.Theaddedbenefitistheabilitytoeasilychangetherulesasneeded.
Ofcoursethelastone(developingnewfeaturesandfunctions)issimilartowhatwehavebeendiscussing.Thesearetraditionallyviewedasgapsinthesoftware.Butbeforeyoufillthosegapswitheitherinvasivecodechangesor(preferably)addedcomponents,considerthesequestions:
• Isthisfunctionalitygenerallyavailable,justnotinyourERP?Ifso,perhapsyouneedasolutionthatisabetterfit?
• Ifthisisnotgenerallyavailableincommercialsoftware,doyoureallyneedit?Doesitdifferentiateyouinyourmarket?Toooftenthese“customizations”seemnecessaryonlybecausethisisthewaythingshavealwaysbeendone.Butmaybetheyweredonethatwaybecauseoflimitationsimposedbyoutdatedtechnologyandlegacysoftware,oraskilldeficiencyinanemployeethathassinceretired.
Ifyoudoindeed(really)requirethis,anditwillclearlydifferentiateyouinyourmarket,howyougoaboutaddingthatfunctionalitycanleadyoudownapathofstagnation,orapathtogrowthandprosperity.Itshouldbebotheasytoaddandeasytoconsume.
INNOVATIONTHATISEASYTOCONSUME
AddingnewfunctionalitytoERPinawaythatmakesiteasytoconsumehaslongbeenachallenge.TheverydefinitionofERP(atleastthedefinitionaccordingtoMintJutras)contributestothischallenge.MintJutrasdefinesERPasanintegratedsuiteofmodulesthatformstheoperationalandtransactionalsystemofrecordofabusiness.ThisisarudimentarydefinitionbecausetodayERPislikelytodomuchmorethanthis.
NotonlydoallmodulesofanERPsolutionshareacommondatabase,butalsoallaredevelopedusingthesametoolsandtechnology(platform)andtraditionallytheyallmoveforwardinlockstep.Thiseliminatesdataredundancyandanyneedforseparateintegrationefforts.Andacommonplatformfordevelopmentisbeneficialtoboththecustomerandthevendor.
Definition of ERP MintJutrasdefinesERPasanintegratedsuiteofmodulesthatformstheoperationalandtransactionalsystemofrecordofthebusiness.Thisdefinitionallowsforsomeflexibilityintermsofmodulesrequiredsincedifferenttypesofbusinesshavedifferentneedsandtypicallymanufacturerswillrequireamorecomprehensivesetofmodules.Inaddition,thefootprintofmostestablishedERPsolutionshasgrownsignificantlyandprovidesmorefunctionalitythanneededforthiscoresystemofrecord,oftenmakingupgradesharderandmorecomplex.
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WhennewfeaturesandfunctionsareaddedtoERP,eitherasgenerallyavailableinnovationorasacustomization,thistightintegrationimpliesthatallmodules,allfunctions,andthereforealldepartmentswithinanorganizationmustmoveforwardtogether.Thiscanslowdowntheupgradecycle(orinthecaseofcustomization,preventit).Butevenmoretroublesome:Ittakesmassiveeffortsofcoordinationforalldepartmentswithinacustomer’sorganizationtotakethosenextstepsalltogether.Andallmightnothavethesamelevelofmotivation.
Sowhat’sthealternativetothistightintegration?Thealternativeisoftenreferredtothesedaysas“looselycoupled,”butthatterminologyfrequentlyconjuresupthe“bestofbreed”approachofyesterday,whereyouhadindependentpointsolutionsthatneededtobeinterfacedorintegratedbackintoERP.We’renotadvocatingtakingastepbackwards.Perhapsabetterwayofdescribingtheneweralternativewouldbe“component-based”or“service-based.”
Whenitcomestimetoofferupnewfeaturesandfunctions,insteadofinsertinglinesofcodedirectlyintoERP,youmightinsteadcalluponastandard“service.”Whenitcomestimetoupgradeoraddnewfunctionality,simplyswapouttheold“service”forthenew.Youmightalsoviewtheseservicesasexternalcomponents.Whilethisisanoversimplification,itconceptuallydescribeshownextgenerationERPcaneffectivelydelivernew,targetedinnovationwithoutforcingalldepartmentsservedbyERPtomarchforwardtogether.
Whilecomponentsandservicesarebecomingmoreprevalent,solutionprovidershavetakenawidevarietyofdifferentapproachestodeliveringinnovationtoday.Manyarestillpackagingupreleasesthatrequireanall-inclusiveupgrade.Butthatdoesn’tmeanyouhavetotakethisapproachinaddingonnewfunctionalitythatyoueitherdevelopyourself,commissiontohavebuilt,orbuyfromathirdparty(typicallyapartnerofyourERPsolutionprovider).Anythingyoucandotomoveawayfrommanagingasingle,massivemonolithicstructureisastepintherightdirection.
CLOUDANDSAASOPTIONS
Nodiscussionofinnovationandcustomizationwouldbecompletetodaywithoutaddressingtheshiftinmovementtocloudcomputingingeneralandsoftwareasaservice(SaaS)inparticular.WhileMintJutrasbelievesthetransitiontoSaaSERPwilltakeyears,thisislargelybecauseofthesheerdominanceofon-premisesolutionsand(historically)thereluctancetoripandreplacesystems.
Wehavebeenaskingthefollowinghypotheticalquestionforyearsnow:Ifyouweretoselectasolutiontoday,whichdeploymentoptionswouldyouconsider?
Anythingyoucandotomoveawayfrommanagingasingle,massivemonolithicstructureisastepintherightdirection.
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WehavewatchedthepercentagethatwouldevenconsideraSaaSsolutiongrowfromsingledigits(10+yearsago)tooverhalf.Figure4alsoshowsSaaSasthedeploymentoptionmostlikelytobeconsideredforthepastthreeyears.
Figure4:Whichdeploymentoptionswouldyouconsider?
Source: Mint Jutras Enterprise Solution Studies
* Option was added in 2015
Therearetwopointstoconsiderhere.Firstofall,youcan’tbeagileifyouarestuckonoutdatedreleasesandnotabletoinnovatetomeetthenewdemandsplacedonyourbusinesseitherbecauseofdigitaltransformationormoretraditionalbusinesschange.InaSaaSenvironmentyouarenotallowedtostagnate,butyouwillalsoberelievedofmuchoftheburdenoftheupgradeprocess.Ofcourseyouneedtoreviewnewfeaturesandfunctionsand“optin”tousingthem,buttheSaaSsolutionproviderdoesalltheheavylifting.Youcanspendyourtimeandenergymakingthosedecisions,respondingtochangeandrunningyourbusiness.
But(secondly)whataboutthepossibilitythatyouwillneedtofillsomegapsinthesoftwareordifferentiateyourself?Inotherwords,whataboutarealneedforcustomization,ratherthanconfigurability?Ifyouarerunninginaprivatecloudorjustahostedenvironment,thesituationisnotverydifferentfromanon-premiseenvironment,exceptperhapsthatyoupayathirdpartyforthecareandfeedingofyoursolution.Butthenyoudon’tgetallthebenefitsofaSaaSsolutioneither,includingthepotentialformoreandmorefrequentupdates.
WhiledifferentSaaSsolutionprovidershandlecustomizationsindifferentways,invasivecustomizationofcodeisdiscouraged,ifallowedatall.Hereiswheretheabilitytoexternalizethecustomizationandplugitinasaserviceissoimportant.YoucanleaveyourSaaSsolutionessentiallyuntouchedandsimplyplugyourcustomizationin.Whileadmittedlyweareoversimplifying,yougetthepicture.
Cloud versus SaaS
Cloudreferstoaccesstocomputing,software,storageofdataoveranetwork(generallytheInternet.)Youmaypurchasealicenseforthesoftwareandinstallitonyourowncomputersorthoseownedandmanagedbyanothercompany,butyouraccessisthroughtheInternetandthereforethroughthe“cloud,”whetherprivateorpublic.
SaaSisexactlywhatisimpliedbywhattheacronymstandsfor:SoftwareasaService.Softwareisdeliveredonlyasaservice.ItisnotdeliveredonaCDorothermediatobeloadedonyourown(oranother’s)computer.ItisaccessedovertheInternetandisgenerallypaidforonasubscriptionbasis.
Usingthesedefinitions,wecanconfidentlysayallSaaSiscloudcomputing,butnotallcloudcomputingisSaaS.
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KEYTAKEAWAYSANDRECOMMENDATIONS
ManyoftheERPsolutionsinstalledtodayremainrigidandrequireextensivemodificationstomeetthechangingneedsofenterprisestoday.Isyoursoneofthem?Didyouoriginallysetouttosupportyourbusinessobjectives,butgotside-trackedinbecominglaser-focusedonthefeaturesneededtomeetthoseobjectivesatasinglepointintime?Didyoulayafoundationthatnowneedstochangeinshapeorsize?Isthatfoundationcastinconcrete?
WhilemostconsumersofERPwillinitiallyselectasolutionthatisthe“bestfit,”alltoooftentheylosesightofthefactthattheirrequirementschangeovertime.ManyoftheERPsolutionsinstalledtodayremainrigidandrequireextensivemodificationstomeetthechangingneedsofenterprisestoday.
Andthepaceofchangedoesnotappeartoslowingdown.Eventraditionaltypesofbusinesschangeresultingfromgrowth,expansion,organizationalrestructuring,and/orregulatorychangesareacceleratingalongwiththepaceofbusinessitself.Addtothatthethreatofdisruptionmadepossiblebythedigitaleconomyandastagnantsolutionmayjustputyouaheadintheracetothebottom.
RECOMMENDATION:Don’tletchangebeyourenemy.Makeyourabilitytomanagechangeacompetitivedifferentiator.Considerthefollowing:
• Ifyourcurrentsolutionisrigidandmonolithic,movingforwardatasnail’space…youneedanewone.
• Ifyourcurrentsolutionisnotsupportedbyaplatformorarchitecturethatallowsyoutoeasilyconnectnewservicesorcomponents…youneedanewone.
• Ifyourcurrentsolutiondoesnotallowyouto“customize”throughconfigurationandtailoring,if“customizing”preventsyoufromconsuminginnovation,adaptingtobusinesschangeorrespondingtonewbusinessornewbusinessmodels…youneedanewone.
Ifyoudoindeedfindyourselfinneedofanewsolution,youstillneedtoconsiderfeaturesandfunctionsthatgiveyouthebestfittoday.Butdon’tstopthereinyourevaluation.Acknowledgethefactthatweliveindisruptivetimesandseriouslytakeintoconsiderationtheagilityofanynewsolution.Agilityprovidesyouwiththeabilitytoinnovate,evolveandchangeinordertotakefulladvantageofnewbusinessopportunities.Youmaynotbeabletoaccuratelypredictwhatthefutureholds,butwithanagilesolution,youcanbereadyforanything.
ManyoftheERPsolutionsinstalledtodayremainrigidandrequireextensivemodificationstomeetthechangingneedsofenterprisestoday.Isyoursoneofthem?
Agilityprovidesyouwiththeabilitytoinnovate,evolveandchangeinordertotakefulladvantageofnewbusinessopportunities.
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Abouttheauthor:CindyJutrasisawidelyrecognizedexpertinanalyzingtheimpactofenterpriseapplicationsonbusinessperformance.Utilizingover40yearsofcorporateexperienceandspecificexpertiseinmanufacturing,supplychain,customerserviceandbusinessperformancemanagement,Cindyhasspentthepast12yearsbenchmarkingtheperformanceofsoftwaresolutionsinthecontextofthebusinessbenefitsoftechnology.In2011CindyfoundedMintJutras(www.mintjutras.com),specializinginanalyzingandcommunicatingthebusinessvalueenterpriseapplicationsbringtotheenterprise.