Title: ERP integration in the college of business curriculum

Authors: Kakoli Bandyopadhyay, Cynthia Barnes, Bharath Ajendla

Addresses: Department of Information Systems and Analysis, Lamar University, P.O. Box 10033, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA. ' Department of Information Systems and Analysis, Lamar University, P.O. Box 10033, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA. ' SAP ERP Practice, Capgemini, Devon, PA 19333, USA

Abstract: The purposes of this paper are to address the declining management information systems (MIS) enrolment problem, to suggest an enterprise resource planning (ERP)-based MIS curriculum which could reverse the enrolment decline, and to facilitate ERP integration in the business curriculum by analysing ERP software usage across industries. Enterprise resource planning systems are popular today because of their many benefits. We analyse which ERP systems are predominately used in various industries in the USA. Additionally, we determine which ERP applications are most critical for business majors to learn; which challenges are encountered when implementing enterprise systems; which level of ERP proficiency business graduates should have upon graduation, and what recommendations these respondents would give business faculty when implementing ERP software in the business curriculum. Conclusions and recommendations are made, which may provide some insight to faculty at universities who are planning on implementing an ERP system into their curricula.

Keywords: enterprise resource planning; management information systems; SAP R/3; MIS enrolment; business curriculum; ERP integration; colleges; higher education; universities; USA; United States; enrolment decline; software usage; business majors; enterprise systems; ERP proficiency; business graduates; business faculties; curricula; Lamar University; SAP University Alliance; petrochemical industry; Texas; business information systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2011.041789

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2011 Vol.8 No.2, pp.146 - 164

Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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