ENQ570 Enterprise Resource Planning

Unit Outline: Session 1 2021, QUT Online, Online

Overview

Enterprise Systems are now essential infrastructure to both large as well as to small-to-medium (SME) organisations, as they realise the necessity of a single central database instead of a large number of separate databases. By integrating core business processes in one single application, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) helps companies maximize the efficiency of business processes across the entire organization including increases in on-time delivery, productivity, forecasting demand and production capacity. This unit aims to provide the fundamental understanding of various Enterprise Systems, functions and modules and how they can be integrated in a business context. The students will be trained to develop a real life ERP system based on actual data from industry. This unit will also aims to help students to refine their communication and group work skills, and assist in the development of research-based skills. This is a core unit for Master of Engineering Management.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Identify the factors that lead to the development and implementation of ERP systems.
2. Critically reflect upon theoretical approaches and analyse their application to achieve effective use of Enterprise Systems to support operations and management practice.
3. Justify and interpret theoretical propositions and related bodies of knowledge to critically evaluate the resolution of business problems and make recommendations/recommend actions in contemporary Enterprise Systems.
4. Describe how an integrated information system can support effective and efficient business processes.
5. Critically apply cross-disciplinary knowledge with creativity in decision making supporting the development, implementation and use of Enterprise Systems.
6. Plan and execute a substantial evidence-based project linked to Enterprise Resource Planning Systems to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at abstract and practical levels.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit will be conducted by means of conventional lecture, group discussion, team exercise and case studies. It will be taught in block mode and 32 hours of intensive lecture will be conducted in four weeks and 8 hours of tutorials will be conducted in four sessions. You will be engaged in team based project work throughout the semester.
Lectures will provide the knowledge base for the unit and the development of problem solving skills will be supported by tutorials and group projects. To introduce real life challenges, industry managers will be invited to conduct some of the lectures.

The content of the unit will be taught using the following approaches:

1. Formal lecture sessions will cover the theory and illustrate some practical applications. The lectures will describe and illustrate key concepts and will cover issues relevant to the topic. Lecture slides and some additional readings will be made available on-line using the Blackboard website prior to lectures. Guest lecturers from industry will be invited to share real life experiences in the ERP context and to relate theory with practice.

2. Tutorial exercises will be used to test and develop your understanding. In particular, you will learn how real engineering problems are expressed using mathematical formulations in order to find root causes of inefficiencies and assist in optimisation of the systems. This advanced level skills assist in informed decision making.

3. Project work will develop your evidence-based, information retrieval skills to solve a broadly defined problem in a real engineering organisation. You will participate in a group project to define a problem, collect and analyse data and work with team members to develop an ERP system for that particular organisation.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

1. Rubrics provided to show the expected standard for each criteria in an assessment item.
2. Comments returned to you via Blackboard.
3. Lecture / consultation sessions may be available for group and individual feedback prior to assessment due dates and on completion of assessments.
4. Generic comments provided via QUT Blackboard and in class.

Assessment

Overview

One of the most important drivers of student learning is how that learning is assessed and it has been shown that students' attitudes towards their studies are strongly affected by the nature and timing of assessment Your overall performance of this unit will be assessed using three assessment components: in class problem solving, a group project and a final exam.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Problem Solving Task

You will solve theoretical and applied problems in the class related to the materials already covered in the lectures.

Assessment: Project (applied)

You will select a real industry problem, apply your research skills to find root causes and develop an appropriate ERP system to overcome the problem. In this group research project, you will be using many of the theories and skills you learned in the unit to improve the operational performance and productivity of the industry.

Assessment: Examination (written)

This will be a closed book exam for two hours, with necessary formulas, charts and tables to be provided where appropriate. The exam will be based on lectures, tutorials and your group research project.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Reference book(s)

1. ERP: making it happen: the implementers' guide to success with enterprise resource planning / Thomas F. Wallace, Michael H. Kremzar. Wiley, New York (2001).
2. SAP R/3 business blueprint: understanding enterprise supply chain management / Thomas A. Curran, An Curran, Thomas (Thomas Aidan), Prentice Hall, 2nd Edition.
3. Enterprise-wide software solutions: integration strategies and practices / Sergio Lozinsky, Addison-Wesley, (1998).
4. Managerial issues of enterprise resource planning systems / David L. Olson. McGraw-Hill/Irwin, (2004).
5. Enterprise integration / Kent Sandoe, Gail Corbitt, Raymond Boykin, Wiley, New York (2001).
6. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Shtub A. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston (1999).
7. Operations management, Jay Heizer, Barry Render, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J (2009).

Lecture Notes: As they appear On-Line at QUT Blackboard.

Other

You are also required to use the following:

• The unit website on QUT's Blackboard
• QUT Library Databases
• QUT Cite| Write: You can access QUT cite/write online (Free download from QUT library)

Risk Assessment Statement

All commencing SEF students are required to complete the Mandatory Safety Induction

There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.

If you are undertaking work placement as a part of this unit, you are required to register your placement via QUT InPlace, complete the necessary Health and Safety and other risk assessments, and obtain clearance to commence your placement. You may also be required to undertake a workplace based induction. For further information please refer to the Work Integrated Learning - QUT Students webpage and the WIL Community Blackboard site.

If you are undertaking a research project, either individually or in a group, as part of this unit, in conjunction with your project supervisor or unit coordinator you are required to complete and submit a Risk Assessment of your project activities in MAPS (Management and Assessment of Project Safety) for approval. For further information go to Health, safety and environment for research students - QUT Students.