Management of Enterprise Resource Planning and Interorganizational Information Systems
Credits & contact hours
The module consists of a two-hour lecture. (V2)
CP (Credit Points): 5,
6* (including additional colloquium)
*) Only for students of Computer Science
Degree programmes
| Business Administration (M.Sc.) | General Core Elective Section |
| Specialized Core Elective Section: Specialization in Corporate Development and Strategy | |
| Specialized Core Elective Section: Specialization in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Marketing | |
| Management, Business and Economics (M.Sc.) |
Core Elective Section: Specialization in Corporate Development and Strategy |
| Core Elective Section: Specialization in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Marketing | |
| Core Elective Section: Specialization in General Management | |
| Business Administration and Engineering (M.Sc.) | General Core Elective Section |
| Specialized Core Elective Section: Specialization in Corporate Development and Strategy | |
| Specialized Core Elective Section: Specialization in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Marketing | |
| Mathematics (M.Sc.) | Subsidiary Subject Business Administration |
| Computer Science (M.Sc.) | Applied Courses: Business Administration (6 CP with Colloquium) |
Course description
Organizational information systems have been built and used for more than 50 years. Throughout this period, such systems have steadily grown in complexity and size. While initially systems were developed for individual workers and then individual functional departments, today’s systems often integrate all enterprise functions from procurement to after-sales and from concept to marketing in one single database. Such systems are called Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Moreover, information systems increasingly cross organizational boundaries in that information systems of several organizations are integrated into so-called inter-organizational information systems (IOIS).
Due to their complexity and size, all but the largest user organizations find it beyond their capability to develop the software required for these systems themselves. Therefore, increasingly so-called off-the-shelf software is used to provide the core functionality around which organizational information systems are built by configuring the software and by embedding it in organizational procedures and practices and also by adding customized software components. This process is called system implementation.
Using teaching cases, students will analyse real-life situations where implementation processes of ERP-Systems and IOIS foundered or have been managed exceptionally well. Students will have to present cases in class, preferably in teams, in which they also offer an initial analysis of the cases that serves as a basis for further class discussions.
It is highly recommended that participants in this course also attend the tutorial ‘Introduction to ERP Systems’, offered separately. Using an open-source ERP package, participants in that tutorial will become familiar with the basic functionality of such systems as well as their administration and configuration. Participants in the lecture will have to register for this tutorial through us; a registration through RWTHonline is not possible.
Learning objectives
- Students will recognize and appreciate the specific managerial requirements related to the implementation of such large information systems
- Students will be able to develop effective implementation strategies and evaluate implementation results
- Will have acquired a critical attitude towards case material
Course dates
Written examination (see "Prüfungstermine")
Online Ressources
Course material will be made available on 
RWTHmoodle. You will have to register for this lecture in RWTHonline to access course material on RWTHmoodle.
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