| ERP, as we all know, refers to a software system | | | | sustainable advantage in the marketplace. Most small |
| that helps in the automation of business processes of | | | | businesses are family managed businesses and are |
| an entire organization. Businesses big or small benefit | | | | perceived to be slow when it comes to technology |
| greatly from the increased efficiencies resulting from | | | | adoption. The high costs associated with ERP also |
| successful ERP implementations. Scalable and robust | | | | deter some of them from adopting it wholeheartedly. |
| ERP applications, which can adapt themselves to the | | | | Stories of ERP related nightmares abound in the |
| changing requirements of the enterprise, are in high - | | | | marketplace. The high level of customization required |
| demand these days. | | | | in the software systems has the potential to sap an |
| ERP solutions designed for small businesses help in | | | | organization of its time and money. Companies who |
| improvements in various processes like supply chain, | | | | have adopted proprietary software's for their ERP |
| production management and customer relationship | | | | have found themselves hostage to the ERP vendor. |
| management. Incremental improvements in these | | | | Every change, every little customization requires the |
| systems help businesses to respond faster to the | | | | permission of the ERP vendor. Such experiences |
| queries of their customers. By providing a responsive | | | | prove to be a deterrent for ERP adoption in the SME |
| and alert customer service businesses can cultivate a | | | | segment. |
| loyal base of customers. | | | | On the other hand, open source ERP systems allow |
| These days, web-enabled ERP systems, which | | | | the source code to be modified and reduce an |
| provide authorized users to access an organizations | | | | organizations dependence on its vendor. Open source |
| information network from any location across the | | | | ERP is the way to go for small businesses. ERP |
| globe, are in high demand. ERP systems help | | | | software, which have been built from ground up |
| organizations to integrate all the functions of a | | | | using open source technologies, have the potential to |
| business like finance, accounts, and human resources | | | | significantly lower marketing and licensing costs. Since |
| on to a single framework. Web enabled ERP systems | | | | open source software's allow the source code to be |
| allow users to view this framework from remote | | | | modified to suit the organization's requirement, certain |
| locations and conduct business effortlessly across the | | | | security issues arise. But rising cost pressures and the |
| globe. | | | | steep cost of using proprietary ERP software have |
| ERP systems can transform the way organizations | | | | forced organizations to consider open source ERP |
| conduct their businesses and can be a source of | | | | systems. |