دانلود رایگان مقاله چارچوب مدل کسب و کار منبع باز ERP

abstract

ERP systems became popular with large organizations in the 1990s. In the 21st Century, these products were expanded by addition of supply chain management (SCM) and customer relationship management (CRM), as well as access through the Web, creating the ERP II concept. Efforts to increase the market led vendors to serve not only large organizations, but also focus more on small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Open source software has become a player in the field of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. While it is still unclear to what extent it has diffused among organizations, it is clear that opportunities exist. New ways of delivering ERP software, such as software as a service (SaaS) have appeared. Some smaller vendors utilized a free distribution system (Free/Open Source ERP, FOS-ERP) for their source code, relying on various business models for corporate success. There also have been attempts to generate FOS-ERP components found on sites such as SourceForge.com that are not only distributed freely, but also were developed through community participation much as Linux has been developed. Some ERP vendors use community developed components for various purposes to support their proprietorial software. Thus one dimension of ERP systems is based upon who directs the development process. Proprietorial ERP refers to systems with closely held intellectual property rights, such as the leading market products by SAP and Oracle as well as many smaller proprietorial competitors. FOS-ERP can be community based, or sponsored by some organization. In this paper we present a framework that aims at analyzing FOS-ERP business models. Goals include discussing the differences between FOS-ERP and their proprietary equivalents (P-ERP) in terms of business models, selection, customization, and evolution. We will discuss challenges and opportunities that they offer to adopters and vendors.

5. Conclusion

The research suggests that FOS-ERP offer many opportunities for their clients. For smaller adopters, there are lower fees paid to proprietorial firms. This enables ERP to be a viable option for SMEs, who simply do not have the budget for most proprietary products. There is a need to differentiate between small and medium enterprises. Medium-sized organizations can afford smaller proprietary ERP products, such as those produced by Great Plains (now Microsoft Dynamics GP), Lawson (now part of INFOR), Sage, and other vendors. Small enterprises may not be able to afford this level of expenditure. FOS-ERP offers a viable alternative for these small organizations. This is also true for local governments and for firms operating in developing countries. On the downside, lower costs imply lower functionality, placing added burden on IT staffs of FOS-ERP adopting clients. For FOS-ERP vendors and consultants, there are opportunities to gain experience in this emerging market, enabling them to provide value to many clients as they gain experience. There are also opportunities for individuals working in IT. Experience in implementing FOS-ERP can be a valuable skill with many, many potential SMEs, governments, and non-profit organizations as potential employers.

There are massive differences in markets making each of these variants attractive in some settings. Proprietary mainstays such as SAP and Oracle target large organizations, and provide top-of-theline functionality. Microsoft and other proprietorial vendors sell their systems for a magnitude less, with less functionality. Vendors such as SAP utilize OSS as a source of specific functionalities added to their products. Other vendors, such as Compiere and Nexedi, develop their systems internally, but distribute these systems using alternative business models (such as providing the software free, with billing for services such as installation or maintenance). This enables coverage not only for medium sized businesses, but potentially for small enterprises, governmental agencies, or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). In general, the more functionality or support required, the greater the fees. Thus we think that there is a great opportunity for small organizations to obtain enterprise computing at affordable prices as long as they have technically versed employees able to install and maintain such systems.