Integrating enterprise resource planning into electronic content management in a South African water utility company
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Digital records are either stored in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or \nelectronic content management (ECM), or managed without the benefit of either system. \nIn many countries, public and private organisations have implemented ECM systems, some \nhave implemented ERP systems and others generate digital records without the benefit of \nany controlled system. In most organisations such systems are not integrated resulting in \nduplication and fragmentation of records. The South African Water Utility company, Rand \nWater, has implemented both ERP and ECM systems. Investing in these systems as an \norganisation comes at a cost but it can add value when used optimally to improve the \norganisation’s productivity and efficiency. To achieve high productivity and efficiency, \nintegration of an ERP system into an ECM system is a requirement but remains lacking. \nThis qualitative study utilised the Actor Network Theory to explore the integration of ERP \ninto ECM at the South African Water Utility company, Rand Water, with a view to \ndeveloping a framework for integration of the systems. The study utilised a system analysis \ncase design with fourteen interviews conducted at different levels in the organisation and \ndiverse business units using ERP and ECM to perform their operational deliverables in line \nwith the organisation’s business objectives. The interviews were augmented with data from \ndocument analysis of policies, specifications and functionalities of the systems to \ndetermine the feasibility of integration. The study established that the water utility \ncompany has implemented ERP systems (SAP) since 1994 and ECM system since 1991 \n(Papertrail and later IBM FileNet) with only information flow module integrated. The study \nsuggested that to integrate ERP into ECM, human and non-human actors need to \ncollaborate to ensure that the actor network being integrated is achieved. The study also \npresents a strategy discussion for integrating ERP into ECM. A further study on the transfer \nof digital records in ECM into archival custody is recommended.
Author: Vincent Mello
Language: English
Subfield: Management Information Systems
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3172780135