The implementation and deployment of an ERP system: An industrial case study

This article concerns the integration and deployment of the ERP project at Alcatel, a telecommunications company. After a short presentation of the main activities managed by the ERP system, we propose a five-stage deployment model (selection of the vendor and software, deployment and integration, stabilisation, progression, evolution), then we outline the main results obtained at Alcatel in a general way, and we describe the risks, the dysfunctions, and the reasons for them. The sources and conditions for the successful deployment of ERP are also presented. We focus more precisely on the integration and deployment of the planning process in an ERP system. Therefore, we will detail the different stages of the integration step (general design, detailed design, prototyping and validation, testing and implementing of the solution, operation starting). A detailed model of the planning process is built and used as a tool to help the firm's key users at the different stages of the planning process. In order to improve the control process of the planning system, we develop a control helping system based on performance indicators, and particularly dedicated to control the MRP activity. The goal of this project is to improve the reactivity of the planning system as well as to enhance that of the supply chain.