PeopleSoft On Campus: Benefits of Incorporating ERP Systems

PeopleSoft On Campus:Benefits of Incorporating ERP

Systems into Business Curricula

Sandra B. Richtermeyer, Ph.D., CPA

University of Wyoming

Marianne Bradford, Ph.D., CPA

North Carolina State University

May 2003

PeopleSoft White Paper Series

PeopleSoft On Campus: Benefits of Incorporating ERP Systems into Business Curricula S A N D R A B . R I C H T E R M E Y E R , P H .D . , CPA U N I V E R S I T Y O F W Y O M I N G

M A R I A N N E B R A D F O R D , P H .D . , CPA N O R T H C A R O L I N A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

P E O P L E S O F T M A Y 2 0 0 3

PeopleSoft On Campus: Benefits of Incorporating ERP Systems into Business Curricula

Copyright 2003 PeopleSoft, Inc. All rights reserved. Published 2003. Printed on Recycled Paper.

Restricted Rights

Printed in the United States of America.

The information contained in this document is proprietary and confidential to PeopleSoft, Inc.

No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of PeopleSoft, Inc.

This document is subject to change without notice, and PeopleSoft does not warrant that the material contained in this document is error-free. If you find any problems with this document, please report them to PeopleSoft in writing.

PeopleSoft, PeopleTools, PS/nVision, PeopleCode, PeopleBooks, PeopleTalk, and Vantive are registered trademarks, and Pure Internet Architecture, Intelligent Context Manager, and The Real-Time Enterprise are trademarks of PeopleSoft, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Copyright © 2003 PeopleSoft, Inc. All rights reserved.

This document contains or may contain statements of future direction concerning possible functionality for PeopleSoft’s software products and technology. All functionality and software products will be available for license and shipment from PeopleSoft only if and when generally commercially available. PeopleSoft disclaims any express or implied commitment to deliver functionality or software unless or until actual shipment of the functionality or software occurs. The statements of possible future direction are for information purposes only and PeopleSoft makes no express or implied commitments or representations concerning the timing and content of any future functionality or releases.

PeopleSoft On Campus: Benefits of Incorporating ERP Systems into Business Curricula

Sandra B. Richtermeyer, Ph.D., CPA University of Wyoming

Marianne Bradford, Ph.D., CPA North Carolina State University

Integrating Information Technology into Business Curricula: A Balancing Act?

Integration of information technology into business curricula is a challenge for many colleges and universities. As technology rapidly evolves in the business world, many schools find themselves lagging practice when it concerns teaching technology and related concepts used in the classroom. It is commonly a balancing act for faculty to determine what types of technologies will best prepare their students for the working world and how to structure their curriculum to better support these technologies. In this white paper, the benefits to students, faculty, and universities of integrating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) into the classroom are discussed, as are the challenges that are important to consider when deciding whether or not to adopt ERP into curricula. The ideas and concepts in this paper are designed to be useful to both administrators and faculty.

Background of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

ERP systems are information systems that help manage business processes such as sales, purchasing, logistics, human resources, customer relations, performance measurement, and management. Larger organizations implemented ERP systems in the 1990s mainly to replace legacy systems developed decades earlier. In addition, corporate downsizing, reorganization, mergers, and acquisitions also contributed to a significant percentage of ERP implementations during the 1990s. A surge in ERP implementation occurred in the late 1990s as many organizations prepared their information systems for Y2K. After Y2K, new ERP installations continued at a slower rate; however, many organizations that implemented ERP systems in the 1990s shifted their focus to upgrading their ERP systems, integrating their ERP systems with vendors and customers, and web-enabling their ERP systems.

P E O P L E S O F T O N C A M P U S : B E N E F I T S O F I N C O R P O R A T I N G E R P S Y S T E M S I N T O B U S I N E S S C U R R I C U L A M A Y 2 0 0 3

Nearly all Fortune 1000 firms have ERP systems in place or integrate their legacy information systems with the ERP systems of suppliers or customers in their supply chain. Additionally, the ERP movement is not just for large corporations; many governmental entities and smaller firms are now implementing ERP systems. ERP vendors have begun to compete with software solutions that were traditionally geared for mid-size companies, as mid-market business software is dramatically taking on “enterprise-wide” characteristics rather than maintaining the traditional focus on single functional areas.

It may seem obvious that organizations today should have information systems that integrate all processes or functional areas; however, integration is a significant and continuous challenge for most organizations. Successful organizations understand that efficient, effective, and savvy use of information technology is a primary way to gain a competitive advantage. Organizations that are successful in obtaining a competitive advantage make system and process improvement an integral part of their operations. Likewise, ERP vendors are constantly releasing improvements to their software that offer more functionality and in turn provide opportunities for continuous improvement, revenue growth, and cost reduction.

Integrating ERP Systems into Curricula

Integration of ERP systems into curricula has the potential to produce substantial benefits to students, faculty, and the university as a whole. A 2002 survey of primarily AACSB-accredited schools indicates that 37 percent have begun adopting ERP concepts into one or more courses at their institution.1 The 63 percent of respondents that have not begun implementing ERP concepts into their curricula point to the following issues as reasons for nonadoption:

•

•

•

•

•

Insufficient funds (63 percent)

Insufficient internal support staff (58 percent)

Lack of knowledge by faculty (54 percent)

Lack of interest by college or university administration (40 percent)

Lack of interest by faculty (39 percent)

The overall results of the survey suggest that many schools perceive the integration of ERP software into curricula to be complex, with the negative outcomes exceeding the positive benefits. This attitude is perhaps reflective of the schools that were early adopters of ERP and paved the way for others. Many of these schools experienced great difficulty implementing these systems, and ERP vendor programs designed to work with colleges and universities were not as developed as they are today. However, despite these early hardships, many schools are successful in embarking upon this effort and believe that the outcomes are positive for their students, faculty, and university.

1. B. Vijayaraman, M. Bradford. M., and A. Chandra, “The Status of ERP Integration into Business School Curricula: Challenges and Issues” (Proceedings from PeopleSoft HEUG Conference, Dallas, Texas, March 2003).

2

M A Y 2 0 0 3 P E O P L E S O F T O N C A M P U S : B E N E F I T S O F I N C O R P O R A T I N G E R P S Y S T E M S I N T O B U S I N E S S C U R R I C U L A

Benefits to Students

Integrating ERP into business curricula benefits students in many ways, particularly in terms of increasing their understanding of how organizations implement technology to improve operations. This in turn better prepares them for life after graduation and makes them more attractive to potential employers.

Knowledge Gained f rom Exposure to a Business Process Orientat ion Today’s organizations are moving away from a functional orientation toward a business process orientation, and ERP systems are a major enabler of this transformation. Although many organizations use a process approach, business education has not kept pace with what is occurring in practice. Traditionally, business education trains students to think functionally (accounting, finance, marketing, human resources) to the detriment of grasping the entire picture of what makes an organization work.

There are many business process learning objectives that are strengthened by bringing ERP systems into the classroom. The objectives may vary based on the extent ERP is integrated into the curriculum, but students can learn a great deal regarding how organizations use information technology to create a competitive advantage. More specifically, students can obtain an understanding of:

Organizational problems that can occur due to information silos or functional organization of information systems.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

How business processes extend across an organization and its value chain.

How functional areas within an organization are integrated and how processes support key organizational activities.

How technology is used to transform organizational processes and make them more efficient and effective.

Opportuni t ies for Learning About Enterpr ise Systems Theory Other learning objectives related to ERP systems and information technology in general are also emphasized through the use of ERP systems. For example, students have the opportunity to gain knowledge about:

How technology decreases operating costs, achieves gains in productivity, increases availability of information, improves processes, and increases customer responsiveness.

How organizations deal with complex issues involved with implementing large-scale enterprise systems.

How organizations deal with technical, organizational, and business risks associated with implementation of enterprise systems.

3


Opportuni t ies for Understanding Eff ic iencies Gained f rom Supply Chain Management ERP systems also provide students the opportunity to see, firsthand, how technology can enhance a supply chain and create competitive advantages for organizations. More specifically, students gain an understanding of:

How organizations extend their information systems to vendors and both internal and external customers.

•

•

•

How ERP systems significantly change the way an organization interacts with its vendors and customers by modifying and improving business processes.

How web-enabled information systems create supply chain efficiencies that result in revenue increases, cost decreases, shorter transaction cycles, and increased opportunities.

How Relevant Is ERP?

A common criticism of incorporating ERP systems into education is that these systems are used by only large organizations with deep pockets. Additionally, failed ERP implementations receive negative publicity, giving ERP a bad reputation. In the last few years, ERP implementations have been more successful and ERP vendors have come a long way in enhancing their systems and making them more user-friendly. Furthermore, there are opportunities for organizations to use hosting centers rather than implementing an ERP system internally, thus making the systems more affordable and readily available.

Many schools do not see the need to bring ERP systems into the classroom because their graduates are not likely to work for large companies that use an ERP system. However, ERP concepts are applicable to any size organization, as evidenced by recent entrances into the business software market for mid-size companies. Mid-market software does not offer the breadth of options that ERP software offers, but in many ways it is acquiring “ERP characteristics” and, consequently, is becoming more suitable at serving the information needs of an entire organization, not just its functional interests. Students who are exposed to ERP concepts have the opportunity to learn about a large information system with many capabilities, and this knowledge is transferable to organizations of any size.

Student Opinions on Integrating ERP Systems into the Classroom

What do students who have been exposed to ERP systems in the classroom think about the experience? Student opinions are obviously affected by factors such as the instructor, the course design, the student’s background, the materials or technology used in the classroom, and so on. Faculty members significantly influence the outcome of how ERP concepts are used in the classroom. In many ways, student evaluations of ERP systems are similar to student evaluations of a textbook—if an instructor is positive about the book (ERP) and helps the students find value, students tend to rate the book (ERP) more favorably. If the instructor does not use the book (ERP) appropriately in class or is not able to explain why the content in the book (ERP) is of value, then students frequently rate the book (ERP) unfavorably.

4


Exhibit A presents comments from both graduate and undergraduate students who were exposed to introductory ERP concepts in the classroom over the past year. Overall, the comments indicate that students enjoyed learning about the breadth of an ERP system, how a large system supports organizational processes, and how various parts of a large information system fit together, and they appreciated the hands-on aspect of their learning.

Benefits to Faculty

Integration of ERP systems into the classroom provides faculty members with opportunities to develop professionally and to conduct research.

Training and Professional Development Opportuni t ies One of the primary benefits to faculty involved with integration of ERP systems is in the area of training and professional development. Many ERP vendors offer free training to faculty members who use an ERP system in the classroom. Some vendors even require the training as a condition for donating the software to the university because a poorly trained instructor diminishes the value of the ERP system in the classroom. The market value of the training is substantial (typically anywhere from $500 to $3,500 per week) and can significantly update the skill set and enhance the marketability of a faculty member.

Research Opportuni t ies Faculty may also benefit from integrating ERP into the curriculum if they are able to conduct research in this area. There are significant research opportunities related to ERP systems. For example, academic research is limited in the areas of ERP implementation approaches, financial evaluation of ERP systems, ways that ERP changes business practices and working relationships with suppliers and customers, and ERP efficiency and effectiveness studies. There is also a critical need for publications regarding pedagogical approaches in this area. In addition, there is a demand for published case studies in several areas such as: implementation of ERP, evaluation of ERP, enhancement of ERP, systems integration, information integration, business intelligence, supply chain management, customer relationship management, and systems performance. Businesses that are considering implementing ERP systems or enhancing existing ERP systems may benefit from insights of faculty in areas such as strategy, organizational change, process improvement, systems integration, and performance measurement. Opportunities for collaboration between academics and business professionals have the potential to result in field research or case studies appropriate for publication in either practitioner or academic journals.

5


Benefits to the College or University

The university as a whole also benefits in many ways by integrating ERP into the business curriculum. Universities are sometimes criticized for their isolation from the “real world.” Integration of ERP systems and concepts into the curriculum is a great opportunity to link education to actual business practice. The adoption of ERP systems into college curricula is still in its early stages, and schools that are able to move in this direction in the near future may gain a competitive advantage by differentiating themselves from other programs. For example, they may have increased interest from recruiters or benefit from collaboration with industry professionals. Furthermore, integration of ERP systems creates opportunities for faculty from different departments or colleges to work together, thereby creating university-wide resource efficiencies.

Increased Recruit ing Opportuni t ies In terms of recruiting, organizations that use ERP systems are likely to be interested in students that already have exposure to these systems because they may believe that the student’s potential for adding value is greater. They may also believe that the costs to train the student after employment may be reduced, when compared with students without ERP training. However, organizations that do not use ERP systems, or that are not sophisticated in their use of technology, may be just as interested in hiring students with ERP knowledge if the type of training students receive is properly marketed by the school’s placement center. More specifically, the placement center should communicate to recruiters the types of software used in the classroom and the learning objectives and outcomes of courses using ERP concepts. Equally important is the students’ ability to communicate their ERP knowledge and skills on their resumes and other information they submit to potential employers. At Duquesne University, the recruiting center allows students to use an online tool to complete their demographic data and make their resumes available to prospective employers. In the demographic data, there is a section related to technology that allows students to select PeopleSoft and other software they have gained experience with during their college education. This aids the student if the company is looking for certain software skills. Following are some quotes from schools that have experienced increased or new recruiting opportunities for their students who received training on ERP systems:

“I have a number of local employers who use PeopleSoft that call me every year requesting students to work not only part time during the summers and breaks but also for permanent positions. I have had a number of comments that our students know more about the software than the company’s employees that have worked there for years.”

Valerie Trott, Assistant Professor of Accounting at Duquesne University

“We are continuously contacted by recruiters from across the nation requesting names of students who have received PeopleSoft training.”

John Webster, Dakota State University

6


“Employers recruiting at our university indicate that one of the reasons they are interested in our graduates is their exposure to, and use of, enterprise-class human resource systems. We see companies like GE and consulting firms such as Deloitte Consulting recruiting on campus specifically to find students knowledgeable about enterprise systems and management.”

Janet Marler, Assistant Professor of Management, the University at Albany, State University of New York.

Col laborat ing with the Business Community Incorporating ERP into the curriculum also creates synergistic opportunities with the business community. For example, professionals from the community that are actively involved with ERP systems or similar technological initiatives in their organizations add value to the classroom by serving as guest lecturers or “professors-for-a-day.” Their experiences can be effectively communicated using a case study approach or descriptive analysis of how they use enterprise systems at their organizations. In addition, presenting issues in a case study format where students are given an assignment to provide suggestions or analysis may result in useful feedback for the guest lecturer.

Col laborat ing Across Campus to Create Stronger Curr icula Implementing an ERP system into a set of courses creates synergies between faculty in different departments or colleges within a university. For example, faculty in a College of Business may work with faculty from a Management Information Systems (MIS) or a Computer Science Department. The focus of the business faculty may be on process, strategy, or information flow. The focus of the MIS or computer science faculty may be on systems integration or systems customization. Faculty members can use ERP as a vehicle to collaborate and create powerful exercises using role playing for students in both disciplines. For example, the business students’ roles could be designated as users or decision makers of the ERP system and the computer science students’ roles could be to manage or modify the system to support the users’ needs. As students from both disciplines work together, they learn how to manage a system from both a business and technical perspective.

At California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University, interdisciplinary efforts between Management Information Systems (MIS) faculty and Human Resource (HR) faculty resulted in better relationships between the two departments:

“With the donation of PeopleSoft HR software, an interdisciplinary course was developed to appeal to both HR and MIS students. The course is designed so that students understand the technological foundations of ERP software while understanding how technology supports the HR function. Faculty worked jointly on developing the course outline and materials. The HR faculty worked to come up to speed on technology, while the MIS faculty learned key HR concepts and applications. A typical class would include instruction from both an HR professor and an MIS professor. Lab sessions are also jointly taught.”

Barry Floyd, Director of Graduate Programs, Orfalea College of Business, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo.

7


Cross-functional collaboration in curricula may be contrary to how many business schools operate. Traditionally, business schools have functional departments (for example, accounting, finance, management, and marketing) that operate autonomously. This autonomy oftentimes results in a lack of communication regarding curricula or learning objectives. Consequently, curriculum in a business school is not always integrated or synthesized. In the business world, implementation of an ERP system forces collaboration across functional areas by emphasizing process over function. Similarly, implementing an ERP system into the curriculum helps to create a more effective business curriculum that shows the contribution of each function to the processes and operations of an organization.

ERP Vendors Deliver Substantial Resources for Classroom Use

ERP alliance programs are initiatives that recognize (1) the business implications of the shortage of qualified workers that understand business and information technology and (2) the challenges faced by higher education to keep faculty and programs current with the pace of the information technology (IT) industry. The main goal of these programs is to give students hands-on experience with the tools and techniques that make them more marketable at graduation.

Current market values for ERP software typically vary from $500,000 to $3,000,000, which is formidable for most universities wishing to use it in the classroom. However, several ERP vendors either donate or substantially reduce the cost of the software and licenses for classroom use. In addition, the PeopleSoft on Campus program includes faculty training, educational materials, and technical support.

Universities that record gifts at their fair market value may recognize a considerable donation and generate positive public relations when they adopt ERP systems for classroom use. It is important to note that although the donation of resources may be substantial, there are costs associated with this type of donation. ERP vendors may charge an annual support fee, and there may be costs to the university associated with internal systems and database administration, consultants or vendor-partners assisting with installation, course release time, and travel costs for training.

Challenges of Implementing ERP into the Curricula

As faculty and administrators evaluate whether to bring ERP systems into the classroom, it is important to be able to understand and evaluate the challenges that are likely to be faced. The challenges for most schools are related to financial constraints and limitations on personnel and instructional resources.

Financial Constraints Financial constraints are typically the primary barrier to ERP adoption in colleges and universities. While ERP vendors may donate or substantially discount the price of the software, costs related to hardware, internal support, external or vendor-provided support, and training may be substantial. Following are suggestions on how to minimize costs associated with ERP adoption:

Rather than implementing the system on campus, use a hosted solution (application service provider) and perhaps charge the students a fee for accessing the system. Considerable time

•

8


and financial resources can be saved through this alternative. As an application service provider who offers PeopleSoft hosting solutions for colleges and universities noted:2

“Using a hosted solution accelerates the ramp-up time to implement an ERP system for classroom use from months to minutes. It merely takes a few minutes to clone an account, provide an ID, and set roles, and then a college is live and ready to focus on purely curriculum issues. We are a forward-thinking center and see the hosting program as a way to build the classroom of tomorrow by equipping it with the best technologies minus the headaches and hassles of staying on the leading edge. We try to make it as painless as possible and let faculty focus on what they do best…teach!”

John Webster, Dakota State University

•

•

•

Use the assistance of students (either graduate or undergraduate) for administrative support. Students are a good choice for providing some administrative support and may be willing to work at a reduced rate in order to gain valuable experience, particularly if they are also eligible to participate in the same training opportunities as faculty members. This is particularly useful if the student will not be graduating or leaving campus for a couple of years and has incentives to work until he or she graduates. For example, an undergraduate student majoring in Management Information Systems employed by her university in a PeopleSoft systems administrator role said:3

“When I was asked to be the PeopleSoft system administrator for the College of Business I knew I was being given an awesome opportunity and did not hesitate to immediately say “yes.” The knowledge I have gained about ERP systems and their inner workings is something that my education alone would not have afforded me. Although I’m not paid much, the personal benefits to me and the career opportunities that will be open to me far outweigh the low pay and extra hours I give of my personal time.”

Gaylene Thailkill, University of Wyoming PeopleSoft Administrator for the College of Business

Request discounted or donated consulting services from a partner that works with an ERP vendor. Most ERP vendors have education alliance programs where they create incentives for their partners (or authorized consultants) to donate some of their time to universities implementing ERP solutions into their curriculum.

Request discounted or donated services from a hardware vendor. Many hardware vendors offer substantial discounts for academic use of their hardware. Hardware vendors can also work with the ERP vendor and create a multiplayer partnership beneficial to all parties.

2. Dakota State University offers hosting solutions to colleges and universities enrolled in the PeopleSoft On Campus Program.

3. The student quoted is a junior majoring in Management Information Systems at the University of Wyoming. She works 10 to 30 hours per week administering PeopleSoft for the Solomon D. Trujillo Center for e.Business located in the College of Business. At her university, she is the only staff person allocated to system administration for PeopleSoft academic use.

9


Creat ing Incent ives for Faculty to Become Involved Even with the resolution of financial constraints associated with bringing ERP systems into the classroom, the effort will not be successful without a strong level of interest on the part of the faculty. Following are some ways to obtain faculty “buy in”:

Offer curriculum development grants to faculty members. •

•

•

Grant course releases to faculty members to provide them time to develop or change their curriculum in order to include ERP systems.

Incorporate goals or points of evaluation related to ERP integration into faculty assessment practices and procedures.

Avai labi l i ty of Inst ruct ional Resources It can be challenging to obtain instructional resources related to ERP systems in the classroom. Many vendors offer faculty free access to their training materials. However, these are not typically ready for the college classroom. The training materials are typically items used in vendor-sponsored courses and generally do not include appropriate frameworks or links to learning objectives suitable for business education. One way to overcome this challenge is to collaborate with faculty from other colleges and universities that are using the same ERP system and share exercises, projects, exams, and case studies. Many ERP vendors offer educational alliance programs that bring faculty together to share ideas concerning ERP systems integration into the classroom.

Lack of Internal IT Support Another challenge of integrating ERP systems into the curriculum lies in the difficulty of obtaining support from internal IT resources. One way to eliminate this problem is to use a hosted solution. Another way to resolve the problem is for college or university administrators to create incentives, or modify the responsibilities of internal IT support staff, to assist with ERP implementation and obtain applicable training related to systems support of the ERP system.

Pedagogical Approaches to Integrating ERP into Curricula

Configuring the pedagogy for integrating ERP into the classroom is challenging, particularly given the limited availability of instructional resources. It may be appropriate to change or refine traditional pedagogical approaches as faculty become more experienced with the ERP system. For example, the first time a faculty member teaches with an ERP system, it may be with the intended outcome of simply giving students some basic exposure and showing them the “look and feel” of an ERP system. The next phase could be more hands-on, where students obtain an understanding of how an ERP system supports various processes and are given an opportunity to record transactions and document workflow. A follow-up stage might illustrate to students how information is stored, modified, and retrieved for use by decision makers.

1 0


Summary

While the task is challenging, incorporating ERP systems into business curricula can strengthen students’ understanding of how technology enables organizations to create a competitive advantage, increase the marketability of students, provide faculty with opportunities to bring the “real world” into their courses and research, and create synergies across colleges and universities.

For more information about the PeopleSoft on Campus program, please visit www.peoplesoft.com/go/oncampus.

Exhibit A

Student Comments After Complet ion of an Introductory Course in ERP Systems

“[Using PeopleSoft in the course] expanded my understanding of different business components and increased my knowledge of an ERP system through hands-on exposure versus book instruction. Through class assignments I was able to ‘play’ with the system in different ways that did not affect the information already contained in the system. I now am confident that I have an overall understanding of how different information systems are similar and different. I also learned what a company needs to consider when deciding to implement an ERP system into its business environment.”

“Using PeopleSoft gave me some hands-on experience with real business software. I was able to see how processes are supported by the software instead of just discussing how processes work. Experience with PeopleSoft allowed me to compare it to mid-market software I learned about in a previous information systems course. After discussing various capabilities of the software, I was able to use PeopleSoft and make it actually do the tasks.”

“Working with PeopleSoft we had access to everything. In a work setting the opportunity for this would be minimal because of the controlled environment—access would be customized for each user. Using PeopleSoft in the course demonstrated how an ERP can work online. In a company, you may see only one module, but we had the capability to look at three (Financials, Customer Relationship Management, and Human Resource Management) and how they interrelate with one another. ERP systems have bugs that come with it when it is first implemented, such as the case in this class, and it taught us a real-world perspective. We didn’t have the right access codes and we had to work through this. From an accountant’s standpoint, we know how transactions work; with PeopleSoft, we were able to view how the entire process works for various transactions.”

1 1

http://www.peoplesoft.com/go/oncampus


“It was beneficial to experience three modules of PeopleSoft. I have a focus in accounting, but it is to my advantage to know how the other areas of PeopleSoft integrate—especially due to the fact that our roles as accountants are expanding into other areas. Another beneficial aspect of using the three different modules is that a large percentage of us will enter into public accounting; some of us may even have to give software recommendations. Accounting solutions are becoming business solutions, so it was helpful to experience the three modules, as opposed to just looking at the financial module.”

“In other classes you get to just read about ERP systems. You learn what ERP means and the theories behind the system. After using PeopleSoft, I know much more than abstract concepts. I know how the disparate systems of finance, human resources, and customer relationship management work together under one system. This system allows for quicker, better access to more information.”

“I found this experience very rewarding. Being able to navigate throughout PeopleSoft with super-user capabilities not only provided me full access but, most importantly, gave me the opportunity to explore the package as a whole. This was very advantageous because previously we did not have any training/exposure with regard to an ERP system. Now I can carry out a discussion on the topic. My exposure will enable me to approach my career with a skill necessary in today’s technological environment. It certainly helps to create value for me and my employees.”

“Working with PeopleSoft allowed me to view ‘how’ accountants gather, analyze, and synthesize information for decision making. In undergraduate courses such as Accounting Information Systems and Internal Reporting, I learned about recording and reporting being process-driven and also about nonfinancial performance measurement and indicators. Learning PeopleSoft showed me how those things are accomplished.”

“Working with the system really impressed upon me the extent and depth of ERP systems. I enjoyed seeing how everything fits together and how important decisions can be made with the appropriate information. It was important to understand how accessing all views without limitations could be detrimental to the system. I learned a lot about user controls. Working through various parts of the system increased my flexibility and patience. I started to understand how to approach problems positively.”

1 2


1 3

Useful Resources for Educators Consider ing Implement ing ERP Concepts into Curr icula

Boyson, S., T. Corsi, M. Dresner, and L. Harrington. Logistics and the Extended Enterprise. John Wiley & Sons, 1999.

Brady, J., E. Monk, and B. Wagner. Concepts in Enterprise Resource Planning. Course Technology, Thomson Learning, 2001.

Canzer, B. E-Business Strategic Thinking and Practice. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.

Denna, E., J. Cherrington, D. Andros, and A. Hollander. Event-Driven Business Solutions. Irwin, 1993.

El Sawy, O. Redesigning Enterprise Processes for e-Business. McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2000.

Huff, S., M. Wade, and S. Schneberger. Cases in Electronic Commerce. McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2002.

Hunt, V. Process Mapping. How to Reengineer Your Business Processes. John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

Jacka, J., and P. Keller. Business Process Mapping. John Wiley & Sons, 2002.

Sandoe, K., G. Corbitt, and R. Boykin. Enterprise Integration. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2001.

PeopleSoft, Inc. Corporate Headquarters4460 Hacienda Drive

Pleasanton, California 94588 USA

Toll-free 1 888 773 8277

Tel 925 694 3000

www.peoplesoft.com

PeopleSoft, PeopleTools, PS/nVision, PeopleCode, PeopleBooks, PeopleTalk, and Vantive are regis-

tered trademarks, and Pure Internet Architecture, Intelligent Context Manager, and The Real-Time

Enterprise are trademarks of PeopleSoft, Inc. All other company and product names may be trade-

marks of their respective owners. The information contained herein is subject to change without

notice. Copyright © 2003 PeopleSoft, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

5045-0503

Documents

PeopleSoft On Campus: Benefits of Incorporating ERP Systems