Recent TRG blog posts

One of the most prominent trends in ERP recently is the emergence of cloud-based solutions. There is so much talk about cloud ERP that sometimes it is hard to tell hype from the truth. Before you decide whether to choose a cloud or on-premises system, there are some common misconceptions that should be dispelled.

In June 2015, Donald Trump, then the Republican front runner, threatened to slap a 35% tariff on Ford’s cars and trucks made in Mexico if the automaker went ahead with plans to move its production of small cars from the US to Mexico.

The feud between Mr. Trump and Ford was a highlight of his repeated pledges to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US. Mr. Trump also made it very clear that he opposes free trade agreements like TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) and will renegotiate NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement).

APS (advanced planning and scheduling) is an advanced manufacturing management system that allocates raw materials and production capacity optimally in order to balance demand and capacity constraints. It represents a revolution compared to traditional planning systems, most notably MRP (manufacturing resource planning), which is also the grandfather of ERP.

Nucleus Research, one of the market-leading technology research and analysis firms, periodically issues a special report – Technology Value Matrix – to evaluate and rate ERP vendors and products.

We are on the verge of the Fourth Revolution of industrial manufacturing on a global scale. The First Revolution witnessed the era of mechanisation thanks to the invention of steam engine. The Second Revolution was characterised by electric-powered assembly line and mass production.

The Third Revolution introduced automation and information technology into factories. And the Fourth Revolution promises to deliver full integration of latest disruptive technologies such as A.I. (Artificial Intelligence), big data, and Internet of Things.

There is no question that supply chain management is critically important. And this is especially true for the healthcare industry. Studies indicate that supply chain administration cost is the second largest operational expenditure of most healthcare institutions in the US, surpassed only by labour cost. The healthcare supply chain is also more complex and demanding than most industries’.

Koch Industries, one of the largest private companies in the US, is pouring US$2.5 billion into Infor, which is also privately held and selling enterprise applications such as ERP, financial management, and retail management solutions. Infor is currently one of the world’s largest ERP vendors, along with SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft.

The large number of ERP vendors in the market can be categorised using the tiers system. Tier 1 vendors are the giants that, together, hold the lion’s share of the global ERP market.

In the past, large ERP providers tended to offer extensive “one-size-fits-all” products to very broad horizontal market segments. One solution was offered to different prospects in different industries. Only small providers focused on vertical markets, i.e., specific industries.

Highly capable ERP systems but are too complex for ordinary users to adopt would hinder your chance to realise its full potential. Many, if not most, of your ERP system’s users may not have in-depth technical skills. So it is crucial that the software is easy to use and friendly to business users.