Assessment of ERP systems for the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises based on a hierarchical structure of criteria

Abstract

Modern enterprises base their operation on information systems, among which enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems play a key role. Of course, these are not universal systems, and factors such as company size and location play an important role in system selection and adoption. The aim of the article is to evaluate the ERP systems available on the Polish market, intended for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The assessment of the systems was based on a hierarchical structure of criteria relating to functionalities related to the management of production, procurement, distribution, sales, as well as analytical options and the possibility of adjusting the system. The tool used to compare individual systems was the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Additionally, thanks to the sensitivity analysis, the uncertainty of the weighting of criteria and sub-criteria was considered, taking into account the hierarchical structure. The undertaken actions allowed to indicate the systems of the highest utility, regardless of the applied criteria weights.