Open-Source ERP: Is It Ripe for Use in Teaching Supply Chain Management?

Abstract

The field of supply chain management has changed greatly and rapidly. With the advent of enterprise systems, supply chains are now operating with up-to-the-minute information. The value of the information flow is marked by speed, accessibility, accuracy, and most of all relevancy. As it continually evolves, the supply chain management curriculum needs to stay current and relevant. This paper advocates the use of technology such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to teach business process integration. The literature review indicates a number of significant benefits when firms use ERP. For instance, an ERP system can help firms manage their assets and operate their internal business processes more effectively and efficiently. It has the ability to coordinate a complex network of sub-processes to achieve the goals of the organization. This paper describes the needs for teaching business process integration and stresses the roles of ERP in a supply chain process. It then presents two approaches: the SAP University Alliances program and the opensource ERP option. To illustrate the potential of open-source ERP, the discussion focuses on one particular application called xTuple-PostBooks. What is xTuple-PostBooks? How can one obtain it? What is involved in its installation and setup? How is it used in teaching and illustrating business process integration? What was the students’ feedback?