The Evolution of ERP and Its Relationship with E-Business

Every technical invention is initially designed and eventually applied to solve a real-world problem. The evolution of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is no exception. Owing to its well-organised success to effectively integrate isolated multiple information systems and its ability to significantly improve businesses efficiencies, ERP systems have emerged as the core of successful accounting information systems and the enterprise backbone of organisations and e-business. An ERP system in itself does not offer competitive advantage in an organisational environment. Competitive advantage comes not from the fact that companies have adopted an ERP system, since all other major companies have done this. Competitive advantage will be developed from how they interface that system with their customers, and how their customers perceive it. Thus, companies must attract their customers into self-service. This paper will mainly focus on the evolution of ERP and its relationship with e-business.