Critical Thinking and a Democracy Society

Critical Thinking and a Democracy Society

E-business solutions

Introduction

The convergence of the Internet and emerging technologies has drastically changed the way companies do business. Most companies are looking for a way to understand the mission-critical challenges they are facing as a result of the e-business revolution. In its simplest terms, e-business (electronic business) takes key business processes and transforms the way a company does business by making efficient and cost-effective use of the Internet. Often companies redefine and reengineer their operations, their resources, core business skills and investment in technology to effectively reach the expanding global marketplace.

Selecting a firm to provide e-business expertise and solutions can have long-term and critical implications. The stakes are high. That is why companies need to select a partner who will assess their operations and mission-critical applications, and help them realize new opportunities by providing solutions that maximize technology and optimize existing resources.

The challenge and opportunity presented by e-business requires perceptive businesses to maximize their existing resources while investigating new and better ways to move their products and services to the forefront of this marketplace.

This paper will examine and discuss three vendors that offer e-business solutions, including EDI, CRM, SCM, ERP and MRP. The paper will focus on success stories with clients and what the benefits are to companies in meeting their overall business goals.

In the uncharted waters of e-business, companies can run the risk of going blindly down a path that can cripple their investment and initiative. Some companies can and have successfully executed a superior solution and created a cyber gold mine. For others, the maze of options requires a guiding hand. Leading strategic e-business consulting companies can catapult and enhance a company's ability to succeed in the digital economy. This type of support can be the difference between success and failure. Size or industry does not limit success in electronic business; instead it is a competitive landscape open to startup firms as well as giant behemoths. So selecting a partner who can help create a high-value e-business solution is critical to e-business success.

IBM

The first provider to consider is IBM, a global solutions provider who has been helping companies achieve their business goals for several decades. IBM is a leading provider of solutions and services that transform an organization’s relationship-building, data management and business intelligence. IBM helps its clients uncover new business opportunities and empowers them to leverage their resources.

One success story centers on Johnson & Johnson’s surgical supply provider, Ethicon Limited and their partnership with IBM in bringing mobile service to 15 of the largest hospitals to help them process and order supplies more efficiently. The hospitals had been using manual to processing methods.

IBM and Ethicon developed a handheld application to process orders instantaneously with IBM Mobile Connect and IBM AS/400. The system saves Ethicon several hours of order processing per day and eliminates errors resulting from the manual entry of orders. Expecting the service process more than $30 million in orders during the first year of use, Ethicon plans future rollouts throughout Europe.

The main goal was to provide a system that was faster, more efficient and more accurate. Most importantly, hospital emergency rooms need to be properly stocked with supplies. Ethicon customer benefits, in summary:

• Faster order entry. 10% of supply managers' daily work time redeployed.

• Faster service. 80% reduction in the time it takes to place orders.

• Proactive stock management. Access to bulk purchase savings, better supply management.

• An affordable solution. Free order automation, a jumpstart on e-business growth.

• Revenue growth opportunities. Wireless customers expected to submit $30 million in orders during the first year

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