Organizational Development. Management Research Paper

Annotated Bibliography
Kunle Adex
American Public University System
Dr. Angela Mosby
MGMT603
06/09/2020
Abstract
Organizational development enables corporations to transition into an effective change. Today, a vast majority of organizations are implementing technological changes to capitalize on their productivity, boost their competitiveness, and create a business that stands out in the marketplace. The contemporary business world must identify new customs of working that ought to be smarter, more agile, and quicker. Deployment of a modern ERP application has become crucial in the current business landscape, and the automobile manufacturing companies like General Motors are not an exception. The company seeks to improve its competitiveness and productivity through the adoption of a new Enterprise Resource Planning system. This research paper aims to interpret the process, direction, and purpose of implementing technological changes in a car manufacturing company. It further provides insights into ensuring the successful execution of the entire process to obtain optimum benefits. The results of the findings obtained from this research indicate that the proper choice of an ERP application infused with efficient managerial implementation can provide GM the prospect of making strides towards the execution of strategic goals. The results of these findings can be used to develop more appropriate theories and methodologies that can be used by other automobile companies to implement their ERP system successfully and achieve maximum benefits.
Organizational Development
With powerful brands like Cadillac, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Buick, Hummer, Opel, and Vauxhall, GM is the leading full-line auto manufacturer and dealer. Technological changes involve new technology, process, or service that is aimed at enhancing organizational performance. The company intends to implement a modern ERP application in order to enhance its effectiveness.
An ERP system can be regarded as a vehicle that makes automating business processes more comfortable and smoother. Such a system can typically impact the entire company and is often associated with reengineering the business process. It can fundamentally change the way GM conducts its businesses. Executing an ERP system will enable the business to achieve numerous benefits in regards to performance. It will provide the ability to make operations more cost-effective and efficient by standardizing operations, reducing redundant work, and maintaining accurate data that can be used for various purposes, including reference for past performance and future opportunities.
However, an ERP implementation must be managed carefully, and changes in business practices must be made to maximize the benefits of technological change. General Motors, being one of the corporations that need to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology and changing business environment, should ensure the effective implementation of a modern ERP. Even when the implementation is successful, the company needs to acquire long-lived competitive gain through the Enterprise Resource Planning system (Zhu, Li, Wang, & Chen, 2010). This research paper focuses on ERPs in the automobile sector, providing a comprehensive analysis and a more in-depth understanding of this domain. Several articles were analyzed and organized into the vital areas of technology management. The rest of the paper focuses on the effects of ERP implementation on work and organizations, areas affected by these technological changes, and essential factors in successful system implementation.
Limitations
This research was limited by the availability of time and personnel with substantial experience in the implementation of ERP systems in automobile companies.
Research Questions
The paper addresses the following research questions:
What areas will the new technologies affect?
How will the company benefit from implementing a modern ERP system?
How do you determine the best ERP application?
How is the system selected and implemented?
Methodology
A qualitative investigative study methodology is used to answer these research questions. The significant features of this qualitative research involve analyzing perspectives in different articles and assessing descriptive data collected through combining literature reviews and other research analyses. The empirical section comprises several studies concerning the effect of ERPs on organizations. Data collection was also advanced using document analysis. The documents were vigilantly deliberated, and pertinent information was obtained. The idea was to gather further information relevant to this research.
Literature Review
Organizational development involves developing a business that is fit for today and tomorrow as well. It consists in merging different branches of knowledge to plan, develop, and execute technological changes to form and accomplish the company's operational and strategic objectives. The technological changes will affect different areas such as inventory, human resource, management, customer service, finance, accounts, and documentation, among others.
There are numerous benefits associated with the implementation of modern ERPs in the automobile industry. These can range from being quite broad and general to very specific. A company can implement an ERP application anticipating both tangible and intangible benefits. They present an opportunity to incorporate all business practices while simultaneously enhancing the quality of several areas (Eresource Infortech Private Limited, 2019).
Assessing the features and functionality of an application beforehand can help an organization determine its effect on performance. Different studies have revealed that organizations ought to select the right system depending on their needs and budget.
With numerous ERP applications available, choosing an ideal one can be a challenge. The following features are vital in ERP software selection:
Design
A good system must have a simple but powerful design. Speed is an essential consideration as it determines the rate of completing operations. An ERP needs to be accurate to enable the organization to make decisions confidently. Correct formulae facilitate proper analysis and processing of data. Also, a modern application ought to have reporting modules across different hierarchies. The software needs to promote simplicity and organized workflow, which can be determined in its user-friendliness.
Flexibility
The company needs to select an ERP that contains a modular technology that allows it to function efficiently even as the business expands. The system should also be configurable, allowing modifications to different functions and processes without requiring software changes.
Security
Cybersecurity is one of the primary concerns in the current highly technological world. The ideal applicant must be highly secured from unnecessary intrusion from people with unlawful intentions. It should also be safe from innocent prying. All the modules in the software ought to have permission-driven architecture, ensuring that users can only view, edit, or delete the data for which they have permission. Besides, the ERP needs to allow the system administrator to adopt the best security strategies.
Browser and mobile responsive
An ERP system that runs on both desktop and mobile devices can help the company in the long run. The best application should run from all browsers, making it easy to run operations, maintain, and minimize costs.
Testing the scalability of the product before implementation is also essential for a successful implementation. Having adequate and fully development implementation plans is also a lesson learned from the literature. Planning is closely associated with a strategic organizational structure, which is a crucial concept for successful implementation. Additionally, a company needs to select the right consultants for the project. An analysis of a case study of a multinational firm in Egypt notes that companies need to align their objectives with a tactical organizational purpose to achieve optimal benefits (Elragal & El Kommos, 2012).
ERP System Adoption
ERP systems can be defined as customizable apps that improve the management of processes through the integration of organizational data. They enable managers to run several critical tasks in different departments like human resources, customer service, front office, procurement, accounting, and risk and compliance management, among others. In this case, organizations can decide between the web and on-premise systems. The ideal arrangement will depend on the firm's requirements and budget. Notably, these applications can offer significant benefits to businesses of all sizes and types. These benefits can include data collection and the automation of routine tasks (Humanity.com, Inc. 2020, Jan 16).
Modern ERPs can improve the overall performance of the company and increase its productivity. An ERP application is a vital tool that automobile companies rely on, to integrate different business units. The system combines various business applications into one comprehensive package, offering the means to track operations across the business in real-time. Addition...