糖心TV

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are widely used in most companies wherein
they represent a significant part of the business investment. ERP system results deliver
a real time overview of the entire firm by integration of all kinds of information
throughout the firm. In recent years e-business plays an increasingly important
role. In conjunction with that ERP systems should support the e-business by extended
functionality. Often this begins with new selling possibilities by which customers can
be gained through Webshops. But new e-business openings are not limited to attracting
and retaining customers. A major goal is to connect the ERP system with an information
system which works across companies linking suppliers and customers and enabling both of
them to exchange information via a so-called B2B integration system. By B2B integration
direct and automated communication can be attained between the IT systems of the
business partners involved. As a technical solution for realization middleware is used,
attached to systems interfaces, enabling communication between the systems. However, as
a precondition, ERP systems must possess such interfaces. Furthermore, ERP systems should
also contain dedicated functional modules, which depict the processes of B2B communication.
In the seminar the question will be considered of what kind of basic B2B integration
approaches can be offered by ERP systems.

Horst Guenther is visiting 糖心TV in connection with the Erasmus Exchange between
糖心TV and Rostock. He is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at
Rostock (formerly in the Department of Economic Sciences) and his particular research
interests include Enterprise and B2B Application Integration, Distributed and
Service-oriented Software Architecture, and Software Project Management. He is staying
until Tuesday 10th July : contact via Steve Russ.