Access the full case story of Mar-Bal Company (the AIS-at-Work for this chapter) at www.iqms.com. Then, respond to each of the following requirements:

Requirements

1. Review the items in Figure 12-10, which lists indicators that a company may need a new or upgraded processing system. For each item, provide a specific example from the case description. If the case does not address a particular item or it does not seem to apply, simply state “NA.”

2. Review the items listed in Figure 12-9, which lists possible measures of the value of an ERP. For each item, provide a specific example from the case description. If the case does not address a particular item or it does not seem to apply, simply state “NA.”

3. What are some of the intangible benefits Mar-Bal appears to enjoy from its new ERP system? Create a list with brief explanations.

4. Mal-Bar’s case does not explicitly address the issue of business process engineering (BPR) that often happens when organizations install new ERP systems. Would you guess that none took place, or would you argue the opposite? Defend your answer.