See attached
DB Unit V
• Your initial post should be at least 300 words in length.
• Your initial post should include at least one APA-formatted scholarly, professional, or textbook reference with accompanying in-text citation to support any paraphrased, summarized, or quoted material.
You are the owner of a discount furniture company that has expanded from a rural store in one state to 20 stores across the United States. Discuss at least one reason why your company should think about implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. Discuss at least one challenge to implementing an ERP.
Response 1:
Peter Lopez
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ERP Benefits and Challenges for a Growing Furniture Company
When a discount furniture business expands from a single rural store to a nationwide network of twenty locations, leadership must shift from managing individual stores to managing a coordinated enterprise. At this level of growth, relying on disconnected systems is not sustainable. An enterprise resource planning system becomes a strategic requirement rather than a convenience. Laudon and Laudon (2022) describe enterprise systems as platforms that integrate major business functions into a unified structure, allowing information to move smoothly throughout the organization. For a furniture retailer, this means that digital automation provides reliable, consistently updated data on inventory, sales, supply chain activity, and financial performance. Leaders and managers can make decisions based on complete and timely information rather than assumptions or outdated reports.
In practical terms, ERP prevents common problems that appear in multi-store operations. It reduces inconsistent stock levels, improves communication between stores and warehouses, and strengthens forecasting and vendor management through centralized data. Automation also reduces waste and helps the company maintain efficient operations as it grows. Staff are no longer required to perform repetitive manual updates, allowing them to focus on responsibilities that directly support the business’s vision. These improvements extend to customers as well. Accurate product availability, fewer delays, and faster service all contribute to a more dependable customer experience and strengthen the company’s reputation as it expands.
Implementing ERP also brings challenges that leadership must address with clear direction. Employees and managers may find it difficult to adjust to new workflows, reporting structures, and productivity expectations, especially when they are accustomed to legacy systems that feel familiar and predictable. These changes require consistent communication, so employees understand the purpose behind the transition and the long-term value it brings. Beyond the human factors, ERP requires a significant financial investment and careful planning. Data migration must be executed with precision for accuracy, integrity, and security throughout the process. Although these demands are significant, they are manageable when leaders offer a clear vision, establish expectations, and guide the organization through the transition. With proper preparation and strong leadership, ERP becomes a foundation that supports coordinated operations, informed decisions, improved customer service, and sustainable long-term growth.
Reference
Laudon, K. C. and Laudon, J. L. (2022).
Management information systems: Managing the digital firm (17th ed.). Pearson.
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Response 2:
Nicole Burden
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If my discount furniture company were to grow from a single rural store into a 20store chain spread across several states, implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system would become an important strategic option. One key reason such a company might consider ERP is to gain a single, accurate view of inventory and costs across all locations. Without an integrated system, each store could end up tracking stock and sales differently, making it difficult for management to know which recliners, bedroom sets, or clearance items are truly available and where they are located. Laudon and Laudon describe enterprise systems like ERP as tools that integrate information from sales, inventory, purchasing, and finance into one shared database, improving operational efficiency and supporting better decision-making (Laudon & Laudon, 2021). In a discount furniture context, this level of integration could help reduce stockouts, avoid overordering slowmoving items, and protect thin margins by identifying which products are profitable across the entire chain (Laudon & Laudon, 2021).
However, moving from one store to a 20store nationwide operation and introducing ERP at the same time would also create significant challenges. One major challenge would be the effort required to standardize and clean up data from the original store and any new locations so that the ERP system can use consistent product codes, descriptions, and pricing. This kind of data preparation is timeconsuming but critical for enterprise systems to function properly. Laudon and Laudon note that implementing enterprise systems often requires redesigning business processes and changing how employees do their daily work, which can create resistance and temporary performance issues if not managed carefully (Laudon & Laudon, 2021). For a rapidly expanding furniture retailer, the company would need to invest in training and change management so staff in all 20 stores can adopt standardized procedures and use the new system effectively. Despite these difficulties, ERP could provide the information foundation needed to manage a 20store U.S. furniture chain in a coordinated and efficient way over the long term (Laudon & Laudon, 2021).
Reference
Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2021).
Management information systems: Managing the digital firm (17th ed.). Pearson Education (US).
https
://online.vitalsource.com/books/9780136971627
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