Workshop: ERP Research Stream Perspectives; Toward a Focused Decision, Modeling, and Learning Research Agenda via ERP Simulation (Half-day Workshop)
Leaders: Timothy Paul Cronan, David Douglas, Patrick Charland, Pierre-Majorique Léger and Jacques Robert 

 
This workshop is intended for faculty teaching and conducting research in the field of enterprise research planning. The objective is to provide a forum for interested faculty to share research results and ideas, as well as develop an agenda for ERP research. One primary research focus of this research agenda building workshop is ERP Learning and Decision Modeling using ERP Simulation. The aim of this workshop is to bring together researchers and educators who wish to use an alternative medium (simulation) in ERP research as well as their classes.

ERP Simulation Game-- The HEC Montréal ERP simulation game is a real-time business simulation where the only interface between the simulator and the participants is a real ERP system, namely SAP R/3™. Hence, participants are put in a situation in which they have to run their business (making business decisions) using an ERP system similar those used by the world’s largest companies. The simulation game provides a unique and new way to teach enterprise system concepts.

Research using the ERP Simulation Method: This component of the session will include research study results (learning, attitudes, perceptions, etc.) for several companies and for several classes who have used the ERP simulation game for learning ERP and SAP. Since we are able to track all transactions used by the participants through the course of the simulation, it provides access to usage data that are typically not available to researchers.

Teaching using the ERP Simulation Method: Teams of four to six participants operate a firm in a make-to-order manufacturing supply chain. This requires that they interact with suppliers and customers by sending and receiving orders, delivering their products and completing the entire cash-to-cash cycle. The simulation software – ERPsim – automates (i) the sales process so that every firm receives a large number of orders every minute, (ii) the procurement process to account for delivery delays, and (iii) the production process to account for capacity constraints. Using standard and customized managerial reports, participants analyze transactional data to make business decisions and ensure the profitability of their firm.

This workshop is intended for faculty teaching and conducting research in the fields of enterprise resource planning, enterprise systems, team decision making, and IT learning.

Timothy Paul Cronan (pcronan@walton.uark.edu) is Professor of Information Systems and Vice Chair at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and holds the M. D. Matthews Endowed Chair in Information Systems. His research interests include ERP decision modeling, change management, as well as ethics behavior (piracy and privacy).

David Douglas (ddouglas@walton.uark.edu) is University Professor of Information Systems at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, at the University of Arkansas.  He received his bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees in Industrial Engineering at the University of Arkansas.  He teaches in a wide variety of information systems areas including programming, systems development, database management systems, enterprise systems and business intelligence/knowledge management with emphasis on data mining and data warehouses.  He is chair of the Enterprise Computing Steering Committee at the University of Arkansas. 

Patrick Charland (charland.patrick@uqam.ca) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Education and Pedagogy at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM, Canada). He holds a M.Sc. in physics and a PhD in science and technology education, with a specialty in environmental education. His research focuses on teachers’ and trainers’ practices in a context of educational change.

Pierre-Majorique Léger (Pierre-Majorique.Leger@hec.ca) is Associate Professor in Information Technologies at HEC-Montreal (Canada)and director of ERPsim Lab. He holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering (Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal) and a post-doctorate in information technologies (HEC Montreal). His research focus on the diffusion in networks, on the value of IT investments and on electronic collaboration in supply chain.

Jacques Robert (Jacques.Robert@hec.ca) is Associate Professor in Information Technologies at HEC-Montreal (Canada), co-creator of the ERP Simulation Game and fellow at CIRANO. He holds a PhD in Economics (Western Ontario). His research is in applied game theory and experimental economics.