Review Questions
R1. What does it mean to have a stovepiped enterprise?
In a stovepiped enterprise, each functional area is relatively isolated from the other
functional areas and decisions may be made without a realization of how they may affect
the other functional areas. The isolation of functional areas need not be physical; two
departments that are physically located on the same floor of the same building may not
fully understand each other’s operations and objectives, nor how they fit together within
the broad scope of the enterprise.
R2. What does it mean to have stovepiped systems?
In a stovepiped system, data and processes within each system or software application
are relatively isolated from each other and data is typically stored separately in each.
Changes made in one system to data that is also stored in other systems do not get
made in the others. Redundancy leads to inconsistency and to poor decision support.
R3. What are some impediments enterprises may encounter in their efforts to integrate their
information systems?
Resistance to change is the main impediment enterprises will face. Integration is likely
to require at least some of the people in the enterprise to learn a new software
application because of the need to switch to a common set of building blocks. If new
software is not available or cannot be implemented, then impediments may include
differences in operating systems, the need to build bridges between the existing
systems, cost, and so forth.
,R4. What does the phrase “paving the cowpaths” mean with respect to re-engineering?
Hammer describes paving the cowpaths as the embedding of outdated processes in
silicon and software. That is, enterprises simply use technology to seed up existing
processes without considering whether the processes themselves need to be changed.
R5. What are three common types of integration attempts currently used by enterprises?
One common type of integration in enterprise systems is the manual transfer of
information from one system into another, e.g. printing the data from one system and re-
keying it into the other, or downloading it into a generic format from the one system and
uploading it into the other system.
A second common type of integration in enterprise systems is the automated transfer of
information from one system into another via the use of program code that forms bridges
between the disparate systems. This approach is similar to the manual download and
upload of information from one system to the other. Best of breed software is an
example of this type of integration.
A third common type of integration in enterprise systems is the use of single source ERP
solutions. Even the use of a sole ERP software package is somewhat similar to the
automated transfer of information from one system into another; most ERP systems are
made up of separate modules with program code that forms bridges between them.
A less common but more desirable form of integration in enterprise systems is the use of
a common building block for all parts of the system.
,
, Discussion Questions
D1. What are the different degrees to which an information system may be integrated, and what
are the pros and cons to each approach?
Information systems may have no inherent integration. In such cases one must either
collect the same data in each separate system, or one must devise a mechanism by
which information may be transferred from one system into the other, e.g. printing the
data from one system and re-keying it into the other, or downloading it into a generic
format from the one system and uploading it into the other system.
Pros – each separate system has ownership of the data for the decisions needed in its
functional area; system structure consistent with the silos of actual business the system
represents
Cons – redundant data is stored and will lead to data inconsistency; wasted storage
space and duplication of efforts; extra manual effort is required, either to collect data in
an area even though another area is also collecting it, or to transfer the data from one
system to another
Information systems may use program code to form bridges between disparate systems
by which information may be automatically transferred.
Pros – each separate system has ownership of the data for the decisions needed in its
functional area; system structure consistent with the silos of actual business the system
represents
Cons – redundant data is stored and will lead to data inconsistency; wasted storage
space and duplication of efforts
Information systems may be integrated via the use of a single source ERP solution.
Even the use of a sole ERP software package is somewhat similar to the automated
transfer of information from one system into another; most ERP systems are made up of
separate modules with program code that forms bridges between them.
Pros – data redundancy is reduced or eliminated
Cons – confusion exists as to data ownership
R1. What does it mean to have a stovepiped enterprise?
In a stovepiped enterprise, each functional area is relatively isolated from the other
functional areas and decisions may be made without a realization of how they may affect
the other functional areas. The isolation of functional areas need not be physical; two
departments that are physically located on the same floor of the same building may not
fully understand each other’s operations and objectives, nor how they fit together within
the broad scope of the enterprise.
R2. What does it mean to have stovepiped systems?
In a stovepiped system, data and processes within each system or software application
are relatively isolated from each other and data is typically stored separately in each.
Changes made in one system to data that is also stored in other systems do not get
made in the others. Redundancy leads to inconsistency and to poor decision support.
R3. What are some impediments enterprises may encounter in their efforts to integrate their
information systems?
Resistance to change is the main impediment enterprises will face. Integration is likely
to require at least some of the people in the enterprise to learn a new software
application because of the need to switch to a common set of building blocks. If new
software is not available or cannot be implemented, then impediments may include
differences in operating systems, the need to build bridges between the existing
systems, cost, and so forth.
,R4. What does the phrase “paving the cowpaths” mean with respect to re-engineering?
Hammer describes paving the cowpaths as the embedding of outdated processes in
silicon and software. That is, enterprises simply use technology to seed up existing
processes without considering whether the processes themselves need to be changed.
R5. What are three common types of integration attempts currently used by enterprises?
One common type of integration in enterprise systems is the manual transfer of
information from one system into another, e.g. printing the data from one system and re-
keying it into the other, or downloading it into a generic format from the one system and
uploading it into the other system.
A second common type of integration in enterprise systems is the automated transfer of
information from one system into another via the use of program code that forms bridges
between the disparate systems. This approach is similar to the manual download and
upload of information from one system to the other. Best of breed software is an
example of this type of integration.
A third common type of integration in enterprise systems is the use of single source ERP
solutions. Even the use of a sole ERP software package is somewhat similar to the
automated transfer of information from one system into another; most ERP systems are
made up of separate modules with program code that forms bridges between them.
A less common but more desirable form of integration in enterprise systems is the use of
a common building block for all parts of the system.
,
, Discussion Questions
D1. What are the different degrees to which an information system may be integrated, and what
are the pros and cons to each approach?
Information systems may have no inherent integration. In such cases one must either
collect the same data in each separate system, or one must devise a mechanism by
which information may be transferred from one system into the other, e.g. printing the
data from one system and re-keying it into the other, or downloading it into a generic
format from the one system and uploading it into the other system.
Pros – each separate system has ownership of the data for the decisions needed in its
functional area; system structure consistent with the silos of actual business the system
represents
Cons – redundant data is stored and will lead to data inconsistency; wasted storage
space and duplication of efforts; extra manual effort is required, either to collect data in
an area even though another area is also collecting it, or to transfer the data from one
system to another
Information systems may use program code to form bridges between disparate systems
by which information may be automatically transferred.
Pros – each separate system has ownership of the data for the decisions needed in its
functional area; system structure consistent with the silos of actual business the system
represents
Cons – redundant data is stored and will lead to data inconsistency; wasted storage
space and duplication of efforts
Information systems may be integrated via the use of a single source ERP solution.
Even the use of a sole ERP software package is somewhat similar to the automated
transfer of information from one system into another; most ERP systems are made up of
separate modules with program code that forms bridges between them.
Pros – data redundancy is reduced or eliminated
Cons – confusion exists as to data ownership
