Application of information systems in business. Business process and enterprise information management. Definition of classes of systems and enumeration of their functionality Modern information systems in management and business
"Financial newspaper", 2009, N 24
Process management is becoming a de facto standard for many managers, however, without the use of modern tools, it is quite difficult to organize business process management in a company, and this is primarily due to their complexity as objects of management. In addition to defining a business process, describing it, improving and regulating it, its "end-to-end" automation is required for implementation in the company.
For a business process to become manageable, it is necessary to ensure the routing of tasks in accordance with its logic, as well as control parameters such as the execution time of individual functions, deviations from the standard execution time, and the cost of the process. If a company uses such a tool, then we can talk about creating a full cycle of business process management, within which, taking into account the collected statistics, this process is being improved.
Despite the general enthusiasm for the implementation of ERP-class systems, the results obtained do not provide "end-to-end" automation of business processes, and therefore now there is a growing interest in solving its problems using specialized information systems of the Business Process Management System (BPMS, BPM-system).
Systems of the BPMS class are inheritors of workflow systems, while the term workflow refers to the management of the workflow and, through it, the business process. According to the glossary of the international organization Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC), workflow is a full or partial automation of a business process, in which documents, information or tasks are transferred to perform the necessary actions from one participant to another in accordance with a set of procedural rules. An expert from the Delphi Group, a Boston-based workflow consultancy, comments on this: "Workflow management emphasizes the importance of a process that acts as a container for information ... This model is based on processes, not information." Consequently, a workflow / BPM system is a system that enables the creation, implementation and management of a workflow using software that can interpret the description of a business process, interact with workflow participants, and, if necessary, call the appropriate applications. In fact, workflow / BPM systems are the reaction of the IT market to process approach to management.
At the same time, the realities of the Russian market for automating business processes have their own specifics associated with a fairly strong presence in the market of Document Management System - DMS systems, which, in addition to the functionality of storing and retrieving documents, have document routing modules - Docflow. The problem is that many customers still do not distinguish between the functionality of Docflow and Workflow, and when choosing information systems, they are looking for a single platform for solving problems of document management and business process management, despite the fact that these are different classes of systems. Therefore, when choosing an information system, there are often requirements for the functionality that is present in systems of different classes, which shows the insufficient development of the markets for information systems for document management and business process management, as a result of which they are trying to solve tasks that are different in nature with the help of one tool.
A clear boundary for the use of systems of the BPMS class is the focus on the management of business processes, and not documents. If the business process has a clear logic and a large number of copies per day, for example, a retail banking banking process (more than 1000 applications per day), then, of course, the main task will be the routing of loan applications, while the task of searching and storing will be secondary. In such cases, when the object of automation is a business process, the use of BPM systems is most justified. However, if the task is to automate the free routing of documents across the company (without clearly defined processing algorithms) and with a low frequency of execution, then DMS systems containing Docflow functionality will be preferable.
The implementation of BPM systems is closely related to the implementation of process management in a company, and without focusing on business processes as management objects, it will be complex and ineffective. If a company works through a system of registration and registration of documents, then in order to switch to business process management and use of a BPM system, it is necessary to first identify and standardize the main business processes, and only then proceed to their automation, which will require changes in the areas of authority and responsibility in the company. ...
The main classes of BPM systems
If you analyze the analytical materials, you can see that Gartner analysts divide the BPM systems market into two large segments. The first segment is the market for BPM systems (system-to-system), and these solutions are initially focused on integration between information systems. They are mainly used for the internal integration of business processes taking place in information systems. An example of such integration can be the billing process in a telecommunications company, where many information systems can be used, the functions of which are performed without human intervention, but the systems must be integrated with each other for "end-to-end" automation of this process.
The second segment of the BPM systems market is BPM (human-to-human) systems, which are primarily designed to automate work sequences, i.e. business processes performed by people.
In total, according to Gartner analysts, there are five classes of BPM systems:
administrative systems responsible for the control of orders;
tools for organizing teamwork with a primary focus on document management, which can be attributed to the functionality of Docflow;
BPM components of other systems - internal workflow modules in other systems;
BPM systems intended for integration - systems with system-to-system integration functionality;
independent BPM-systems that allow solving the problems of automating business processes performed by people.
It should be noted that the BPM systems market, despite the strong dynamics of development, has a large number of suppliers, which, according to Gartner analysts, will lead to large-scale mergers and acquisitions in the near future. Developers of "heavy" ERP and CRM systems are increasing the workflow functionality in their solutions, and in addition to this, Document Management System (DMS) document management systems include purchased or their own workflow modules, which together leads to increased competition in this market and tasks of choosing a BPM system.
Applications of BPM systems
In most cases, the use of BPM systems is most effective in those industries where companies initially have a process organization of activities and specificity in the logic of business processes, as well as a high frequency of changes in existing processes. For such companies, BPM systems are the only way to automate processes, since the use of "monolithic" IT solutions or proprietary developments, as a rule, leads to the fact that, due to emerging business changes, these solutions quickly cease to meet new requirements.
The banking industry is one of the main consumers of BPM systems. This is due to the peculiarities of the organization of front-office processes at each bank. The most common example of using BPM systems in a bank is the automation of retail lending processes. Proof of this is the automation of the Car Loan process in Sobinbank, carried out by IDS Scheer specialists on the Ultimus BPM Suite platform. Examples of other banking business processes for which BPM systems are used to automate are processes for managing customer service requests in a referral service (changing address, refunding payments, managing an account, and opening new accounts). Almost the entire front-office of banks can be automated using BPMS, and in addition to this is integrated with other information systems used in the bank.
In the telecommunications industry, BPMS can be used to automate the processes associated with processing requests from multiple customers. For example, the process "Organization of subscriber connection" was automated in the telecommunications company KOMKOR using the Ultimus BPM Suite BPM system. These companies can also automate the processes of user incident management (Trouble Ticket), etc.
For energy companies, the most effective use of BPM systems in processes that are associated with serving a large number of customers. One of these processes is technological connection to the network, within the framework of which the interaction of the company's clients and several internal divisions takes place. In addition, other processes can be automated, for example, in one of the energy companies, the procedure for coding and approving invoices was automated.
It is important to note that a BPM system can also be used to automate auxiliary business processes. Service and purchase requests processing, personnel management, payroll, ticket and car ordering - all these processes are already automated using BPM-systems, which has been confirmed in the form of completed projects.
The quality management system is another area of use for BPM systems, and this is primarily associated with records management processes, which can also be automated. Moreover, quality control procedures can be built into processes automated with BPMS, eliminating a lot of routine work. Some companies use BPMS to manage compliance with laws such as Sarbanes-Oxley (SOx), which allows them to create a system internal control, most of the actions in which are performed in an automatic mode (control procedures, creation of evidence of control, etc.).
Another broad area of use for BPM systems is public administration... Examples of administrative and managerial processes automated using BPM systems can be responding to complaints from citizens, tracking administrative correspondence, issuing licenses or permits, etc. There are examples of using BPM systems in healthcare to automate registration processes for new customers and in consulting companies ( inclusion of new employees in activities, development of commercial proposals, negotiation of contracts, personnel management).
Criteria for choosing BPM systems
Its further use essentially depends on the correct choice of the information system of the BPMS class. However, today most decisions are made intuitively, which often leads to frustration with automation results. When choosing a BPM system, as a rule, they are guided only by external signs - the number of installations, the "loudness" of the name and, of course, the cost. At the same time, no special attention is paid to its functionality and technical implementation, which leads to limitations in further work: lack of cross-platform, insufficient scalability, difficulty in making changes. Making a choice without understanding the technical and functional parameters of the BPM system, you can make a mistake, which in the future will be impossible to correct without loss, therefore, it is necessary to answer the following questions:
how to choose an information system depending on the goals and objectives of the business and the current state of automation;
how to prioritize business processes that require automation;
whether the effect of implementation will exceed the cost of purchasing a BPM system.
One of the key steps in choosing a BPM system is developing system and supplier requirements. As part of this work, the most critical business processes are determined, an audit of the IT infrastructure is carried out, the boundaries of automation are determined, and requirements from key users of the company are collected. The number of these requirements can vary widely, for example, for large companies it can be about 500, and for small about 100. For the convenience of working with such a number of requirements, it is necessary to classify them into groups: functional, technical, cost, to the supplier. This allows you to apply different methods of rationing, weighting and evaluation for each group and to achieve the highest quality assessment of the BPM system's compliance with the needs of the company. Analysts at Gartner suggest paying attention to the following requirements when choosing a BPM system:
support for human-to-human tasks and user-friendliness of the user interface;
support for the organizational structure and role groups;
the ability to reassign tasks, promptly intervene in the process and handle exceptional situations;
the ability to control the logic of the process from the user's workplace;
ease of use and administration;
the presence of graphical tools for developing models of a business process;
supported architectures and standards;
performance and scalability;
the ability to serve multiple, lengthy and distributed processes;
clear configuration interface and the possibility of minimal participation of IT specialists in implementation and support;
the possibility of informing in real time on the deviations of the process indicators;
support for service-oriented architecture (SOA - Service Oriented Architecture);
the presence of business process templates, on the basis of which new processes can be developed;
low total cost of ownership.
Taking these requirements for a BPM system as a basis and adding the specialized requirements of your company, you can get an understanding of what the selected BPM system should be.
Further, the participants in the tender are determined by collecting information on the existing BPM systems. Now there are about 50 large BPMS suppliers on the Russian market, and their number is growing from year to year, so it is necessary to systematically approach the process of collecting information. Information about BPM systems can be obtained as a result of analysis of open sources, on the basis of which a list of systems to be accepted for consideration is compiled, and then, using forms (RFI - Request For Information), a request for information is sent to suppliers. Based on the responses received, primary analysis for compliance with the requirements, after which the participants in the tender are determined.
After the participants are determined, a tender is held by drawing up and sending to the suppliers a request for a commercial proposal (RFP - Request For Proposal) containing a complete list of requirements for a BPM system. Based on the responses of the participants, the evaluation of commercial proposals takes place, while it is also recommended to "try" how these systems will work on the real data of the company. For this, a test case of a business process is being prepared or a "pilot" implementation of a BPM system is carried out on one process.
The experience of project implementation has shown that the choice of a BPM system can be made within a month. During this time, it is possible to form the necessary and sufficient requirements and, taking them into account, select a BPM system and an implementation team.
Conclusion
According to Gartner analysts, by 2012 most companies will have acquired experience in business process management and will embark on the path of their improvement.
The transition to process management can be gradual and carried out through the automation of small procedures and auxiliary processes using BPM systems, therefore, when choosing a BPM system, you need to understand strategic advantages approach from the point of view of changing the management system of the company. It is important to note that the process approach and BPM systems will allow the use of such modern approaches as a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).
However, the main obstacle to the implementation of BPMS in Russia is the lack of understanding of all the advantages of process management. Adherence to a functional management scheme often does not make it possible to fully automate business processes and implement process management. But at the same time, increased competition in many Russian industries allows us to hope that the tasks of improving business processes will become an urgent need, which will cause even greater interest in BPM systems.
A.Koptelov
Project Director "Controlling 24"
IDS Scheer Russia and CIS countries
MOSCOW INSTITUTE OF RADIO ENGINEERING, ELECTRONICS AND AUTOMATION (TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY)
Faculty: VIS (Information Systems)
Specialty: ASOiU
ESSAY
Topic: "Information management systems
business processes of the enterprise.
ERP-systemLAWSONM3 -
alternativeSAP,
Oracle,
Axapta»
Group: VIS-8-03 Teacher: Yashin L.Z. Student: Volkov A.N. Moscow 2006
Introduction 1. Goals and objectives of information systems (IS) 2. Classification of IP 3. Choice, requirements, assessment of the effectiveness of IP implementation 3.1. IP selection problems 3.2. IP requirements 3.3. Evaluation of the effectiveness of IP implementation 4. ERP-system for managing business processes of an industrial enterprise 5. LAWSON M3 - alternative to SAP, Oracle, Axapta 5.1. LAWSON М3 - An Integrated Approach to Business Management 5.2. Comparison of the ERP system LAWSON M3 with closest competitors 5.3. Competitive advantages of LAWSON M3 5.4. Industry solutions based on LAWSON M3 Conclusion List of used literature Appendix # 1: Keywords of modern control technologies Introduction Today, optimal business management strategies are becoming the main factor in creating a long-term competitive advantage and increasing the investment attractiveness of a company. Effective management is the same resource as money or material values. It is this resource that helps to dynamically respond to the constantly changing market situation, control all aspects of the enterprise's activities, quickly identify bottlenecks and concentrate efforts exactly where they are most needed at the moment. We constantly hear that Russian enterprises cannot compete with Western manufacturers, that our technologies are not so developed, and that the quality of Russian products is too inferior to foreign counterparts. The problem is that Russian managers began to face at least two management problems: · It turns out that the indicators and procedures that were previously used to analyze and plan the activities of the enterprise (for example, the volume of products produced) do not allow you to successfully compete; · The emergence of competitors not only begins to hinder the receipt of the usual super-profit, but sometimes reduces it to zero. In modern conditions, effective management is a valuable resource of an organization, along with financial, material, human and other resources. Consequently, increasing the efficiency of management activities is becoming one of the areas of improving the activities of the enterprise as a whole. The most obvious way to increase the efficiency of the labor process is to automate it. But what is really, say, for a strictly formalized production process, is by no means so obvious for such an elegant sphere as management. While developing information systems (IS), it is necessary to strive for the production part of the business, creating the possibility not only of a primitive set of information, optimization of business processes and other implementation attributes, but also providing the possibility of analytical processing of information at the level of product properties, technologies, resources, and so on. It's no secret that often the approach to automation is like this: you need to automate everything, and therefore we buy a powerful integrated system and we implement it all module by module. But only later it turns out that the effect obtained is very far from what was expected and the money was wasted. Sometimes it is necessary to implement only a few specialized and inexpensive applications and link them on the basis of an integration platform or, where necessary, use the functionality of an ERP system. All these issues can and should be resolved at the design stage, that is, to consciously approach the choice of automation tools, comparing costs with the expected effect. In this case, it is not worth adhering to the principle “the more functions, the better”. The more the system "can", the more expensive it costs and there is a possibility that not all of its functionality will be used, and it will not pay for itself. At present, it is intensively proposed to introduce corporate information systems (CIS). On the pages of magazines, on the Internet, you can see a large number of materials that raise this or that brainchild of monsters, and so on. At the same time, the spread is very large both in terms of prices, terms of work performance, and services provided. In addition to everything else, various ideologies of business management MRP, MRP2, ERP and so on are used. The most difficult thing is to build a unified system that will meet the needs of employees of all departments. Each of the divisions can have its own software, optimized for its own peculiarities of work. The information system can combine them all in one integrated program that works with a single database, so that all departments can more easily exchange information and communicate with each other. This integrated approach promises to be very rewarding if companies can set up the system correctly. 1. Goals and objectives of information systems An enterprise is a single organism, and improving one thing can lead to the slightest shift towards success at best, or to a decrease overall indicators at worst. Executives, and especially finance executives, need to make complex decisions that affect the entire enterprise. And the workload of solving operational tasks further complicates the management process. To simplify the management of an enterprise, primarily financial, it is necessary to have an effective information system that includes planning, management and analysis functions. What can the introduction of an information system give: Reducing the total costs of the enterprise in the supply chain (for purchases), Increasing the speed of goods turnover, Reduction of surplus commodity stocks to a minimum, Increase and complication of the range of products, Improvement of product quality, · Fulfilling orders on time and improving the overall quality of customer service. CIS performs technological functions for the accumulation, storage, transmission and processing of information. It develops, is formed and functions in the regulations determined by the methods and structure of management activities adopted at a specific economic facility, realizes the goals and objectives facing it. The main goals of automation of the enterprise are: · Collection, processing, analysis, storage and presentation of data on the activities of the organization and the external environment in a form convenient for making management decisions; · Automation of the execution of business operations (technological operations) that make up the target activities of the enterprise; · Automation of processes that ensure the implementation of the main activity. 2. Classification of information systems It is proposed to use the following classification of IS systems and subsystems. Depending on the level of service of production processes at the enterprise, the CIS itself or its component (subsystems) can be attributed to different classes: Class A: systems (subsystems) of technological objects and / or processes control. Class B: systems (subsystems) preparation and accounting production activities enterprises. Class C: systems (subsystems) for planning and analyzing the production activities of an enterprise. The first class A systems, which were developed to solve problems of process control, mainly covered the field of warehouse, accounting or material accounting. Their appearance is due to the fact that accounting of materials (raw materials, finished products, goods), on the one hand, is an eternal source of various problems for the management of an enterprise, and on the other hand (in a relatively large enterprise) one of the most labor-intensive areas that require constant attention. The main "activity" of such a system is material accounting. These systems are usually characterized by the following properties: · A sufficiently high level of automation of the functions performed; · The presence of an explicit function of control over the current state of the control object; · The presence of a feedback loop; The objects of control and management of such a system are: o technological equipment; o sensors; o executive devices and mechanisms. · A small time interval of data processing (i.e., the time interval between receiving data on the current state of the control object and issuing a control action on it); · Weak (insignificant) time dependence (correlation) between dynamically changing states of control objects and the control system (subsystem). The following can be considered as classic examples of class A systems: DCS - Distributed Control Systems; Batch Control - sequential control systems; ACS TP - Automated Control Systems for Technological Processes. The next stage of improving material accounting was marked by systems for planning production or material (depending on the direction of the organization's activities) resources, they are classified as class B. These systems, included in the standard, or rather two standards (MRP - Material Requirements Planning and MRP II - Manufacturing Requirements Planning), are very widespread in the West and have long and successfully been used by enterprises, primarily in manufacturing industries. The basic principles that formed the basis of the MRP standard systems include § description of production activities as a flow of interrelated orders; § taking into account resource limitations when executing orders; § minimization of production cycles and stocks; § formation of supply and production orders based on sales orders and production schedules. Of course, there are other MRP functions: scheduling a machining cycle, scheduling equipment utilization, etc. It should be noted that the systems of the MRP standard solve the problem not so much of accounting as of managing the material resources of an enterprise. Classic examples of class B systems include: MES - Manufacturing Execution Systems; MRP - Material Requirements Planning (material requirements planning systems); MRP II - Manufacturing Resource Planning (production resource planning systems); CRP - C Resource Planning (production capacity planning system); CAD - Computing Aided Design (computer-aided design systems - CAD); CAM - Computing Aided Manufacturing (automated production support systems); CAE - Computing Aided Engineering (CAD systems); PDM - Product Data Management (automated data management systems); SRM - Customer Relationship Management (customer relationship management systems). And all kinds of accounting systems, etc. One of the reasons for the emergence of such systems is the need to highlight individual management tasks at the level of the technological unit of the enterprise. The most popular at the moment new type of information systems are ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning systems. These are class C systems. According to the APICS Dictionary (American Production and Inventory Control Society), the term "ERP" (Enterprise Resource Planning) can be used in two ways. Firstly, it is an information system for identifying and planning all the resources of the enterprise, which are necessary for the implementation of sales, production, purchases and accounting in the process of fulfilling customer orders. Secondly (in a more general context), it is a methodology for effective planning and management of all enterprise resources that are necessary for the implementation of sales, production, procurement and accounting for the fulfillment of customer orders in the areas of production, distribution and services. ERP systems in their functionality cover not only warehouse accounting and material management, which are fully provided by the above systems, but add to this all the other resources of the enterprise, primarily monetary. That is, ERP systems should cover all areas of the enterprise directly related to its activities. First of all, this refers to manufacturing enterprises. The systems of this standard support the implementation of both basic financial and management functions. The range of tasks solved by systems (subsystems) of this class can include: · Analysis of enterprise activities based on data and information coming from class B systems; · Planning of the enterprise; · Regulation of the global parameters of the enterprise; · Planning and distribution of enterprise resources; · Preparation of production assignments and control over their execution. · The presence of interaction with the managing subject (personnel), when performing the tasks facing them; · Interactivity of information processing. The classic names for a class C system can be considered: ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning; IRP - Intelligent Resource Planning (intelligent planning systems); 3. Choice, requirements, evaluation of the effectiveness of the implementation of the information system 3.1. Information system selection problems Faced with the needs for the implementation of information systems at the enterprise, the management is faced with the problem of choice. Develop it yourself or buy, and if you buy, then what. Objectively assessing the likelihood of independent development of a modern control system, we can safely say that it is equal to zero. What has been developed or is being developed now at Russian enterprises is a reflection of yesterday's views of the enterprise's management personnel and requires constant revision. And this is not the fault of the ACS departments, this is an objective process. If an enterprise decides to focus on ready-made systems, then it needs to decide with whom to work, which system to choose - with Russian developers or with solution providers from leading Western manufacturers. With all due respect to our developers, we can say with confidence that if they can develop an enterprise management system, it will not be very soon. Development history of the most popular modern systems management has 20-25 years and many thousands of operating installations. But each installation of the system is not only money for new developments, it is, first of all, a feedback from the needs of the client. Russian developments are still very far from the level of fully functional systems. Growing out of the automation of the work places of Soviet accountants, they carry these traces. Having solved the functions of automation of accounting, they are only trying to move in the direction of production, and this is a task incomparable with accounting in terms of volumes. In my opinion, manufacturing enterprises of various formats should be guided by Western systems. And then the next question arises, which must be answered - which Western system to choose? For a Russian user, the choice of such systems is limited. Not many Western firms have entered Russian market... In reality, these are such giants SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, which offer complex software and services, trying to fully meet the needs of enterprises from various sectors of the economy. In addition, different systems are designed for businesses of different industries and sizes. Some such as SAP, Oracle or CA-Masterpiece are focused on corporate market large business, others like BAAN or MK Enterprise (formerly MANMAN / X) to market industrial enterprises or companies. In 2007, another ERP-II class system from LAWSON was introduced to the Russian market for the complex automation of enterprises (it will be described in detail). Among all the diversity, the management of the enterprise needs to make the right choice so that, as a result of an error, it does not turn out to be the owner of a system that is not suitable for it. The criteria for choosing a system are: 1. Functionality 2. Total cost of ownership. 3. Manufacturability 4. Development prospects. 5. Specifications. 6. Minimization of risks. 3.2. Information system requirements An information system, like any other tool, must have its own characteristics and requirements, in accordance with which it would be possible to determine its functionality and efficiency. Of course, for each specific enterprise, the requirements for the information system will be different, since the specifics of each organization must be taken into account. Despite this, it is necessary to highlight several basic requirements for the system, common to all "consumers": 1. Localization of the information system. Due to the fact that the largest developers of information systems are foreign companies, the system must be adapted to the use of Russian companies. And here we mean both functional localization (taking into account the peculiarities of Russian legislation and settlement systems) and linguistic (help system and documentation in Russian). 2. The system should provide reliable protection of information, which requires password-based access control for various categories of users, a multi-level data protection system, etc. 3. In the case of the implementation of the system at a large enterprise with a complex organizational structure, it is necessary to implement remote access in order for the information to be used by all structural divisions of the organization. The system should provide the ability to work in a single centralized database 4. Due to the influence of external and internal factors (changes in the direction of business, changes in legislation, etc.), the system must be adaptive. Applied to Russia, this quality of the system should be considered more seriously, since in our country changes in legislation and accounting rules occur several times more often than in countries with stable economies. 5. It is necessary to be able to consolidate information at the enterprise level (combining information from branches, subsidiaries, etc.), at the level of individual tasks, at the level of time periods. These requirements are the main, but far from the only criteria for choosing a corporate information system for an enterprise. 3.3. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the implementation of the information system The issue of assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of corporate information systems is a rather important issue, since any large costs require justification, especially from the leaders of the organization. Theoretically, it is possible to carry out a full-fledged project, which includes an assessment (modeling) of the situation “as it is”, an assessment of possible changes in the implementation of the system “as it will be”, a comparison of both models and the identification of the results of changes with subsequent financial assessment... A project like this would be an ideal investment case, but it is time consuming and expensive. In addition, such a project requires very highly qualified information systems specialists to assess the consequences of implementation, so it is almost impossible to carry out such a project without outside help. 15-25% increase in productivity 10-20% reduction in stock 20-50% reduction in lead times 4. ERP-a business process management system for an industrial enterprise A modern information management system for industrial enterprises should combine the maximum possible set of functions for managing all business processes of an enterprise: marketing and sales management, supply management, financial management, product life cycle from design development to mass production and service. Similar functionality as described above includes ERP systems class and can provide for an industrial enterprise: · Financial management. · Planning and production management. · Management of placement and distribution of stocks. · Sales and marketing management. · Supply management. · Project management. · Service management. · Management of product quality assurance procedures. The system should implement a strategy of consumer-oriented production, regardless of whether the company develops products to order, manufactures to the warehouse, conducts small-scale, medium-scale or large-scale production. The system must control the production process (discrete and process) and continuously monitor its parameters for deviations from the permissible values, starting from the stage of planning the sales order to the shipment of finished products to the consumer. In modern conditions of enterprise functioning, it is absolutely necessary that the data entered into the system be available immediately after the registration of a financial and economic transaction to everyone who has a need for them: from an accountant in a shop floor to an enterprise manager. The system should implement a cost and cost center management methodology. This technique requires planning the cost of products, approving planned standards and monitoring deviations of actual costs from their standards for timely action and analysis. The system must ensure the unity of financial and management accounting. Such functionality is included in the LAWSON M3 ERP system. The LAWSON M3 suite of solutions will enable businesses to increase productivity, reduce costs and improve customer service. 5. LAWSON M3 - alternative to SAP, Oracle, Axapta 6.1.
LAWSONМ3 - an integrated approach to business management Effective enterprise management in modern conditions is impossible without the use of information technology. The correct choice of a software product and a developer company is the first and defining stage of enterprise automation. Currently, when analyzing the requests and needs of Russian enterprises, there is a significant increase in demand for specialized solutions for: Repair management Service management Process production management Supply chain management Retail sales management Design production management · Management of rental and leasing operations Enterprise performance management (Business Intelligence) Previously, these tasks were solved according to the principle of "custom development". But a number of companies need a standard solution as a management system, which was the starting point for analyzing the global IT market. LAWSON M3 is a system that, in addition to the standard functionality, also contains specialized blocks. LAWSON M3 is one of the most technologically advanced products on the world market for control systems. LAWSON M3 consists of several functional packages, each of which includes a set of logically grouped applications and modules: · Sales and service; · Enterprise asset management; · Manufacturing control; · Supply chain management; · Business process management. LAWSON M3 is offered both as a package and modular. This is extremely convenient for clients whose main automation task has already been solved, but due to the growth of the business, processes have appeared that require the introduction of specialized systems. The main advantages of LAWSON M3: · Actual specialized modules; · Wide and flexible functionality; · Developed on advanced Java technology (runs in a browser); · Multiplatform (MS SQL, DB2, Oracle); · Integration with operating systems: Linux, OS / 400, i5 / OS, Unix, Windows NT. · Support for the work of holding structures in a centralized database; · Localization of the product in accordance with the requirements of Russian legislation is carried out by BSC (Business Solution Consulting, website), which has extensive experience in the localization of software products from foreign manufacturers. This makes it possible to improve the IT infrastructure of the enterprise progressively - depending on the dynamics of development, tasks and financial capabilities of the company, and at the same time preserve the investments already made. 5.2. ERP comparison-system LAWSONM3 with closest competitors Let's conduct a competitive analysis of the LAWSON M3 system. The ERPII LAWSON M3 class system most fully meets the needs of the Russian and CIS market. It outperforms its closest competitors in all key dimensions and is a sensible alternative to systems such as SAP, Oracle and Microsoft Axapta (Dynamics AX). Major competitive advantages ERP system LAWSON M3 can be attributed to the following facts: · Originally designed for use at SME enterprises (medium and small businesses); · Meets the requirements of Sarbanes Oxley; · Comprehensive functionality: LAWSON M3 system is equivalent to SAP and Oracle systems, however, it is much easier to configure; · Continuous (process) and discrete production is supported; · Functionality for retail and distribution; · Functionality for service maintenance, repair management, supply chains, rentals and leasing operations; · Developed on Java technologies (works in an Internet browser); · Multi-platform (various DBMS are supported); · The investment in the implementation of the LAWSON M3 implementation project is significantly lower than in the SAP and Oracle projects, and is comparable to the cost of the Axapta (Dynamics AX) project. Let us explain the information shown in the table. Target clients: SAP, Oracle:
Initially - large geographically distributed holdings, a wide range of activities and industries. Recently, it has been positioned as a system for medium-sized businesses, however, for such enterprises there are restrictions on practical application; Axapta(DynamicsAX):
Initially - trade enterprises medium business. This explains the lack of a number of functionalities (especially in terms of planning). Currently it is positioned as a universal system for enterprises of any type; LAWSONM3:
Geographically distributed medium-sized enterprises; trade and production activities; rental / leasing and maintenance of equipment. It is also used by large enterprises with a turnover of several billion euros and a number of users reaching 2,000 in a centralized database. Functionality: Gartner, when it introduced the terms ERP and ERPII, quite clearly defined the functional requirements for the system, but did not define the depth of its elaboration. It is for this reason that today almost any enterprise management system can claim the title of ERP / ERPII, if it has the necessary set of items in the main menu. That is why some ERP systems are of limited use and do not cover a number of key management tasks. Systems such as SAP, Oracle and LAWSONM3
most closely match typical tasks management of a trade and production enterprise and the main difference between them according to this criterion is ease of setup, usability and cost of the project. While for the system Axapta(DynamicsAX)
the largest number of restrictions is typical: · enterprise performance management(Business Intelligence, BI); · budgeting):
Axapta (Dynamics AX) only provides basic budgeting capabilities at the Chart of Accounts level. · distribution and retail management(Sales and Marketing); · customer relationship management(Customer Relationships Management, CRM); · continuous and discrete production management: Axapta (Dynamics AX) implements functionality for discrete (assembly) production only; · project management (ProjectManagement):
Axapta (Dynamics AX) implements only basic features; · repair and maintenance management (EnterpriseAssetManagement, EAM): not available in Axapta (Dynamics AX); · supply chain management (SupplyChainManagement, SCM): not available in Axapta (Dynamics AX); · service management (ServiceManagement):
not available in Axapta (Dynamics AX); · rental and leasing operations management (ShortandLong-termRental):
not available in Axapta (Dynamics AX). Technologies: Quite often, the structural divisions of an enterprise are geographically distributed. For example, a sales office is located in Moscow, and production and / or warehouse divisions are in the Moscow region. In these conditions, it becomes critically important to create a centralized database and organize the work of structural units via the Internet. This task most efficiently solved by those ERP-systems that were originally designed to work through an Internet browser. In this case, installation of the system on end-user computers is not required, which also facilitates system support. In addition, it is necessary to pay special attention to the development tools of the ERP-system: if the development tools are modern and based on open industrial standards, then the enterprise will have a minimum of issues with the search for personnel and scaling the system. SAP:
Various technologies (from "outgoing" to advanced) depending on the version of the system; Oracle:
Java (runs in an Internet browser), an open industry standard; Axapta(DynamicsAX):
X ++ (proprietary language, "mixture" of C ++ and Java), Microsoft standard; LAWSONM3:
Java (runs in an Internet browser), an open industry standard; Platforms: Today, there are two main approaches to the design of ERP systems. Multi-platform systems allow the use of DBMS (Database Management Systems) of various developers (Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, etc.), which gives additional flexibility to enterprises in terms of investing in infrastructure and personnel at a given target performance of the ERP system. As the enterprise grows, tasks become more complex and the amount of data increases, it is possible to switch to another DBMS (for example, from Microsoft SQL Server to Oracle) without replacing the information system itself. Single-platform ERP systems are initially focused on the use of a specific developer's DBMS. Due to this factor, the enterprise has significantly less flexibility in terms of optimizing investments in project execution and system use. Below is a summary of the platforms used in each of the systems: SAP: Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, DBII Oracle: Oracle only Axapta (Dynamics AX): Microsoft SQL Server only LAWSON M3: Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, DBII Project cost, TCO:
The cost of an implementation project consists of three main components: system licenses, technical support and implementation consulting services. However, we should not forget that the life cycle of ERP systems is 7-10 years, therefore, when calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO), the costs of personnel (salaries, training) and infrastructure (servers, network equipment, workers stations, system software, etc.) during the implementation and operation of the ERP system. Below is an expert assessment of TCO for each of the systems: SAP:
High Oracle:
High Axapta (Dynamics AX): Average LAWSONM3:
Average The LAWSON M3 system is manufactured by LAWSON Software. The company was founded in the USA in 1975 with headquarters in Saint-Paul and has about 3,600 direct offices worldwide. The company has 4,000 customers in 40 countries, 7,000 installations. LAWSON Software also introduces S3 (HR & Payroll). Is a global business partner of IBM. 5.3.
Competitive advantages of LAWSONM3
Worldwide recognition: LAWSON is a world class brand. Presence in 40 countries of the world, support for 20 languages. Stable financial position. Manufacturability: One of the few companies today that invests in the development of software products. Advanced and most efficient technologies are applied. Specialization: Industry-specific solutions for focus industries, highly specialized for the needs of the industry, as well as an industry-specific implementation methodology. Customer loyalty: The company is characterized by high customer loyalty, thanks to a corporate policy focused primarily on the customer. Global partnership: Through strategic partnerships with world-class companies, LAWSON offers solutions that meet the highest global requirements. 5.4.
Industry solutions powered by LAWSONM3
Specialized solutions LAWSON MH are designed specifically for specific industries - food and chemical industry, mining, oil and gas, mechanical engineering, equipment manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, furniture manufacturing, distribution, retail, service and Maintenance, logistics, finance, telecommunications. The system takes into account the specific needs of enterprises with complex supply chains that have to work in a highly competitive environment with limited internal resources. Industry solutions based on LAWSON M3 are illustrated in the figure: The set of solutions LAWSON MH allows you to take into account the peculiarities of a particular industry in which the enterprise operates. The integrated industry solution of the Ministry of Health is just as easily adaptable to the specifics of building and running a business specific company... This is a key feature of the LAWSON MH product line, which provides an individual approach to each client and allows you to customize the system according to his needs. From the above, we can conclude that the LAWSON M3 solution is a worthy alternative to such systems as SAP, Oracle, Axapta. Conclusion Despite the relative youth of the IT industry as such, it is already a fully formed market, with leading brands and leading products. At the moment, there is a fairly wide range of products designed to meet the most varied needs of both small companies and giant companies. These software products fully cover all aspects of enterprise activities, from logistics, marketing, manufacturing, customer relationship, sales, to accounting and personnel management. In Russia, despite the high costs associated with the implementation of the information system, the owners of large and medium-sized enterprises understand the need and the great importance of moving to a new level of enterprise or production management. Despite the many unsuccessful attempts to implement information systems, many companies around the world are seriously thinking about creating a system to improve their operations. Most likely, this is quite justified, since with a reasonable professional approach to the implementation of an information system, it is possible to create a tool for more effective business management. In conclusion, it should be emphasized that both the customer and the solution provider, even before choosing one or another software for creating an IS, must first of all analyze what they really need to automate, and then start designing. In other words, only a thorough pre-project survey, and then design, taking into account all the features of the real management structure of a particular company, will ultimately give a real effect from the implementation of an automated information system, which is ultimately the goal of both customers and system integrators. Bibliography 1. M. Khokhlova, article "Modern market of enterprise management systems" 2. D. Glyamshin, article "Way out of the crisis - management system" 3. Yu. Tokarev, article "Corporate information systems and a consortium of developers" 4. M. Ilyina, article "Theory and methods of industrial management" 5. V. Baronov, I. Titovsky, article "Methods of constructing control systems" 6. V.P. Nesterov, I.B. Nesterov, article "Automation of the organization's activities" 8. S. Kolesnikov, article "Business process reengineering and implementation of automated control systems" 9. S. Kolesnikov, article "On the assessment of the effectiveness of implementation and use of 10. ERP systems " 11. V.P. Nesterov, "Information support of the management decision-making process" 12.I.I. Karpachev, "Classification of computer systems for enterprise management" Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you. Standardization of approaches to business process management. BMM model for the study of interactions and business process management of the enterprise. Business process modeling and management methodologies. Ways to implement the tasks assigned to the system. term paper added on 05/12/2014 Consideration of the relationship of information subsystems of the enterprise. Characteristics of service-oriented architecture of information systems. Assessment of the implementation of SOA infrastructure based on the enterprise service bus. Analysis of the business goal of implementing SOA solutions. test, added 03/28/2018 Information systems, their goals and objectives at the enterprise. Requirements for information systems, their areas of application. Problems and criteria for choosing an information system. Interactive electronic technical manuals in business process management. thesis, added 03/19/2012 Organizational and staff structure of a telecommunications company. Development of a business process management (BP) automation plan, its main stages. BP formalization using IDEF0, IDEF3 and DFD modeling techniques. Requirements for the automation system. term paper added 01/24/2014 Theoretical aspects of business process management. Function and business process difference. The history of the development of process management. Main and auxiliary processes, their automation. Examples of 1C business process notation and description of Workflow technology. presentation added on 05/13/2017 Ways to improve the efficiency of an enterprise through the implementation and use of information systems. Formation of the technological environment of the information system. A TMN model based on control theory. Management diversity levels. term paper, added 10/08/2014 Enterprise resource planning (ERP) corporate information systems. Analysis of the problems of introducing ERP-systems for small businesses. Project stages, project schedule. Implementation project risks. "Quick Start" Techniques. Method for analyzing hierarchies. thesis, added 08/23/2017 Information systems in enterprise management An information management system is a collection of information, hardware, software, and other technological tools and specialists, as well as intended for processing information and making management decisions. The main component of an automated information system is information technology (IT), the development of which is closely related to the development and functioning of IP. Information technology (IT) is the process of registering, transferring, accumulating and processing information based on software and hardware for solving management problems of an economic entity. The main goal of automated information technology is to receive information of a new quality through the processing of primary data, on the basis of which optimal management decisions are developed. Automated information systems for information technology is the main environment, the constituent elements of which are the means and methods for transforming data. 1. In small enterprises in various fields of activity, information technology is usually associated with solving accounting problems, accumulating information on certain types of business processes, creating information databases on the direction of the company's activities and organizing a telecommunications environment for connecting users with each other and with others. enterprises and organizations. 2. In medium-sized organizations (enterprises), it is of great importance for management level play functioning electronic document management and linking it to specific business processes. Such organizations (enterprises, firms) are characterized by an expansion of the range of functional tasks to be solved related to the activities of the company, the organization of automated repositories and archives of information that allow the accumulation of documents in various formats, presuppose the presence of their structuring, search capabilities, protection of information from unauthorized access, etc. .d. 3. In large organizations (enterprises), information technology is built on the basis of a modern software and hardware complex, including telecommunication means of communication, multi-machine complexes, a developed client-server architecture, the use of high-speed corporate computer networks. Advantages of non-automated (paper) systems: ease of implementation of existing solutions; they are easy to understand and require a minimum of training to master; no technical skills required; they are generally flexible and adaptable to suit business processes. in an automated IS, it becomes possible to present everything that happens to an organization in a holistic and complex manner, since all economic forces and resources are displayed in a single information form in the form of data. The process of making managerial decisions is considered as the main type of managerial activity, that is, as a set of interrelated, purposeful and consistent managerial actions that ensure the implementation of managerial tasks. The effectiveness of managerial decision-making in the context of the functioning of information technologies in organizations of various types is due to the use of various tools for analyzing the financial and economic activities of enterprises. There are four groups of tasks solved by the firm. 1. The first circle of tasks is focused on providing economic information to users external to the firm - investors, tax authorities, etc. 2. The second circle is associated with the tasks of analysis, designed to develop strategic management decisions for business development. 3. The third circle of analysis tasks is focused on the development of tactical decisions. 4. The fourth range of tasks is associated with the tasks of operational management of an economic object in accordance with the functional subsystems of an economic object. Usually, control systems are divided into three levels: strategic, tactical and operational. I. The strategic level is focused on top managers. The main objectives of the strategic management level are: · Determination of the system of priorities for the development of the organization; · Assessment of perspective directions of the organization's development; · Selection and assessment of the necessary resources to achieve the set goals. II. The tactical level of decision-making is based on automated data processing and the implementation of models that help solve individual, mostly weakly structured tasks. The main objectives of the tactical leadership level are: · Ensuring the stable functioning of the organization as a whole; · Building capacity for the development of the organization; · Creation and adjustment basic plans works and schedules for the implementation of orders based on the potential accumulated in the development of the organization. III. The operational (operational) level of decision-making is the basis of all automated information technologies. At this level, a huge number of current routine operations are performed to solve various functional tasks of an economic object. At the same time, among the most important priorities operational management should include: · Making a profit through the implementation of activities planned in advance using the accumulated potential; · Registration, accumulation and analysis of deviations from the planned production progress; · Development and implementation of solutions to eliminate or minimize unwanted deviations. 2. Characteristics of enterprise management automation systems. 2.1. Entry-level systems. Entry-level systems are widespread among small businesses that successfully use them in their day-to-day operations. A distinctive feature of such information systems is the limited coverage of the business processes of the enterprise. Software products of this class can differ greatly from each other in terms of their intended purpose: this can include both accounting and warehouse and trading systems... But, nevertheless, these systems have many common features: low demands on the allocated resources. Systems of this class can operate under the control of modern industrial DBMS, but they can also be operated in small enterprises. The number of possible users of such a system ranges from 1 to several dozen. It is understood that the user can purchase, install and start operation on his own, however, the developers try to make programs with the widest possible capabilities, which makes it possible to integrate such systems with other systems of this and higher classes. 2.2. Mid-range systems. The emergence of mid-level systems is driven by the need for a software product with more capabilities than entry-level systems. Thus, some manufacturers, based on modern development methods and tools, have created ready-made solutions for a fairly wide range of enterprise needs. Such systems usually include the following subsystems: Accounting manufacturing control logistics and sales planning production. Despite the ability of such systems to keep records in almost all areas of the enterprise, some subsystems are implemented in them in a very truncated form. However, the number of different settings for such a system reaches a significant number, which leads the consumer to the inability to install the product on his own. Often, most of the cost of a mid-level software product is made up of services for the installation and configuration of the system, maintenance. The high cost of such systems makes them inaccessible to small firms. An important disadvantage of such a system is that the success of the implementation of a middle-level system largely depends on the quality of the analysis of the enterprise's activities. 2.3. Top class systems. Modern versions of top-level systems provide planning and management of all resources of the organization. The number of different setting parameters reaches tens of thousands. However, at the same time, the cost of implementing such a system also increases. You should also take into account the following set of disadvantages arising from the introduction of such a system: external consultants may be required, leading to significant cost increases; the introduction of a complex system often requires some reorganization of activities; it is necessary to have a special department that would reconfigure the system to meet the business requirements. On the other hand, the leaders of the organization and its personnel receive an excellent tool to plan and manage production. 3. Selection, implementation and operation of the system 3.1. The problem of choosing an information system. Describe the business practices and the actions that must be performed as a result of their application. Modify these methods as necessary to provide more effective work and the integration of the new system. Describe the organizational structure and consider whether it best suits the objectives of the enterprise. Explore the most effective methods used in the industry. Ensure the creation of the necessary technical infrastructure: Assign appropriate experts to assess the current infrastructure based on the requirements of the new system. Define the role of the information systems department and consider how it will undergo changes in the new environment. Use the documents received to ensure that the implemented functions meet the needs. Manage change by adjusting to employees: Implement changes gradually, keeping in mind that employees can only master a certain amount of information at a time. Engage everyone who plays a key role in the implementation of the project from the outset. A good way to do this is to ask them for their input in the process of defining business needs. Communicate regularly with such employees, giving them the opportunity to be heard. Develop a training plan so that people not only learn how to enter data into the system, but understand how their work will change. After the measures taken, you can proceed directly to the implementation of the system. A typical implementation plan used by firms consists of the following steps: · Preliminary examination and assessment of the state of the company. · Preliminary retraining. · Feasibility study (cost-benefit analysis) Organization of the project (appointment of responsible persons, composition of committees) Development of goals (what we expect from the project) · Technical task for process control Initial retraining (retraining of employees) Top-level planning and management · Data management · Software Experienced example Getting results Analysis of the current state 4. Overview existing systems (list).
It is not by chance that I have chosen the following systems for brief overview... All these systems belong to the MRPII / ERP class and are leaders in the international and, in particular, the Russian market. 4.1 R \ 3 from SAP AG Today SAP is the leader among independent vendors of business applications and holds 36% of this software market. More than 100 SAP systems have been installed in Russia, the company has spent more than 6 million DM on localization of R \ 2 and R \ 3 systems. System Description: Main modules: Financial accounting Management material flows Maintenance and repair of equipment Sale, shipping, invoicing Project system Management, planning and control of fixed assets · personnel Management. The basic R \ 3 system provides a set of functional capabilities for solving organizational and economic problems, including flexible production, planning of production facilities and maintenance of an enterprise, a sales system, receiving and executing orders in the conditions of various currencies, languages, and other features, planning and implementing transport operations. 4.2 Oracle Applications from Oracle It is a collection of more than 35 integrated applications, which include: Financial management applications Materials management applications Production management applications Project management applications HR applications Marketing management apps These software modules for the automation of all aspects of the enterprise. 4.3 BAAN IV from BAAN The basic BAAN IV system was created for the comprehensive support of the enterprise management system. All subsystems are configured for specific procedures and control tasks. The most important thing in the system is its flexibility and functional content. Basic system BAAN IV: Software tools · production Sales, supply, warehouses Finance · transport Organizer The undoubted advantage of the system is that it can be easily adapted to any user interface. Access to the system database is possible from any application program. BAAN software can be applied to a wide range of enterprises - from medium to large. 4.4 IT Co. BOSS management system. The functional capabilities of the integrated BOSS management system cover all the main business processes of the organization: Management and accounting · personnel Management Logistics Marketing and sales · manufacturing control · Office work and document flow. The system consists of separate, completely independent and at the same time integrated products. This allows you to create an enterprise system in stages, starting with the functional unit, the automation of which is most relevant at the moment. BOSS-CORPORATION is a full-scale financial and business management system designed for large corporations and trade associations. Consists of four interacting subsystems (finance, logistics, marketing and personnel). This system is distinguished by ease of customization and adaptation, openness of source materials, scalability, reliability, focus on Russian specifics accounting. Conclusion Despite the relative youth of the industry as such, it is already a fully formed market, with leading brands and leading products. At the moment, there is a fairly wide range of products designed to meet the most varied needs of both small companies and giant companies. These software products fully cover all aspects of enterprise activities, from logistics, marketing, production, sales, to accounting and personnel management. To solve certain problems experienced by the organization during the transition to a new management information system or putting it into operation, a coping method has already been developed that makes it relatively easy to implement IT.
Comparison of the ERP system LAWSON M3 with the closest competitors is presented in the table: Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below
Similar documents
UDC 65.011 (075.8)
M. N. Petrov, N. G. Trenogin
ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING BUSINESS PROCESSES IN THE TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY
The principles of construction of modern control systems at the enterprises of the telecommunications industry are considered. Various approaches to the principles of business process management are presented
Key words: firm, management, business process, optimization, system.
A modern telecommunication enterprise is a complex human-machine system, the functioning of which depends on various factors. These factors can be grouped as follows:
Socio-political (changes in the state structure, changes in attitudes towards property, etc.);
Technological (change in information processing and delivery technologies, convergence, an increase in the types and quality of services provided to users, etc.), which allow you to organize business according to new rules and principles both in relation to the provision of services to customers and the organization of business processes within the enterprise itself;
Organizational and managerial, assuming, on the basis of the 1st and 2nd factors, to introduce into production the most modern principles of organizing business processes of an enterprise based on the latest achievements of science and technology and to improve (reengineer) them depending on the market needs of business changes v as soon as possible;
The use of modern developments in the field of sociology and psychology (motivational and compensatory aspects) to create a favorable climate in production aimed at creative work (implementation the latest technologies in new services and operating activities) for the good of the company.
All of the above factors are interrelated and have a significant impact on the organization of the effective operation of a telecommunication enterprise [1].
A modern telecommunications enterprise is a cyber corporation. At the end of the XX century. there have been significant political changes in countries of Eastern Europe, which allowed the formation of a new regulatory and legislative environment, which contributed to the development in telecommunications of such processes as liberalization, deregulation and globalization. Liberalization and deregulation in connection with the weakening of state control determined the transition from a monopoly market structure to competitive environment, which led to very progressive changes in the telecommunication industry.
The liberalization of markets has led to an increase in the number of alliances and the privatization of state-owned companies. Significant portions of Switzerland's national telecommunications companies were sold. France, as well as Eastern European countries. Similar processes are taking place on other continents. Liberalization of world markets leads to an increase in the number of market participants, an increase in the range of services and technological in-
innovations, which ensures the transition from an industrial society based on the creation of mechanisms that facilitate physical labor, to an information society based on the use of systems that enhance human mental activity.
The main driving force behind liberalization, a kind of catalyst, is technological progress, which provides new opportunities for the development of society and, as a result, the basis for deepening liberalization and deregulation in telecommunications.
Globalization is an equally important key factor. Its essence lies in the fact that in connection with the development of information and communication technologies various forms activities previously carried out at the local and regional level are now being implemented on a continental and global scale.
The driving forces of globalization are international trade, international telecommunications and international financial activities. The impact of globalization covers all sectors of the world economy. For telecommunications, globalization is reducing the role of national boundaries in the provision of telecommunications services. Like liberalization, globalization is highly dependent on the development of information and telecommunication technologies and technical progress in general.
Consider how the processes of liberalization and globalization have influenced the activities organizational structures, principles of business organization, organization technological processes and the formation of new services provided to customers in the communications industry.
Most of Russia's telecommunication enterprises have become joint stock companies... During the last decade, many enterprises have been created - alternative telecom operators. The market is regulated by antitrust laws. Competition pushes telecommunications companies to develop new types of services, organize business in accordance with world-class trends and introduce the most modern methods of company management.
All innovations are based on the use of modern computer networks and information systems (IS) for enterprise management, which allow centralizing management structures, making company management processes transparent, logical and effective.
The modern telecommunication enterprise is permeated with information technology and computer networks. By developing telecommunication systems as
for the provision of services and for the automation of internal business processes, corporatized enterprises pose and solve problems that were not entirely logical in a monopolized economy. Practice shows that those participants in the market race who have enough financial resources and intellectual potential to innovate and introduce new information systems for enterprise management and modern methods doing business - are leaders.
Let's take a brief look at the formula for leaders' success, characterize the tools that help achieve it, and what these companies are. The basis for success is the maximum automation of business processes. But not just a frozen automation scheme, but a developing one, subject to the principles of restructuring (business process reengineering - BPR). Moreover, the purpose of the restructuring is naturally associated with strengthening the company's position in the market, responding to market demands, both in the long term and in the medium and short term. However, if the entire business of a company is automated as much as possible, then the main requirement for information systems for enterprise management is flexibility and customization to the requirements of the business. Currently, there are ready-made solutions and tools that allow you to create such information systems. Moreover, the reengineering processes are carried out in a mode close to automatic.
These modern businesses are sometimes referred to as cybercorporations. Telecommunication enterprises largely fall under this definition. Their activities are based on the operation of information and telecommunication systems and networks, the resources of which, on the one hand, are the main product provided as services to customers, and on the other hand, are used by the company itself for nujaed intracorporate automation. Moreover, the higher the degree of automation of the company's business processes, the lower the cost of reengineering. The more flexible the automated control system, the less time it takes to change it to meet market requirements in the short term. The latter allows you to implement an effective marketing policy of the company.
The driving forces behind the emergence of cyber corporations can be identified:
Development of microelectronics (introduction of the concept of a standard, universal element of a microprocessor controller, as the main structure-forming particle (atom) of the entire world of information computer systems, the capabilities of which increase in accordance with Moore's law);
Progress in the field of technologies for building computer networks, reducing the severity of the problem of access and transportation of information (technological basis for changing the possibilities for providing new services, ensuring multiservice networks and organizing a new approach to doing business for telecommunications operators);
Rapid growth in the field of software development, allowing the implementation of optimal
enterprise business manageability through BPR, Project Management, CASE-technologies - the basis for creating cyber corporations.
The basic principle of existence modern enterprise- BPR and complex automation... The history of the development of the BPR principle is described in the works of E. Deming. In Japan, the United States and other countries in various industries, he was a pioneer who introduced the Continious Process Improvement (CPI) approach, which is an organization of work in which:
The goal is to continuously improve the quality of products and services (as opposed to increasing productivity "at any cost");
The organization of work for this is being transformed and dynamically improved;
Quality criteria come from the consumer;
The focus is not on the numerical indicator of the result of a particular production function or activity, but on the quality of the process of its implementation;
The deficiencies of the production system are investigated and corrected, rather than individual workers;
The role of decisions and initiatives of each employee is increasing;
Barriers set by production units are removed, group ("artel", team) work is organized;
On the basis of all this (as a side, and not the main result), production costs are reduced.
E. Deming began to put this approach into practice in the 40-50s. last century in industrial production... Several years of his work as a consultant in Japan led to his being considered one of the creators of The Japanese Miracle, the key effect of which was as follows. Several talented Japanese engineers have found in the literature and have confirmed in practice that when product quality is improved, productivity inevitably also increases. This approach was called TQM (Total Quality Management) in Japan and is the Japanese version of the CPIE approach. Deming. The next stage in the development of management methods and systems was the ideas of M. Hammer, who, in comparison with CPI and TQM, proposed a much more radical approach to improving BPR management. The main goal of BPR is to dramatically accelerate the company's response to changes in customer requirements (or to forecast such changes) while significantly reducing all types of costs. BPR includes goals and objectives inherent in CPI, and, in addition, new goals and methods dictated by the new situation in the world are brought to the fore:
A sharp reduction in the time spent on performing functions;
A sharp decrease in the number of employees and other costs for performing functions;
Business globalization - working with clients and partners anywhere in the world;
Working with the client in 24 365 (24 hours 365 days);
Reliance on the growth of staff mobility;
Working for the future needs of the client;
Accelerated promotion of new technologies;
Moving into the information society (and "knowledge society").
There have been significant qualitative changes in information technology, which in the 1980s. began to exert decisive influence not only on the methods, but also on the very goals of automating business processes. Among these changes, by the mid-1990s. already established in practical design, indicated the diversified development and industrial development of the principles and mechanisms of the so-called "open architecture" and the principles of new system design. With the development of new information technologies, an understanding arises that for the construction of complex information systems for enterprise management, not programming itself, but the presence of adequate generalized conceptual models of automation objects is the only stable tool that integrates the components of a complex IS in conditions of high variability of requirements for IS.
Analysis of the structure of the integrated information system for enterprise management in the telecommunications industry. The core part of the information systems of any enterprise, regardless of the type of activity, are the automation subsystems of technological processes. For communications enterprises, these processes and approaches to their automation are described in the standards representing the ideology of Telecommunication Management Networks (TMN), which are set out in the recommendations of the M-series - ITU-T and other sources.
Building an information management system for a telecommunications enterprise taking into account the TMN concept. For the management of telecommunication networks and, in general, the activities of communication enterprises, ITU-T experts proposed the concept of TMN (Telecommunication Mamgement Network-standards M.ZOOO, M.3010, M.3200, M.3400). The emergence of the concept is associated with the need for an integrated approach to the management of various networks (data transmission, public telephone networks, etc.), centralized administration, coordinated with common tasks increasing the efficiency of functioning of telecommunication enterprises. In this case, the TMN appears to be a dedicated information system that does not depend on the telecommunication network, but is capable of interacting with this network, receiving and transmitting control information through certain interfaces. The following components of the TMN network architecture are distinguished:
Intra-corporate data transmission network, separated from the public data transmission network;
Operations system - a set of application and system software, control servers, DBMS servers, etc .;
Workstations are PCs of users of the information system that provide a user interface to the system.
Thus, the concept states the following basic principles: a telecommunication enterprise must have a dedicated corporate network, and the allocation can occur both using channels
primary digital network and at the physical level; an enterprise information system should be viewed as a whole as a system of interacting components, and not as a set of separately operating information systems.
The following functional blocks of the TMN system and the points of interaction of these blocks are distinguished:
1. OSF - Operations System Function. This block will include the functions of processing information about the state of the network, the quality and volumes of customer service, as well as the functions of managing network components, customer service, etc.
2. WSF - Workstation Function Block (functions workstation). The main function of the block is to display information to users in a visual form.
3. MF - Mediation Function. The task of the block is to support interaction with network elements, data collection agents, Q-adapters, data aggregation and preprocessing.
4. NEF - Network Element Function. Provides functions built into the network elements that allow them to interact with the control network, providing information about the state of the network object and supporting control commands.
5. QAF - Q-Adapter Function (functions of Q-adapters). Tools that provide integration with TMN of equipment that does not support these standards (for example, SNMP-managed).
Each of the functions described above is implemented in the form of corresponding elements. Moreover, the elements can be implemented in the form of a single device or in the form of various interacting devices, servers and workstations. Next, we will consider a method that allows you to determine the optimal placement of functional blocks of the system by hardware components.
The TMN concept is based on an object approach, in which all network elements - lines, switching fields, subscriber sets, switch ports, switches in general, etc. - are represented as objects with certain properties. The operations system software is also built on an object basis. Higher-level objects communicate with lower-level objects through method calls. In this case, the managing object is called a manager, and the managed object is called an agent.
For interaction at point q, it is proposed to use the CMIP protocol - Common Management Information Protocol ( common protocol management). Objects that support CMIP must provide processing of the Get, Set, Create, Delete Action methods (requests).
All system objects are divided into the following TMN levels:
1. VM (Business Management) - the level of business management. At this level, the following tasks are highlighted:
Decision-making support, investment planning and optimal allocation of available resources;
Drawing up financial reports;
Budgeting;
Aggregation of data about the enterprise as a whole.
In the information systems of manufacturing enterprises, the listed functions are usually related to the tasks of ERP (CSRP) systems. However, systems of this class, aimed at communications enterprises and developed taking into account the TMN concept, have not yet appeared on the market.
2. SM (Service Management) - service management level. At this level, the following tasks are highlighted:
Support for all types of interaction with clients;
Interaction with other operators;
Analysis of statistical information (including analysis of quality of service - QoS).
Currently, these tasks are solved, as a rule, by various systems: an automated settlement system, point-of-sale (POS) automation systems, Call-center systems, etc.
3. NM (Network Management) - network management level. At this level, the following tasks are highlighted:
Control over the functioning of network elements;
Configuring the network to provide services to clients;
Statistics management, control of journals.
4. NEM (Network Element Management) - the level of management of network elements. At this level, the tasks of interaction with network components are solved.
5. NE (Network Elements) - the level of network elements.
Each of the management levels supports
the following control functions:
PM (Performance Management) - performance management;
FM (Fault Management) - management of failures;
CM (Configuration Management) - configuration management;
AM (Accounting Management) - access control;
SM (Security Management) - security management.
Each of the TMN levels consists of certain functions implemented in the form of objects - managers and agents (see figure). The placement of these objects on the elements of the telecommunication network and the TMN network can be the subject of optimal search.
Business level
Service level
Network layer
Network Element Management Layer
Network element level
Implementation of the TMN concept
The basis for the interaction of objects at all levels should be a single integrated database (DB). This database should include system-wide directories, a general database of enterprise counterparties (according to recommendations, it should be based on the X.500 catalog), a base of services and tariffs, data on the structure of the telecommunication network (line accounting), etc. At the same time, for large enterprises, subdivisions of which are remote at considerable distances, it is difficult to have this base in a single copy. Typically, distributed database technologies are used. At the same time, the problem of optimal data placement for the described database seems relevant and timely.
There is no standardization of enterprise management systems (upper level TMN) for telecom operators. As solutions, either universal systems that are not focused on the business processes of a telecom operator, or the so-called industry solutions are used. The general principles of building customer settlement systems are described in the General Technical Requirements.
In this case, a contradiction is obvious: software development firms are interested in increasing sales, and therefore, detailing in the automation of business processes in some industry is, in their opinion, an ungrateful business. At the same time, solving the automation problem with a focus on industry specificity is necessary, and this is done either by automation specialists of the industry enterprises themselves, or specialized firms involved in the implementation of this type of systems, or specialists from a universal systems developer, implementing a project with the implementation of their own system oriented for a specific customer. The introduction of custom projects, of course, is reflected in their cost upward.
There are actually industry solutions. Few can afford to create such software, for example, such well-known companies as SAP and ORACLE. They produce a software product focused on the specifics of certain industries. In the field of telecommunications, SAP is a well-known leader. The introduction of import systems at Russian enterprises is going on with great difficulties, and, probably, there are not even ten projects without problems.
There is an attempt to create an industry solution for telecommunications enterprises in Russia, this is the IT company. It has implemented a billing subsystem within its Boss-Corporation system.
It is impossible not to note another problem that exists when choosing a solution to automate the business processes of a telecom operator: which company created the software. If a company specializes in software for the telecommunications industry, for example, AMDOCS (Israel), Infosphere (Samara), STROM telecom (Czech Republic), FORS (Moscow), Amfitel (Moscow), then the quality of billing and other systems that automate the operator's activities communication is beyond doubt. When it comes to developments going from general automation to industry-specific solutions, you need to carefully consider
software before deciding to use it.
There are a number of systems created directly by teams involved in automation within communications enterprises. These software products have been certified and are offered as replicated billing systems. However, in this case, doubts arise about the capabilities of the development team in quality assistance in the implementation and further maintenance of these systems. Especially if they still continue to work within the carrier's company and have not become a specialized software company.
What subsystems should the communications operator's management information system consist of and what functions should it perform? First of all, this is automation to one degree or another of the lower levels of the TMN hierarchy:
1) automated settlement system (ACP);
2) a system of technical accounting and management of network resources of the operator's company;
3) centralized system technical exploitation;
4) time-based call cost accounting system (SPUS).
There are the following service management systems: automation of subscriber-technical accounting, billing system - ACP, which includes maintaining relationships with customers, calculating, accepting payments and tracking debtors at an arbitrary time interval and, of course, the operator's business process management system, which includes:
Basic accounting subsystem with the ability to implement management accounting functionality;
A subsystem for managing financial and economic activities: budgeting, investment and capital investment management, tariff management, accounts receivable management;
Personnel management subsystem;
A decision support subsystem that includes a data warehouse and operates on the basis of OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing) - a technology for multidimensional data analysis.
All of the above systems should be interconnected and work in a common information space.
Bibliographic list
1. Nikulin, A. I. Design, implementation and maintenance of the life cycle of information management systems for telecommunication enterprises / A. I. Nikulin, N. G. Trenogin // Development prospects modern means and telecommunication systems: materials of the jubilee (tenth) international international. scientific and technical conf. Irkutsk, 2004.
2. Samoilenko, SI Comparative assessment of adaptive switching / SI Samoilenko // Problems of Cybernetics. M.: ISKAN USSR, 1982.S. 116-127.
3. Koch, R. Evolution and convergence in telecommunications / R. Koch, G. G. Yanovskiy. M.: Radio and communication, 2001.
4. Martin, J. Turn your company into a cyber corporation / J. Martin // Computerworld. Russia. 1995.14 November.
5. Deming, V. E. Way out of the crisis / V. E. Deming. Tver: Alba, 1994.
6. Zinder, E. New system design: information technology and business reengineering / E. Zinder // Database management systems. 1995. No. 4.
7. Zinder, E. New system design: information technology and business reengineering.
Part 2. Business reengineering / E. Zinder // Database Management Systems 1996. No 1.
8. Zinder, E. New system design: information technology and business reengineering.
Part 3. Methods of new system design / E. Zinder // Database Management Systems. 1996. No. 2.
9. Zaitsev, H. JI. Economics, organization and enterprise management / N. JI. Zaitsev. M.: Infra-M, 2005.
10. Overview of Telecommunication Management Network Recommendation: ITU-TRecommendationM.3000.1992.
11. Principles for a Telecommunication Management Network: ITU-TRecommendationM.3010.1996.
12. Automated systems of settlements with users for communication services: general technical requirements / Goskomsvyaz of Russia. M., 1998.
13. Crook, BI Telecommunication systems and networks. T. 1: textbook. allowance / B.I.Kruk, V.N. Po pantono pullo, V.P. Shuvalov. 3rd ed., Rev. and add. Novosibirsk: Sib. enterprise "Science" RAS, 2000.
14. Petrov, MN Distributed information management systems in the telecommunications industry / MN Petrov, NG Trenogin; under. ed. prof. M.N. Petrova. Krasnoyarsk, 2006.
M. N. Petrov, N. G. Trenogin
THE INFORMATION CONTROL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS PROCESSES IN TELECOMMUNICATION BRANCH
The principles of modern control systems construction at telecommunication branch enterprises are considered. Various approaches to the principles of control by business processes are presented.
Keywords: firm, management, business-process, optimization, system.
It might be helpful to read:
- Craft from plasticine for the day of cosmonautics;
- School riddles - fun activity for kids;
- How to mold a plasticine bat step by step with a photo;
- Embroidered keyrings Embroidered keychain diagram;
- Station game "fair";
- Games in the summer day camp for primary school children;
- Camp competitions for children;
- Children's riddles about transport;