COMMONALITY VERSUS VARIABILITY - The Contradictory Nature of Enterprise Systems

Stig Nordheim

2006

Abstract

This position paper argues that there is a major contradiction inherent in Enterprise Systems. The evidence for this contradiction is seen in the meta level concepts of commonality and variability that characterize Enterprise Systems. The inherent contradiction between commonality and variability is discussed in the light of Enterprise Systems’ literature, and the contradiction is elaborated. Then an Enterprise Systems’ vendor perspective on commonality and variability is presented, based on interviews. A challenge of this inherent contradiction is its synthesis, finding the right balance between commonality and variability.

References

  1. Brehm, L., Heinzl, A., Markus, M.L., Tailoring ERP Systems: A Spectrum of Choices and their Implications. Proceedings of the 34th Hawaii International Conference on Systems Sciences, Hawaii, 2001.
  2. Coplien, J., Hoffman, D., and Weiss, D., Commonality and Variability in Software Engineering. IEEE Software, 1998. 15(6): p. 37-45.
  3. Dahlbom, B. and L. Mathiassen (1993). Computers in Context : The philosophy and practice of systems design. Cambridge, Mass., NCC Blackwell.
  4. Davenport, T. H. (1998). "Putting the Enterprise into the Enterprise System." Harvard Business Review 76(4): 122-131.
  5. Israel, J. (1979). The Language of Dialectics and the Dialectics of Language. Copenhagen, Munksgaard.
  6. Lewis, M. W. (2000). "Exploring Paradox: Toward A More Comprehensive Guide." Academy of Management Review 25(4): 760-776.
  7. Leishman, D.A., Solution Customization. IBM Systems Journal, 38,1 (1999) 76-97.
  8. Markus, M. L. and C. Tanis (2000). The Enterprise System Experience - From Adoption to Success. In Framing the domains of IT management : projecting the future through the past. R. W. Zmud (ed.) Cincinnati, Ohio, Pinnaflex Education Resources: 173- 207.
  9. Mathiassen, L. and P. A. Nielsen (1989). "Soft Systems and Hard Contradictions - Approaching the Reality of Informations Systems in Organizations." Journal of Applied Systems Analysis 16: 75-88.
  10. Mathiassen, L. and P. A. Nielsen (1990). Surfacing Organizational Competence. Soft Systems and Hard Contradictions. In Organizational Competence in System Development: a Scandinavian Contribution. G. Bjerknes (ed.) Lund, Studentlitteratur.
  11. Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. 10th ed. 1996: Merriam-Webster, Springfield.
  12. Van de Ven, A. H. and M. S. Poole (1995). "Explaining development and change in organizations." Academy of Management Review 20(3): 510-540.
Download


Paper Citation


in Harvard Style

Nordheim S. (2006). COMMONALITY VERSUS VARIABILITY - The Contradictory Nature of Enterprise Systems . In Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems - Volume 3: ICEIS, ISBN 978-972-8865-43-6, pages 572-575. DOI: 10.5220/0002469505720575


in Bibtex Style

@conference{iceis06,
author={Stig Nordheim},
title={COMMONALITY VERSUS VARIABILITY - The Contradictory Nature of Enterprise Systems},
booktitle={Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems - Volume 3: ICEIS,},
year={2006},
pages={572-575},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0002469505720575},
isbn={978-972-8865-43-6},
}


in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems - Volume 3: ICEIS,
TI - COMMONALITY VERSUS VARIABILITY - The Contradictory Nature of Enterprise Systems
SN - 978-972-8865-43-6
AU - Nordheim S.
PY - 2006
SP - 572
EP - 575
DO - 10.5220/0002469505720575