Having been in the IT industry long enough to remember when the idea of "ERP" first started making the rounds, I have watched with some fascination the struggle that organizations go through to decide how to justify an enterprise solution strategy.  At the same time as a business owner or manager decides they must acquire the latest automated machinery with the  belief that it will improve the business; often a decision about enterprise software is  put on the back burner because the cost seems higher than anyone knows how to explain in the context of the overall business. Although it is obvious that I'm biased on this discussion, there is often a compelling case for understanding  your business inputs, processes and outcomes more fully that is ignored, and opportunities to make the business function better are passed up. 

I am a great believer in moving with the times and making sure that I use the most appropriate and up to date technology when delivering solutions to my customers. So I read with interest an article that mirrored my philosophy almost exactly.

I para phrase but in essence the article was warning against choosing ERP systems with ageing core technologies and modern flashy front ends. I couldn’t agree more.  Where my views differ slightly is that I believe no single technology can cover all aspects of an ERP system and that it is essential to use a blend of technologies applying the most appropriate to the task in hand. I am also very wary of the next “latest and greatest”, our industry is littered with products written to the latest craze only to find the fashion has been dropped a year later.