Introducing a collaborative business model for European ERP value chains of smes

Abstract

Similarly to the high-end market segment, a large number of ERP installations in the small and medium market segments also fails or results in time and cost overruns. To overcome those difficulties, a partnership-based e-business model amongst value chain actors is proposed. This model is supported by a platform, which engages and involves local actors in flexible multinational e-collaborations (forming European clusters in the ERP industry), in order to expand and broaden their activities. The envisaged outcome is to improve response times, low cost operations, flexibility towards clients, and provision of high-quality services tailored at end customers, facilitating the whole value chain to act as a single business entity (Virtual Organization). © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.