ABSTRACT

This chapter introduces the benefits of integration and explores the specific organizational advantages. It also introduces various methodologies to maximize the effectiveness of integration reengineering. Integrating systems is both time-consuming and expensive. In addition to cost reduction, other integration benefits include productivity improvement and increased competitive advantage. Integrating systems can lead to many competitive advantages. Data in an organization is increasingly being referred to as a corporate asset supporting competitive advantage. Data bases are an excellent candidate for integration. Integrating and reengineering processes have the greatest possibility for organizational improvement. Business tools can both enable systems integration and substantially improve business performance. Systems integration can lead to many benefits, many essential to the survival of companies competing in a worldwide marketplace.