ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on developments in the marketplace. This is also an ever-changing landscape which will surprise the unaware. It explores issues relating to the vendor selection process. The book deals with the issues relating to Go Live. The numbers of problems that emerge at this stage are a reflection of the rigour of the process design and development activities. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has its roots in manufacturing, although it has evolved in a remarkably short time to address many other functions and sectors. The implementation of an ERP application is about organizational change. The implementation life cycle starts at the point when the need is recognized for a new information system. The existing system is inadequate and there is a need to do something.
