ABSTRACT
Today worldwide competition between manufacturing enterprises is increasing significantly. Facing these challenges a manufacturing business can improve its competitive position through integration. In this context integration is defined as:-
“All functions of a business working together to achieve a common goal, using clearly defined objectives, benchmarks, disciplines, controls and systems in a flexible, efficient and effective way to maximize value added and to minimize waste”
The literature in this area indicates that the background to business integration is technology. The availability of technology has driven the integration effort which led to the concept of Information Integrated Enterprise. At present there are a number of tools, techniques and methods available to facilitate the integration of information systems within an organisation. These include I.CAM methodology (CAM.I, 1983), Information Engineering Methodology (Inmon, 1988), GRAI Methodology (Doumeingts, 1989), Strathclyde Integration Method (Carrie and Bititci, 1990). On the other hand there is considerable emphasis being placed on streamlining of business activities for improvement of business performance. Work in this area, including TQM, focuses on the business needs and order winning criteria.
