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Figure 7-20 Q7-8 2026? 313
Designing a Future ERP System
Source: Tom Wang/Fotolia

Consider, however, what would happen if some criminal, perhaps a malicious insider, were
to infiltrate an ERP system. It would be possible to wreak havoc in, say, supply chain orders and
inventories or in the operation of machinery on the factory floor. The hacked organization would
have to shut down its ERP system, and thus its company, to sort out the mess. But allowing users
mobile access to the ERP system will enable organizations to make significant improvements in
process quality. So, in the next 10 years, organizations must engage in a delicate balancing act
between risk of loss and improvement to processes. We will discuss such trade-offs further in
Chapter 10.
Consider also the effect of the Internet of Things. Future users of ERP systems will be not just
people but also devices and machines. ERP vendors are adapting their software to the particular
requirements of 3D printing. In the future, when a salesperson enters an order, he or she may be
starting a machine to make that part on demand. In addition, factory automation will also add
to process quality improvements. Inventory-picking robots are one example, but self-driving cars
and trucks are likely to have an even larger effect. And within the next 10 years, machines will be
able to employ the ERP system to schedule their own maintenance. For example, on the factory
floor a milling machine will be able to order a replacement for a dull cutter, one possibly made by a
3D printer. Machines will schedule both routine and emergency maintenance for themselves, thus
carrying factory automation to a new level.
As we have stated many times so far, the future belongs not to those who specialize in existing
methods, technology, and processes but rather to those who can find and implement innovative
applications of emerging trends. Technology’s effect on enterprise systems will be widespread
because enterprise systems are widespread. Many opportunities will occur in the early years of
your career.