Enterprise Resource Planning in Distribution

This text explores current and developing issues in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. The book also covers the general information technology context for these advanced systems and explore likely future technology developments. It includes real ERP stories, with real companies and real names.

F. Barry Lawrence is an assistant professor with the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M University. He has extensive industry experience in both retail and wholesale sales. Lawrence holds a Ph.D. in operations management from Texas A&M University, a M.B.A. from Southwest Texas State University and a B.S. in business administration (finance) from the University of Texas. Lawrence's areas of interests include logistics and supply chain management, electronic commerce, and specific issues involving inventory and information systems. He has published articles in professional, academic, and society journals including Production & Inventory Management Journal, Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Engineering Technology, and Industrial Distribution Magazine. He has conducted extensive industry studies in the areas of: integrated supply for electrical and pipe/valve/fitting distribution; forecasting and logistics for fluid power distribution; warehouse automation and layout for electronic distribution; warehouse and transportation logistics for electrical distribution; warehouse/transportation/ inventory management/customer service for steel distribution, and distribution information systems.

Dan Jennings is a professor in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution in Texas A&M University's Dwight Look College of Engineering. Dr. Jennings' corporate career includes engineering, corporate planning, and managerial positions with Armstrong World Industries, Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation, Olinkraft, Inc. (now Riverwood International), Boise Cascade Corporation, and Certainteed Corporation in locations in the United States, Canada, and South America. His industry experience involves manufacturing and distribution activities. Previously the W. A. Mays Professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at Baylor University, Jennings holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, a M.B.A. from Northeast Louisiana University, and a B.S. in industrial engineering from the University of Tennessee. He is a registered professional engineer. He has served as a Visiting Professor at Universities in Russia, France, Canada, and Australia and has conducted executive development programs in the U.S., Canada, France, and Italy. As a published author of 10 textbooks and more than 100 articles in academic and practitioner journals, Jennings has received awards from the Academy of Management, Prentice-Hall Publishing, McGraw-Hill Publishing, New York University and Baylor University for his publications. His work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

Brian Reynolds is the Associate Director of the Thomas A. Read Center for Distribution Research and Education, a part of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station. He holds a B.S. degree in management from Pepperdine University, and an M.B.A from Texas A&M's Lowry Mays Graduate School of Business. Brian is affiliated with Texas A&M University Industrial Distribution academic program. He has more than 20 years of experience in the distribution industry, ranging from field sales and branch management to general sales manager for a $75 million industrial distributor, director of the quality process and director of marketing and integrated supply for a $200 million distributor. Reynolds has designed and conducted training in field sales, sales management branch operations, quality improvement, effective team building, statistical process control, and integrated supply. He co-chaired a joint Industrial Distribution Association-American Supply and Machinery Manufactures Association committee on Total Quality Process. He has made presentations to Industrial Distribution Association, American Supply and Machinery Manufactures Association, National Association of Purchasing Management, International Quality & Productivity Center, Institute for International Research.