The Role of Electronic Supply Chains and ERP Systems in the Realm of E-Commerce

Abstract

Businesses around the world experience many challenges to acquire raw materials, parts, subassemblies, and the other necessary inputs to their production systems. As businesses are all moving into the e-commerce platform to gain market share, they realize that electronic supply chain management (e-SCM) powered by enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs) are the new norms and no business organization can operate without both in the new world of e-commerce. Little attention has been devoted to e-SCM dynamic with ERP and the challenges they pose to organizations. In the e-commerce environment, e-SCM is among the most important factors to organizational success. Effective e-SCM can enhance competitiveness and increase market share leading a higher profitability. Nevertheless, the new e-SCM professionals and other actors must understand the factors that undergird e-SCM performance, their drivers, and the necessity of fully functional ERPs for an effective e-SCM.