What Cross Functional Enterprise Applications Are and Their Benefits

Cross Functional Enterprise Applications WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT DOES These are formats or methods into which the cross functional enterprise system is put into (Kute, 2011). The system consists of persons possessing various functional skills and know-how, which is utilized towards a common goal. Their expertise may be finance, marketing, operations or personnel and from all organizational levels. The system is self-directed in the pursuit of broad rather than specific goals. These individuals seek out these goals by communicating, coordinating and collaborating and cooperating.

The system evolved from task orientation to functional orientation and to cross-functional to a cross-functional system (Kute). The application frameworks of this system are customer relationship management, supply chain management, selling chain management, enterprise resource management, enterprise application integration, e -- procurement, knowledge management, knowledge management, decision support and business intelligence. Software and computer system architectural principles are needed to integrate a set of these applications. That integration, in turn, requires technologies and services in order to form a middleware.

A middleware is what integrates the systems and applications of an enterprise. A collaboration system is intended to unify all the members of an organization in the accomplishment of their common task or goal. They use emails, voice mails, bulletin board systems, facsimile or fax, and video conferencing tools in their collaborative work (Kute). Cross functional enterprise system or CFS consists of many functional systems (Cesalova, 2011). Their basic capabilities support information processing and the decision-making requirements of the various departments in an organization.

These systems do not only traverse the boundaries of internal departments and their functional areas. They also cut through the boundaries of the entire enterprise. The systems are complex and expensive both to purchase and to operate. But their improvement of internal processes also raises the level of work effectiveness, saves time, increases the efficiency costs of the organization, and leads to substantial cost-saving (Cesalova).

Experts commented that e-businesses consider the system an effective way of using information technology by sharing their information resources and by increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of business processes. Enterprise Resource Planning Systems or ERP, Supply Chain Management Systems or SCM, Customer Relationship Management or CRM, and Knowledge Management Systems or KMS are among the most popular CFS. Oracle and SAP are two of the most popular CFS brands (Cesalova).

It must be re-emphasized that CFS solutions or applications, such as SCM, CRM, ERP or integrated enterprise suites provides businesses the capability to electronically transmit and receive data and information at any time to any recipient anywhere in the world. This recipient may be a customer, supplier or business partner. This unique capability enables businesses to collaborate more effectively and creatively. It also allows for into-processing activities, all kinds of business processes, and organizational resources and operations in more effective ways. Consequently, it enhances businesses'.