Benefits of an item-centric enterprise-data model in logistics services: A case study

✍ Scribed by Mikko Rönkkö; Mikko Kärkkäinen; Jan Holmström

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 286 KB
• Volume: 58
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0166-3615
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compind.2007.02.003

✦ Synopsis

The paper uses a case example to present a novel way of building enterprise information systems. The objective is to bring forth the benefits of an item-centric systems design in environments that require real-time material visibility, such as in logistics service provision. The methodology employed is case study and metadata modeling. Managers of SE Ma ¨kinen, a Finnish car distribution company were interviewed on the implementation and operation of their award winning enterprise system. The case example was then analyzed using a generic metadata model of item-centric systems.

The main finding of the paper is that introducing an item-centric model facilitated responsive service in the distribution of automobiles. The practical implications are that when starting to develop a new enterprise system, managers in logistics services should consider an item-centric design solution as an option to the conventional location-based design for enterprise-data models.