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1 Enterprise Information Systems

Enterprise Information Systems

GKN SINTER METALS

By Daniel Taylor

A GKN Sinter Metals White Paper


Introduction

The emerging of a time-based competition is making timelines operations an

increasingly important attribute of information systems in modern business

organizations. Many organizations focus on the decision support role of information

systems and examine the time value of information in delegated decision settings. They

extend the principal-agent model to incorporate the timing of information in the general

decision making process. First, the growing dependence on online systems for the

processing of critical day-to-day business transactions increases the sensitivity to the

turnaround time of these systems. One has to consider information systems that

support decision making by managers at various levels of the management career

ladder. Of particular interest are systems at the higher end of the hierarchy, including

decision support systems (DSS) and enterprise information systems (EIS). These

strategies are typically focused on specific decisions, which are designed to be used by

the designated set of managers that are responsible for those solutions, as specified by

the organizational structure.

Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) has a vital strategic impact on the global

business and the economy of the world. As a result, there is a growing demand for

research in order to offer insights regarding challenges, issues and solutions that are

connected to the design, implementation as well as management of EIS (Taylor &


Francis n.d.). This is important because of the current challenges and changes in the

business world, particularly in the issue of globalization and Information Technology

(IT). EIS can help companies to manage the entire IS of the company, at the same time,

connects all the subsystems and the offices of companies from different parts of the

globe. This technology is applicable and very important to be implemented in GKN

because of its current international operation.

Background of the Company

GKN is one of the leading suppliers of technology and engineering of the

vehicles and aircraft to the leading automotive companies in the world. As a result, the

company is considered as the heart of the automotive, off highway and aerospace

industry in the world.

Currently, the group is employing about 39,000 people in above 30 countries in

the world. Every day, the company is harnessing its global technology and

manufacturing resources in order to supply the highest quality components, systems,

structures as well as services. With this, GKN focuses on implementing and continuous

development of its corporate values. The company pertains on the customers and

quality of services and products; innovation and development; people; and the greater

community, environment as well as business ethics (GKN n.d.). With this, the company

focuses on improving the lives of its stakeholders.

Powder Metallurgy:


GKN Sinter Metals is a leading manufacturer of sintered components. They use

powdered metal to manufacture precision automotive components for engines,

transmissions and body and chassis applications. Our superior technology was recently

recognized by the award of a contract to produce the world’s first powder-forged

differential gears.

Automotive:

GKN is a global leader in the production of constant velocity jointed products for use in

cars and light vehicles. We also supply drive shafts, torque management devices,

structural and engine components and substrates for catalytic converters to vehicle

manufacturers. We are a leading developer of solutions for hybrid and electric vehicles

and our electric drive axle is being used in hybrid vehicles.

Aerospace:

We are a leading global supplier of airframe and engine structures, components,

assemblies, transparencies and engineering services to the civil and military aerospace

markets. The acquisition of the Filton aero structures facility in 2009 made GKN

Aerospace Europe’s leading aero structures company.

Solution

EIS is one of those structures that can make a difference in the company that

decides to fully adopt its principals and operational methods. Its developments call for a

closer examination of the factors affecting the value of timeliness of information

systems. Most fundamentally, it’s not always true that more timely information has

higher value (gross of costs) to the organization. Executive Information Systems must


provide the top managers with either better (higher quality, more complete) information

or easier access to data that plays a crucial role in the whole process of organizational

course of actions. In general, this method has to be carefully evaluated and thoroughly

studied before its actual implementation in the company due to considerable costs and

high risk of failure associated with the depicted above standards of functioning of the

information system.

Enterprise Information System (EIS) would be a computer application which

contains a set of interrelated components which collect, manipulate and disseminate

data and information and offer feedback. Currently, enterprise requires that EIS must

have higher sensitivity or dynamic adaptability in order to respond to their demand

changes over time. These demands include the adjustment of workflow, the alteration of

management model, and the evolution of user needs or even if the redesign of process.

Due to this, it is important for EIS to be updated and reconfigured in dynamic manner.

Especially, EIS is increasingly apt to networking and integrating trends, what has gained

more and more attention is how to protect enterprise’s investments effectively and take

full advantage of enterprise information resources (Smith & Salvendy 2007).

With the help of this system, companies all over the world can take advantage of

the said technology, particularly in the current need of information. As we all know,

information is considered as one of the most important resources in any company

because it can help in the process of decision-making. It enables companies to focus on

the different data and information that will help them to predict and foresee the possible

flow or performance of the company in a given period of time.


Benefits

EIS helps to manage and store huge amounts of persistent data. This is

important because of the fact that GKN is currently performing in the global market.

Therefore, there is a great need to store and process huge amount of data. In

connection, it is important to consider the fact that the company has different

headquarters and factories in different parts of the globe, therefore, with the use of the

said IS, the company will be able to connect all the employees and factories from

different parts of the globe, in order to make decisions and strategic actions. In

connection, the system can also help in order to manage many users converging

access to information. This is important because as have shown in the first part of the

paper, there are huge number of employees that are connected to the company,

therefore, in order to ensure the communication flow inside the organization, it is

important to focus on ensuring that the system will handle the accessibility of the

employees in the system in effective manner. With this, the system enables all the

members or stakeholders of the company to be connected with each other, which can

help in order to ensure that the decisions to be made by a particular unit are connected

with that of another. Therefore, it can help to ensure consistency and efficiency in

decision-making.

Conclusion

EIS can help GKN in order to improve its management of information and data to

be used in the decision-making process. This is important in order for the company to

maintain its good performance, particularly regarding the potential challenges and


opportunities that can be taken advantage and be prevented by the company in the

future.

Reference

GKN, This is GKN, http://www.gknplc.com/ [February 15, 2010].

Smith, M & Salvendy, G 2007, Human Interface and the Management of Information:

Symposium on Human Interface 2007, Held as Part of HCI International 2007,

Beijing, China, July 22 – 27, 2007: Proceeding, Volume 1, Springer.

Taylor & Francis, Enterprise Information Systems,

http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/17517575.asp [February 15, 2010].

Business

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