Managing EntErprisE inforMation systEMs for CoMpEtitivE advantagE

Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) provide a technology platform that enable organizations to integrate and coordinate their business processes. They provide a single system that is central to the organization and ensure that information can be shared across all functional levels and management hierarchies (Wikipedia). As a business management system, EIS seek to combine all aspects of the organization. EIS facilitate enterprise-wide integrated Information Systems (ISs) covering all functional areas of the organization and perform core organizational activities. EIS differ from conventional IS packages known as legacy systems; legacy IS are highly resistant to modification and evolution, whereas EIS are auto-transactional and self-assisting. In today's business environment, EIS are critical to organizations. Business practices are constantly changing, and it is new Information Technologies that can provide competitive advantage. As systems are repeatedly modified over time, EIS evolution becomes more complicated. Businesses today must deal with new materials, growing competition, and increasing customer expectations. EIS must efficiently synchronize demand, supply, and productions, support quality, reduce costs in the supply chain network, provide reliable delivery and better service to customers, diminish inventory to a minimum, et cetera. EIS allow for integration of heterogeneous applications, protocols, and formats. EIS form the backbone of an organization; therefore, organizational changes affect the enterprise system model when modifications have to be made. For this reason, business needs an infrastructure that supports change. Adaptive systems are necessary to enable the core business to cope with unforeseen circumstances. Adaptability enables EIS to follow changes that occur along the system's lifetime. The terminology on adaptability is inconsistent. Flexibility, agility, and adaptability are often used interchangeably in practice; although, what follows is one understanding of a distinction. Within flexibility, the range of possible alternatives