Harley Davidson
Case#2 Harley Davidson Case Study
Harley-Davidson is an American motorcycle manufacturer with a rich history and cultural tradition. It was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, WI. Around mid-1980’s, the company was facing problems with product quality and enlarged global presence, hence the management realized the need for an integrated management system that will not only improve the company’s processes but also fit within its budget and enhance its profits. This caused the start of the process to identify the most appropriate information management system for Harley Davidson Motor Company.
The process was largely reliant on teamwork, which played a leading role in structuring of the IS function. The organization, rather than having a Chief Information Officer, had a team of three directors to offer leadership on information systems integration. The three officers were given the responsibility to play internal consultant roles to the team engaged in identification of the appropriate software to meet the needs of the organization. Additionally, they provided direction regarding how well the technology will fit into the organization’s undertaking to create efficient business practices. The group had liberty to make technological investment decisions for the benefit of the organization. The group was considered to have more exposure to the needs of the business considering their day to day interaction with it.
The case took place in the period from 1997-1999. The purpose of the case was to analyze the process of selecting a modular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to support supply chain management for this large manufacturing company. Recognizing that the purchasing process for obtaining materials and parts was out of control, management coordinated a project to understand its purchasing process and activities, solicit feedback from the 800 people who would be affected by the new system, and create a complete transformation in thinking and action
Harley-Davidson is an American motorcycle manufacturer with a rich history and cultural tradition. It was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, WI. Around mid-1980’s, the company was facing problems with product quality and enlarged global presence, hence the management realized the need for an integrated management system that will not only improve the company’s processes but also fit within its budget and enhance its profits. This caused the start of the process to identify the most appropriate information management system for Harley Davidson Motor Company.
The process was largely reliant on teamwork, which played a leading role in structuring of the IS function. The organization, rather than having a Chief Information Officer, had a team of three directors to offer leadership on information systems integration. The three officers were given the responsibility to play internal consultant roles to the team engaged in identification of the appropriate software to meet the needs of the organization. Additionally, they provided direction regarding how well the technology will fit into the organization’s undertaking to create efficient business practices. The group had liberty to make technological investment decisions for the benefit of the organization. The group was considered to have more exposure to the needs of the business considering their day to day interaction with it.
The case took place in the period from 1997-1999. The purpose of the case was to analyze the process of selecting a modular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to support supply chain management for this large manufacturing company. Recognizing that the purchasing process for obtaining materials and parts was out of control, management coordinated a project to understand its purchasing process and activities, solicit feedback from the 800 people who would be affected by the new system, and create a complete transformation in thinking and action