ERP and Information Systems

8Interests and Limitations of the Research

This chapter explains the strength and weakness of this research. It also suggests some search tracks and some refinements for future research which could be interesting in order to complete this work.

The added value of this book is to show how a possible IS disintegration, instead of a desired integration, could happen due to the evolution of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. This idea, which, according to our knowledge, has not been studied before, can indicate the direction of new paths of research. As a result, this book could be considered to be a foundation on which to build, in the future, wide-ranging research in the field of the relationships between the evolution of ERP systems and information system (IS) integration or disintegration.

This book could be useful for researchers, teachers and students as part of their analysis and understanding related to the role, contribution and position of the ERP system within the whole IS. In the coming years, our work may also be interesting for the research and development led by vendors to better guide the evolution of their ERP systems. All stakeholders (firms, IS managers, consultants, consulting firms, information technology (IT) companies and project teams, etc.) could also find in this book the type of best practices that can help them in the exercise of their profession.

This study, does, however, have several limitations. First, our choice of research factors affecting ...