Re‐engineering in sales and distribution ‐ creating a flexible and integrated operation

Explores the reorganization of a sales and distribution operation. Describes a case study in which an integrated yet flexible organization was created by focusing strongly on identifying and re‐engineering the core business process. Presents a structured approach which was developed in the course of implementing an integrated information system. To reduce the complexity of systems design the core business process is identified, and flexibility requirements are reduced to functional problems. The method is to reduce to one time and place the tasks that require flexibility. The basis of implementation is integrated information systems, such as SAP R/3, which enable tasks (that previously had to be performed by several people at different times and in different places) to be done in one place at one time.