Business application integration in the demand-driven environment — a case study

Production planning and controls usually involve numerous business application systems, including manufacturing execution systems (MES), enterprise resource planning (ERP), advanced planning and scheduling (APS) and other information systems. Implementing each of these systems is a complex, costly and time-consuming project. Moreover, due to the fierce competition in the global market, mass customization has become the mainstream in the demand-driven environment which increases the difficulties in the integration of heterogeneous information systems. This research adopts a case study approach to examine the business application integration processes in the demand-driven environment and to identify potential solution in the project. Specifically, this study proposes a reference framework of integrated application systems for production planning and shop-floor control, and discusses several implications of such large-project implementation.