A blueprint for the development of a modular web-based ERP for SMEs in the Philippine Construction Industry / Christopher Niño N. Santos

Year : 2011

Number of Pages : 90 leaves

Adviser : Dr. Elvira A. Zamora

Executive Summary

The need for a cheap and reliable ERP solution for the SMEs in the contracting sector of the Philippine Construction Industry prompted the proponent of the study to formulate a blueprint that would serve as a basis for such system. The blueprint presented in this study begins with a background of the existing situation followed by a literature review. The literature review presents previous writings on SMEs and ERP solutions, the advantages of web-based system, the software as a service business model (SaaS), and the strategy of capturing a technological niche. The project objectives and scope are then presented. The immediate objective of the study is to come up with a blueprint for a cost-effective , user-friendly, reliable and modular web-based ERP for the intended users with sufficient details on business initialization, system specifications and implementation and distribution. The output of the study shall also be approved by a representative of the intended users. Such blueprint would contribute to the strategic outcome in the form of a functional system. The project methodology details the project activities from identifying the industry's need to finalizing the system blueprint. The industry analysis then presents the target market segment of about 3,465 firms or 93.7 percent of the sector. Trends related to the system such as internet usage (29.7 percent of Philippine population as of 2010), and the increasing rate of broadband subscribers are also presented. Such is followed by a comparison of the proposed system with an OpenSource system and a proprietary one. The venture is then described as the details of the business to be setup are unveiled. Such includes a discussion of the modular web ERP software, the phases of its development, dependencies between modules, and the functional specifications for each module. Technical support services are then described as auxiliary to the software offering. Other details of the venture such as the company size, equipment, personnel, the web hosting provider, and domain hosting are also discussed.

The development of the system is then discussed including details on the framework to be used (RAD) and the development and implementation plan which contains the specific resources and schedule for the project. A description of the marketing and sales activities, which includes marketing projections and sales packages among others, to be undertaken then follows. The business organization and ownership is then discussed followed by a description of risk mitigation measures to be undertaken. A discussion of the projected positive financials then follows. Finally, the conclusion and recommendations for further studies are made. Recommendations include coming up with studies on additional modules for the system, an in-depth market study, studies looking at the implementation of web-based ERPs for SMEs in other industries, and coming up with a technology roadmap for the web-based ERP technology.