Module 3 SLP: Business Processes Procurement and Fulfillment

This SLP will focus on Enterprise Systems that support a Procurement Department in an organization. All organizations have Procurement departments. If you are in the military, police, or other Government agency, the functions may be accomplished by the logistics organization or by the contracting office. Before reading about Procurement Enterprise Systems, go to each of these websites and look at the responsibilities (i.e., the business processes) of a Procurement Department.
Steve P. (2013), Definition of Procurement Department, Retrieved from, http://www(dot)ehow(dot)com/about_6711466_definition-procurement-department.html
The Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (2011), Role of procurement within an organization, Retrieved from, http://scm(dot)ncsu(dot)edu/scm-articles/article/role-of-procurement-within-an-organization-procurement-a-tutorial
GovWin (2010), Government procurement process, Retrieved from, http://govwin(dot)com/knowledge/procurement-process
Once you have an idea of what business processes Procurement departments accomplish, take a look at Enterprise Solutions for Procurement provided by one software company.
Go To: “Procurement” at SAP ERP website http://www(dot)sap(dot)com/lines-of-business/procurement/index.epx. The select the Explore Our Solutions link
For this SLP paper, select the Procurement functional area from the list above and review the site.
The direct link to the Procurement Functional Area software is: http://www54(dot)sap(dot)com/lob/procurement/software/overview/highlights.html
There are several solutions for Procurement. Pick one and expand in.
Now that you have general ideas about what a Procurement department does and what an Enterprise System that supports Procurement can do, please discuss the following questions specifically:
What are the potential benefits of one or more of the solutions identified by SAP? Specifically identify which solution or solutions you selected.
Do you agree with them? Discuss and analyze. Explain why you agree or disagree. Try and explain the benefit that the SAP solutions you selected bring to an organization.
Using the knowledge you gained on Procurement departments and Enterprise Systems that support them discuss how this enterprise module might be useful to your organization? In discussing this state whether your organization has or does not have, one or more Enterprise Systems for Procurement and whether the people that run them could use the tools you identified.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Your paper should be two to three pages in length, and reflect your personal experiences with this issue. The important part of all these project assignments is to carefully assess your own experiences with the topic, and then reflect critically on what you might have learned about yourself and about situations through this assessment process.
The more that you can use the exercise to develop personal implications for your growth as a potential business person as well as a knowledge user, the more value you'll get out of the exercise.
If there are reasons why the entire exercise is impractical for you to undertake at all, please explain them to your instructor as early in the Module as possible, so that an alternative assignment can be arranged.
Your paper will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Precision: You carried out the exercise as assigned, or carefully explained the limitations that might have prevented your completing some parts (running out of time isn’t generally considered an adequate limitation).
Clarity: Your answers are clear and show your good understanding of the topic.
Breadth and Depth: The scope covered in your paper is directly related to the questions of the assignment and the learning objectives of the module.
Critical thinking: The paper incorporates YOUR reactions, examples, and applications of the material to business that illustrate your reflective judgment and good understanding of the concepts.