Bharthidasan Institute of Management (BIM), Trichy has signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft for its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) package Microsoft Dynamics AX to training BIM students. This will give an edge to the management students at BIM as focused ERP courses are becoming popular across B-schools in India.
ERP is a suite of customisable business software applications that connect, consolidate and streamline business-critical functions such as finance, supply chain management, manufacturing, distribution, analytics, and human resources. This allows organizations to make calculated decisions more quickly and with less effort, increasing profits and delivering a competitive advantage.
Q&A :
How does ERP training fit into an MBA curriculum? Why is it important to acquire these skills?
This course not only describes the principal functions of ERP software but also emphasizes the business impacts of such systems. Topics include the history of enterprise systems, the connection between business process re-engineering and enterprise systems, the technology requirements of enterprise systems, system implementation alternatives, the business impacts of enterprise systems, especially the supply-chain and customer effects, and the multiple security requirements of enterprise systems. Understanding the technology that impacts business becomes important for a MBA graduate so that he can make a difference when he is incharge. An MBA graduate from BIM after this training would be ready for an ERP implementation and companies recruiting him need not wait for him to get trained for the required skills. He would be ahead of some other graduate who hasn't acquired such skills.
How will this training be conducted?
The ERP course is spread across two trimesters- ERP I and ERP II. ERP I is offered as a 3-credit elective course. The course is being taught by a visiting faculty from HCL Technologies. The course includes lectures, projects and assignments. ERP II is a practical paper following ERP I. Here students take up a process in the near by industrial units and own the process. Over the duration of the ERP II course they understand the process by interacting with the process owners and implement the ERP system in the industrial premise selected and measure the performance.
Are students interested in certain specific functions only expected to undergo this training?
The first part of the ERP course is offered as one of the systems elective. The only condition is that ERP II is offered to those who had opted for ERP I. Even students opting for Operations take the course as it helps in understanding business processes and the impact of technology in the way business is done.
Why did BIM take this initiative? How does this tie-up set BIM apart from other B-Schools in India ?
BIM always considers changing industry requirements in designing its curriculum. ERP is becoming an integral part of any business organization. Recognizing this fact many students whether doing MBA or not are opting for it as a separate course. More than just being an enabler to business ERP also contributes to the bottom line of an organization. BIM has recognized this fact and taken this initiative. We believe it will soon become important part of the curriculum itself at various B-schools. Apart from the benefits mentioned earlier students at BIM would have the advantage of having worked on and implemented an ERP system even before stepping into industry. It also opens up a career opportunity in ERP consulting.
Finally, how does this specialized training affect the employment prospects of students? Have you got any feelers from recruiters already?
As mentioned earlier this training provides a dual advantage to students -- familiarisation with the ERP environment and career opportunities in ERP consulting.
