IS605/606: Information Systems
Instructor: Dr. Boris Jukic
Case 1:
MeadWestvaco
Case Example: Mead Corporation


IS part of operations
Telecom already (at least organizationally) viewed as the part of
IS
Case Example: Mead Corporation: 1980’s
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IS more visible on organizational chart
CIR position created
–
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IS standardization one of the goals
Mainframe-terminal is still the prevailing architecture
Much of what was managed by the so-called DSA
group is considered a standard desktop tool today
In late 1980’s user written applications are starting to
creep up
Case Example: Mead Corporation, 1990 Strategy
Reengineering of
purchasing
MRO standardized
and consolidated
across divisions
EDI across
corporate
boundaries
System
accessible by
customer's
terminals
Mainframe
system
Case Example: Mead Corporation


1993: starting to consider the shift to Client/Server
Three types of applications accessible from the
desktop through the corporate network
–
–
–

Mainframe remains for large volume transactions
and large computational tasks
–

Local
Division (stovepipe systems, best of breed?)
Enterprise-wide (under CIR)
Also, an application server for enterprise-wide applications
Data and voice integration foreseen
Case Example: Mead Corporation


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Four C/S
technology
groups in the core
of the org.
structures
Application of
those
technologies on
the outside layer
C/S not cheaper
to operate than
mainframe
8000 workstations
rolled out in 2000
Case Example: Mead Corporation: Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) adoption (SAP)
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Early 1990’s view: SAP not appropriate for the industry
1995 view: companywide standards not compatible with SAP
Rationale for ERP
–
–

Back end shared services are “best of breed”
Customer satisfaction demands company-wide front end ERP
system
ERP system forced through by management in 1997
–
–
–
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Effort lead by a business executive
70 out of 100 team members not form IS
80 IBM consultants
80% of business design reused form IBM’s SAP implementation
at Monsanto
Case Example: Mead Corporation: Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) adoption (SAP)

Role Definition
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Strict adherence to SAP rules is required
–

800 roles had to be defined and workflows
among them as well as security levels
Could it make Mead less flexible in its
operations?
Old systems being replaced by SAP
–
–
Nothing is coded form scratch anymore
Only systems integration between SAP modules
and other ERP modules and tools