Prof. Rajesri delivered a speech entitled “Information System in Industry to Enhance Enterprise Performance through Integration System and Data Analytics”, which discusses about the importance of system integration and data analytics for a company as considerations in decision making. The speech was delivered on Saturday (12/21/2019) at Aula Barat of ITB.

This professor in Information Systems Design and Implementation of FTI-ITB explained that Industrial Engineering is a discipline which studies integrated system. The system is people, material, equipment, energy, and information. “This definition implies that an industrial system design requires 5 aspects of integrated system, including information process. In addition, design of working system should be in accordance with development of information technology,” she said. Hence, alignment is required between information technology and pattern of the company’s operation in order to achieve the goals.

Information system consists of components hardware, software, database, network, people, and procedure. Prof. Rajesri conveyed that industrial development today is facing challenges to improve efficiency. Information system which support operational of industry is Enterprise System (ES) consisting of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Manufacturing Execution System (MES), and applications from other e-Business.

In industry, comprehensive planning and execution require good processes integration. The integration is horizontal (between functional areas and between companies) and vertical (between different levels within a company). Prof. Rajesri said companies which are not capable to utilize information today will fall or be paralyzed. “Comprehensive planning and execution will be more accurate by using data analytics. The accuracy can be made possible in real-time,” said the 49 years-old, Jakarta-born lady.

One of utilizations of industrial information systems that dominates today is the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Prof. Rajesri said the ERP system supports integrated resource planning. ERP is an improvement to Manufacturing Resource Planning that has not been able to integrate manufacturing activities with other functional areas. According to her, a company's business processes sometimes need re-engineering because of the wide and complex scope of integration.

“Companies need to adopt the best business practices so that ERP can achieve the goal. The benefits of ERP are obtaining process standardization, improving work flow, and providing information in the company’s internal supply-chain area in real time,” she explained.

In addition, she said implementation of ERP has two scenarios, namely on-premise (providing overall system infrastructure for companies’ internal) and ERP cloud solutions (does not require many infrastructure and hence is suitable for MSMEs).

On the other hand, there are three main challenges faced by businesses or industries. First, companies are demanded to always collaborate and increase intelligence in order to be continually excellent and competitive. Second, companies must put partnerships forward. Third, the challenge of data analytics from big data as input for decision making.

“Global trade has caused manufacture companies to conduct extended enterprise concept where they conduct partnerships with other companies in order to create the best products,” she said.

Reporter: Billy Akbar Prabowo (Metallurgical Engineering 2016)