Introduction

When Y2K was lurking just around the corner, the cry from vendors was for fully integrated software (FIS) such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM), and enterprise asset management (EAM). Why re-write all of your systems when it was easier to replace them and have integration thrown in at no charge? This would be tantamount to replacing your Model T with a supercharged turbo and the salesman throwing in air conditioning and AM/FM stereo for free. Now, with the Y2K hype but a distant memory, companies are starting to look to best of breed (BoB) solutions whereby you are willing to consider isolated software offerings from different software vendors to satisfy systems requirements. What are the merits of each approach?

First, we need to establish a level playing field so that, as best as possible, we can perform an “apples to apples” comparison. To help you decide which approach makes the most sense for your company, we look at the following four factors: time and money, degree of fit, integration issues, and project management/implementation concerns.