ITIL Implementation in a Major Arabian Gulf Company

The experience of many organizations that have automated their business capabilities using enterprise information systems indicates that the realization of the sought business gains and promised returns on investment are conditional to having in place an effective strategy to support and maintain such systems technically and functionally during the post-implementation phase. It is argued that the proper implementation of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) represents an ideal forum for providing effective support tools that include service/help desk and incident reporting functions for end-users to report problems and issues or request enhancements, change management and configuration management functions to manage and document changes to the applications and functionalities, as well as IT infrastructure inventory and tracking applications. ITIL framework is widely used as a best-practice framework for IT services management. It outlines a set of integrated processes and procedures that will structure and re-engineer IT services activities, shifting IT function to be enterprise-wide business-focused while making the best use of the deployed technology. The case described in this chapter reflects the approach adopted by the IT function of an Arabian Gulf Company (AGC) used for ITIL implementation, highlighting the main challenges that have been encountered in this project.

The Selection and Deployment of System in Gulf Private School

The high academic posture of Gulf Private School (GPS) and its outstanding students’ performance in the gulf region is a translation of its vision to be the leading school in the region. Technology applications were always viewed by GPS as tools to leverage change and drive continuous improvement, and thus, the utilization of Information Technology applications was weaved into GPS strategy to maintain its high ranking among private schools in terms of the delivery of quality education and the provision of distinguished services to students and parents. This positive attitude to new technologies explains why GPS is always on the lookout for the latest advancements in educational technology aids and tools to support its functions and processes. This case reflects on the ups and downs associated with GPS decision to implement an ERP system with a promise for major business gains that can help GPS to reinstate its position in the leaders’ quadrant.

ERP Promises in the United Arab Emirates Educational Sector

Implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is one of the major IT innovations in this decade. ERP solutions seek to integrate and modernize business processes and their associated information and work flows. Nonetheless, ERP usage in educational management is still new. Educational institutions for various appropriate factors have begun to implement this technology. The school ERP enterprise solution system offers complete school management software, which covers all the functions related to the smooth functioning of school activities. This chapter provides a complete analysis of ERP solutions in the educational sectors and focuses on ERP usage and utilization in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public (government) schools.

EIS Implementation in a Major UAE Oil Producing Company

This major Oil and Gas producing company in the Gulf went through an implementation experience of EIS system in 2005. The EIS Implementation involved the replacement of the existing Maintenance, Supply, and Commercial system with a new EIS and an upgrade of the HR and Financial systems to the latest releases. The exercise was prompted by management’s desire to replace the outdated ERP system in order to address shortcomings in functionality, to control the high cost of upgrades and modifications, and to enable implementation of the newly formulated Maintenance Policy. The project was deemed a success, even though it took longer than planned and the results were less than anticipated.

Managing the Replacement of Legacy HR System

Application software projects have always been viewed as a massive challenge by companies, particularly when it comes to replacing legacy in-house developed systems with package solutions. Challenges start by the resentment to change typically demonstrated by a good percentage of the user community, followed by the many pitfalls encountered due to the changes that are included / excluded while the project progresses with user hesitance to accept the new system. The project had many challenges that are not typical of a properly managed one and to make matters worse, it had challenges that were related to poor priority settings that were attached to some non-professional aspects. Cultural issues came as a bonus in this project. The challenges and the counter measures taken to ensure the timely delivery of the project with minimum damage possible will be addressed as the chapter progresses, reflecting on how the objective shifted towards the end of its life to a win/win scenario.

Implementation of Integrated Enterprise Asset Management Systems (IEAMS)

A comprehensive training program was carried out before Go Live of the system to train all prospective users of the system. The extensive change management program included comprehensive campaigns, game shows to promote awareness about IEAMS in the company. A number of key personnel in their respective organizational units were designated as Change Agents to promote IEAMS and to ensure smooth transition upon Go Live.

Effective Implementation and Utilization of CMMS System

Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) are designed to manage asset maintenance in a professional manner, by means of integrating all related transactions (financial, material, purchasing) and maintenance activities (work requests, work orders) and converting them into high level information to drive users towards best practices and optimize cost and improve asset reliability. However, CMMS will only remain a tool with limited use unless proper attention is given to dynamic data feeding by end-users to build up a reliable asset maintenance history that can be used as a basis for managing assets over the life cycle. This investigation reflects on the challenges encountered in the cases of three UAE CMMS Projects, comparing the effectiveness and suitability of the dynamic data-feeding strategies and approaches adopted in the three cases and the level of business improvement through proper usage and utilization.

Business Intelligence Enterprise Solution at Abu Dhabi Finance

The challenge of transforming data and information in enterprise information systems into knowledge that can be rolled up and presented to management as key performance indicators is business-critical. The implementation of a business intelligence layer on top of the transaction processing systems and management information systems is viewed as an opportunity to move up a level to promote knowledge-based decision-making and strategic planning. This chapter attempts to examine the issues and challenges associated with the initiative by Abu Dhabi Finance to implement business intelligence solutions that extract information from the enterprise information systems, present them as KPIs for senior management, and produce knowledge that can be used to support decision-making and strategic planning.

Automating Competency Development Program for Integrating Graduates in EDC Workforce

The project aimed at developing a system to manage the development of young university graduates and equip them with the experience and skills necessary for integrating them in the company workforce. The case study focuses on three sections. The first section addresses the development of the Proof Of Concept (POC) that aimed at creating a prototype that was then enhanced in terms of its functional capabilities and data management tasks to meet the set objectives. The second section addresses how the POC was transformed to a fully functional multi-user system that was later utilized by all the divisions within the company. The third section touches on how the experience obtained was later used to help in building a unified system for the oil and gas sector in the country. The case also discusses the challenges, measures, and counter measures taken to address them, and the lessons learned to ensure the project was delivered to stakeholders.

Managing Knowledge and Change in GCC Project

The “End-Users” factor is singled out as the one of the most important ERP Critical Success Factors (CSF). It is evident from reported ERP failure cases that commonly used approaches to ERP end-users’ “training and competency building” are inadequate and ineffective. The case reports on an alternative structured approach that was developed and adopted in GCC Project. The new approach redefines the traditional role of “ERP Training” from isolated project activities that aim to introduce end-users to “how-to” use applications to an integral component of a comprehensive “knowledge and change management” strategy that advocates a holistic life-cycle approach to managing ERP. The proposed approach, which was successfully adopted in GCC ERP project, was built around “end-user characterization” as the main input into “competency building.” It is also flexible enough to plug into standard ERP methodologies and could be projected throughout the ERP life cycle. The end-users characterization and Competency Building Approach (ECB) is expected to contribute to increased business gains and return on investment as a result of boosting levels of ERP usage and utilization.