ERCIS | European Research Center for Information Systems

Research and the deployment of the latest findings are driven by the concept of integrated information system and organizational (process) design. This notion leads to several research questions such as the configuration of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in companies, process-oriented organizational restructuring and the realization of future application architectures (issues of technical form and content). These questions are discussed cooperatively with associated research partners within the ERCIS network.

Likewise, the integration of various technical systems into a holistic architecture constitutes an important research field of the ERCIS. Notable examples are the integration of Data Warehouse solutions, Content Management Systems, Workflow Management Systems or Document Management Systems into existing business IT solutions. The starting point is always the concept itself. Specific requirements in retailing, public administration or industry, within the supply chain or in operational functions such as controlling or marketing are to be modelled, improved, considered from the legal perspective and implemented in terms of IT. The ERCIS research covers the entire process from the requirements analysis to the implementation in national and international research projects.

Many results from the latest ERCIS research have been applied directly in practice by companies. Such research includes the development of new workflow-based production planning methodologies, electronic markets and e-commerce solutions, the integrated application and Management Information Systems or Data Warehouse solutions. Innovative solutions in the field of Supply Chain Benchmarking as well as mathematical and investment theory concepts have been developed and deployed successfully. Furthermore, business games for educational purposes, the conceptual design and further development of programming languages and application architectures, and high-level-approaches for parallel programming are being developed. Moreover, the constant interchange of ideas and experiences between researchers and practitioners helps to improve IT design for both, business companies and public institutions.

Research at the ERCIS is very practically oriented. This is ensured by the Advisory Board which also comprises representatives of well-known companies. They are responsible for advising on research issues of practical relevance and for cooperating in research projects.

Many surveys document that about half of all projects concerned with the realisation of business information systems fail. Projects either do not reach their objective as regards content or exceed time and cost constraints. Throughout recent years, significant innovations in the design of business information systems have been separately achieved in Information Systems research as well as in Business Administration and Computer Science. However, one main reason for business information systems projects to fail is a lack of coordination between the technical and social disciplines that are required to achieve the aims of the project. By applying a multi-perspective approach, which transcends traditional disciplinary borders, ERCIS in cooperation with industrial and further research partners in the social and technical disciplines contributes to the worldwide top research.