Implementing ERP In Commonwealth Bank: Essay On Challenges And Benefits.

Commonwealth Bank's Business Strategy

Discuss About The Implementation Of ERP In Commonwealth Bank?

This study is focused on an organization from banking sector “Commonwealth Bank” which is the largest financial institution of Australia having a huge customer base of around 7.7 million. This report will deal with the analyzing the present challenges that are being faced by the organization and the role that can be played by IT to resolve the issues. The business strategic goals through IT alignment are developed in context to the organization for demonstrating on the benefits that will be achieved by the organization. Further, discussions are carried out on applying business strategy to the selected business type. The continuous availability of business services is an essential requirement for almost any large financial institution. The core banking operations of the organization can be transformed to ERP platform for providing excellent customer service. Hence, this study will reflect on importance of aligning IT with the business strategy for the organization.  

The business strategy of Commonwealth Bank is basically customer oriented that means they are oriented towards providing excellent customer service. From study on this organization, it has been identified that there are various problems being faced due to the existing systems therefore Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) should adapt technological advancements to gain a competitive advantage [15]. The implementation of ERP can help to resolve existing issues within the organization. The current framework had numerous applications running all the while to fulfill the prerequisites of the clients. Be that as it may, those applications had a few vulnerabilities and their shortcomings should have been tended to before it gets abused by the clients and contenders. Region Bank of Australia (CBA) is confronting trouble by the speed of online exchanges and it has been recognized that the applications are not brought sufficiently together that makes security testing of uses a very tedious assignment [12]. There is a requirement for legitimate seller to sort out the given arrangement of utilizations so all the security tests can be secured at the earliest opportunity. The principle issue is that CBA has poor risk administration and they gravely require some system to enable them to evaluate chance. Besides the database utilized as a part of the framework is not brought together and subsequently the principle errand before the business is to have unified database so information get to ends up plainly straightforward process [5].

Challenges Faced by Commonwealth Bank

The principle issue in the current framework is chance related with every one of the applications and the vast majority of the applications should be tried constantly. There is prerequisite of an incorporated framework with the goal that the bank can oversee testing of all applications independently and time is not squandered in physically scanning for flaws and accessible recuperation arrangements [4]. To oversee legitimate appraisal of risk related with applications, CBA needs the innovation which can test applications and right issues if conceivable. Keeping in mind the end goal to enter into the market, the bank needs the vital innovation to make framework solid and to guarantee smooth stream of data inside the framework. Alternate necessities from the framework were to have open frameworks approach, future evidence astounding innovation and best of breed retail and so forth as CBA needs to accomplish economies of scale. Besides, CBA needs to have a concentrated database to help all applications going on and needs an answer which can support up its framework in inviting way [8]. Consequently, the usage of SAP platform will help CBA in cutting expenses and also time and overseeing naturally different exchanges that occur on an everyday premise. CBA will have the capacity to infiltrate into different market segments by the huge highlights offered by SAP platform. Today, the vast majority of the exchanges happen at the bank focus by its different appropriation channels and not at the branches.

In the past days of innovation, huge volume of information was put away on centralized servers however with the coming and developing popularity of PCs, local area networks and customer server innovations turning into the standard, another necessity rose whereby information was put away on desktop PCs rather than centralized servers. In any case, this progress additionally represented a few issues [3]. For example, a wide range of frameworks that were produced freely finished the period inside an organization were regularly incongruent that made issues for sharing data. A need emerged for big business wide information sharing and it was inside this foundation that ERP frameworks expected basic noteworthiness. ERP coordinates and synchronize distinctive hierarchical frameworks, for example, back, human resource, operations, support administrations and different capacities which might be association particular [23]. ERP framework for saving money incorporates finish arrangement which gives far reaching backing to monetary procedures, human resource administration and support administrations. ERP empowers business firms to coordinate their business, fund, fabricating, circulation, client benefit and different capacities.

Implementation of ERP as a Solution

For practically every business operation today, information technology (IT) is a fundamental and imperative part. In spite of the fact that this dependence on IT gives evident advantages, it additionally introduces critical business challenges [10]. The complexities of IT and its interconnectedness to such huge numbers of zones of the business leave associations more helpless than any time in recent memory to natural risks. Occasions that effect IT, which already could be contained inside the IT office, would now be able to influence the whole business. Information misfortune, defilement and detachment and additionally security breaks and foundation disappointments rapidly end up plainly open occasions that can seriously affect an association's efficiency, its notoriety and its capacity to accomplish vital objectives [9]. Fundamental course of action in context to IT with business suggests that the objective of the IT division of an association should be set as per the association goals. Business-IT plan implies applying Information Technology (IT) in a fitting and helpful course, in congruity with business techniques, goals and necessities. Any business-IT course of action model or procedure ought to finally look for after one goal reliably update returns to the business from IT anticipates, fusing interests in projects, capital, advantage, support, upkeep, and some other IT effort or utilization. The key accomplishment factor for modifying IT experiencing and attempts with business needs is shared activity and obligation. Business pioneers must lead IT and CIOs must advance toward getting to be business pioneers [6]. CIOs decidedly need to extend their own duty regarding the utilization of IT, however they must be also responsible towards considering the business objectives to be fulfilled by IT.

Figure 1: Model for Strategic Alignment

(Source: Created by Author)

The system part identifies with the built up, dynamic viewpoint of key organization. It considers the business strategy as the driver of both design decisions of the association and the justification of the IT establishment. Top Management describes the system in details and IT Management is quite recently considered as procedure implementer. The development perspective moreover observes the business framework as the driver [1]. In any case it incorporates the arrangement of an IT framework to help the picked business strategy and comparing it with the IT system and procedure that is required. The best administration ought to give the innovation vision to verbalize the rationale and decisions relating to IT system that would best help the picked business technique. The engaged perspective is stressed over the misuse of rising IT abilities to influence new things and organizations that affect the key properties of framework and also develop new sorts of connections [19]. Finally, the organization level perspective focuses on the most capable strategy to fabricate world class IT affiliation. In this perspective, the piece of business technique is abnormal. This perspective is regularly observed as being imperative, however not being sufficient, to ensure the intense usage of IT resources and to be open to the requests from the population of end customers which is constantly developing and changing.

Importance of Alignment of IT with Business Strategy

ERP frameworks encourage organizations to replace the current information systems of an organization, which are frequently incongruent with each other, with a solitary incorporated framework that is streamlined information streams all through an association that may come about into huge picks up in an organization's productivity and main concern [20]. ERP systems are fundamentally a enterprise wide package that immovably consolidates immensely essential business limits into a singular structure with a typical database. Being exceptionally data masterminded dealing with a record industry offers huge potential for ERP applications. An ERP structure offers a broad mix between different dealing with a record system modules. ERP arranges customers, information, techniques, and applications for higher gainfulness. It supports essential authority with generations for enhanced responsiveness and change. It uses passage development, business knowledge, data organization, and flexible advances that extra time and decrease costs [25]. It engages dealing with a record laborers work together with bank's huge managers for diminished time and effort and switches the standard approach from 'top-down' to 'bottom up'. ERP framework gives finish end-to-end arrangement covering installment preparing, accounting, money administration and security. Patching up installment handling needs an excellent comprehension on how banks make installments [16]. This may be clear for one branch at particular territory however may end up being more time consuming while in the meantime overseeing different branches in different countries and working under country specific institutions. With respect to money administration, there is a need to control available record on standard commence so tasks of financing decisions can be made reasonably.

Figure 2: Theoretical Framework for Business-IT Alignment

(Source: Created by Author)

Business-IT strategic alignment is a standout amongst the most prevalent current administration ideas in business and IT administration especially in the scholarly world and industry. It implies the level of similarity among business and IT systems [23]. In the current turbulent and centered business condition, survival not even accomplishment has transformed into a critical test. The principal foundation method that any sort of business should have is to modify Information Technology (IT) with business goals. The association should have clear business destinations and uses its IT structure to exactly fulfill these goals. IT and IS are indispensable in the methods of business organizing, design, examination, operations organization, and key fundamental initiative. Game plan is delineated as the best possible and advantageous utilization of IT, in congruity with business objective, frameworks, and necessities [10]. Business and IT course of action happens when the specific strategies are joined with the end goal that the right things are done. Any business-IT game plan model or method ought to finally look for after one goal reliably enhance returns to the business from IT anticipates, fusing interests in projects, capital, advantage, support, upkeep, and some other IT effort or utilization. The key accomplishment factor for modifying IT experiencing and attempts with business needs is shared organization and duty. Notwithstanding its part, every IT development, undertaking, or organization must have an impact in influencing business value [2]. Moreover, an IT design must work must work towards finishing business-related and not IT-related estimations in order to upgrade the business strategy. Both the business system and the IT technique will impact the IT structure that is genuinely being executed in the affiliation. Moreover the nature of administration of that system and the information quality conveyed by that structure will be affected by the alignment of business and IT [11]. Structure quality, information quality and organization quality will impact the behavioral/desire to use the system and furthermore the customer satisfaction with the system. These two will impact the genuine use of the structure, which will impact the net business favorable circumstances or objectives.

The increase of IT organizations essential to achieving crucial business goals presents interesting risks and openings. More than ever, IT must be strong, obvious, open and security-rich with a particular true objective to help essential business methodology and key exercises. Recognizing the risks to the business related with the usage of IT requires a clear point of view of IT risks and IT benefits all through the affiliation [18]. This cannot be adequately capable with the standard approach that investigates the physical and basic risks that may influence conveying the benefits of IT. It is the perfect open door for IT to develop its foundation of risk based impact assessment and enlarge the scope of risks it fuses to moreover guarantee and support the business in meeting its indispensable targets [15]. Remembering the ultimate objective to appropriately perceive the business risks related with the use of IT, affiliations require a broader viewpoint of utilizing IT that goes past regular limits and that alters IT to the indispensable heading of the business. Specifically, they require an approach that can:

• Enhance the planning of IT with business needs to expand it by more quickly responding to change with instructed and measured decisions.
• Protect brand and salary by looking over the risks associated with IT alignment, their potential business impact or advantage and an affiliation's risk management to help plan a sensible technique [5].
• Improve the benefits being provided by IT to finish key business exercises by regulating the risks of IT with more correct and legitimate information
• Reduce exposure to cash related and reputation by protecting the business from negative exposures, incidents and fines or even penalties [6]
• Increase their high ground by helping them to make figured responses to risk that are not often done by competitors in the market

By tying great risk methods specifically to vital business activities, associations would more be able to effortlessly report key performance indicators (KPIs) and key risk indicators (KRIs) and organize risks in light of their effect on or commitment to key objectives [21]. Moreover, the business is better ready to execute adjusted risk administration designs, utilize clear correspondence designs and constantly screen chance markers. The usage of any innovation cannot be fruitful ideal from the earliest starting point as risks are included. The initial step included is to roll out this mechanical improvement justifiable by people and henceforth the test is before CBA to guarantee appropriate preparing to their workers. For that reason, uncommon authorities must be utilized. Preparing must be given on worker's right side from the day when innovation is sent. This is a key stride in keeping up merchant connections. Incorporating this mechanical change with the current framework is the real obstacle which is to be eliminated [23]. The greatest test which SAP platform has is to guarantee Straight through Processing (known as STP in corporate section) of different money related exchanges. With the CBA having many organizations under its immense corporate umbrella. SAP platform must be coordinated with different corporate wide applications like Credit Card, Mobile money, common assets, business, call focus and different applications occurring at the same time. In context to the particular scenario of banking industry, ERP is very helpful to plan operations, technical along with making decisions for strategic planning. ERP system will help to carry out various number of responsibilities that are required functions of accounting and financial management in the banking industry.

Conclusion

From above study on the case of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), it has been identified that implementation of technological advancements will play a major role in growth of the financial institution. A very scalable and adaptable innovation stage is fundamental for associations to oversee development and contend effectively, for example, SAP in this specific setting. The main IT Core Banking Solution will enable Commonwealth Bank of Australia to accomplish its goals over the system. The current issues and difficulties being confronted by CBA can be settled with the assistance of SAP platform. In this way, putting resources into innovation will help CBA to get rich profits. The bank can effectively utilize SAP platform and effectively figure out how to send the arrangement in the zones of center keeping money, buyer driven e-saving money (Electronic B 2 C fragment), coordinate saving money, corporate e-saving money (Electronic B 2 B segment) and Customer Relationship Management. Therefore, SAP platform can ensure adaptability to accomplish appropriate division. This will help CBA to develop its market and have some edge over the opposition. The bank can make utilization of core technology as a key differentiator, along these lines rethinking the principles of managing an account and moreover likewise demonstrating how innovation can benefit some in changing the business of a bank.

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