Integration of big-data ERP and business analytics (BA)

Technology advancements in cloud computing, big data systems, No-SQL database, cognitive systems, deep learning, and other artificial intelligence techniques make the integration of traditional ERP transaction data and big data streaming from various social media platforms and Internet of Things (IOTs) into a unified analytics system not only feasible but also inevitable. Two steps are prominent for this integration. The first, coined as forming the big-data ERP, is the integration of traditional ERP transaction data and the big data and the second is to integrate the big-data ERP with business analytics (BA). As ERP implementers and BA users are facing various challenges, managers responsible for this big-data ERP-BA integration are also seriously challenged. To help them deal with these challenges, we develop the SIST model (including Strategic alignment, Intellectual and Social capital integration, and Technology integration) and propose that this integration is an evolving portfolio with various maturity levels for different business functions, likely leading to sustainable competitive advantages.