Knowledge Management ERP Curriculum Design/Mapping (Theory and Development Tools)

This study proposes a knowledge management framework for developing and managing enterprise resource planning (ERP) curriculum within business schools. Both theory and a practical implementation are addressed. The knowledge management (KM)¹ framework has two components which utilize ERP from a big picture curriculum overview and a ground level coursework perspective. First, a flowchart illustrates the mapping of ERP² system practice cases to program courses. Using the flowchart, faculty can more easily communicate and manage ERP curriculum features within an existing major course structure. Our design was implemented using a specific ERP system and example company setup to provide for minimal start-up and overhead costs for faculty and a minimal learning curve for students. The second component of the KM framework provides a mapping and library function. Specific design course cells have a general description of case summary features and/or homework exercises. Each design course cell also links to the relevant ERP system settings and a list of learning objectives. This mapping enables one company to be used throughout an undergraduate Accounting or IS degree program where the student's learning experiences in each course are tailored to provide by program's end a broad experiential view of ERP system usage. The system design flowchart is flexible and can be modified year-to-year or differentiated to work at any school. The system design flowchart also enables faculty to assign a list of accreditation competencies (within the context of learning objectives) to each course in the system design chart.