A correlational study of enterprise resource planning systems integration with engineering systems

The quantitative, correlational study explored the relationship between the extent of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and the effectiveness of product life cycle management. The research study also explored the impact of the level of engineering systems integration (LESI) with ERP systems and the potential effect on effectiveness of product life cycle management. The industry segment focused on aerospace and defense companies. The survey instrument developed for the study had a highly reliable Cronbach's alpha score for the test survey and the research survey, exceeding the minimum score by approximately 20 points. The findings indicated a moderately strong correlation existed between the extent of ERP implementation (EEI) and the effectiveness of product life cycle management (EPLM) and a strong correlation between LESI and EPLM. Although the goal of the research was to determine whether independent information could be discovered between EEI and LESI and its influence on EPLM, that the goal could not be determined. LESI was stronger than EEI as an influence on EPLM within the sample surveyed. The research built upon prior research on ERP and explored implications of engineering systems integration.