[Erp5-users] Help requested from developers, implementers, and end users....

[survey at trentend.com]

Firstly let me say that I hope that this is not considered an  
intrusive approach.  Please feel free to contact me at: survey at

trentend dot com  if you wish to discuss any aspect of this with me.

I am undertaking academic research into the application of open source  
ERP systems into the small and medium enterprise.  The

intention is to consider the suitability of such systems, and compare  
them with similar proprietary systems.  I am a proponent

of Open Source business systems in general, and ERP in particular.  I  
believe it has a substantial, and increasing, role to play

in the enterprise, and I wish to explore and promote that view.

I have prepared a short survey, which will hopefully provide a  
valuable insight into the perception and preparedness for Open

Source systems to take on the more established proprietary systems.

It would be of significant assistance to me, if as many people as  
possible would be able to take the very short time required to

fill in this anonymous survey.  Ultimately it is hoped the research  
will benefit the community, in return, by increased profile

and increased formal recognition.


The survey can be found at:  
[url]http://trentend.com/phpESP/public/survey.php?name=OSERP[/url]

or via the tiny url of: [url]http://tinyurl.com/3dptnp[/url]

The tiny url can be previewed at:

     [url]http://preview.tinyurl.com/3dptnp[/url]


Please feel free to circulate this request to anyone who may have an  
involvement with ERP systems, and who would be prepared to

fill out the survey.  The more respondents, the more valuable the  
information which can be drawn from it.  The survey will run

for approximately one week from this posting.


Background
-------------

Currently the author is involved in academic research, as part of a  
higher degree in Business Management, into the use of Open

Source ERP systems in the enterprise. He is responsible for  
implementation and maintenance of a proprietary Manufacturing

Resource Planning (MRP) system, which is licensed on a monthly cycle.   
It is the intention to replace this system with an Open

Source Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in the mid to long  
term.    The author is a proponent of Open Source in

general, and Open Source ERP systems in particular.  It is hoped that  
this research will provide some insight into the position

of Open Source ERP's in the market place, and the perception of it's  
suitability.  It is also hoped to raise the formal profile

of ERP systems as serious tools in the Enterprise.

This research can be made available to interested members of the  
community, as a .pdf file, after publication.  Please apply to

the author at survey at trentend dot com, and your email address will  
be retained, and a link to the completed paper distributed

to those interested parties.  This is the only purpose for which such  
email addresses would be used. The survey itself is

anonymous, and does not require email validation.  There is no need to  
provide any such details, if you prefer not to.

Completing this survey will take you little time - it's seven simple  
questions, does not require you to write anything (the

required elements are check box, or radio button, questions) -  
genuinely no more than five minutes of your time.  It will be of

an enormous assistance to me, and ultimately will ensure that your  
views are represented in the completed research.  I hope you

will consider this valuable contribution, an insignificant hardship.

In the meantime, keep up the good work.  Open Source business systems  
are held in very high regard, and are extremely valuable

to those of us who believe organisations (particularly the small and  
medium sized enterprise) should remain free from

limitations imposed by proprietary licensing.

By completing this survey, you may help a wider audience consider the  
value of this approach on a wider scale.

Thanks again,

Paul Chambers