Whirlpool and Web Services: Maximizing Value from an ERP System
Whirlpool is moving beyond the traditional ERP system into Web services for its Web site and phone support system. Using SAP’s NetWeaver’s service-oriented architecture, Whirlpool can be more flexible and responsive. Whirlpool can outsource its Web page portal design because with service-oriented architecture, the Web page is separated from the underlying order-processing system. In fact, Whirlpool has been able to change its Web page in two to three days with this new flexibility, which extends to nonstandard devices such as PDAs. In Whirlpool’s phone support, three different areas are linked—the phone system, the product-tracking system, and the production system—which results in more efficiency.
Note that these three areas originate from one in-house system and two different software systems.
Questions:
1. Research service-oriented architecture. Write a detailed definition and give an example.
2. Imagine you run a financial services company. How would service-oriented architecture help you in running your business?