In this paper, co-authored with Chetan Sankar, P.K. Raju, David Patton and Nadja Bleidung, we present an educational case-study of the K-11 engine development at Briggs and Stratton.
There are two specific educational
objectives of using this case study in a classroom.
First, the case provides a context
to illustrate the benefits of using an Enterprise information system (for example, SAP R/3) for enhanced product-based
profitability. SAP R/3 is a complex
system and many students have difficulty understanding its utility in a large
organization. The case shows how Briggs
& Stratton uses SAP R/3 during many stages of its product life cycle.
Second, the case underlines the
importance of better communication between engineering design, manufacturing,
MIS, and other divisions of a company. It shows that there is very little linkage between the information
systems used by designers and the manufacturing employees. Improved linkages could lead to more
efficient systems and higher profitability for the company.
The citation for the paper is as follows:
Sankar, Chetan S., Raju, P. K., Nair, Anand, Patton, David, and Bleidung, Nadja. 2005. Enterprise Information Systems and Engineering Design at Briggs and Stratton: K11 Engine Development. Journal of Information Technology Cases and Application Research, 7(1): pp. 21-40.