A SOA-Based Approach to Integrate Enterprise Systems

Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP systems) are enterprise information systems designed to support business processes. They partially or completely include functions such as order processing, purchasing, production scheduling, dispatching, financial accounting and controlling (Monk et. al., 2005). ERP systems are the backbone of information management in many industrial and commercial enterprises and focus on the management of master and transaction data (Sumner 2005). Besides ERP systems, Enterprise Content Management Systems (ECM systems) have also developed into companywide application systems over the last few years. ECM solutions focus on indexing all information within an enterprise (Rockley, 2003). They cover the processes of enterprise-wide content collection, creation, editing, managing, dispensing and use, in order to improve enterprise and cooperation processes (CMSWatch, 2009). In order to manage information independently, ECM combines technologies such as document management, digital archiving, content management, workflow management, etc. The use of ECM systems is constantly on the rise (Lämmer et. al 2008). This leads to an increasing motivation AbstrAct