In this study, it is aimed to analyse the impact of information technologies on organization’s performance by using quantitative measures and to show how they can affect companies’ financial performance. The study also indicates the importance of the consideration of subjective criteria while evaluating the impact of information technologies on the organizational performance. The study evaluates the effect of information technology by means of a case study, specifically, e-procurement tool based on purchasing by e-catalogs in a company. The information technology will be used to support the purchasing activities by a company, established in infrastructure sector in Spain. In the introduction part, it is explained which is the purpose of the study, as well as some background and the assumptions of the study that have been considered in this thesis. In the next section, it is explained some concepts about supply chain management and how information can perform to manage properly the supply chain. Moreover, there is an explanation of some important information technologies in the supply chain such as e-business, ERP, e-procurement. In the third section, there is a description of the methodology we will use to analyse the effects in the company (Cost Benefit Analysis) and the reason of choosing it instead of others. In the fourth section, there is the explanation of the information technology for provisioning by e-catalogs. In this point you can find why the company chose this tool, its supporting software, some displays of the application, how are the purchases with e-catalogs and the different types of catalogs. In the fifth section, there is a brief introduction of the company and a description of the information technologies which the company had before implanting e-catalogs. Specifically, it is explained SAP, SAP R/3 and its implementation in the company. In the sixth section, the methodology is applied to analyse the effects of introducing the IT. Firstly, some assumptions are made for applying the methodology. Then, all costs and benefits generated by the IT are listed. This costs and benefits are transformed to quantitative values, as well as possible. The ones which cannot be quantified are explained qualitatively. Finally, costs and benefits are compared to estimate some economic parameters such as Net Present Value, Pay-back, Return On Investment, Internal Rate of Return. Then, the results of Cost Benefit Analysis will be explained. Finally, in the seventh point, there are the conclusions of the study. The results obtained from the study show that the proposed methodology may help and support managers make a decision on introduction of the new IT into the company.

Outgoing