Master Data Management : Creating a Common Language for Master Data Across an Extended and Complex Supply Chain

Connectivity provided by technology and liberation of trade have led to a globalization of organizations, affecting supply chains to expand in complexity. As a result, many organizations today have challenges of managing information in a consistent manner throughout a complex system environment. This study aims to identify the most valuable attributes of a solution for managing master data, in an efficient and consistent manner, across an extended and complex supply chain. Master data, such as products, customers and suppliers, can be defined as valuable core business information, since it is vital for supporting business operations. A requirements elicitation was performed, including interviews conducted internally with employees at IFS and externally with customers. Furthermore, a requirements analysis resulted in a specification of requirements including the most desirable attributes of a future Master Data Management (MDM) solution. Five main themes of the attributes were identified; architecture, availability and integration, governance, user interface and lifecycle management. The study contributes to the area of research, by identifying challenges and valuable attributes to consider when developing or investing in a solution for MDM