The ERP Challenge: Developing an Integrated Platform and Course Concept for Teaching ERP Skills in Universities

This article investigates the teaching of practical ERP skills. The discussion is centered on an innovative teaching concept called "The ERP Challenge", which was developed to give students a hands-on experience with a commercial standard ERP system Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The ERP Challenge consists of a business simulation game based on a real-world company case, an e-learning platform and the actual ERP system. The software platform for the ERP Challenge combines these elements in a seamlessly integrated way. Described further is the development of the software platform, the evaluation process for its refinement and the possibility to provide the solution as a hosted service. The findings from two supporting empirical surveys are presented; these show that the ERP Challenge is perceived as a successful means of providing ERP skills by the students and that the feasibility of a hosted service needs to be carefully examined.