Socially Embedded ERP System Will Add to Production Efficiency of Looms of Ladakh

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is used by organizations looking to manage their business functions within a centralized and integrated system. Looms of Ladakh is aiming to build a disruptive yet socially embedded ERP system that would enable the artisans to access/share timely information to make good quality products resulting in more work and income. What is an ERP? Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a process used by companies to manage and integrate the important parts of their businesses. Many ERP software applications are important to companies because they help them implement resource planning by integrating all of the processes needed to run their companies with a single system. An ERP software system can also integrate planning purchasing inventory, sales, marketing, finance, human resources, and more.Where did you first learn about it? During my Post-Graduation at IRMA, we studied a course on Management Information Systems in which we learned about ERP. How about examples of successful ERP system implementation in other POs in India. What are your learning takeaways from them?My first encounter with a running ERP system was with Bengaluru-based organizations named Vrutti & Catalyst Management Services, which had made a web portal & mobile application for the SHGs and Producer Companies promoted by the organizations in Tamilnadu. About three years ago, I got a chance to see another successful ERP system implemented by an artisan-based producer organization named Chitrika in Hyderabad. I learned that such common ERP systems make the operations & information flow smooth and efficient, especially when the work is spread vastly in geography. In rural areas where Internet connectivity is intermittent, having a platform that shares common information with all stakeholders as and when needed, helps in building transparent systems. How will an ERP system improve the production efficiency of Looms of Ladakh and your plan of action for it? The main objective of the ERP development project is to have a disruptive and socially embedded technological system in place which would enable the artisan's access/share timely information to make good quality products resulting in more work and income. Most of the women members of the cooperative are not the primary bread-winner in the family. Since these artisans are involved in other family livelihood activities like animal husbandry/agriculture/labor work etc. in addition to their handicrafts work. As the income from handicrafts/handloom work is still incomparable to the income from other sources, the women are not financially empowered. With the help of the ERP system, Looms of Ladakh aims to add more time to the production and business season which was limited until now. On one hand, the backend of processes will be strengthened by the implementation of the pilot, while on the other hand, an efficient sales & stock management module will assist well in increasing the size of business through online sales/marketing initiatives. A system to capture member-level production data, which includes quantity and quality of products developed, designs, time taken, etc., can make processes more transparent. Accuracy of data would result in making work remunerative for members unlike many collectives working with artisans at group level where both hard-workers and free-riders don’t get fairly rewarded/motivated. Direct benefit transfer mechanism based on the work-done will help avoid the dependence on more dominant members of the groups. These all can culminate into better options for financial independence and economic equity for women. The plan of action is to develop the web & mobile application-based ERP solution in the next 6-8 months, with the help of an expert team at KOSHA. Looms of Ladakh will identify Operators/ ERP managers in each of the village centers that it operates. These managers will be trained by KOSHA and Looms of Ladakh team to implement and further train in implementing the ERP solution at each member level within their respective centers. Thus, this project will also help in building the digital literacy of the women members apart from the efficiency resulting from the ERP implementation.

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Socially Embedded ERP System Will Add to Production Efficiency of Looms of Ladakh

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