Q You are an IT Manager at the headquarters office of ChipInTime, an international chip manufacturer for timing devices. You are responsible for daily management of the current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that is used throughout ChipInTime for enterprise-wide decisions. The ERP integrates manufacturing with supply chain processes across the firm. This makes it possible for information to smoothly flow from suppliers, through manufacturing to distribution and to the customer. Because you have shown yourself to be reliable in the past, you have been given decision making authority over the future direction of this system. You work with departments within the organization such as finance, engineering, personnel, and contracting on a daily basis. Since the ERP system was originally implemented, there have been many changes at ChipInTime. The market share for ChipInTime chips has increased 25% and the number of chips sold annually has doubled. To meet this demand, ChipInTime has had to rely on several vendors to simultaneously supply key materials, whereas in the past they had a single primary vendor. The company has expanded into new countries internationally, and each country requires different quarterly reports for legal compliance reasons. Additionally, this growth, coupled with the acquisition of a minor competitor, has doubled the number of employees. The end result is that the current ERP system barely meets the daily needs of the organization and so limits ChipInTime's potential for growth. The current ERP System was developed in-house before there were many off-the-shelf or custom vendors providing ERP's in this field. The current IT staff has done an excellent job maintaining the current system and responding to user needs. Write a letter for the CEO recommending one of the above three actions. In your letter, be sure to directly address the following five questions: Question 1: What is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system? How can an ERP limit the growth of an organization? Question 2: In making your recommendation to the CEO, what do you consider the three primary criteria you will use in determining how to upgrade the system? Why do you feel these are the three most important criteria? Question 3: What are the benefits and costs of using an off-the-shelf ERP solution the local server or in the cloud? Question 4: What are the benefits and costs of deciding to go with in-house development? Question 5: What is your final recommendation and why did you choose it?