Enterprise resource planning (ERP) has spread its wings since it first hit business radars more years ago than most of us care to count. ERP today encompasses far more of a company`s IT infrastructure than pure resource planning. Is it time for a new acronym? Or are we asking the wrong question?

ERP will always be ERP. Although the term has now become generic and the product commoditised (with its four traditional horizontal application suites - financials, distribution, manufacturing and HR), it`s really the overflowing bag of extra tricks and vertical point-solutions being peddled by traditional so-called ERP mega-vendors that needs the new name. Right now, it`s probably not worth anyone`s while to come up with something new for the `extra tricks` because Enterprise 2.0 and Web 2.0 will define a whole new shape for things to come. Dave MacDonald, presales and marketing manager at Mincom Africa