The document provides information about Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems through several case studies. It begins with defining ERP and describing its components and evolution. It then discusses major ERP vendors and implementations at Nestle and Agilent Technologies. At Nestle, a large ERP project integrated systems and standardized processes, resulting in savings of $371 million by 2001. Agilent implemented ERP to help manage its global business across multiple divisions. The document outlines the benefits and risks of ERP systems as well as lessons learned from various implementation experiences.