OpenERP

Business type

Open Innovation

Service/product description

They make and maintain an Open Source ERP system, (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. This can be used as a simple CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system or as a specialised industry tool for publishers or the food industry for example. ERP is one of those 80’s business meglamaniac ideas of contolling everything throught a fully intergrated system. Obviously not a new idea but it started to become a reality with 80’s desktop computers and the dreaded spreadsheet.

What does 'openness' mean in this case?

Besides the obvious of having reversed engineered industry ERPs like Salesforce, they also investigate specific industries like publishing and make add on to help them out and as with all well thought out open business models they are of course helping themselves by helping their clients. Lastly I’m actually please by the fact that they offer a high priced support package, yes it costs quite a lot even though its OIpen Source, but thats good because that way they’ll be around for a long time. Of course you can download and dance for free.