AboutLeo Lingham Expertise management consulting process, management consulting career,
management development, human resource planning and development,
strategic planning in human resources, marketing, careers in
management, product management etc
Experience 18 years working managerial experience covering business planning, strategic planning, corporate planning, management service, organization development, marketing, sales management etc
PLUS
24 years in management consulting which includes business planning, strategic planning, marketing , product management,
human resource management, management training, business coaching,
counseling etc
1. What is the purpose of a computer aided decision support system? What are the major components of such a system? How does it help the decision making process?
2. “In the end, the information system is recognized as a foundation for human judgment, in sight and inventiveness”. Discuss in detail.
3. What are the types of Inventory Management Systems? Define them and partition further classes. Also, briefly explain each subdivision.
4. Discuss in detail the different types of computer bases information system used in different functional areas business by organizations. Who are the typical user of information system?
5. Describe the modern practices and emerging trends related do technology, design and security issues involved in e-commerce.
Answer SHILADITIYA
HERE IS SOME USEFUL MATERIAL.
Q5 IS OUT OF MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
=============================
1. What is the Purpose of a computer aided decision support system. What are the major components of such a system. how does it help the decision making process.
Computerized decision support systems became practical with the development of minicomputers, timeshare operating systems and distributed computing. In a technology field as diverse as DSS, chronicling history is neither neat nor linear. Different people perceive the field of Decision Support Systems from various vantage points and report different accounts of what happened and what was important . As technology evolved new computerized decision support applications were developed and studied. DSS into the five broad DSS categories including: communications-driven, data-driven, document driven, knowledge-driven and model-driven decision support systems.
Categorized into seven distinct types of DSS. Seven types include:
· File drawer systems that provide access to data items.
· Data analysis systems that support the manipulation of data by computerized tools tailored to a specific task and setting or by more general tools and operators.
· Analysis information systems that provide access to a series of decision-oriented databases and small models.
· Accounting and financial models that calculate the consequences of possible actions.
· Representational models that estimate the consequences of actions on the basis of simulation models.
· Optimization models that provide guidelines for action by generating an optimal solution consistent with a series of constraints.
· Suggestion models that perform the logical processing leading to a specific suggested decision for a fairly structured or well-understood task.
Document-driven DSS
A document-driven DSS uses computer storage and processing technologies to provide document retrieval and analysis. Large document databases may include scanned documents, hypertext documents, images, sounds and video. Examples of documents that might be accessed by a document-driven DSS are policies and procedures, product specifications, catalogs, and corporate historical documents, including minutes of meetings and correspondence. A search engine is a primary decision-aiding tool associated with a document-driven DSS . These systems have also been called text-oriented DSS .
Knowledge-driven DSS
Knowledge-driven DSS can suggest or recommend actions to managers. These DSS are person-computer systems with specialized problem-solving expertise. The "expertise" consists of knowledge about a particular domain, understanding of problems within that domain, and "skill" at solving some of these problems . These systems have been called suggestion DSS and knowledge-based DSS .
Web-based DSS
The World-wide Web and global Internet provided a technology platform for further extending the capabilities and deployment of computerized decision support. The release of the HTML 2.0 specifications with form tags and tables was a turning point in the development of web-based DSS.
Corporate intranets were developed to support information exchange and knowledge management. The primary decision support tools included ad hoc query and reporting tools, optimization and simulation models, online analytical processing (OLAP), data mining and data visualization .
Vendors introduced new Web-based analytical applications. Many DBMS vendors shifted their focus to Web-based analytical applications and business intelligence solutions.
Conclusions
Five specialized types of DSS, including
-text-oriented DSS,
-database-oriented DSS,
-spreadsheet-oriented DSS,
-solver-oriented DSS, and
-rule-oriented DSS.
seven sub-groupings of research and practice:
-personal DSS,
-group support systems,
-negotiation support systems,
-intelligent DSS,
-knowledge management-based DSS,
-executive information systems/business intelligence, and
-data warehousing. These sub-grouping overlap, but reflect the diverse evolution .
#####################################################################################
2. " In the end, the information system is recognized as a foundation for human judgment, in sight and inventiveness. discuss in detail.
HUMAN JUDGEMENT
Most people have criteria for judging the quality and authority of information based upon their knowledge and
experience of traditional information resources, making use of conventional, well-understood indicators of authority,
and of quality mechanisms such as editorial selection. These criteria are often used for reducing (or “filtering”) the
amount of information people interact with when searching for information. In traditional information retrieval,
such information reduction has been accomplished considering topicality as the basis of relevance judgments.
However, a fair number of empirical studies on relevance judgment have revealed that people use many criteria
other than topicality in their judgments of relevance . Two such criteria, related to one another, are quality and authority.
The WWW has become one of the fastest growing electronic information sources. In the Web, people are engaging
in interaction with more, and more diverse information than ever before, so that the problem of information
reduction is more significant in the Web than any other information system, especially considering the rate of
growth in the number of documents. This suggests that people, in the context of Web, need some ways to
effectively manage the amount of information with which they directly engage.
There are two significant factors in
the Web context which makes this particular problem especially difficult. The first is that there is no overall quality
control mechanism in the Web. In the print world, quality is established through such mechanisms as reviews,
refereeing processes, and the reputations of publishing houses or other publishing media .
In general, people recognize quality and authority in printed publications because there are accumulated standards
for publications according to which they judge the goodness of information. Since such significant criteria for
information reduction are not in general established in the Web context, people might be unable to use their
established methods for this purpose, in this new context. The second issue is that people understand authority on
the basis of personal experience with particular sources, or reputations, or other related factors , and use
these factors in routine ways to reduce the amount of information with which they directly interact.
But because of the dynamic nature of the Web, and the lack of control over publication on the Web, and the general
lack of experience that most people have with the Web, people’s previous experience and previously established
authority structures are likely no longer to be directly relevant for this purpose.
These issues define the problem area that we wish to investigate: overall, how to understand and how to support
quality and authority decisions effectively in a large uncontrolled environment. The present study aims to explore
information quality and authority in the Web environment by observing information seeking behaviors with respect
to evaluation of quality and authority in the Web environment.
1. What are the characteristics of information problems and search activities that lead people to engage in
information interaction on the Web?
2. How do people make judgments about information quality and authority?
3. Do people apply their evaluation criteria used in traditional information systems to those in the Web?
Information Quality
One of the problems in defining the concept of information quality is that there is little research that is specifically
directed toward the concern of quality in the context of IR. This does not mean that the concern with the quality of
information is new. In fact, there have been hidden bits and pieces concerning this concept, often in the literature of
relevance and its criteria. For example, who proposes “personal utility” as a measure of retrieval
effectiveness, says that “utility is a catch-all concept involving not only topic-relatedness but also quality, novelty,
importance, credibility, and many other things” . The studies on relevance criteria have revealed that people
use “perceived quality” , “actual quality”, and “expected quality” as criteria for the selection or rejection of documents. Accuracy/validity , goodness & usefulness , and accuracy & validity are factors which have been associated
with the concept of quality.
The concept of information quality has been addressed in information science in a variety of ways other than in
relevance studies. One way to discuss quality is “quality management” in library and information services, often
used synonymously with “excellence” . Another way is to discuss “data quality,” primarily
associated with accuracy in the information product such as databases . Data quality
should be differentiated with “data system quality,” such as timeliness of update, system reliability, system
accessibility, and system usability, and data security .
“information quality” and “technical quality” comprise “product quality.” “information
quality” is made up of “cognitive quality,” “design quality,” “product quality,” and “delivery quality.” A problem
with information quality as a research construct is that researchers use the term information quality in many different
contexts without setting a clear definition or extent. This results in conflicting and ambiguous interpretations of the
concept of information quality .
Comparison of Dimensions of Quality
Quality Management
Data Values in Data Quality
Quality in the Value-added Model Information
Quality Information
Quality Actual Value
Aesthetics Features
Meaning over time
Perceived Value
Relevance
Reliability
Validity
Accuracy
Completeness
Consistency
Currency
Accuracy
Comprehensiveness
Currency
Reliability
Validity
Accuracy
Authority
Currency
Novelty
Accessibility
Actual value
Completeness
Credibility
Flexibility
Form
Meaning over time
Relevance
Reliability
Selectivity
Validity
five quality values were defined as follows:
• Accuracy: the value added by the system processes that assure error-free transfer of data and information
• Comprehensiveness: the value added by the completeness of coverage of a particular subject or discipline
or of a particular form of information (e.g. patents)
• Currency: the value added: (a) by the recency of the data acquired by the system; and (b) by the capability of
the system to reflect current modes of thinking in its access vocabularies
• Reliability: the trust a user has in the consistency of quality of the system and its outputs over time
• Validity: the degree to which data or information presented to users are judged as sound
It is inferred that accuracy, currency, reliability and validity are associated with “data” or
“information” or “outputs” of a system while comprehensiveness is related to information systems.
Cognitive Authority
The term “authority” is found in many different forms throughout society, cutting across many disciplines, including
philosophy, education, psychology, political science, law, religion, and information science.
Two senses: “epistemic authority” (declarative-emotive) and “deontic authority”
(performatory), explaining that the first corresponds to being “an authority” and the second refers to being “in
authority.” ALSO we have differentiates two kinds of authority defining “cognitive authority” as “influence on one’s
thoughts that one would recognize as proper” while “administrative authority” involves the recognized right
of the person who is in a position to tell others what to do. It is obvious that our concern with authority in IR refers
to cognitive (or epistemic) authority, not administrative authority.
The fundamental assumption of his concept of cognitive authority is that there are two kinds of knowledge: one kind
is based on our own personal experience and the other is what others have told us --the latter type
“second-hand knowledge.” The problem here is that we do not count all “hearsay” from others as equally reliable.
Some people know what they are talking about, others do not. Therefore, people need to decide “who knows what
about what” . That is a question of cognitive authority.
which can be summarized as follows:
• Personal authority (author)
• Institutional authority (publisher)
• Textual type authority (document type)
• Intrinsic plausibility authority (content of text)
THE QUALITY IS JUDGED BY
1.THE SOURCE
2. Content (What is in the document)
3. Format (Formal characteristics of a document)
4. Presentation (How a document is written/presented)
5. Currency (Whether a document is up-to-date)
6. Accuracy (Whether the information in a document is accurate)
7. Speed of loading (How long it takes to load a document)
PEOPLE USE THE QUALITY INFORMATION BY
Analysis
Securing relevant information and identifying key issues and relationships; relating and comparing data from different sources; identifying cause/effect relationships.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Judgement
Committing to an action after developing alternative courses of action that are based on logical assumptions and factual information and that take resources, constraints and organisational values into consideration.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Decisiveness
Making timely decisions judgements; taking actions when appropriate; committing to position
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================
INSIGHT
THE INSIGHT INFORMATION PROVIDES A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE:
Enterprise information management is the superset that refers to the people, processes and technology dedicated to gathering, managing, disseminating, leveraging and disposing of all information assets used by an organization. Often referred to simply as information management, the term often refers to treating information as a corporate asset to be valued and managed as any other investment. Information management encompasses all forms of structured and unstructured information: databases, records, email, documents, Web content, etc. that arises for use from inside or outside the four walls of the organization. Because of the vast amounts and different types of content used by information workers, and the difficulties of discovering, using and merging information, information management is essential to managing operations, growth, productivity, efficiency and cost.
=========================================
INVENTIVENESS
THE INVENTIVENESS INFORMATION PROVIDES
A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE FEELINGS / MOTIVES
OF THE OTHER PERSON.
HERE IS SOME EXAMPLE: WHAT THE OTHER PERSON'S
FEELING OF THE SUBJECT : DELEGATION.
Interview Question: Do you think delegation is a way to dump failure on the shoulders of a subordinate or as a dynamic tool for motivating and training your team to realize their full potential?
Interview Answer Guide: Employee should see delegation as an effective management skill which allows staff to use and develop their skills and knowledge to their full potential. A cynical view of this skill is a warning sign.
Interview Question: What type of instructions would you give your staff if you decided to delegate?
Interview Answer Guide: Clear instructions with decisive standards; everyone should know what needs to be done, when it should be finished, and the quality/detail needed. A job seeker should delegate the objective, not the procedure.
Interview Question: What steps do you take to ensure that the work you delegate is successful?
Interview Answer Guide: Job seeker should explain he knows how to outline desired results, ask for progress reports, sets interim deadlines, and does not overly focus on the methodology.
Interview Question: What do you think are the most common excuses team leaders use to not delegate?
Interview Answer Guide: They can do it better them selves,; can’t trust him/her to do it; he/she is not qualified enough; they don’t want anymore added responsibilities; I don’t have time to show anyone how to do it; No one to delegate to; I am the only one that can do it.
Interview Question: What should you assume about your co-workers if you want to delegate successfully?
Interview Answer Guide: Job seeker should be able to view the positive potential of co-workers; does not rule out the possibility that a co-worker may want more responsibility; co-workers want to learn more; job seeker should recognize that the short term training investment will pay off in the long term.
=================================================
HERE IS SOME EXAMPLE: WHAT THE OTHER PERSON'S
FEELING OF THE SUBJECT : AMBITION.
Interview Question: How ambitious are you? And why do you think you are ambitious?
Interview Answer Guide: Job Seeker should demonstrate a real ambition that is also backed by a persistence and real enthusiasm to succeed. However, check that this ambition is balanced by a sense of clear-headiness and an innate common sense. Make sure that the candidate is ‘grounded’ in reality.
Interview Question: Do you think this company is ambitious and if so, why?
Interview Answer Guide: Job seeker should demonstrate a good knowledge of the company, especially its past achievements, and have an optimistic and positive view of its future.
Interview Question: Do you have any past heroes?
Interview Answer Guide: Pay attention to the heroes and look for the qualities they admire. Do they possess any of those qualities? Look for historic figures that have demonstrated a clear purpose, enthusiasm and all the other specific qualities that resonant with the position you are offering.
Interview Question: What important goals have you achieved in the past year?
Interview Answer Guide: Look for an answer that demonstrates real ambition that is also backed, not only by persistence, but by a real enthusiasm to succeed. Try to determine if they have a record of practical achievement.
===================================================
####################################################
3. What are the types of Inventory Management Systems? Define them and partition further classes. also briefly explain each subdivision.
DEFINITION
Inventory-A physical resource that a firm holds in stock with the intent of selling it or transforming it into a more valuable state.
Inventory System- A set of policies and controls that monitors levels of inventory and determines what levels should be maintained, when stock should be replenished, and how large orders should be
-----------------------------------------------------
INVENTORY
Def. - A physical resource that a firm holds in stock with the intent of selling it or transforming it into a more valuable state.
Raw Materials
Works-in-Process
Finished Goods
Maintenance, Repair and Operating (MRO)
INVENTORY IS COST
The average carrying cost of inventory across all mfg.. i
What does that mean?
Savings from reduced inventory result in increased profit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
INVENTORY WISH IS ''ZERO INVENTORY''.
Reducing amounts of raw materials and purchased parts and subassemblies by having suppliers deliver them directly.
Reducing the amount of works-in process by using just-in-time production.
Reducing the amount of finished goods by shipping to markets as soon as possible.
--------------------------------------------------------------
INVENTORY POSITIONS IN ORGANIZATION
Raw Materials
Works in Process
Finished Goods
Finished Goods in Field
--------------------------------------------------------------------
REASONS FOR INVENTORY
Improve customer service
Economies of purchasing
Economies of production
Transportation savings
Hedge against future
Unplanned shocks (labor strikes, natural disasters, surges in demand, etc.)
To maintain independence of supply chain
---------------------------------------------------------------
INVENTORY VALUE
Quality
Speed
Flexibility
Cost
Quality - inventory can be a “buffer” against poor quality; conversely, low inventory levels may force high quality
Speed - location of inventory has gigantic effect on speed
Flexibility - location, level of anticipatory inventory both have effects
Cost - direct: purchasing, delivery, manufacturing
indirect: holding, stockout.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
FUNCTIONAL ROLES OF INVENTORY
Transit
Buffer
Seasonal
Decoupling
Speculative
Lot Sizing or Cycle
Mistakes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: MACRO ISSUES
Need for Finished Goods Inventories
Need to satisfy internal or external customers?
Can someone else in the value chain carry the inventory?
Ownership of Inventories
Specific Contents of Inventories
Locations of Inventories
Tracking
----------------------------------------------------------
MEASURE INVENTORY
closely monitor and control inventories to keep them as low as possible while providing acceptable customer service.
Average Aggregate Inventory Value: how much of the company’s total assets are invested in inventory?
Ford:6.825 billion
Sears: 4.039 billion
CARRYING COSTS
Capital (opportunity) costs
Inventory risk costs
Space costs
Inventory service costs
OUT-OF-STOCK COSTS
Lost sales cost
Back-order cost
-------------------------------------------------
INDEPENDENT DEMAND
Independent demand items are finished products or parts that are shipped as end items to customers.
Forecasting plays a critical role
Due to uncertainty- extra units must be carried in inventory
DEPENDENT DEMAND
Dependent demand items are raw materials, component parts, or subassemblies that are used to produce a finished product.
MRP systems---next week
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESIGN OF INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS:MICRO ISSUES
-Order Quantity
-Economic Order Quantity
-Order Timing
-Reorder Point
--------------------------------------
OBJECTIVES OF INVENTORY CONTROL
1) Maximize the level of customer service by avoiding understocking.
2) Promote efficiency in production and purchasing by minimizing the cost of providing an adequate level of customer service.
--------------------------------------------------------------
BALANCING POINTS IN INVENTORY LEVELS
When should the company replenish its inventory, or when should the company place an order or manufacture a new lot?
How much should the company order or produce?
Economic Order Quantity
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MODELS FOR INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:
1.EOQ
EOQ minimizes the sum of holding and setup costs
Q = 2DCo/Ch
D = annual demand
Co = ordering/setup costs
Ch = cost of holding one unit of inventory
2.SEATIDE
EOQ = 2DCo/Ch
D = annual demand = 6,000
Co = ordering/setup costs = $60
Ch = cost of holding one unit of inventory
$3.00 x 24% = .72
2 x 6,000 x 60
.72
720,000
.72
1,000
-------------------------------------------------
REORDER POINT
Quantity to which inventory is allowed to drop before replenishment order is made
Need to order EOQ at the Reorder Point:
ROP = D X LT
D = Demand rate per period
LT = lead time in periods
level of inventory average
inventory
units
Q
t time
-----------------------------------------------------------
SAWTOOTH MODEL
based on reorder point - When inventory is depleted to ROP, order replenishment of quantity EOQ.
Basically EOQ with quantity discounts
To solve:
1. Write out the total cost equation
2. Solve EOQ at highest price and no discounts
3. If Qmin falls in a range with a lower price, recalculate EOQ assuming holding cost for that range. Call this Q2.
4. Evaluate the total cost equation at Q2 at the next highest price break point.
OR Use a spreadsheet
an alternative to ROP/Q-system control is periodic review method
Q-system - each stock item reordered at different times - complex, no economies of scope or common prod./transport runs
P-system - inventory levels for multiple stock items reviewed at same time - can be reordered together
higher carrying costs - not optimum, but more practical
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PERIODIC REVIEW MODEL
audit inventory level at interval (T)
quantity to place on order is difference between max. quantity (M) and amount on hand at time of review
management task - set optimal T and M to balance stock availability and cost
In ABC analysis, which items would use P-system???
By Degree of Control required
often use grouping method, such as ABC
CLASSIFYING INVENTORY STOCKS
ABC Classification (Pareto Principle)
A Items: very tight control, complete and accurate records, frequent review
B Items: less tightly controlled, good records, regular review
C Items: simplest controls possible, minimal records, large inventories, periodic review and reorder
Response-based - replenish inventory with order sizes based on specific needs of each warehouse
determine requirements by forecasting demand for the next production run or purchase
establish current on-hand quantities
add appropriate safety stock based on desired stock availability levels and uncertainty demand levels
determine how much new production or purchase needed (total needed - on-hand)
STOCK CONTROL
replenishment, production, or purchases of stock are made only when it has been signaled that there is a need for product downstream
requires shorter order cycle time, often more frequent, lower volume orders
determine stock requirements to meet only most immediate planning period (usually about 3 weeks)
SERVICE LEVEL
1- expected number of units out of stock/year
total annual demand
Item fill rate (IFR): the probability of filling
an order for 1 item from current stock
Weighted Average Fill Rate (WAFR): multiply
IFR for each stock item on an order weighted
by the ordering frequency for the item
######################################################
4. Discuss in detail the different types of computer bases information system used in different functional areas business by organizations. who are the typical user of information system?
MIS is an integrated information system, which is used to provide
management with needed information on a regular basis .
The term system in MIS implies ORDER, ARRANGEMENT, and
PURPOSE.
The information can be used for various purposes,
-strategic planning
-delivering increased productivity
-reducing service cycles
-reducing product development cycles
-reducing marketing life cycles
-increasing the understanding of customers' needs
-facilitating business and process re-engineering.
MIS can also be used across the organization as an information
utility to
-support policy making
-meet regulatory and legislative requirements
-support research and development
-support consistent and rapid decision making
-enable effective and efficient utilization of resources
-provide evidence of business transactions
-identify and manage risks
-evaluate and document quality, performance and achievements.
MAKING INFORMATION AVAILABLE
The availability of information is fundamental to the decision making
process. Decisions are made within the organization at
-STRATEGIC
-OPERATIONAL
-PROGRAMMES
-ACTIVITY LEVEL.
The information needs and decision making activities of the
various levels of management
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Strategic business direction
-information for strategically positioning the organization
-competitive analysis and performance evaluation,
-strategic planning and policy,
-external factors that influence the direction
etc
MID LEVEL MANAGEMENT
Organizational and operational functions
-information for coordination of work units
-information for delivery programmes
-evaluation of resources usage
-budget control
-problem solving
-operational planning
etc
MID LEVEL MANAGEMENT
Programme management within units
-information for implementing programmes
-information for managing programmes
-management of resources usage
-project scheduling
-problem solving
-operational planning
etc
LINE MANAGEMENT
Activity management
-information for routine decision making
-information for problem solving
-information for service delivery
etc.
MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SYSTEMS
The management oriented support systems provide support
to various levels of management.
Executive Information Systems allow executives to see where a
problem or opportunity exists.
Decision Support Systems are used by mid-level management
to support the solution of problems that require judgement
by the problem solver.
Line Managers use Management Reporting Systems for
routine operational information.
IN ''MIS''
FUNCTIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
These include
-Accounting Information Systems
-Marketing Information Systems
-Enterprise Information Systems
-Decision Support Information Systems
-Executive Information Systems
-Quality Management Information Systems
-Manufacturing Information Systems
-Financial Information Systems
-Human resource Information Systems
=================================================
FOR MANAGEMENT , MIS
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS TO MAKE SOLUTIONS
FOR THE MOST CHALLENGING SITUATIONS.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR MAKING STRATEGIC DECISIONS
IN A COMPETITIVE SITUATION.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR CORPORATE PLANNING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR BUSINESS PLANNING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR MARKETING PLANNING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR INDUSTRY BENCHMARKING.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR PROCESS ENGINEERING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR PRICING MANAGEMENT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR REVENUE MANAGEMENT
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR DEVELOPING STRATEGIC ALLIANCES.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR ALLOCATING OF RESOURCES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR Identifying strategic shifts and positioning WITH clients in anticipation of several possible outcomes – scenario planning --is a core part of our strategic and tactical planning.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION TO SEE Changes in market conditions, technical advances, and economic issues will all affect THE INDUSTRY / BUSINESS in the future.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION TO find the most effective marketing strategies in order to succeed in these challenging times.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR PROPRIETARY DATABASES AND ANALYTICAL SUPPORT.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ECONOMIC CONDITIONS-PAST/PRESENT/FUTURE.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT enables to provide valuable understanding of the opportunities, challenges, potential pitfalls and market implications
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION WHICH helps organizations realize the most value from their assets.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDES INFORMATION TO CONDUCT
portfolio management, remarketing assistance, sale and lease negotiations, asset sourcing and acquisition, appraisal and valuation, auditS and management and expert testimony.
----------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE THE RIGHT INFORMATION for a clear and disciplined approach to
financial planning is vital to ensure success.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR OBJECTIVE PLANNING.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR the execution of effective business planning and sound management usually defines these differences in profitability.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDE INFORMATION TO analyze and prioritize the BUSINESS drivers to help to achieve a superior competitive position. Vital to this process is an understanding of the economic advantages of scale and scope.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR Operational excellence results in the attainment of world-class quality and productivity in the delivery of services to customers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROVIDES INFORMATION to develop a clear understanding of their operating practices and associated costs, particularly relative to competitors.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When running a BUSINESS, the right information systems can have a critical impact operating costs, operating effectiveness, and customer satisfaction.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=========================================================================
THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE THE MANAGEMENT, A RANGE OF
Business Intelligence
Business Performance Management
Business rules
Data Mining
Predictive analytics
Purchase order request
Enterprise Architecture
Information technology management
Knowledge Base
Online analytical processing
ETC ETC
===========================================================
THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE MANAGEMENT OF MIS
The major EXPECTATIONS of MIS are to:
reach an understanding of the relevant processes on the basis of the available historic information. This element forms the basis for the development of models, required for forecasting and simulation.
provide information on the current situation, especially for early warning purposes, for instance related to issues impacting on business, resources or business status.
forecast changes and impacts, either natural or man-made, as an element in vulnerability assessments.
forecast the consequences of policy decisions and measures before they are implemented in reality. This implies evaluating options for several given scenarios based on the possible results and predicted consequences, and selecting the most acceptable alternative.
==============================================================
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS INCLUDE,
BY DEPARTMENT.
These include
1.Accounting Information Systems
-debtors listing / monitoring/controlling.
-creditors listing / monitoring/controlling
-payroll administration /management.
-profit / loss statements
-balance sheet
etc etc
------------------------------------------------------
2.Marketing Information Systems
-product group sales
-customer total sales
-territory sales
-regional sales
-national sales
-channel sales
- Average value and/or volume of sale by CUSTOMER
- Average value and/or volume of sale by type of CHANNELt
- Average value and/or volume of sale by COUNTRY
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2A].Your promotional activities by individual territories / total promotional spend.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2B].COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES BY regions
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2C] MONTHLY IMPORTS into the country
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2D].MARKET INTELLIGENCE BY region
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 E]MONTHLY TOTAL SALES VS TARGET [ % ACHIEVEMENT ]
YEAR TO DATE SALES VS TARGET [ % ACHIEVEMENT ]
=========================================================
2F]BUSINESS INFORMATION TRENDS.
2G]COMPETITIVE INFORMATION.
2H]ANY SIGNIFICANT MARKET TRENDS.
2I ]POLITICAL TRENDS/CHANGES
2J] LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
2K] FISCAL POLICIES TRENDS/CHANGES
2L] MONETARY POLICIES TRENDS/CHANGES
2M] TRADE POLICIES TRENDS/ CHANGES.
2N] ECONOMIC POLICIES TRENDS/ CHANGES
2O] TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES [ that could affect the sales]
=========================================================
2P] Economic - rate of growth of GNP, level of inflation, incomes
2Q] Social - people, demographics, culture, subculture
2R] Political - risk, instability, attitudes to "foreigners"
2S] Technology - current, rate of change, infrastructure
2T] Resources - money, manpower, materials, acquisitions, joint ventures
2U ] Fiscal - taxes, exchange rates
2V] Institutions - money markets
2X] Managerial - funds
2Y] MARKET ANALYSIS
-customer attitudes/behavior
-spending power
-per capita income
-channels of distribution /effectiveness
-market potential
-media potential/effectiveness
-Economic - rate of growth, structure, conduct, capital, economic blocs, (SADC), GNP, GDP, Nl
-Political/Legal - laws, regulations, investment, "climate", government ideology, stability
-Competition - type, structure, operations, strategy plans, programmes, acquisitions, mergers
-Terms of access - quotas, tariffs, duties etc
-Inflation rate
--------------------------------------------------
3.Enterprise Information Systems
-HUMAN RESOURCES SUPPLY/DEMAND
-FINANCIAL RESOURCES
-MATERIAL RESOURCES
-----------------------------------------------------
4.Decision Support Information Systems
-INVESTMENT SUPPORT
-DIVERSIFICATION SUPPORT
-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SUPPORT
ETC ETC
-------------------------------------------------------------
5.Executive Information Systems
-TOP LEVEL EXECUTIVE STRATEGIC INFORMATIONS.
-MIDDLE LEVEL OPERATION/TACTICAL INFORMATIONS.
-FIRSTLINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY INFORMATIONS.
ETC ETC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.Quality Management Information Systems
-Quality planning system.
-Quality control system
-quality action planning
etc etc
--------------------------------------------------------
7.Manufacturing Information Systems
-procurement planning
-raw material planning/ inventory
-production planning
-warehousing / finished goods inventory planning
-order processing/ order servicing.
etc etc
--------------------------------------------------------------
8.Financial Information Systems
-financial planning
-investment planning
-Return on investment planning
-cashflow planning
etc etc
-----------------------------------------------------
9.Human resource Information Systems
*human resource planning data
*manpower planning data
*job analyses data
*job description
*job specification
*recruitment data
*selection data
*performance appraisal data
*performance management system data
*training programs data
*development programs data
*career planning data
*job rostering data
*promotions data
*career development plan data
*succession planning data
*job rotation data
*job enrichment data
*job multiskilling data
*compensation plans
*compensation package development plans
*staff leave management record
*termination records management record
*international staff records
etc etc
##################################################
5. Describe the modern practices and emerging trends related do technology, design and security issues involved in e - commerce.
