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31266 – Introduction to Information Systems
Assessment 1 – Individual assignment
Information Systems in business, organization, and society
STUDENT NAME
STUDENT ID
TUTORIAL TIME
SUBMISSION DATE (Through Turnitin software)
QUESTION 1
1.1
The data that Happy Mind would gather from its transactions include customer details such as names and address, records of commercial operations such as purchases made by customers and records of interactions the business had with the clients and other business stakeholders such as suppliers and investors. These data may include records of the number of people visiting the website.
The types of information that Happy Mind would produce from the collected data include the details of improving customer experience through the application of technology, the information on refining marketing strategy through the application of contextualized data, and information on how to turn data into cash flow, which shows how a company would benefit from such data (Sinha 2014).
1.2
The business can manage the inventory through the application of the data collected by improving operational efficiency. Kim and Kian will have an overview of the real time operations and can access metrics easily which would help in removing the barriers in the entire process and improve efficiency. The business could use data in increasing customer service levels provided there is real-time customer demand pattern data, this will help Kim and Tian to match inventory and inventory levels accurately with customer orders. The business would manage its inventory at a reduced cost by migrating to the cloud (Khader et al. 2014).
1.3
Technology could help businesses to comply with legal requirements or social responsibilities surrounding the sale of alcohol by ensuring a safe and responsible sale, supply, and consumption. Technology would enhance business operations through safe processing and delivery of alcoholic products according to the legal requirements. Technology has introduced automation processes that are error free and faster. Technology could, therefore, help the business to produce safe alcohols through improved inventory management while reducing the impact on the environment. Technology would also make it easier for the business to obtain the required licenses for alcohol business online faster than before. Technology could also enhance data management practices that would help the government in improving the laws based on the sales data and data on customer responses.
QUESTION 2
2.1 tasks that apple must accomplish for each primary value activity
Inbound logistics
Apple has an ample supply chain concerned with obtaining raw materials and distribution of the finished products. Apple has set quality standards for the products and services they are offering. Apple has also adopted smarter ideas to help in reducing the storage requirements and enhance the speed of procurement process (Yang, Meziani & Shen 2016). The principal raw materials suppliers or apple include Foxconn and 3M.
Operations
Apple operates in various countries where they manufacture various products with its principal operations based in China. Asia has lower operating costs than other regions; this has helped Apple in reducing manufacturing costs. Apple has focused on sustainability through practicing through the reduction of toxic substances in assembling and manufacturing of its products.
Apple outbound logistics
The outbound logistics that Apple is concerned with involves warehousing and distribution of ready products such as Mac computers, iPhones, iPads and other related products. The company highly acknowledges E-commerce as a significant source of value in terms of inbound logistics. E-commerce has also proved to be cost effective compared to the apple store. Apple has also penetrated the Asian markets, which also have an added value.
Apple marketing and sales
Apple has seven sales channel through which it sells its products. These channels include:
Value-added resellers
Wholesalers
Apple retail stores
Direct sales force
Apple online store
Third party cellular network carriers
Retailers
Apple service
Apple has achieved the rank of offering exceptional quality of customer service during pre-purchase, the purchase, and post-purchase. There are various apple experience centers maintained by the company in major cities around the world. Apple has well-trained sales assistants who are also technically perceptive and always ready to demonstrate product capabilities and features to customers.
2.2. An information system that can add value to the five primary activities
Primary activities
Information Systems to be Used to add Value to Primary Activities
Inbound logistics
Information system in Procurement
Procurement is also an important area where Apple focuses on by managing a healthy relationship with its suppliers. Apple requires suppliers to provide safe and excellent working conditions for its workers and provide high quality goods and services (Cennamo & Santaló 2015).
Operations
Firm infrastructure
Apple’s success lies in its infrastructure. Management, financial and excellent organizational culture, supports the infrastructure. The company has a higher ability to creating profits since its foundation is better managed.
Outbound logistics
Application of automated shipment scheduling systems
This is important in ensuring timely delivery by limiting the maximum time taken for delivery.
Marketing and sales
Research and development
Research and development have helped Apple brands to technologically innovated. Apple has also achieved unique and great quality designs of its products. Apple spends heavily on research and development for product improvement to cope with the increasing technological level. Research and development are mainly crucial in Apple services by growing the product range and increasing focus on in-house technology development.
Services
Human resource management
The key part of value chain activity at Apple is human resource management. The company has prioritized human resource activities by paying its employees well and applying excellent hiring practices.
QUESTION 3
Tacit knowledge
Tacit knowledge is a knowledge that an individual could gain from personal experience and is more difficult to express. Tacit knowledge is garnered from personal experience and context. Employees gain tacit knowledge as they move from one job environment to another and so as they gain more experience (Jamshidi et al. 2018). Examples of tacit knowledge for the university tutor include leadership and intuition.
Explicit knowledge
Explicit knowledge is a knowledge that is easier to write down and share since it can be easily articulated. Explicit knowledge results from already written down accessible materials. In the case of a university tutor, the examples of explicit knowledge include published white papers and research reports (Santos & Popadiuk 2018).
QUESTION 4
Safila hotel managers can apply information system in providing the best customer service and maintaining and motivating loyal customers in two ways. First, the managers can create a more personal experience by enabling convenience hotel environment with automated features like smart rooms where the customers could control the hotel room through their smartphones or they could have a free gym pass. Second, the managers could invest in technology to enhance the efficiency of online bookings; this could help clients in case of an emergency. Customers via online reservations can also have a chance to compare the prices and features of the hotel.
QUESTION 5
The main problem that BNV faces in the automobile industry is concerned with communication and tracking. BNV managers experience difficulty obtaining information to guide their strategic decisions. The appropriate information system that the organization’s manager could apply to address the problems is a management information system, MIS. BNV could use the management information system to gather, compile, and analyse given information for effective decision-making. The management information system in the modern organization is highly integrated with the computer systems to mainly databases with a huge amount of data to help in tracking. The management information system is appropriate for a company like BNV since it has a universal role in information gathering and tracking and can help where the company is operating in different locations. Businesses currently generate a vast amount of data; therefore, the goals and objectives of the given business play a significant role in how this data is managed and leveraged for effective decision making. MIS could, therefore, help the organization in different levels including strategy, management, operations, and transactions.
BNV could derive various advantages from MIS. First, it could help in communication by introducing instant messaging, voice and video calls, and emails, which are efficient and cheaper. The business will, therefore, be able to strategize on opening new branches anywhere across the globe by making purchases and the entire procurement and tracking system more convenient than before. The business will have the goods delivered anywhere and be able to track them more conveniently. Second, MIS is cost effective and productive when utilized appropriately in the organization. The application provided by MIS that enhances communication promotes more efficient operation while improving the supply of information to decision makers. The systems could also be applied to help the company in putting together greater emphasis on the information technology that could help in gaining a more significant competitive advantage.
QUESTION 6
Higher education is currently concerned with the application of technology to transform and strengthen their capabilities. Big data has various advantages to the institutions. First, the gathering and interpretation of education data could help in improving the higher learning management-learning environment and teaching techniques enhanced through acquiring information analysis training by education administrators (Stewart 2019). Second, data can help in measuring effectiveness by comparing one instructor to other instructors within the same department through the application of students’ demographics, class subject matter, and other variables.
References
Cennamo, C & Santaló, J 2015, ‘how To Avoid Platform Traps Companies as diverse as Apple, Facebook, and Uber all have transformed industries through platform business models. But the increasing popularity of platform strategies masks a difficult truth: Such strategies are hard to execu’, MIT Sloan management review., vol 57, no. 1, pp. 12-15.
Jamshidi, E, Nedjat, S, Nedjat, S, Nikooee, S, Rostamigooran, N & Majdzadeh, R 2018, ‘How to utilize tacit knowledge in health organizations: An Iranian perspective’, Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vol 32, no. 1, pp. 1-18.
Khader, S, Rekik, Y, Botta-Genoulaz, V & Campagne, J-P 2014, ‘Inventory management subject to multiplicative inaccuracies’, International Journal of Production Research, vol 52, no. 17, pp. 5055-5069.
Santos, AEMD & Popadiuk, S 2018, ‘tacit, Explicit, And Cultural Knowledge In Demand Planning’, Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management, vol 7, no. 1, pp. 205-226.
Sinha, S 2014, Making Big Data Work for Your Business, Impackt Publishing, Birmingham, U.K.
Stewart, L 2019, ‘Big Data Discrimination: Maintaining Protection of Individual Privacy without Disincentivizing Businesses’ Use of Biometric Data to Enhance Security’, Boston College Law Review, vol 60, no. 1, pp. 349-386.
Yang, JGS, Meziani, AS & Shen, Y 2016, ‘Understanding Apple’s Global Tax Strategy in Ireland’, International Tax Journal, vol 42, no. 6, pp. 41-47.
Criteria
Feedback
Correct identification and explanation.
Correct application of theoretical knowledge relevant to the case.
Grammar.
Late submission
– 10% per day
Other Penalties as per instructions
-10% (e.g. font, size, spacing, reference)
Explanation:
Total Mark out of 25