Components and Categories of Information Systems

 The five categories of information systems include customer resource management, accounting information systems, human resource management, supply chain management, and Enterprise resource management.  These categories contain specific components that develop information of that category of management. Customer resource management (CRM) provides organization of customer relations. “Examples include databases, websites, point of sale systems, data warehouses, OLAP tools, data mining software, reporting tools and phone call routing systems” (Shanks, 2009). Accounting information systems a book keeping system that assists in financial decision making (Stankovic, 2012). Human resource management collects employee information and sets parameters. Supply chain management is organizing production, logistics, operations sales, and marketing (Droge, 2010). Enterprise resource planning system has various applications that deliver organization to a company like quality improvement resource management, and analytics for cost reduction for some examples (Imre, 2016). Enterprise resource planning organizes information in a cross-departmental basis that provides detailed analytical information.

Roles and Business Information

The first scenario regarding the bank’s lack of the collective reporting employee data and metrics, cloud-based system will be able to help the bank’s situation. In a solution to adhere to the bank’s analytic problem while addressing the remote communication between the 25 branches, a cloud based human capital management system will help execute time tracking and payroll, but will also collect 25 branches of reporting collectively. According to forbes.com, “In the last five years, cloud-based HR has become the rage” (Bersin, 2017). The bank will utilize their cloud based human capital management to solve their analytical issue.

In the second scenario the amusement park should obtain a customer relationship management software to tracking sales and report waitlist times. “Defensive motivations are driven by competitors adopting CRM successfully and the possibility of losing customers and revenue. Offensive motivations are driven by the desire to improve productivity by reducing costs and increasing revenues through improved customer satisfaction” (Shanks, 2009). With these defensive and offensive motivations, the amusement park can gather details from the issues the customer is facing while strategizing to correct the issues and enhance sales.

In the third scenario, the company Healthy Eating will need a transportation management system as they are concerned about timely deliveries to their customers. According to Forbes.com, “Historically, the main reason companies implemented transportation management technologies is to reduce costs” (Banker, 2018). This system can also be used to grow the business as it weighs different costs against the costs of managing the company’s own resources.

The fourth scenario, Crabby Cabs has issues understanding traffic patterns, weather conditions, driver locations and customer pick up locations. A Geographic Information System will help manage and organize the company by saving costs. The drivers will know when to avoid traffic, understand a better route to pick up customers and know when weather might be a factor. According to Furtune.com, utilizing the geographic information system for the ride sharing company Uber has been so crucial that Uber is investing with Google Maps to cover more areas. This, in turn, will grow the company and save time on certain aspects which Crabby Cabs could benefit from.

The fifth scenario for Eastern Healthcare Network quick access to medical files are needed. The Electronic Medical Records will help this situation as it will provide both the medical staff and the patient/customers with the information desired. According to Forbes.com, “To avoid medical errors and improve quality outcomes, all the physicians we see should have access to our medical information, provided that information is kept private and secure” (Pearl, 2018). As this system improves quality, the speed also creates a customer and office satisfaction to see more patients and patients to be seen quicker.

The sixth scenario the major military base is need to access key performance indicators (KPI) in real time. To do this the military base will need a business intelligence system. Forbes.com indicates, “In its most basic form, business intelligence encompasses the analysis of a company’s raw data and analytics, to produce actionable takeaways” (Lukasiak, 2018). This will provide real time information needed tot the military base regarding the KPI’s that need to be met for decision making.

The seventh scenario for Building Products Manufacturer, an enterprise collaboration system can help the communication pathways that are hindered. Daniel Newman of Forbes.com states, “In my company, we’ve integrated Asana, Dropbox, and Google Drive with Slack. Our employees can find the documents they need, easily share them with coworkers, and track progress seamlessly” (Newman, 2018). With these types of enterprise collaboration systems, the company can communicate virtually and reduce travel costs and increase productivity.

The eighth scenario is the medical device manufacturer adding a new product line which will include all business functions. The medical device manufacturer will need an enterprise resource planning system. According to Forbes.com, “With an advanced ERP system, you can boost accounting and related business management processes – allowing for streamlined, flexible core accounting and financial management” (Nadeau, 2017). The functions of an enterprise resource planning system will provide all the functions of business for an upcoming product line.

The ninth scenario the Cycling Product Distributor requires online inventory, instant customer communication, all hour’s order taking and communication inventor levels to customer will need a Business-to-Consumer eCommerce. According to Forbes.com, “To make the best use of it, a website must be fast, easy to navigate, and secure upon checkout. With all the data to be gathered about visitors and their browsing and shopping habits, the most successful will use this valuable information to continually shape and grow their online strategy” (Newtek – Your Business Solutions Company). Utilizing this system will enable the company to continue to gather information and distribute information even in the evening hours when nobody is working.

The tenth scenario with the company Drop Shipping Outsourcer and their problems with maintaining servers and software will require, Cloud-Based Database Management Systems to correct the issue. Alex Lesser of Forbes.com States, “Fueled by mounting storage requirements, ease of use, automatic software updates and users’ thirst for limitless access and maximum flexibility, cloud computing has grown exponentially over the past several years. In fact, since 2009, spending on cloud computing has been growing at a rate that is 4.5 times faster than the rate of IT spending, and it’s expected to exceed six times the rate from 2015 to 2020” (Lesser, 2017). This solution will allow more information and leaving the maintenance to the administrators of the cloud software of choice.

Trends in Business Information Systems

The four emerging trends that should be considered is the cloud-based management system, mobility, Data mining tools and smart machines. The cloud-based management system is the best way for WestJet Airlines to store their information moving forward. “…cloud computing refers to storing and accessing data and applications using the Internet rather than your computer’s hard drive” (Management Information System Trends, n.d.). Cloud-based computer system would give the company better access and would cater to any updates to applications while keeping data accessible.

The next trend is mobility. “The mobile revolution has not only changed consumer behavior—the way consumers find and purchase products, interact with brands, utilize customer reviews, and so on—but business practices as well” (Management Information Systems Trends, n.d.). This trend would be a great option for WestJet as their customers are in a mobile position most likely and would need the mobile computing to gather the information to keep their travels a success. This would reduce the labor force answering questions at the airport or at the corporation as the answers would be accessible on their mobile device.

Another trend is Data mining tools. According to the article Five IT trends to accelerate your business, Pierson indicates, “Data-mining tools are available to help businesses make better real-time decisions regarding customers, products, and services (Pierson, 2011, P. 17). This includes analytics for big data collection for better management and measurement. Collecting data will help determine key performance indicators for internal measures and collect traveler statistics for continuous improvement procedures. The last trend is smart machines. “Smart machines are capable of learning, making decisions and solving problems without human involvement, and many businesses are embracing their use to increase both productivity and efficiency” (Management Information System Trends, n.d.). This would include self-service type information to help the WestJet traveler along their travels. Utilizing smart machines like the mobility applications and devices would reduce employer human error while present cost savings in labor. For example, traveler can use a kiosk to check in instead of counter service. The two recommended by WestJet would be the cloud-based system and mobility due to necessity.

The two trends of cloud-based management system and mobility are important to implement into WestJet. Choosing the cloud-based management system would help elevate any possible problems the company would have by leaving the system in house or miles outside of the company. “For example, cloud computing facilitates collaboration, provides better access to analytics, reduces costs, increases productivity, and allows for quick development of new products and services” (Management Information System Trends, n.d.). In turn the company could have system problems computing information from their current source, but when in a cloud-based platform, some of the obstacle such as weather or disaster is eliminated.

Next mobilization of the information is a key for the airline company. As travelers are mobile and traveling to and from their destinations, having information and updates in a mobile platform will help the traveler with questions and answers while saving the company money ultimately. “As mobile computing continues to play an ever-growing role in business, it’s critical for MIS professionals to stay abreast of mobile computing trends” (Management Information System Trends, n.d.). Thus, this is also saving the company money essentially by eliminating the labor to address questions and problems by the travelers if possible by extending the information via mobile messaging or mobile website.

The business benefits for these two trends are limitless as technology continues to grow. The foundation of utilizing a cloud-based system continues to make momentum in business. As the era of staying connected blooms online data storage is essential. One benefit for employees is working remotely. For executives travelling or employees communicating or sharing information, cloud-based technology in terms of growth and benefits are the way to go. According to businessnewsdaily.com, there are several benefits for cloud storage like employees working remotely, no server maintenance, data is easily moved, it saves money, no data loss, and security. Thus, these benefits provide the company with growth opportunity and innovative other ways to provide the internal and external support.

The benefit of mobilization for WestJet provides information when needed to both the internal and external customer rapidly. In a mobile application, artificial intelligence, personalization and maybe one day soon blockchain. Artificial intelligence will be an asset to WestJet and the traveler. For example, when a traveler arrives late to an airport they have not been to before, finding a gate that possibly has been changed is challenging. However, if an artificial intelligent voice came from a mobile device to guide the traveler, the benefits are calculated. First the gate agent will not have re-direct the traveler. The traveler will be on time to their destination without needless confusion. The personalization is an asset to the customer as it is adjusted to their needs like a voice coming from a mobile device and giving time and directions so that the traveler does not have to stop.

The next benefit for mobility is up and coming blockchain technology. This would benefit the WestJet as there are changes that happen during a customer travel can be changed in real time as the block of information can be updated (i.e. changes in the traveler’s virtual airline ticket). Lifthansa has already arrived to the challenge. According to CNN.com, “The Airline Challenge aims to promote solutions that eliminate errors and increase accuracy in airline operations, for example through enhanced ease of data-sharing across department and organization lines” (Lufthansa Announces Global Blockchain Challenge for the Aviation Industry, 2018). This technology with mobility would have key measurable benefits like reduced labor, reduced timely changes and reduced secure documentation administration.

References

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