Informational Technology Requirements for a Fictitious Online Shoe Business - Case Study Example

? Analyze the IT Requirements for a Fictitious Online Shoe Business and Write a Proposal for How You Plan To Meet the IT Needs of the Company Online business which is also acknowledged as e-business has gained momentum in this present day context of internationalization as well as globalization. The organizations belonging to this modern day context tend to perform online businesses for the purpose of attaining various significant benefits such as raising greater profitability and accomplishing superior competitive position among others. In this regard, a fictitious online shoe business has been taken into concern for analyzing its information technology (IT) requirements and making a plan to meet the IT needs of the company. Several vital IT requirements that have the potential to support the online shoe business of the company have been recognized as well as analyzed. In this connection, certain effective planning such as constructing a new website with a valid URL and selecting an effective web host among others has also been proposed in order to meet the identified IT requirements of the company. It can be affirmed from a broader outlook that effective execution of the proposed planning might provide active support to the company towards effectively conducting its online shoe business. Introduction It has been apparently observed in the modern day context that the utilization of online business has emerged as a significant business differentiator to provide competitive advantages to the organizations. In this similar concern, it can be affirmed that there are certain imperative factors that have eventually raised the significance of conducting online business at large. These factors might embrace increased level of internationalization and globalization, prevalence of extreme business market competition and most vitally the introduction as well as the execution of pioneering technological advancements (Mc-Graw-Hill Education, n.d.; Sage Publications, n.d.). In other words, online business is often acknowledged as performing business activities electronically or through any electronic mode. It signifies purchasing as well as selling various sorts of products or services along with information through online media i.e. internet. With this concern, this paper intends to analyze the information technology (IT) requirements for a fictitious online shoe business and also to draw a proposal about how the IT needs of the company can be met effectively. Overview and Structure of the Business Overview The business organizations belonging to this present day context tend to conduct their respective businesses through online mode for the purpose of attaining predetermined business targets. The targets might comprise increased profitability along with gaining greater market share and attaining superior competitive position. These expected business targets of the modern organizations within the online mode can be fulfilled by meeting the requirements of the customers in terms of serving them their required products in a convenient manner without making them to visit any store physically. Structure It can be affirmed in this regard that certain technological advancements need to be introduced and executed by the organizations for performing effective online businesses and also for complying with the requirements of the customers by a greater level (Schneider, 2011). As previously mentioned that pioneering technological advancements are duly required for performing effectual online business, the incorporation of various technologies can prove to be quite beneficial for the company which is intending to sell its shoes through online mode. The benefits can be measured in terms of gaining greater customer satisfaction, accomplishing higher profitability and most significantly attaining superior competitive position over its key business market contenders. In order to determine the business structure of the company intending to sell shoes through online, it can be affirmed that the company would have to keep a broad assortment of different fashionable shoes in its store for the purpose of attracting the customers by a considerable level. Moreover, the company also needs to take into concern certain important aspects such as preparation of a website, domain name, web host along with ensuring greater access within various search engines among others. Company’s Infrastructure and Information Systems Needs Company’s Infrastructure It is worth mentioning that conducting or forming a particular business through the presence of internet medium can be viewed to be a lucrative proposition for purchasing and selling of various sorts of goods or services. Relating to the online shoe business, it can be affirmed that the adoption as well as the application of advanced technological advancements would facilitate the company to perform the business of selling shoes through online mode by a greater degree. Prior to analyzing the IT requirements for an online shoe business, a detailed investigation concerning the company is utmost necessary. In this regard, a fictional company has been taken into concern which is intending to sell shoes through online. The prime intention of the company would be to sell high quality shoes to the customers along with offering a broad assortment of colors and superior quality of materials. Specially mentioning, the other objectives of the company might be to become worldwide leader especially in the shoe industry, to fashion a well-trusted as well as an attractive online website displaying numerous collections, along with acquiring greater business reputation and most notably accomplishing superior competitive position over its primary business market competitors. It is worth mentioning that the company needs to inculcate certain significant aspects prior to starting up its business activities of selling shoes online. In this regard, the aspects might comprise identifying the target market as well as the customers, conducting effective along with attractive marketing campaigns, analyzing the competitors’ tactics, developing overall business procedures and strengthening its research & development (R&D) department among others (University of Pittsburgh, n.d.). Information System Needs With regard to analyzing the IT requirements for the company intending to sell shoes online, it can be apparently observed that online businesses incorporates various facets of commercial trade with active support of different advanced technologies including the medium of internet. The initial IT requirements for the company performing online shoe business would include forming a website for the online shoe store, generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or a particular name for the newly constructed website and seeking for an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Moreover, the other initial IT requirements especially for the online shoe business are submitting the newly designed website to different search engines and hiring an efficient optimizer relating to search engine with the objective of conducting various online transactions in an effective manner (Suttle, 2013). Specially mentioning, apart from the aforesaid initial requirements, there also lay certain other primary necessities concerning IT that are required for the company to conduct its online shoe business efficiently. In this similar concern, these necessities might embrace registering a domain name, selecting a web host, designing the newly constructed website, conducting effective marketing as well as advertising and most vitally meeting the online based business regulations among others (SBA, n.d.). There also lay certain other IT requirements that would play an imperative part in terms of delivering active support to the company selling shoes online by a greater degree. These requirements generally comprise hardware engineering along with computer software, data managing, computer networking, computer analysis and effective usage of Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP). It is worth mentioning that the company needs to establish or generate a designated e-mail address as one of the forms of essential IT requirements while selling shoes online. Besides, certain significant aspects such as e-banking, internet, electronic payment system and online selling can be taken into account as other indispensable IT requirements for the company intending towards selling shoes through online mode (BIN Insurance Holdings LLC., 2013). Company’s Management of Data and Knowledge Management of Data and Knowledge After acquiring a brief idea about the primary or the initial IT requirements for the company selling shoes through online, it can be affirmed that the decision of conducting online business by various organizations in this modern day context has raised its popularity by a considerable level. This might be owing to the reason of facilitating uncomplicated as well as fast information sharing amid various customers in the best feasible manner. This particular reason can be stated as one of the major benefits of performing any business through online. Specially mentioning, the execution of online business in an effective manner mainly relates with marketing as well as promoting a particular business over the medium of internet in order to acquire maximum exposure. It can be apparently viewed in this regard that the businesses that have been marketed as well as promoted quite well over the internet medium are able to attract the customers and gain their trust in an enhanced manner by a considerable extent. It can be stated from a broader outlook that the above portrayed initial or primary IT requirements would eventually play a decisive role in supporting the aforesaid aspect along with managing the knowledge as well as the data of the company relating to the business at large. There lay certain other vital IT requirements for the company to conduct its business of selling shoes through online in an effective manner and also to manage its data. In this regard, the knowledge based requirements encompass Link Building, Pay per Click (PPC) and Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In order to conduct a detailed analysis concerning the management of data and knowledge, it can be said that the facet of Business Intelligence (BI) might play a vital role in terms of providing greater support to the company by a significant level. In this similar concern, the perception of BI normally signifies different software based solutions which facilitate in the decision-making procedure along with the overall business performance of the companies at large. It mainly embraces a broad array of analytical software which delivers valuable information that is required by the businesses. An effectual BI can often be viewed to establish a greater link between IT and business with the intention of effectively utilizing the available resources and delivering intelligent problem solutions. It has been viewed that the aspect of BI usually incorporates certain imperative business procedures that include Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). These important aspects eventually support the companies to enhance their overall business performance and most vitally to solve various complexities or problems within the circumstance of online business environment. Furthermore, apart from entailing the aforesaid business processes, BI also includes a blend of databases, tools and vendors for the purpose of developing an effective infrastructure. This would not only enable to solve any problem or complexity, but would also empower the companies to modify accordingly with the altering business environment along with situations in the marketplace by a certain degree (Kursan & Mihic, 2010; Laudon & Laudon, 2011). Thus, on the basis of the above discussion, it can be affirmed that the aforesaid facets including the aspect of BI would prove to be quiet beneficial for the company intending towards selling shoes online in the form of indispensable IT requirements and also for managing valuable data as well as knowledge. Company’s Use of the Internet Importance of Using the Medium of Internet After acquiring a brief idea about the IT requirements and the necessities for better management of data and knowledge for an online shoe business, it is quite essential for the company to effectually comply with the identified IT requirements for conducting online business of selling shoes effectively. This can be owing to the reason that the company has to comply with fulfilling the IT requirements for conducting its business successfully. In order to perform its business effectively, the company has to use the medium of internet for selling its shoes through online mode. Company’s IT Planning and Analysis Processes IT Planning Procedure to be Followed by the Company In relation to the initial IT requirement of generating a website and an URL, the company must take into concern certain significant aspects that include a particular name i.e. World Wide Web (WWW), software of website building and website hosting. Amongst these vital aspects that aid in creating a website along with an URL, the facet of website hosting plays a decisive role owing to the reason that a website cannot be formed or designed without the presence of this particular service i.e. website hosting by a certain degree. In this regard, the company can use the business name as a URL like “"Premiershoes.com," for instance. With regard to the primary IT requirement of seeking an effectual ISP, the company which is intending to sell shoes through online medium can opt for accessing certain useful websites like Godaddy.com and Yahoo.com among others. It is quiet necessary for the company to seek for an efficient ISP through accessing the aforesaid online sites owing to the reason that the newly constructed or designed website along with URL becomes quite active or live through pursuing the instructions of the respective ISP. With regard to the other essential IT requirement concerning submitting the newly designed website to different search engines and hiring an efficient optimizer regarding search engines, the company can seek for attaining greater support particularly from an organization which deals with optimizing websites through online information as well as services. The valuable and the decisive facets of these organizations dealing with optimizing websites can often be observed as keyboard phrasing as well as selection, content development for the visibility of search engines, audit of website content and density analysis among others (Australian Windows Publishing Pty Ltd., n.d.). Analysis Procedure of the Company’s IT Needs In order to analyze one of the IT requirements i.e. registering a domain name, it can be affirmed that this particular aspect is principally regarded as the web address of online businesses belonging to different organizations. It can be apparently viewed in this similar concern that selecting along with registering a specific domain name is the initial phase of starting a new online business. The company which is intending to sell shoes online can register its domain name in the form of Certified Registering Authorities, Abusive Domain Name Registration and Internet Domain Name Registration Services. With regard to complying with the IT requirement concerning selecting a web host, the company needs to select a particular host which would suit the business in a best probable way in terms of search engine registration, site development and site maintenance among others. It is strongly recommended that the web host ought to be selected and kept secured by the company for the purpose of mitigating any sort of errors or complexities by a certain degree. In relation to the IT requirement of designing the newly constructed website, the company can design the website personally or by hiring an efficient site designer or by executing an independent design firm. As the business would have a minimum of 20 employees, separate webpages can also be constructed for individual employees or it can be controlled through a solitary webpage. It is strongly suggested that the company can design as well as construct a single or a sole website rather than creating multiple ones with the intention of minimizing the operational costs by a certain degree. In this regard, it can be affirmed that the rise in the operational costs may hamper the overall financial condition of the business by a greater degree. For the purpose of making effective advertising and marketing, the company can create an extensive quantity of traffic on its newly constructed website. This particular practice would eventually provide active support to the company in terms of registering with various search engines and most vitally attracting the customers to visit or access its online website at large (SBA, n.d.). With regard to meeting the IT requirement of VOIP, the company intending towards selling shoes online must make better use of various modems or routers. This is owing to the reason that the aforesaid IT requirement i.e. VOIP would enable to form better communication even at the time when the computers are switched off. In general, VOIP can often be regarded as an effective technology which transmits voice signals especially within online business environment by a considerable level. It can be affirmed that the company could attain several significant benefits by meeting the requirement of VOIP. In this regard, the benefits might encompass saving money, forming a personalized telecommunication package, complying with the business needs and ensuring better access within emergency situations along with rendering highly valued information services. Relating to other IT requirements concerning computer networking and analyzing along with data managing, the company can seek greater help from certain organizations which are much empowered regarding e-business or online business in terms of smoothly performing the above discussed aspects (The PEI Government, n.d.). The company ought to pay maximum attention upon certain indispensable IT requirements such as e-banking, internet, online selling and electronic payment system for the motive of efficiently performing its business at large. From the perspective of internet, the company must create an effective website with an appropriate URL for the purpose of exposing its broad array of products and also for attracting the customers to visit its stores. Moreover, the company needs to prioritize upon developing an effectual website as well as internet platform as these would assist in simplifying the aspect of trade monitoring and will also facilitate the business partners of the company to remain incessantly connected with each other. With regard to the other IT requirement concerning e-banking, the company ought to introduce as well as execute advanced technologies for smoothening various sorts of online related transactions by a greater degree. In general, the aspect of e-banking represents effective flow as well as transfer of electronic funds. In this similar concern, it can be apparently viewed that the transfer of electronic funds typically engages a computer, certain pioneering electronic technologies and an internet connection for the purpose of making necessary transactions. The different forms of e-banking or the transfer of funds can be duly observed as automated teller machines, electronic-check conversions, debit-card purchase transactions and pay-by-phone systems among others. This particular aspect i.e. e-banking is quite crucial within the circumstance of online business owing to the reason of customer demands for altering payment forms. From the standpoint of electronic payment system, the company must possess effective computer software along with hardware facets in order to make the procedure smooth and realistic. In this regard, it can be affirmed that the aspect of electronic payment system is often described as the procedure of financial exchange through internet. The company should pay utmost attention regarding the formation of an effectual electronic payment system owing to the reason of safety related issues. Moreover, the company needs to focus upon developing this particular system in order to provide much convenience to the customers while buying any product or availing any service through online. With regard to complying with the requirement of performing effective online selling, the company which is intending to sell shoes online must possess a reliable as well as a secure website along with a valid URL. It is worth mentioning that the company can attain several benefits by strengthening its procedure of online selling by a considerable level. In this similar concern, the benefits might embrace increased profitability, amplified level of customer satisfaction and accomplishment of superior competitive position. Moreover, the other benefits that can be attained by developing the mechanism of online selling might comprise decreased operational as well as transactional costs, enhanced communication procedure and greater capability to attract the customers among others. In addition, the company is required to meet the IT requirement of Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for the purpose of making better search engine protection. The aforesaid IT requirement or tool generally entails certain effective procedures that include key phrase as well as keyword analysis, completion research, key phrase and keyboard placement. In relation to enhancing greater website accessibility, the company must comply with the IT requirement of Link Building through effective execution of different sorts of useful links. For the purpose of generating more sales, the company might pay due attention to other significant IT requirement i.e. Pay Per Click (PPC) by a certain degree. It is often viewed to be a way of enabling the site visitors to visit the website resulting in raising the sales at large (Kursan & Mihic, 2010). It is worth mentioning that a collaborative approach towards innovation would certainly support the company intending to sell shoes through online in complying with the above discussed indispensable IT requirements by a certain degree. This can be apparently justified with reference to the fact that a mutual approach towards innovation would aid the company in terms of delivering greater value to the customers, marketing faster and most significantly managing various costs in a better as well as in a comprehensive manner (Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013). Apart from conducting collaborative approach towards innovation, the company must also indulge in constructing interactive as well as global communities around various technical associated areas resulting in complying with the essential IT requirements at large (IEEE, 2013). In addition, it can be affirmed that the company intending to sell shoes online can also work within the circumstance of computing community in order to comply with the essential IT requirements for smooth running of its business. This particular aspect would eventually support the company in terms of conducting effectual license granting activity and following the guidelines as depicted in Copyright Transfer Agreement (ACM, Inc., 2013). Conclusion From the overall analysis, it can be affirmed that the company intending towards selling shoes through the medium of internet i.e. online should comply with the indispensable IT requirements for efficiently conducting its business and most significantly for accomplishing several business targets. These targets might comprise gaining increased level of profitability, enhancing satisfaction level of the customers, attracting the customers by a greater degree and accomplishing superior competitive position over its chief business market competitors. There are various IT requirements that can be apparently viewed to be quiet essential for the company to conduct its online shoe business effectively. In this similar concern, the initial as well as the primary IT requirements of the company can be constructing or designing a particular website, generating a valid URL, identifying appropriate ISP, registering a specific domain name and selecting a better web host. Moreover, the other IT requirements can be Link Building, Pay Per Click (PPC) and Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) among others. Thus, it can be concluded that in order to meet the aforesaid indispensable IT needs, the company needs to adopt as well as to execute advanced technological advancements which would result in facilitating it to conduct its online shoe business successfully by a considerable level. References ACM, Inc. (2013). ACM information for authors. Retrieved from http://www.acm.org/ Australian Windows Publishing Pty Ltd. (n.d.). Marketing and sales plan. Retrieved from http://www.awp.com.au/Shoe%20Seduction.pdf BIN Insurance Holdings, LLC. (2013). Articles. Retrieved from http://www.techinsurance.com/articles/starting-it-business/ IEEE. (2013). Portal. Retrieved from http://www.computer.org/portal/web/stc/home Kursan, I., & Mihic, M. (2010). Business intelligence. Management 15(1), pp. 69-86. Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2011). Management information systems: managing the digital firm. United States: Prentice Hall. McGraw-Hill Education. (n.d.). E-business basics. E-Business, pp. 63-100. 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