Applying of Modern Information Systems and Technology to Ensure the Success of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction - Research Paper Example

Information system Table of Contents 1. Executive Summery At the present, the industries producing information technologies are the actual driver of economic growth since the innovation brought by those industries has changed and modernized the business practices. Now organizations have better tools and techniques to carry out business activities. Moreover, organizations now understand the value of information technology, thus they are adopting more and more advanced techniques (information systems and e-commerce) to survive in this ever-increasing competitive world. Furthermore, the implementations of information systems have made the business management more effective and easy. This report is about the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, which is currently running though traditional ways of business, data, and information handling. After seeing the progress of information technology Aalsmeer Flower Auction has decided to implement the new technology based business and corporate handling techniques. This report will offer a detailed analysis of the development, implementation and designing aspects of the modern information system and technology at the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. 2. Introduction Almost every company now believes that the information technology is a very helpful and functional tool for better serving customers, managing business activities and employees, and reaching into the worldwide markets. Also, now traditional ways and techniques of carrying out business activities have become less efficient. However, with the implementation of information technology tools and techniques such as information systems and decision support systems, the organizations are able to manage business processes in efficient manner. “An information system is a set of structured components that collect, process, store, and distribute information to up hold decision making and control in an organization”. Moreover, the information systems store and maintain information or record about important people, places, and things within the organization or in the arrangement surrounding it (Laudon & Laudon, 1999, p.7; Hoffer et al., 2007, p.429; Rodgers et al., 2002). The aim of this research is to offer a detailed analysis of information systems and technology implementation for the continued success of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. This is a kind of management consultancy report that will address and analyze the business and information requirements for the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, This report will also outline appropriate methodology and impact and effectiveness of a new system for the organization, management and employees. 3. Analysis of the Business and Information Systems Strategy This section presents the analysis of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction’s present business practices and new information systems strategy. 3.1. Present Business Practice of Aalsmeer Flower Auction The Aalsmeer Flower Auction Business is presently running through the legacy system. The present business and corporate handling system for the Aalsmeer Flower Auction is operating through traditional decentralized structure of operations. In this scenario the current business of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction is having decentralized business handling structures those are totally disconnected to other departments. This system is not offering the facility of data sharing. Also, the web based supply chain is completely disconnected from other departments. Here business uses traditional ways of the handling the operations management. Organization Impacts: the old legacy system is not having effective organizational structure. The traditional organizational and management is not offering effective facilities for business handling and supply chain management. The organizational structure is not offering any rapid business dealings, supply chain management, and check and balance for the overall business operational and dealings management. Business Impacts: In case of old technology at Aalsmeer Flower Auction, there is no competitive edge on the other businesses. In addition, the management of Aalsmeer Flower Auction is still facing a lot of problems in managing the business activities. The traditional way is not offering effective facilities for dealings and management of the internal and external business aspects like supplier management, client cooperation, contracts management, project handling, etc. Technology Impacts: With the old technology at Aalsmeer Flower Auction the overall management and handling of technological systems is not so flexible. Since, it is hard to manage old technology platforms, update them also it causes higher services cost and more time is required for updating the technology platforms. Constraints: There are various problems and constraints in scenario of old legacy systems and decentralized technology at Aalsmeer Flower Auction. First of all there is a problem of format incompatibility, for instance, there are different formats of data that cannot be combined into a single format for the effective analysis and handling of the systems. The less flexibility of data sharing can lead to complex and traditional time consuming ways for the overall operations management and business handling. 3.2. Aalsmeer Flower Auction Business and Information Requirements This section will present an overview of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction information requirements: 3.2.1 Business Requirement Aalsmeer Flower Auction business is having some of the main business needs those should be fulfilled to have effective business management and handling. However, the main needs of Aalsmeer Flower Auction business are to enhance the power of operations of the management, such as building and enhancing the overall operational power through effective management of the all operations. This is the time of high competition and in this situation Aalsmeer Flower Auction business needs extensive assistance from the powerful business management systems such as information system. Since, these information systems help manage the business activities effectively and gain a competitive edge. Also, when the corporations take additional client-centric business procedures the client segmentation approaches are the ways to balance the deliverance of best purchaser knowledge by maximizing long-standing client profits and constancy (Allen, 2007; Fragidis & Tarabanis, 2005). Aalsmeer Flower Auction will also require the new and better customer management system that has capabilities to manage and maintain the customer needs (online purchase, online dealing) and complaints. This system will also support and handle the customer complaints and requirements at the appropriate time and event. 3.2.2 Information Requirement The effective management of above discussed business operations is possible through the business information collection. As Rodgers, Yen, & David (2002) has outlined that corporate information is the base of every critical decision making (Rodgers et al., 2002). The formation of business information system and enhanced communication structure will incorporate the entire operational and functional areas of the management. The business of Aalsmeer Flower Auction requires information for following business areas: Sales management Purchasing management Back-office information management Finance management Inventory management HR management Projects information Another main requirement of the business information is for the effective corporate decision making as well as making straight strategy with the operational structure. It offers a widespread illustration of the present status as well as projected future position of the corporation in terms of applicable mechanism as well as their associations. In a dynamic situation, in particular, it is core of business that includes analytical techniques that facilitate a variety of impacts on hypothetical transformed mechanisms and scenarios that express business value of architecture solutions (Korhonen, 2010). 3.3. Information Systems Strategy This section discusses the information systems strategy that we will be implemented at Aalsmeer Flower Auction business for new technology based system implementation. Fragidis & Tarabanis (2005) stated that procedure through which businesses formulate decisions for their corporate handling and future is acknowledged as strategy. Fragidis & Tarabanis (2005) also discuss that some of business crisises have been evident that if business information systems do not fulfill the expectations of business strategists, the overall corporate operational structure goes down (Fragidis & Tarabanis, 2005). According to Silver, Markus, & Beath (1995) information technology can be utilized or implemented to support business procedure reengineering. Moreover, by making use of the powerful management method characterized through critical inspection of business procedures tracked by their redesign (Silver et al., 1995). In this scenario Peters, Heng, & Veta (2002) outlines that at the level of general business strategy, there is a type of organizational tasks dedicated to recognizing the prospective to enhance the business overall management operations as well as return on investment. The implementation of business information system offers a great deal corporate advantages and enhanced business operational management. In this scenario the development of IS strategy is aimed at improving the corporation’s overall functionality. This factor is a foremost point in the general business strategy formulation; therefore it can be said that information systems can support a business strategy (Peters et al., 2002). However, according to Levy, P., & Galliers (1999), the information systems strategies (ISS) are normally considered tremendously advantageous and useful during the development and planning of information systems. The process and overall development of information systems strategies are sometimes executed in an unplanned manner; on the other hand it can also be implemented through the support of frameworks. A number of these frameworks comprise the codification of obtainable practice, as others are the results of theory information system development (Levy et al., 1999). In scenario of Aalsmeer Flower Auction business we can establish the IT Management Group that will be capable to handle and control the overall IS technology development within the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. Here we will have in-house development of the all IS technology products. However some of the IS technology is adopted from some other firm. In this scenario Aalsmeer Flower Auction business can outsource the following technologies: IS commutation/network technology platforms Wireless technology based data gathering and manipulation system System implementation Larger scale software development for the client firms The IT services and IT based planning is the key aspects of Aalsmeer Flower Auction business strategy document as well as is being tackled inside the overall corporate IS development program. In addition, we need to establish the global IT based standards. Since, this will help the overall business grow in a better way. This also facilities for the following aspects (Levy et al., 1999) & (Peters et al., 2002): Through the information system strategy implementation Aalsmeer Flower Auction business will be able to gain more continuity that will be based on the better corporate standards This will also offer the business system developers to have a clear view of the technology implementation This information system strategy will offer the clear technology standards in the corporation Through this business will attain a unambiguous working and operational guidelines in the overall business and corporate framework In scenario of new technology based system development at the business of Aalsmeer Flower Auction we will need following business IS and IT management staff: Senior manager Project manager IS development team heads Information Technology Management Group manager The financial concerns of this development include, minimizing the IT operations costs, as well as the business should achieve the required goals. In addition, the information technology structure needs to be modified according to the business requirements as much as probable, also the system should be able to store and handle information on the whole lifecycle according to its present value (Oracle, 2007). The development of better arrangement among IT processes and Aalsmeer Flower Auction business objectives is the chief information officer’s task. Despite the fact that the flourishing IT/business configuration involves more than executive-level confusions, connecting Aalsmeer Flower Auction business goals actually necessitates a complex chain of decisions, information, tools and competent infrastructure. Moreover, the companies need IT management resolutions that offer a perceptive of how technology facilitates and influences their business-critical aspects and services. In this scenario, Aalsmeer Flower Auction business will require solutions that will facilitate organization in evaluating the influence of new business strategies (for instance, business growth or new applications) on IT processes (Sun Microsystems, 2005). 4. Systems Development Methodology for Designing the New System This section will offer more detailed insight regarding the specification of the appropriate methodology which would help the Aalsmeer Flower Auction to identify and develop a new information system which would help them to cope with a changing environment. In this section I will outline some of main aspects of the development of a methodology for the Aalsmeer Flower Auction business: 4.1. Systems Development Methodology Avison & Fitzgerald (2002) define information systems development methodology (ISDM) as a management technique that has been very much evolved in present age. Additionally, currently, organizations have hundreds of information systems development methodologies (ISDMs) that differentiate significantly from each other. However, the number of information systems development methodologies that a corporation could think for adoption or modification has to be quite small intended for practical causes. Therefore, to make effective selection for preferred information systems development methodology a hierarchical categorization is required that detaches basic or “essential” characteristic from “accidental” particulars (Avison & Fitzgerald, 2002). In this scenario Iivari, Hirschheim, & Klein (1999) discuss that information systems development methodology is simply an instantiation that is established for one or more information systems development approaches (ISDAs). Moreover, the information systems development techniques cover the required features that are then inherited for the information systems development methodologies having relationships with that class. Furthermore, one significant implication of systematizing the area of information systems development methodologies into an understandable amount of ISDAs is to move the influence from individual ISDMs to the characteristics of all-purpose information systems development methodologies, like terms of essence of their preferred methodology. Furthermore, the strong appearances of information systems development methodologies make it feasible to extend the practical experience of systems developers. Since, they allow flexible, situation-oriented “methodology engineering” thus an information systems development methodology is adopted to a specific information system project in the course of an instantiation of a apposite information systems development methodology (Iivari et al., 1999). 4.2. Methodology chosen: Socio-technological Methodology I have chosen the socio-technological information system development methodology for the Aalsmeer Flower Auction business. Since, this methodology focuses on users of the systems. Socio-technological methodologies will involve the users of the information system like a real provider of the system development requirements, to accomplish the system development goals, an acceptable fit between people and technology. The paradigm of socio-technology concerns with the individuals, corporation, technical, analysis (‘what’ is needed), and design (‘how’ it will be attained). In addition, the social side of system is often downplayed and even unnoticed in on the whole system development, however socio-technological methodology constantly presents whether the developer likes system or not. Moreover, there is a most frequently utilized practice in the socio-technological methodology is the unified modeling language (UML), in that the use case is a fundamental notation for outlining the business requirements from the user’s point of view. However, in the scenario of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction business the socio-technological approach for information system development will share the user interface related concerns by bearing in mind the users as well as their jobs. For the Aalsmeer Flower Auction business IS and new technology development socio-technological information system development methodology will focus on the participation of stakeholders as well as the development of a designed implementation approach, since the system is designed for the users. So they must provide the requirements (Vidgen & Madsen, 2003) & (Dillon, 2000). 5. Impact and effectiveness of a new system With the new system implementation for Aalsmeer Flower Auction, the company will attain a lot of benefits. These benefits can be related to the different areas of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction business. Coming sections discuss some of the main areas and benefits of the new technology platform implementation for the Aalsmeer Flower Auction: 5.1. Major Impacts Implementation of IS and IT based platforms for offering the business solutions and consultation. Also facilitating the clients by offering services through latest technology Integrating an innovative customer support system for business. Since, with this technology business will be able enhance the business as well as operational handling such as customer dealings, order processes. Creating and maintaining innovative work and risk management systems. In this course of new technology based system implementation the Aalsmeer Flower Auction will be able to manage the business risks in a better way, because of effective monitoring of business facts and data. Aalsmeer Flower Auction can reduce the number of workers by automating the business processes. In this way business revenue will raise. Deploying and maintaining new automated data processing systems Reducing the personnel expenditures by deploying less complicated and user friendly IS and database technology that will need no special IT training 5.2. Common Benefits/ effectiveness of a new system This section presents the common benefits that will be offered by the new technology implementation: Will enhance the business service speed as well as quality Will improve the business operating flexibility Will offer better communication Greater data sharing Will effectively manage the operations Reliable communication Better and secure operating environment Rapid user response Centralized data centres Less rigid structure More extendibility features Effective management control Effective order processing Fast deliver of orders and supplies information Fast processing of orders requests Enhanced monitoring of all orders and supplies 6. Conclusion As an IT Consultant I have presented a detailed analysis of use of modern information systems and technology that will ensure the continued success of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction business. In this research and specification based report I have offered a detailed analysis of the business and information requirements, information strategy, system development methodology and main impacts and benefits of the new technology platform implementation. I hope this research will offer a deep insight into the implementation of new technology at Aalsmeer Flower Auction business. 7. Bibliography Allen, B., 2007. "Who Is Your Next Customer?" [Online] Available at: http://www.strategy-business.com/press/enewsarticle/enews092807.&_160 [Accessed 10 April 2010]. Avison, D. & Fitzgerald, G., 2002. Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw Hill Higher Education. Dillon, A., 2000. Group dynamics meet cognition: combining socio-technical concepts and usability engineering in the design of information systems. In E. Coakes, D. Willis, and R. Lloyd-Jones (eds.), The new SocioTech: Graffiti on the long wall, pp.119-25. Fragidis, G. & Tarabanis, K., 2005. The Business Strategy Perspective on the Development of Decision Support Systems. In CIMCA, Proceedings of the International Conference on Computational Intelligence for Modelling, Control and Automation and International Conference on Intelligent Agents, Web Technologies and Internet Commerce Vol-2 (CIMCA-IAWTIC'06) - Volume 02., 2005. IEEE Computer Society Washington, DC, USA. Hoffer, J.A., Prescott, M.B. & McFadden, F.R., 2007. Modern Database Management, Eighth Edition. New York: Pearson Education, Inc. Iivari, J., Hirschheim, R. & Klein, H.K., 1999. Beyond Methodologies: Keeping up with Information Systems Development Approaches through Dynamic Classification. In HICSS, Proceedings of the Thirty-second Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences-Volume 7 - Volume 7. Maui, Hawaii , 1999. IEEE Computer Society Washington, DC, USA. Korhonen, J.J., 2010. Challenges for the Decade, Part 4: Enterprise Architecture. [Online] Available at: http://www.ebizq.net/blogs/agile_enterprise/2010/01/challenges-for-the-decade-part-4-enterprise-architecture.php [Accessed 10 April 2010]. Laudon, K.C. & Laudon, J.P., 1999. Management Information Systems. 6th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Levy, M., P., P. & Galliers, R., 1999. Assessing information systems strategy development frameworks in SMEs. Information & Management, 36(5), pp.247-61. Oracle, 2007. Information Lifecycle Management for Business Data. [Online] Available at: http://www.oracle.com/technology/deploy/ilm/pdf/ILM_for_Business_11g.pdf [Accessed 08 April 2010]. Peters, S.C.A., Heng, M.S.H. & Veta, R., 2002. Formation of the information systems strategy: in a global financial services company. Information and Organization, 12(1), pp.19-38. Rodgers, J.A., Yen, D.C. & David, C.C., 2002. Developing e-business; a strategic approach. mation Management & Computer Security, pp.184-92. Silver, M.S., Markus, M.L. & Beath, C.M., 1995. The information technology interaction model: a foundation for the MBA core course. MIS Quarterly, 19(3), pp.361-90. Sun Microsystems, 2005. Information lifecycle management maturity model. [Online] Available at: http://www.sun.com/storage/white-papers/ILM_Maturity_Model.pdf [Accessed 04 April 2010]. Vidgen, R. & Madsen, S., 2003. Exploring the Socio-Technical Dimension of Information System Development: Use Cases and Job Satisfaction. In ECIS 2003, Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Information Systems. Naples, Italy, 2003. Read More