Introduction to Information Systems - Report Example

INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS By Report Number Enterprise Resource Planning System Introduction Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is an information management system that integrates both the internal and external information within an organization. The integrated management of information usually handles the processes of finance, sales, customer relations, service sections, and manufacturing (Nah, Islam, & Tan, 2007). The successful running of a business or an organization depends on the manner in which ERP enables efficient communication among the constituent units in a department and the flow of relevant information to stakeholders outside the organization (Stephenson, & Sage, 2007). The application of ERP within an organization enables the functioning of the organization in a harmonious manner by providing the necessary linkages of all the attendant units. In standard practice, ERP utilizes specialized computer database that stores and processes relevant information about the various tasks that connect to the business or other activities undertaken by the organization. The use of computer-integrated systems usually minimizes the level of inconsistencies of communication lapses within the constituent units in a department. The adoption of ERP systems within organizations is traceable to the end of the twentieth century when many companies and organizations faced various challenges connected with the mismatch of information and technical mishaps in the traditional integrated systems. The conditions were heightened by the uncertainties that occurred in the year 2000 when many organizations feared that computers could malfunction at the turn of the centuries. In response, companies, businesses, and organizations shifted to the use of ERP, which are generally regarded as safer, convenient, and more dependable when compared to the traditional models of harmonizing communication within and without the systems. Some of the advantages of using the ERP systems include the management of operations in real time, which enhances the aspect of efficiency within systems. Another key advantage of using the ERP systems is that they are generally regarded as comprising of a range of activities that connect processes and outcomes in formal sequences that involve feedback in timeframes that aid in decision-making (Stratman, 2007). The application of ERP systems could help companies like Solaricot in the enhancement of the levels of efficiency within organizations in ways that promote efficiency within systems. Another key advantage of using the ERP systems is that they connect with the element of best practices with its attendant benefits. Some of the benefits include a reduction in the element of risk and enhancement of time-management within the organization. Ultimately, efficiency, transparency, and quality are the key factors that apply in the use of the ERP systems. The Solaricot Problem A possible cause of the malfunctioning of the ERP system in Solaricot could be the inability of the system to match the tasks. The Solaricot system could have required some form of customization in order for the system to match the actual tasks for which it was applied. There are no any specific details on whether the system was tested before being adopted within the process. The determination of the suitability of any system often enables the technicians to understand any form of inconsistencies that might affect the functioning of the system. It is possible that the ERP system at Solaricot would have worked more effectively had the designers incorporated some strategies that align with the Traditional System Development Life Cycle. The application of such processes would have entailed the determination of aspects of change in line with the various steps that are necessary to ensure the workability and sustainability of the processes. The first step should have involved a thorough conduction of a feasibility study about the potentials of the system to work effectively at Solaricot. Such a study would have revealed the consistencies about the system in ways that would have averted the eventual collapse. The second step within the Traditional System Development Life Cycle should have involved some element of requirement analysis. At this stage, all possible queries about the necessary additions and improvements would have helped in the enhancement of the workability of the system. Determining the manner in which systems, work is a key feature that allows systems to work after the elimination of inconsistent parts and the addition of necessary parts. Furthermore, the company should have sought the counsel of experts on the suitability of the design and the nature of application of the process. In this regard, necessary changes could have been considered in order to suit the system to the specific aspects of work for which it was required. The task of programming is considered as one of the most important in the application of the ERP systems. Any faults at the state of programming necessarily results into various mishaps and technical difficulties that could jam the system. In this manner, it becomes important to consider the effect of proper procedure on the workability of the ERP system particularly at the introductory stages of development. The information supplied about the acquisition and application of the ERP system does not specify whether the system was actually tested before it was put into use. Instead, the system appears to have been applied to the core processes of the organization without considering the possibility of collapse or technical mishap. Testing of ERP systems is an important step because it helps in the ascertainment of the value of the system in terms of its possibility to work efficiently and in a sustainable manner. The application of the ERP system to Solaricot system without conducting the appropriate tests exposed the information management system to the risk of failure. New systems have a higher risk of failure because they are not tested for workability and some of their internal weaknesses have not been discovered. Only procedural testing can determine the value of the system. The process of implementation of ERP is one of the most significant in terms of its impact on the levels of success. Implementation is a delicate process that requires utmost care and the development of safeguards and backup systems in the event of challenges or failure. In the particular case of Solaricot, the implementation stage did not include safeguard mechanisms or backup systems, which led to the loss of valuable data for the company. Moreover, no information is supplied regarding the necessary processes of review and maintenance as understood within the framework of the Traditional System Development Life Cycle. Maintenance and review should have begun at the moment when the system was put into use in order to detect early signs of malfunctioning before the system was rendered totally dysfunctional. Deliberate sabotage could be another cause of the problem. The information provided shows that many workers were uncomfortable with the system and considered it as an unwanted intrusion in their tradition of carrying out duties. Disgruntled workers could have run down the system deliberately in order to justify a return to the traditional systems. Understanding the matter of deliberate sabotage should connect to the acknowledgement of the fact that some workers in organizations are naturally resistant to change. Such workers, if given the opportunity could undertake all possible steps that could lead to a reversal to the traditional methods of carrying out duties and processes. On this note, it follows that many of the issues that connect with the performance of systems are largely determined by the level of acceptance on the part of the workers. Case analyses have shown that workers often feel dispossessed whenever organizations undertake certain changes that involve the automation of services. Automation, by its very nature, involves a certain level of depersonalization of the working environment. As such, workers often feel deprived of the social environment in which they have grown accustomed over the times. Elderly employees who have gained experience through the manual systems will tend to feel threatened by the new systems because it entails certain changes that may not connect appropriately with certain values and attitudes that they acquire within the system. On this note, it might be argued that some of the issues that connect to the determination of change within an organization have to connect with the reactions and responses of the affected workers. The introduction of the ERP systems at the Solaricot significantly transformed the way in which organizations carry out their duties. In effect, some of the factors relate to the matter of determination of efficiency and change. Organizational change carries with it certain effects that may determine the levels of success of any new systems introduced within the system. A second possible cause of collapse could have been the failure by the company to conduct sufficient training for the technical teams and other employees in the organization on the handling of the new system. As such, the collapse of the system could be blamed on the inefficiency of the technical teams, which could have led to the mishandling of the system. New systems require thorough training of the employees in order to increase their skills in handling processes. The details of such training could involve the awareness of common mistakes and safety procedures to prevent massive loss of data as it happened in the case of Solaricot. The collapse could be attributed to human error. Options for Solaricot The first step that Solaricot should consider is carrying out a thorough forensic audit of the system. Such an audit should involve the objective of determining the precise cause of the technical failure. If the reports finds fault with the status of the system, then the company should seek legal redress from the supplier for the damages incurred during the closure. A second option for Solaricot should be to seek for a more efficient ERP system that incorporates various advantages and safeguards. Such an alternative should carry the promise of guaranteed full or partial compensation of the system before it is applied to the system. All precautions should be undertaken in order to prevent a repeat of the collapse. The first purchase was conducted without a thorough assessment of the risk that the system posed to the operation of the business in the event of failure. Sufficient safeguards should be put in place to help the company shield its processes from any adverse eventuality. Works Cited Nah, F, F, Islam, Z, & Tan, M 2007, Empirical assessment of factors influencing success of enterprise resource planning implementations, Journal of Database Management, 18 (4), 26-50. Stephenson, S, V, & Sage, A, P 2007, Information and knowledge perspectives in systems engineering and management for innovation and productivity through enterprise resource planning, Information Resources Management Journal, 20 (2), 44-51,54-73. Stratman, J, K 2007, Realizing benefits from enterprise resource planning: Does strategic focus matter? Production and Operations Management, 16(2), 203-216. Report Number 2 Understanding Value Understanding the concept of value within the field of Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) is a field that continues to attract the interest of various players in the field in ways that attune with the economics of the technology. Various theorists contend that the value of (IT) has often been determined at the macro-economic level in ways that fail to appreciate the manner in which it affects at the macro-economic level (Mitra, Sambamurthy, & Westerman, 2011). In essence, the field of IT entails a range of significant benefits to systems that adopt them. Assessments about the primacy of IT in the field of business have often entailed an understanding of the nature of the business and the attendant effects. Systems that adopt IT into their processes are more likely to achieve higher profits, increased volumes of sales, and high performance in nearly all aspects as compared to the systems that hold onto traditional practices. However, few studies have attempted to quantify the impact of IT in terms of the kind of business value it brings into business. The modern trend in the world of business has shown that many businesses continue to invest significant amounts of money into the adoption of IT and IS into their general and specific operations. The application of IT and IS into the field of business ranges from sectors of manufacturing to those concerned with finances. The general logic in all these aspects is that IT improves the efficiency of systems (Ward, Daniel, & Peppard, 2008). British and American manufacturing firms have established the existence of some direct links between the levels of profitability and the adoption of the IT systems. On this score, it might be argued that some of the issues that attend to the development and performance of businesses and organizations are highly dependent on IT. Matching between the sums of money invested in the IT and IS systems and the value that accrues remains one of the most dominant challenges in the field of IT. Measuring value entails the determination of the kind of positive outcomes that relate to the investments in the systems. Students of IT and IS should learn to distinguish between the kind of value related to monetary advantages and the nature of value connected to other benefits of the system. In this manner, it might be argued that the determination of value must involve the priorities and objectives of the business, which influenced the decisions and motives of adopting the particular aspect of technology. The assessments have to be considered as the aggregate benefits of the systems that connect within the kind and nature of business. A business that invests in IT or IS with the intention of increasing the volume of profits can only measure value of the investment if it attains the specific objective of increasing the volume of profits. Students in the field of IT and IS should develop interest in the study of value in terms of the various influences that connect within the relationships between business and technology. Such a study should include an awareness that business processes are necessarily related to the manner in which systems and processes determine the levels of success for any business. In such a manner, it becomes appropriate for students of business to cultivate an understanding of the connection between business and matters of strategy. Works Cited Mitra, S, Sambamurthy, V, & Westerman, G 2011, Measuring IT Performance and Communicating Value, MIS Quaterly Executive, 10 (1). Ward, J, Daniel, E, Peppard, J 2008, Building Better Business Cases for IT Investment, MIS Quaterly Executive, 7 (1). Read More