IT Solutions to Company Structures - Assignment Example

IT Solutions to Company Structures By student’s name Course code+ name Professor’s name University name City, state Date of submission Company 1 Business Needs The company is a registered training organization (RTO) which means that it has to meet the standards required for an RTO to continue operating in Australia. The RTO, therefore, needs to put in place systems for quality learning and assessment, effective administration management and effective financial management. Further, the RTO must ensure that trainers are competent and that there is a continuous process of career development for the trainers (Service Skills Australia 2015, 1). The systems put in place must ensure that there is the quality delivery of services to the learners. This means that the RTO must also embrace technology to ensure that learners have access to learning materials both in printed form and through online access. Such needs create a demand for the implementation of e-learning systems (Smith and Smith 2009, 298). Actual Products and Equipment Registered Training Organizations are training providers who are registered to provide vocational training and education services in Australia. The sole purpose of these institutions is to provide learning opportunities to students. This means that the IT solutions applicable in this case must be capable of promoting the teaching and learning the process. The RTO, therefore, needs computers for offices and library for both the staff and students and tablets for the staff as aids in the teaching process. Further, there is need to implement a Learning Management System. There are numerous vendors of computers, tablets and other related equipment. In this case, Techbuy Australia and Wholesale IT will be the vendors to be assessed for the purchase of the equipment to assist in the teaching and learning process. For the learning management system, there are various vendors such as Pearson Education, LAMS International, Kookaburra Studios Pty Ltd and Lesson Writer Inc. (McIntosh, 2016, 173). Evaluation of Identified Products The use of technology in education has changed the face of education and has created more opportunities for learning. Technology use in education has enabled teachers to integrate different educational technologies in the learning process to ensure that the students become more interested in the learning process. In RTOs, the use of technology is highly recommended to ensure that the students are equipped with technological skills in the course of their training. The use of computers and tablets in the learning process in the RTO is necessary to ensure that teachers can reach out to their students in different ways and provide learning materials. Through computers, teachers can provide notes to the students which can be accessed from their homes and other places. The students will also be able to prepare and present the workplace documents. Further, tablets make it easy for the teachers to prepare lesson materials more effectively and present to the students during class time and even after class. In Australia, RTOs are encouraged to incorporate the use of technology to improve the quality of service delivery to the students (Flexible Learning Advisory Group 2013, 7). The presence of computers, tablets and related technology in the RTO makes it easy for the implementation of a learning management system. Education learning management systems (LMS) are good for the management of classroom instructions because they provide an opportunity for course authoring by the teachers and management of content for the teaching and learning process. Though LMSs were previously regarded as having become obsolete, there has been an upgrade to ensure that they are consistent with the current learning needs. LMSs provide features such as e-learning, management of classroom instruction, blended learning which manages courses based on both online and classroom instruction, communication and collaboration, assessment and testing and virtual classrooms. These features make LMSs a must have the technology for RTOs. Cost Benefit Analysis The implementation of the plan to ensure that the RTO is equipped technologically requires each member of staff to have a computer and for the teachers/trainers to have tablets. There is also the need for a computer lab where students can access online learning materials. The cost of one computer is $700. If the RTO decides to acquire ten computers for the staff and 100 for students the total cost for the computers will be $77000. The benefit comes with the fact that most suppliers/vendors are willing to install the computers where there are such number of purchases. Further, once the computers are installed, no further cost is needed other than maintaining them. They do not have to be replaced often. The cost of tablets, on the other hand, will be $450 for every trainer. This means that the total cost will be $1800 for the four trainers. The setting up of the LMS will require $450,000 every year to ensure that the system is running and supports the learning process effectively. Though the cost may be huge, the benefit is the fact that the cost is inclusive of training for the staff and the students to get them acquainted with the system. Further, it also includes a maintenance service from the vendor to ensure that the management system is running normally at all times. It makes it easier for trainers to prepare for lessons and provide the topics and notes to students effectively (Global IT University Inc. 2010, 9). Findings Embracing technology in a leaning institution promotes the delivery of quality education services to the students. Further, it makes it easier for trainers/teachers to prepare content for teaching. The acquisition of computers and tablets will make it easy for teachers to teach and for the students to learn. Teachers will be able to prepare lessons and make the notes available to the students whether in class or through the internet. The implementation of the LMS ensures that teachers can have virtual classes with students making it easy to teach. Further, it is also necessary for ensuring that the students are equipped with necessary skills. For computer and tablets, Techbuy Company would be the recommended company to buy from because the company has been in the industry for a while and because it offers installation and delivery services for clients. LAMS International, on the other hand, would be the appropriate vendor because their LMS provides for collaborative learning activities and also allows the trainers to create a sequence of learning activities such as individual, group and class activities. This makes the teaching and learning process easier for both the teachers and students. Company 2 Business Needs Mortgage brokers help borrowers to seek financial help from financial institutions by providing expert information and comparing the loans available in the market as a way of facilitating a smooth transaction for the borrowers. Brokers have access to a variety of lenders and products. Such a position enables them to provide the best and most appropriate option for the clients. The position of mortgage broker requires him to access a wide range of products from lenders to enable them to choose the best option for the client because they are paid only after the transaction is complete. This means that the broker has to do lots of research on mortgages and finance to enable him/her to provide quality service to clients and remain competitive (Consumer Credit Legal Centre 2003, 8). The mortgage broker company needs internet access to enable the staff to conduct research into lenders and appropriate products. Further, it is also necessary to have internet connection for all the staff to ensure that proper background check is conducted regarding the clients to ensure that they are capable of repaying the money borrowed as part of protecting the company’s profile and reputation. Internet access also ensures that the staff can send and receive emails as a mode of communication with the clients. Further, a complete office suite is also necessary to ensure that the staff can prepare documents necessary for the company. Actual Products and Equipment There are a series of internet options that are available for use by the mortgage brokerage company. The company can contract with an internet service provider for wireless or cable internet. There are internet service providers such as BigPond Broadband, which is the largest internet service provider in Australia. There is also Optus Broadband, which offers a broad range of services such as internet connection, telephone products and services, satellite services and subscription television. There is also iiNet broadband which also offers internet connectivity. These companies can offer internet connection in the office. For the sales representatives, they require mobile broadband internet services that will allow them to connect to the internet wherever they are since it is portable. Such services could be contracted from Vodafone, Telstra or Virgin Mobile Broadband. Such internet services would enable the staff to open emails necessary for their work. The company can also make use of software products such as Turnkey Lender, Lendperfect or Kwik-Loan to help in the management of information regarding the clients. The Microsoft office suit would also be appropriate for use by the company (The Australian Department of Communications and the Art 2014, 17). Evaluation of Identified Products The internet service providers provide almost the same services when it comes to internet connection. The company would, therefore, choose the internet service provider with better services. BigPond broadband, for example, would be appropriate since other than internet connection, the internet service provider also provides a 24/7 technical support for its customers. The same option is available for the portable internet connection. The company would have to choose the vendor that suits them better since both Virgin and Vodafone provide similar services that would enable the salespersons to have internet access wherever they go. Microsoft Office suite would enable the staff to prepare documents and do other related stuff. The company would just have to choose an option that best suits them (Microsoft Corporation 2016, 1). Cost Benefit Analysis Cable internet connection costs approximately $100 per user in a month plus the connection fee. Further, mobile data for the four salespersons would cost the company approximately $70 for the prepaid service every month. The advantage is the fact that for the cable internet for the office, there are companies that provide technicians who are on call all day to respond to any disconnections. Further, the connection fee is only a onetime thing hence the fee does not continue for the rest of the months. For the office suite, each person would require the 2016 office professional suite which goes for $400 per user. The benefit of this suite is the fact that once bought; there are no monthly or any other periodical payments to be made. These services, despite the cost, would ensure that the staff is properly equipped to carry on their individual tasks (The Australian Department of Communications and the Art 2014, 11). Findings The best-suited internet connection for the company would be through BigPond broadband because it has high-speed internet and also provides 24/7 technical support to its customers. This means that in the case of any disconnections or any other problems; the company can get quick rectification of the issue. Bigpond broad band is also a good choice due to its variety of services including telephone services. This would make it easy for the company to install telephones in the office which are also necessary. Regarding the need for portable internet, Virgin Mobile broadband is more suited for the company due to the various options it offers such as prepaid, postpaid, lack of excess usage and the fact that its charges are lower compared to Vodafone. Vodafone Mobile Broadband also offers similar options though at a higher cost. Regarding the office suite for the staff, Microsoft offers different options such as office home and business, office home and business 2016 for Mac and office professional 2016 suites. The professional office suite is best suited for the company because it contains more tools than the other tools such as fully installed versions of outlook, access, publisher, word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Though it is more expensive than the rest, it has a broader range of tools and services that can be used by the staff (Microsoft Corporation 2016, 1). It would also be important for the company to have software to manage the data regarding the clients to promote delivery of quality services. Turnkey Lender software is more suited for the company because of the variety of services it offers. The company can evaluate the clients, manage the data on borrowers and also enable the company to move its services online. Kwik-Loan software would not fit the company since it is used for companies with multiple offices. References Consumer Credit Legal Centre 2003, A report to ASIC on the finance and mortgage broker industry, Australian Securities and Investment Commission. Flexible Learning Advisory Group 2013, 2013 e-learning benchmarking survey, Commonwealth of Australia. Global University Inc. 2010, LMS and training quote, Available at: http://www.globalitu.com/Global_CBA_StimulusTraining_2010.pdf [Accessed 3 June 2016] Microsoft Corporation 2016, Office Suite 365, Available at: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/All-Office/categoryID.69403900 [Accessed 3 June 2016] Service Skills Australia 2015, Becoming a registered training organization, Available at: https://www.serviceskills.com.au/becoming-a-registered-training-organisation [Accessed 3 June 2016] Smith, E & Smith, A 2009, Making training core business: Enterprise registered training organizations in Australia, Journal of Vocational Education and Training, Vol. 61, No. 3, 287-306. The Australian Department of Communications and the Art 2014, Independent cost-benefit analysis of broadband and review of regulation, Commonwealth of Australia. Read More