Blackberry Hill Farm - Coursework Example

Blackberry Hill Farm Blackberry Hill Farm Historically, information system span approximately five decades. However, since its inception, information system has undergone a lot of changes to expand business industries in various fields. Its expansion has penetrated global business as compared to any other convention historically (Checkland and Poulter 2006 p.3). Currently the main pillar of information system is majorly known as the internet, World Wide Web and for business an individual can mention a Local area Network followed by a list of several acronyms such as; ERP, EDI, SCM, EIS and other hosts to designate new trends in which information system can be used for business growth. Contrary to current information system speed, approximately over forty five years ago, business set up in the United States used to face post war progress much like it had never experienced. First computers enabled researchers test complex systems that has led to business growth in most sectors. Business face is greatly changing today. Any business that does not mind shaping into e-business may not be in existent in the next five years. There is very little doubt if not at all that the internet is here to stay with us and the kind of impact it has on businesses is very rife (Winter & Haux 2011 p. 12). Information system is applied in all business aspect when one talks about; marketing, accounting, finance, human resource and any other relevant business field. For this discourse, I will briefly elaborate the role of information system in accounting and finance. An accounting information system abbreviated as AIS, is a system that a business or an organization uses to gather, keep, manipulate, process, retrieve and give reports about its financial statistic in order to be used by chief financial officers, accountants, business analysts, tax agencies and any other body that the data may be of benefit to. On the other hand, financial information system is the main data repository used by any business or an organization for financial management and reporting purposes. Its primary functions include: Generation of a business or organization’s financial statements. It is through these statements that an organization or a business can determine its position financially (Dube & Gulati 2005, p.23). Financial information system is also used to record all aspects of financial transactions in the general ledger account of a business. These financial transactions are vital since they enable an enterprise to trace how it has spent its money and at the end of the day the business owners can determine from what point to start generating their reports. It is the same financial information system that is used to generate these reports to attain the statutory and management requirements (Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston 2011, p.12). It is also the function of information system to help in regulating overall expenditure through budgetary measures embedded in the system. Financial information system is programmed in such a way that it can help an organization not to overspend during their key activities. Accounting information system works together with finance information system in order to achieve the same objective. Accounting system can be used to prepare accounting records while on the other hand, Finance system can be used in managerial finance or in other words business finance which entails the actual firm management as well as managing and profiling project associated risks (Champlain, 2003 p.12). Maintaining an accounting information system plays a major role in any business since it ensures smooth decision making in daily business activities. It ensures efficiency; there is no single organization or business that would entertain time wastage by manually filing, sorting and storing data. Such programs are cost efficient since they can be used and accessed online avoiding the issue of administration getting involved in physical transport especially in cases whereby an enterprise has several branches. Accounting information system’s automation effect helps a business when it comes to retrieving past records for reference purpose. Accounting information system and Finance information systems have greatly been used for a very long time and their benefits to most organization has been felt and more innovations are emerging with an aim of improving these systems. All business nowadays fully relies on such systems for the purpose of growth and stability (Bocij, Chaffey, Greasley, and Hickie 2008, p.21). With the ease they have especially when doing the reports, all business set their eyes on the system and always go to the market scrambling for most current and efficient systems regardless of price. A business enterprise such as Blackberry Hill Farm cannot miss to have challenges. The most appropriate option is to look for a way in which to deal with such challenges as they arise. When it comes to managerial challenges, it is advisable for a business owner to seek the attention of a consultant with a vast knowledge in that particular field. Using several models of management information system that are appropriate will automatically pull the business out of the mud that is making it stuck. The success of any form of business depends on the input, processing and output methods. In some cases a business enterprise might decide to input a lot of efforts and at the end low output is realized. It all depends with the strategy that a manger lay down for the purpose of operations. In the case of Blackberry, one challenge they are facing is on staffing, Mandy’s concern is about staff management. Labor is short and it is becoming more difficult to attract local people more especially in producing Blackberry Hill Farm preserves. The management may decide to use the input-process-output model based on a long term approach. If most workers would want full time employment of which all of them cannot be given, then the firm should carry out a survey and find out the number that is appropriate per output. It will be beneficial if workers are increased and at the same time output increases significantly. This will enable the firm to be in a position to know what is best for it in terms of managing its activities versus its employees. The firm can as well opt to give attractive salaries to its employees who are permanently employed and instead maintain a large number of fully employed workers in the firm. This can be aided by use appropriate management information system. It is appropriate to use this type of model since it has been developed to analyze the working system and find out if both the input and output system is properly working according with the software programs (Heijden 2009, p. 12). Using the input-process-output chart to estimate the input output allows users to understand better the input output software health and ratio. The management of Blackberry as well is facing the problem of balancing between its different activities. The management should opt to think in line of value chain analysis: it is a useful tool for calculating how the management can create the paramount possible value for its customers (Kroenke, and McKinney 2013, p.15.). Customers are not only outside people, they can as well be people within the business enterprises such as the employees, top bosses or any other person who depends on what the organization does. These activities are the sole revenue generators for Blackberry, the management may opt to list these activities in accordance to the value they have to the business. This can enable them do away with activities that are of less value and instead deal with activities that add much value to their clients. The tool can be used in three different phases with well-structured approaches. The first one being activity analysis: the management first identifies the activities it undertakes to deliver its goods and services. The second one being Value analysis; the company should find a way or all it takes for it add greatest value for its customer. Lastly, evaluation and planning; the organization management should assess whether making changes is necessary and then an action plan to follow (Zwass 1992, p.13). These three aspects should well be applied in challenges facing Blackberry when it comes to balancing between different activities. Blackberry farm is in dire need to improve in terms of its operation processes. The first thing the top management should consider is to use customized system applications purposefully for Blackberry. Customized application system helps a business to achieve its goals efficiently (Shajahan, S., & Priyadharshini 2004, p.14). At the end of the day, the business will have its management information system greatly improved with well-structured databases that can help in managing company records. For the case of overwhelming visitors, the organization should consider implanting an online platform that can be used by visitors who intend to visit the firm to make appointment online to avoid the issues to do with parking space that result in unnecessary jam. Blackberry farm is composed of different people beginning with its customers to employees and finally to the top management. The top management consists of Mandy and Jim who are very creative when it comes to implementing ideas. The two have good business approach techniques that are essential for any top manager in any organization. A good manger always establishes the weight of the business and finds a way of handling with keen measures in mind (Thukaram 2003, p.11). From the look of things, the two mangers are good employers and that is why they realize high number of customers and most people would wish to work on a permanent basis at the farm. No job seeker would wish to seek for a job where employment condition is not favorable. Employees at Blackberry farm are hard working. There is no single business that can achieve most of its goals due to the efforts of top managers only; everybody’s effort brings the business output performance. The employees have maintained working with the firm under full time program with some working partly and others yarning to join the farm. This shows how most employees at Blackberry farm love their job and is very determined to achieve in line with the farm goals. Blackberry also has esteemed visitors who would want to come back again and again to access the services and promote the company. A disappointed customer will never think twice of coming back again for the same products and services at his or her own expense (Bhattacharyya 2011, p.14). The management has persisted on the use of technology in most of its operation including generation of reports and creating a database to capture details of most of their customers. Anything not documented is always considered not done. In as much as there is use of technology, there are some fields as well that Jim and Mandy still recommend that attention is needed as far as management system is concerned. Technology is the mastermind of all stable and thriving business enterprise in most cases (Atkinson 2007, p.12). It can out do the efforts of human being ten times especially when it comes to logical reasoning that need effective decision making. Jim and Mandy still have time especially when it comes to adjusting to new ventures that they initiate, instead the two can opt to make use of tailored software purposefully for whatever task they initiate in the farm such that they can have an invisible managing partner in form of a computer with a specialized information system. What a human being can do then it can be done in a more efficient way by a programmed computer (Jacobs and Chase 2011, p.21). This can greatly help them more especially when it comes to multi-tasking. The top management should as well make use of their intern students for the purpose of research and innovation of new techniques. Young minds always have brilliant ideas when it comes to the field of research and innovativeness (Slack, Chambers & Johnston 2010, p.12). Jim and Mandy should consider using a cheap input for the purpose of great input. It seems very tricky but at some point is achievable if well structured. Bibliography ATKINSON, A. A. (2007). 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