Information Systems Perspective Using Data Flow Diagrams - Essay Example

?Analyze a particular scenario from an Information Systems perspective using Data Flow Diagrams Executive Summary This report is concerned with the designing a systematic approach for the organization to address several issues within the organization. The Human Resource department of the company is not able to handle its task due to ineffective communication between the different departments. In this report a context diagram and a data flow diagram are designed to address certain issues and understand the problems and develop transparency within the organization. There are some faulty legal and ethical practices carried out within the organization which are also evaluated for maintaining the values and reputation of the firm in the long run. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Discussion and Analysis 4 Scenario Part A 4 1. Context Diagram 4 2. Level zero Data Flow Diagram 5 Scenario Part B 6 3. Principles and Ethics Company should follow 6 4. Recommendation from Helen to the training team 7 Conclusion and Recommendations 8 Reference 9 Appendix 10 Introduction Managing the Human Resource department is one of the major issues of the organization. Often due to the inefficient handling of HR department lead to the dissatisfaction of employees and generates problems in the organization. This report is concerned with the solution for certain issues in an organization on two different scenarios. The system department is responsible to identify the cause of the problems and recommend a feasible solution to the general manager to cope with the issues which arises in the HR department for an efficient organization of the different tasks in the company. The flow of data and transparencies along with ethical duties which the organization should follow are two main aspects evaluated by the system department for the company. The context diagram and the data flow diagram in the first two part of the analysis section depicts the solution for the first scenario while the last two parts of analysis explains the ethical issues which the company should abide by for maintaining its values and principles in corporate image. Discussion and Analysis Scenario Part A 1. Context Diagram A context diagram is designed to represent the actors and the entities of the system. It gives the top level view of the whole system giving a clear view of the input and the output from the system. In the given scenario A the primary reason for the dissatisfaction amongst the employees is due to lack of transparency amongst the departments and the HR department. While designing the context diagram it is ensures to keep links between the different departments and the HR for an effective communication between the two and the information transferred between the two are then submitted to the management on a weekly and monthly basis. All the departments of the organization like Accounts, Manufacturing, Marketing and Research and Development are connected directly with the HRD for easy flow of information like leave and vacancy information between the departments and effective quick response for the employees from the HR. The HR department is connected with the General Manager and the publishers and the government departments for producing reports and advertisements on certain occasions. The context diagram design for the scenario A is attached with the appendix in this report for a clear view of the system. 2. Level zero Data Flow Diagram While context diagram gives an overall view if the system, Data Flow Diagram represents the network of the system with all the components which might be operated automatically or manually. It gives the idea of the individual components which interfaces with the core component. The main focus of designing Data Flow Diagram is to represent the flow of data between the external entities and the core system and the process involved with the database in managing information and effective flow of data (Pcbfaculty, n.d.). The data flow diagram for the scenario A is attached with the appendix of the report showing the detail processes involved in the system. This will help the management to understand the internal processes involved with the different departments of the organization. This will address the queries of the staffs in need from the HR immediately due to direct communication of the different departments with the Human Resource Department. The report obtained by the HR department can be passed to the Management for employee review process due to direct contact of the General Manager with the HR department. The communication between the Accounts, Manufacturing, R&D and Marketing department and the HR department need to be very transparent for efficient transfer of information regarding leave and vacancies in each department. Knowing the details of the department the HRD will be able to send data to the government departments about staff statistics and publish recruitment advertisement on different media. It will also give a clear view of the leave statistics of the employees and the wages calculation process designed for them which will eliminate the dissatisfaction amongst the employees. The database stores the data about the employees which can be accessed by them at any point of time irrespective of the presence of the HR of the organization and the secured data can also show the payroll records and other information which can be accessed in a centralized manner by the management. Scenario Part B 3. Principles and Ethics Company should follow Principle and ethics of the firm is the core of the business process. It should be maintained in every aspects of the business process. The company should never take any steps which can harm the ethics and principle of the organization and the people. It plays a vital role in maintaining the social mission of the firm. A business unit is recognized because of its practices and the culture prevailing within the organization. In the scenario B the training department needs to present a video for encouraging the employees of the organization. The team wants to use the video without purchasing it and decided to buy afterwards if it results to a significant change amongst the employees. But before taking the decision the team needs to evaluate whether the content is under copyright or it can be used freely. According to the Australian Copyright Council the copyright materials can be used without permission on certain fair dealing policies like using less than substantial part of the contents or for educational purposes etc (Australian Copyright Council, 2008, p. 1). The team needs to understand the legal aspects related to the use of copyright contents and evaluate whether it falls under any restriction or not. Without proper understanding of the issues the company should not use the contents as faulty practice may lead to trouble for the company and might affect the brand name to great extent. Downloading the video without permission should not be done by the company and should take the suggestion of Helen from the HR department to buy the video if the training department really thinks that the video have great potential to motivate employees with the presentation process. 4. Recommendation from Helen to the training team Helen being a member of training department is responsible to look after the functioning of the team. As she felt that the training team is taking wrong step which is against the corporate laws and principle and value of the firm she stepped in with her suggestion to buy the video. But this course of action can lead to dissatisfaction amongst other members as their idea was dropped. Thus implementation of the recommendation from Helen should be done in a procedural way from the management. Helen being a member of HR department has direct contact with the top management as well as the employees. She should first understand the need of the video content for the employees by reviewing their performance. Then understanding the need she should first approach the legal department for the firm to investigate the copyright issues related to the video content. After getting proper information from the legal department Helen should approach the top management for the requirement of the video and place order to buy the same. This procedural approach will eliminate the risk of copyright issues along with other issues like employee dissatisfaction and maintain the practice and value for the firm for building stronger brand recognition. Conclusion and Recommendations The problems faced by the organization are primarily on two different issues. Firstly the employees are dissatisfied for the disturbances caused by insufficient information from the Human Resource department. The general manager is also not able to understand the situation due to lack of information provided to them by the individual departments. Secondly in the second scenario the company’s ethical and legal practices are not co-ordinate effectively which might lead to faulty practice resulting in hampering the brand recognition in the society. The two issues are evaluated in the report and recommended solutions are provided individually for efficient business process. In the first case the context and data flow diagram of the business process is designed to give a clear view of the organization’s departments and the interconnection between them for an easy flow of data and information to maintain transparencies between the departments. Proper communication will help the HR department to understand the needs of the employees and handle the queries to minimize their dissatisfaction for not getting information at right time. Centralized approach through Human Resource Management system will help the managers to understand the situation of the firm and the performance level of the employees. And for the second scenario, HR department can communicate with the top management with the system for taking essential decisions to maintain the ethical practices of the firm in the long run. Reference Australian Copyright Council. (2008). When are the fair dealing exceptions relevant?. Fair Dealing. Retrieved on: August 19th 2011 from http://www.copyright.org.au/admin/cms-acc1/_images/8452777034d001ee11eb7c.pdf. Pcbfaculty. (No Date). Data Flow Diagram. Retrieved on: August 19th 2011 from http://pcbfaculty.ou.edu/classfiles/MIS%203373/section%20901/Lectures%20for%20Test%201/Lecture%203.ppt. Appendix Context Diagram for Scenario Part A Data Flow Diagram Level 0 for Scenario Part A Read More