MIS100 Information Systems Case Study 2 Sample
Assessment Task
Write a 1000-word–case study report in response to the provided case study. While most of the material can be found in both the case and study notes, you will be required to do further research in the topic area to broaden your knowledge. The topic in the case study relates to Business Information Systems, Business Processes and how organisations use Business Information Systems to achieve their strategic goals and objectives. This group assignment is an Agile project focusing on the topic of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, where the group will use Agile techniques to produce a final report of 2500 words outlining a solution plan. In the process of developing the final report, each group will first prepare a team contract, prepare two scrum boards and a short presentation as part of their weekly learning activities in Module 1. Each of these learning activities will provide evidence of the Agile process the team has followed to research, develop and deliver the final report.
Instructions
Your team of specialist consultants have been tasked, by the partner in the consulting firm where you are employed, to undertake a six-week Agile project to perform a conceptual feasibility study to prepare the industry partner (case study) for what to expect as they transition into a new way of running their business by removing the information silos.
Please read carefully the MIS100_Assessment 2_Case Scenario (located in the Assessment 2 folder) to understand the concepts being discussed in the case.
Review your course notes to establish the relevant area of investigation that applies to the case. Re- read any relevant readings that have been recommended in the case area for the subject. Perform additional research in the area of investigation and select five additional sources which will add value to your report in the relevant area of investigation. Plan how you will structure your ideas for your report and write a report plan before you start writing.
Team Formation and Registration
• Form teams of 3-4 members.
• The deadline for team registration is 11:45 pm AEST Friday end of Module 3.1 (Week 3 or Week 6).
• To register your team, you are required to send your Learning Facilitator an email with
“[MIS100] Team Registration” in the subject line. In the body of that email, please list the names and student ID numbers of all the members of your team.
• You are required to send the registration email to your facilitator before the registration deadline.
• After the registration deadline, those students who are not in a team will be allocated to a team by the Learning Facilitator.• Form teams of 3-4 members.
• The deadline for team registration is 11:45 pm AEST Friday end of Module 3.1 (Week 3 or Week 6).
• To register your team, you are required to send your Learning Facilitator an email with
“[MIS100] Team Registration” in the subject line. In the body of that email, please list the names and student ID numbers of all the members of your team.
• You are required to send the registration email to your facilitator before the registration deadline.
• After the registration deadline, those students who are not in a team will be allocated to ateam by the Learning Facilitator.
Case Scenario
• Please read the MIS100_Assessment 2_Case Scenario.
Team Contract
• Please read the MIS100_Assessment 2_Team Contract (located in the Assessment 2 folder).
• Each team is required to complete their team contract as part of the learning activity for Module 2.2 (Week 2 or Week 8) Scrum Boards
• Each group is required to complete scrum boards as part of learning activities for Module 3.1 (Week 3 or week 6) and Module 3.2 (Week 4 or week 6).
• You will receive feedback from your Learning Facilitator for each of these scrum board learning activities. It is expected that your group take this feedback into consideration when writing the final report.
Final Group Report
Please write a 2000-word group report following the structure outlined below:
Title page
You will need to include the subject code and subject name, assignment title, all student’s names and student numbers in the group, and the Learning Facilitator’s name.
Executive summary:
While this report is brief, it does require an Executive Summary, which does not form part of the overall word count.
Introduction (300-350 words):
This introduction will also serve as your statement of purpose for the report. This means that you will tell the reader what you are going to cover in your report. You need to inform the reader of:
a. your area of research and its context
b. the key concepts you will be addressing, and
c. what the reader can expect to find in the body of the report.
Body of the report (1200-1500 words):
Your group will need to respond to the specific requirements of the case scenario. The areas you will be required to cover are the following:
a) What are the major objectives of an ERP system and how are they similar or different to a Functional Area Information System?
b) What are the benefits and limitations of ERP systems?
c) What are the core modules of an ERP system, and what would the extended modules be? Which module would you recommend for implementation first and why?
d) What are the different available implementation models that the business can consider for their ERP implementation, and the benefits and limitations of these different implementation models? Which one would you recommend to your client?
e) Which functional departments are likely to be impacted in the business as they transition to a world where ERP supports cross-functional and cross-departmental processes?
f) What ethical and professional standards could be impacted in this case scenario? Include this in your report.
The conclusion (300-350 words): It will summarise any findings or recommendations that the report puts forward regarding the concepts covered in the report.
Solution
A conceptual analysis has been done after a thorough study and a report has been generated on what a business should expect while transitioning to an ERP system. Enterprise resource planning commonly known as ERP is a widely used software package to improve the productivity of corporate resources. This is achieved through the employment of a software platform that combines many systems into a single user interface (Order Team, 2022). University Assignment Help, This report discusses the efficient use of ERP system to run businesses and achieve future goals at a faster pace. Furthermore, it discusses the objectives of an ERP system, which means the working of the system, its features, modules and what to expect as a result from the system. Organizations that want to manage their company operations inside a centralized and integrated system employ enterprise resource planning (ERP). Companies involved in the supply chain frequently utilize ERP to maintain count of all the portions involved in production and delivery. However, a variety of diverse businesses, including those in healthcare, charitable organizations, construction, and hospitality, can make use of ERP. Organizations that need to manage their employees, clients, and inventories may all profit from ERP.
Furthermore, advantages and disadvantages of an ERP system has also been mentioned below to give a better understanding of the ERP system’s influence and its popularity these days. The report also contains the implementations methods and the modules present in an ERP system which would help Williamstown Cupcakes understand how an ERP is built and implemented to produce maximum profits. It also gives an overview of the impact on various departments of the business during the process of transition. All in all, the report contains well-researched information to provide a business with adequate information for future decisions. Moreover, it also provides recommendations and techniques, especially to new businesses transitioning to an ERP system, to better adapt to the system.
(A)The main objectives of an ERP system are the integration of real-time or current information, better ROI, enhanced customer service, increased competition, updated business procedures and infrastructure, to provide business solutions that are automated and to boost operational effectiveness (Ebizframe, 2017). As stated above ERP helps a business attain and understand real-time information that maintains the workflow and helps the business design a better strategy for maximum profit. Furthermore, better return on investment means that ERP can help businesses achieve a greater profit in return just by using the already provided resources or by utilizing the available resources at an affordable cost. ERP also aids in business procedures and infrastructure which means that knowing how to utilize the resources, tracking orders and building improved customer relationships can maximize the ROI and also result in proper management of resources without any wastage. According to research, 50% of firms who use ERP have enhanced key business operations such as AP, marketing, and reporting. 43.8% more people claimed to have improved crucial company procedures including accounting, financial reporting, compliance, and operations (Order Team, 2022).
The operations of an ERP system and that of functional area information system (FAIS) are similar as is the report that they generate. The different ERP II system modules are now supplied as e-business suits. ERP modules have similar functional areas like marketing and sales, supply chain management, customer relationships, manufacturing, human resources, finance and accounting etc. in order to improve the ROI, operational procedures and infrastructure of a business. The different ERP II system modules are now supplied as e-business suits. Numerous features that are split into extended ERP modules and core ERP modules are included in ERP II systems.
(B) In order to integrate data and real information, an ERP software package is used. It aids in improved resource planning and administration in accordance with business needs (Patrick, 2012). ERP implementation improves business productivity by controlling many operations. The most recent technologies include an ERP software package which aids in improved data management and control. More return on investment is guaranteed if ERP deployment is carried out in accordance with business objectives (Order Team, 2022). Furthermore, it offers a single system, resulting in cheaper expenses for labour, IT, and training. Also, it delivers greater conformity and security via fine-grained management of user privileges and standard procedures. Speaking of future decisions; it makes monitoring and forecasting easier through enhanced data and analytics. North America and Europe are considered the highest adopters of ERP, although the Asia-Pacific region were expected to generate nearly $10 billion in sales by 2020 (Allied market research, 2015). The Southeast Asia ERP software market is expected to develop at a CAGR of 15.36% to reach USD 2884.8 million in 2024 (Southeast-Asia ERP software market, 2022).
ERP software deployment and upkeep are frequently pricey. According to ERP research from 2022, an ERP project's typical budget per user is $9,000 per year. An ERP deployment for a mid-sized firm can cost anywhere from $150,000 to $750,000 when you take into account the number of users your system may have (particularly for larger organizations) and additional expenses (Peatfield, 2022). Usually, implementation of ERP is challenging. Changing the behavior of clients and functional groups so they can cooperate with the latest technology is one of the largest implementation issues for ERP. Strong project management and support from higher executives are necessary to drive this transition (Caldwell, 2020). Moreover, ERP modules frequently need to be changed since they are less complex than specialist software. Although small additions are routinely introduced to ERP, substantial software modifications involving changes to the network, hardware, and database structures take place every three to five years (ERP Cloud, 2022).
(C) In practice, the main objective of the ERP system is to offer support so that companies can have total control of their information.
With it, the user can integrate and manage data, resources, and processes so that, in this way, companies have greater assertiveness in decision making and business success.
Within the ERP module, it is still possible to have greater control of information, preventing employees from other departments from accessing data from different sectors.
It is very important to identify the problems that you intend to solve with the ERP implementation.
The features of the chosen ERP must be aligned with the company's needs.
Evaluating ERP options is a very important task, as options must be evaluated based on current needs as well as future needs.
Once an ERP solution is identified, the next and most important step is data migration, which provides a smooth transition and future use of the software.
Implementing an ERP can be a big change, especially if the company is trying this type of software for the first time.
Identifying the data needed for a successful transition is very important.
(D) Making the right choice among the best ERP systems is critical to the successful management of a business.
After all, a business is much more likely to succeed with good management.
ERPs are much more secure and accurate than spreadsheets because they have data stored in the cloud, validate human error, allow remote access, are able to automate tasks, and generate accurate reports.
The first point to make the right choice among the best ERPs on the market is to evaluate the usability and technology.
Therefore, you need to check if the tool you intend to use has the latest technology and if it is updated frequently.
Check if they are experts and if they know the reality of your business, so they can train your team to use the tool in the best way.
Sooner or later your team will need the help of technical support from the ERP company you hired.
Sales people are professionals at selling dreams, so only a hands-on look at the tool can tell if it is able to meet your needs as well as your expectations.
The system works in the cloud and offers more advanced management solutions, such as artificial intelligence to automate processes, advanced metrics to monitor market changes, and automatic updates of the tool.
In practice, ERP in the cloud consists of three main parts, which, integrated, provide all the necessary functionality.
Structure: Ideal customizable layer, so that the entrepreneur can customize the tool according to his requirements.
All security of the ERP in the cloud is the responsibility of the contracted provider, unlike when there is an internal IT infrastructure.
Entrepreneurs who had already invested in cloud management systems, but otherwise managed to maintain their productivity even with coronavirus.
More and more companies are switching to cloud ERP.
In fact, due to its easy implementation and the absence of the need for periodic maintenance, the cloud system brings many savings to companies.
Costs, in turn, can also be reduced, due to the efficiency of the tool.
Like any other business management tool, ERP in the cloud centralizes the information of all sectors in a single place.
This control, on the other hand, is strengthened since, in the cloud, the manager can access data and make informed decisions at any time.
(E) Practically every association that puts resources into an ERP framework does as such to deal with their monetary activity. The ERP software uses data collected from various sources to improve management decision-making. ERPs typically impact different departments of an organization. Customer service can benefit from improved data insights. This helps organize data that can be easily inserted into reports for use. ERP software can assist you in streamlining domestic and international manufacturing procedures. An ERP system's order processing module aims to improve an organization's management of order entry, credit verification, shipping, sales analysis, and reporting. Inventory, shipping, and other fulfillment tasks can all be managed with Oracle SCM Cloud and similar services. Records of financial transactions are properly monitored in its ERP software. All departments within an organization are involved in preparing the necessary financial statements. With a modern, integrated interface designed for increased productivity and transparency, it enables your business to successfully manage its finances. Accounting, transfer pricing, risk management teams, and even tax departments use ERP software to track and record financial transactions, including incoming and outgoing amounts. Apart from that, tax collections and estimates, profits, revenues, and many other financial data are recovered in ERP software and used by all departments as needed. Purchasing department can be stored in ERP to make the best decisions based on your inventory data and future needs. ERP systems that include a human resources module have the potential to enhance staff management across the entire system, which is a significant advantage for any size business.
(F)Financial data, employee records, and customer data are all examples of sensitive company data that are typically handled by an ERP system. It is essential to make certain that this data is safeguarded and that the appropriate measures are in place to avoid data breaches or unofficial access. This includes making certain that the ERP system is set up and maintained in a secure manner, as well as giving employees training on how to handle data correctly. An ERP system can be used to monitor employee performance and make important decisions about pay and promotions. It is essential to guarantee that the system is utilized in an equitable manner and that any decisions made with it are founded on objective criteria. This includes avoiding prejudice and discrimination based on protected characteristics like age, gender, or any other characteristic. An ERP framework might be utilized to track and provide details regarding key business measurements, like monetary execution, creation effectiveness, and consumer loyalty. It is essential to make certain that the data used in these reports is accurate and that any calculations or assumptions made to produce them are clearly documented. This promotes trust among stakeholders and ensures transparency. It is essential for all parties involved to approach the project with professionalism and integrity because the process of implementing an ERP system can be complicated and time-consuming. Being responsive to stakeholder needs and concerns, adhering to established project management practices, and communicating openly and transparently throughout the process are all examples of this. An ERP system frequently necessitates significant adjustments to employee work practices and business procedures. It is essential to consider how these changes will affect employees and to provide them with the necessary assistance and training to assist them in adjusting to the new system. This could include campaigns of communication, programs of training, and procedures for getting feedback and addressing concerns. A proactive approach to change management can help maximize the benefits of the new system.
Conclusion
As per the need of Williamstown Cupcakes’ business transition into an information system, the ERP system is undertaken and described. Based on the entire functionalities, cost, integration, benefits, impacts, and drawbacks discussion of ERP, the conclusion affirms that with the necessity of Williamstown Cupcake business to transmit the organizational functionalities, it is a good and smart decision to rely on enterprise resource planning. With the implementation of ERP, this business can be enabled to effectively plan and manage its business functional areas such as finance, production, human resources, marketing, and accounting. The organization is now expanding to other locations so, so it will be a great decision if ERP system is considered and implemented by them because ERP system can be used to access, store, update, and transmit organizational data easily, securely, and quickly. On the other hand, it has been found that the cost of ERP system implementation is not higher and it also has high maintenance which will be an additional feature if Williamstown Cupcakes implement this system. Consequently, Williamstown is constantly expanding and exploring its business to specific broader areas which need a well-managed system through which their manual work can be reduced. It is also found that both the sisters Sarah Brooks and Jacqueline Marquette are less experienced to handle the information system that’s why, to make them understand and ease their working load, ERP system implementation is the best. By implementing ERP system, this organization can regulate the business functionalities more quickly, efficiently, accurately, and cost-effectively.
Based on the given case study, some recommendations are listed below-
• ERP system is easy to manage and control so, both sisters should learn to execute this system and integrate this system with their existing system.
• With a great expansion of this business, both sisters should outsource their ERP information system to get great results and higher productivity.
Appendices
Team Contract
Ground-rules for meetings and communication
1. Each team member should be available during assessment needs either physically or remotely on phone calls, video calls, emails, etc. In case of absence, the information should be circulated and discussed by volunteering.
2. Each team member is allowed to call, text, and mail the project regarding information from morning 10.00 AM to evening 5 PM.
3. A face-to-face meeting should be conducted twice a week and everyone’s presence is compulsory with updated work.
4. No personal chatting, jokes, or irrelevant talks on created groups on WhatsApp and other applications for this assignment.
5. Calling is restricted after 9 PM.
Team Goals
1. Each team member wants to get higher distinction marks.
2. To learn team working, problem-solving, communicating, and time-managing are certain goals.
3. To learn, represent, and present the work effectively is another major goal.
Team Project Plan
Team Role
Project Status Reporting
Decision-making Process
Decisions will be made by group discussion and analyzing each perception for better results. Then, collaboratively decisions will be made.
To ensure that decisions are made timely we will follow our activity plan.
Team Expectations
• Do not share our information with others.
• If anyone has any issue/problem then that person will speak immediately.
• All information is shared equally.
• No carelessness will be expected.
Actions
• We will make team members understand for mistakes.
• We will take penalties for minor mistakes.
• We will talk to our lecturer and leave that member.
Other condition
Each member will keep the work saved and a copy of that in case of any emergency.
Scrum Board1
(Source: Author)
Scrum Board2
(Source: Author)
REFERENCES:
Ebizframe, (2017) ‘What Are the Core Objectives of Enterprise Resource Planning’ Available at: https://medium.com/@ebizafra/what-are-the-core-objectives-of-enterprise-resource-planning-dce8aab3a56
Order Team, (2022) ‘How to Extend the Value of My Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems’ Available at: https://www.order.co/blog/spend-efficiency/enterprise-resource-planning/
Patrick, (2012) ‘The Core Objectives of ERP’ Available at: https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/6106/the-core-objectives-of-erp#
ERP (Cloud), (2022) ‘What is the Objective of ERP System?’ Available at: https://solutiondots.com/blog/what-is-the-objective-of-erp-system
Peatfield, (2022) ‘How much does ERP cost? (Free ERP cost and budget guide)’ Available at: https://www.erpfocus.com/erp-cost-and-budget-guide.html#
Caldwell, (2020) ‘7 Key ERP Implementation Challenges and Risks’ Available at: https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/erp/erp-implementation-challenges.shtml
ERP (Microsoft) ‘What is ERP?’: https://dynamics.microsoft.com/en-us/erp/what-is-erp/
ERP Definition ( SAP) ‘Why ERP is important?’: https://www.sap.com/australia/insights/what-is-erp.html#definition
Cloud ERP https://www.sap.com/insights/what-is-cloud-erp.html