Managing Information and Technology

This document discusses the core information systems of Smartville business, the strategies of cost leadership and differentiation, and the importance of data protection. It also provides an overview of Mercedes-Benz as the chosen firm for the report.

Managing Information and Technology

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
THREE (3) relevant information systems (IS) that, in your opinion, form the core of
Smartville business. Provide a brief summary of the general purpose of each of these IS.........1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................2
Michael Porter suggests that two generally accepted strategies organisations often adopt are:
cost leadership and differentiation. Discuss what these strategies are and make a judgement as
to which of these would be more appropriate for Smartville - explain reasons for your choice. 2
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
It is important that data kept within an organisation remains accurate, private and confidential.
If any data within Smartville gets stolen or compromised, discuss whether the situation would
fall under the Data Protection Act. Mention THREE (3) core aspects of the relevant Act.........6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Information system is undertaken as an incorporated set of additives for collecting, storing,
and processing data and for providing records, knowledge, and virtual merchandise. Commercial
enterprise firms and other groups rely upon facts systems to perform and manage their
operations, engage with their clients and suppliers, and compete within the marketplace. The
undertaken firm for this report is Mercedes-Benz which is both German automotive marquee as
well as it is also known for manufacturing luxury vehicles as well as commercial vehicles. Its
headquarters is in Stuttgart, Baden Wurttemberg. The topics covered in this report are
appropriate information system and porters generic strategy. Moreover, data protection act is also
described in this report.
TASK 1
THREE (3) relevant information systems (IS) that, in your opinion, form the core of Smartville
business. Provide a brief summary of the general purpose of each of these IS.
Information system is undertaken as an incorporated set of additives for collecting, storing,
and processing data and for providing records, knowledge, and virtual merchandise. Commercial
enterprise firms and other groups rely upon facts systems to perform and manage their
operations, engage with their clients and suppliers, and compete within the marketplace. Facts
structures are used to run inter organizational supply chains and electronic markets. For instance,
companies use records structures to technique financial bills, to manipulate their human assets,
and to attain their ability clients with online promotions. Many important organizations are
constructed absolutely round records systems. those include eBay, a in large part auction market;
Amazon, an increasing electronic mall and issuer of cloud computing offerings; Alibaba, a
enterprise-to-business e-market; and Google, a search engine corporation that derives maximum
of its revenue from keyword advertising on net searches. Governments deploy records structures
to offer services value-efficaciously to residents. Virtual goods—such as electronic books, video
products, and software—and online offerings, such as gaming and social networking, are
delivered with statistics systems. Individuals rely on statistics systems, commonly net-based
totally, for carrying out much in their non-public lives: for socializing, examine, purchasing,
banking, and enjoyment.
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Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to shut its manufacturing unit in Hambach, France,
wherein vehicles for the clever emblem are presently produced, as part of measures to cut
charges and streamline its manufacturing community - and in a circulate that represents a first-
rate shift in its electric powered manufacturing approach. The plant within the Moselle province
of France, in the beginning known as ‘Smartville’, opened in 1997 to build motors for the
Mercedes metropolis vehicle emblem. It currently produces the electric clever EQ Fortwo and
EQ Fortwo Cabriolet. Around 1600 workforce presently paintings at the website.
In 2018, Mercedes introduced a €500 million (£445m) funding into the power to improve it
for electric powered automobile manufacturing, with plans to construct a compact Mercedes EQ
model alongside the clever line. but last yr, Mercedes-Benz offered 50% of the clever emblem to
Chinese language company Geely, with production of its destiny models switching to China as a
part of the settlement - and developing questions over the future of the Hambach web page. The
German firm stated the want to spend money on electrification and digitalisation of vehicles and
cut CO2 emissions from production, together with the economic effect of Covid-19, supposed
that it needed to take measures to “sustainably improve its fee shape and come to be drastically
greener”.
Board member Markus Schäfer said: "An important intention for us is to comfy the future of
the area. Every other circumstance: the cutting-edge clever models will stay produced in
Hambach.” It is not clear if Mercedes intends to perform the plant till the manufacturing run of
the present day clever fashions ends, or if that will be part of the agreement for any new
customer. Mercedes has formerly announced plans to build electric automobiles at its German
plants in Bremen, Rastatt and Sindelfingen, and the production of the unnamed compact EQ
version due to be built at Hambach will in all likelihood shift to one of these web sites.
TASK 2
Michael Porter suggests that two generally accepted strategies organisations often adopt are: cost
leadership and differentiation. Discuss what these strategies are and make a judgement as
to which of these would be more appropriate for Smartville - explain reasons for your
choice.
Michael Porter, an economic researcher, tested the competitive behaviours that include hit
agencies. Inside the early Eighties, he was given right down to locate the strategies groups
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maintain prolonged-time period advantages over their opposition. Via this model he created
Porter’s traditional techniques, 3 interconnected thoughts that maximum groups use to boom key
operating techniques and outmanoeuvre competition. Porter’s strategies will provide burgeoning
entrepreneurs notion into the mechanisms that create and dictate most commercial corporation
model. Also, this incorporates 4 strategies such as cost leadership, differentiation leadership,
focus and others. He also said that among them only two strategies are generally accepted by
firm that are cost leadership and differentiation which are discussed below:
Cost leadership:
This approach usually consists of an employer seeking to gain a market share thru
appealing to price-conscious or rate-restricted clients or clients. Therefore, it's far the goal of the
corporation to grow to be the bottom-fee manufacturer in their decided on industry. Despite the
fact that any company will purpose to eliminate any needless prices, the ones using this approach
prioritise reducing all overheads. Frequently, this will be performed through mass-production of
merchandise, allowing the organisation to make the maximum the economies of scale; however,
charges can be lessening at some point of many tiers of the manufacturing machine. This will
permit the industrial agency to sell products or services for round or beneath the common charge
for the business enterprise and because of rate-hassle will gain the extraordinary earnings. The
ones closely produced products will often be very considerable, and will show off little-to-no
differentiation.
A few agencies with rate manage may additionally promote merchandise for below the
marketplace common, letting them gain a more share of clients than their competition -
particularly if their income margins can still stay immoderate due to low production expenses.
Those agencies cannot have the funds for to be genuinely maximum of the lowest-cost
manufacturers - this leaves them open to undercutting from fighters - as an alternative, they want
to be the lowest-fee manufacturer. Companies displaying value-management frequently display
off some of developments and attributes which make them appropriate for this method:
 Access to capital or generation required to pressure fees down
 Excessive stages of productiveness
 Excessive performance and capability utilisation
 A low-cost base (e.g. labour, substances, facilities) and a way of retaining this
 Use of bargaining energy to barter low production costs
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 Get proper of entry to powerful distribution channels
Cost control lets in a competitive side through manipulating manufacturing expenses. It does
this in critical methods:
 Charging lower prices to increase marketplace percentage. This is completed with the aid
of casting the organization as a low-price opportunity, so you can boom each earnings
and the organization’s profile.
 Reducing charges to boom earnings. With fewer prices at the books, companies can flow
into coins into different avenues, like salaries or product studies.
Moreover, It frequently is based upon at the specifics in their given corporation. Many
commercial enterprise ventures will have get right of entry to capital for making an funding in
technology and infrastructure. Those varieties of modifications and improvements assist groups
supply down costs. It moreover lets in to decrease the usual walking fees. As an extension of
that, right logistics are critical. Businesses need to be able to successfully manipulate the go
along with the glide of merchandise most of the thing of introduction and respective storefronts.
Differentiation strategy
The general recognition of differentiation-led corporations is to make their merchandise
special or more attractive than each other in the enterprise to achieve a aggressive benefit. the
ones corporations usually target massive markets and interest on differentiation on a miles wider
scale inside the enterprise than would possibly a price-led business enterprise. The strategies of
accomplishing differentiation can range widely during industries, products and services; but, it
could incorporate numerous abilities, capability, durability, and additionally how the brand and
the product are advertised to build up an image which clients value. At the same time as
designing products, the company will interest on numerous requirements taken into consideration
with the useful resource of clients in the industry, and will then orient themselves uniquely to
fulfill those standards. Even though now not universally, this method is frequently associated
with charging top rate costs for the products or offerings in question. This suggests the
potentially higher production costs related to developing precise objects, and additionally the
greater abilities and forte exhibited via way of stated product. As better charges are frequently a
compelled diploma to cowl production prices, it's miles crucial that the differentiation of the
product is appealing enough to justify the ones fees to clients.
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Proper here are the most crucial inclinations associated with differentiation-led
establishments:
Robust studies, improvement and innovation.
Superior product excellent
Recognisable branding, powerful branding and advertising and marketing and marketing
Corporation-large distribution inner all important channels (stocked through manner of most
stores)
Price is a vital even as attracting customers. However, the Differentiation approach seems to
increase product area of expertise and elegance to engage customers. Over again, there are a
number of principles worried in this approach, and everyone is all approximately playing to
clients’ perceptions. That would encompass selling a product’s sturdiness and brilliant software
program, which appeals to a consumer’s experience of rate. It can moreover include touting the
help tool for a products or services, which creates an advantageous air of responsibility. Finally,
there may be additionally the belief of logo image, growing tremendous connections with
customers to make certain prolonged-time period loyalty. Businesses that differentiate need to
meet customers’ particular desires, and are rewarded with top beauty costs.
 To properly locate into effect the Differentiation approach, a company wishes the
following:
 Advertising and promotions businesses, the ones humans are on the frontlines of
defining an emblem and emphasizing its vicinity of understanding.
 Delivering great merchandise, Customers receiver’s live dependable if the fact doesn’t
meet the enterprises ensures.
 Ongoing research and innovation, most effective via pushing technological limitations
can a business enterprise employer choice to preserve relevancy.
Therefore among the above, it has been analysed that for Mercedes-Benz car manufacturers
differentiation strategy as it could incorporate numerous abilities, capability, durability, and
additionally how the brand and the product are advertised to build up an image which clients
value. At the same time as designing products, the company will interest on numerous
requirements taken into consideration with the useful resource of clients in the industry, and will
then orient themselves uniquely to fulfil those standards. Even though now not universally, this
method is frequently associated with charging top rate costs for the products or offerings in
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question. This suggests the potentially higher production costs related to developing precise
objects, and additionally the greater abilities and forte exhibited via way of stated product. Like
in Smartville, which utilise advanced technology.
TASK 3
It is important that data kept within an organisation remains accurate, private and confidential. If
any data within Smartville gets stolen or compromised, discuss whether the situation
would fall under the Data Protection Act. Mention THREE (3) core aspects of the relevant
Act.
As this have been known to all firm that it is important that data kept within an
organisation remains accurate, private and confidential. Therefore, if any data within Smartville
gets stolen or compromised then this would fall under data protection act.
Data Protection Act.
The statistics safety Act 2018 controls how your personal statistics is used by groups,
businesses or the authorities. The data safety Act 2018 is the UK’s implementation of the general
records safety regulation (GDPR). All people responsible for the usage of personal records has to
look at strict regulations known as ‘records safety requirements’. They need to make sure the
information is:
 Used pretty, lawfully and transparently
 Used for particular, precise capabilities
 Utilized in a manner this is good enough, applicable and confined to extraordinary what's
important
 Correct and, in which crucial, stored up to date
 Saved for no longer than is critical
 Dealt with in a way that ensures appropriate safety, which encompass protection in
opposition to illegal or unauthorised processing, get admission to, loss, destruction or
harm
Furthermore, there may be more potent prison protection for extra touchy records, inclusive
of:
 Race
 Ethnic historical beyond
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 Political evaluations
 Non secular ideals
 Change union membership
 Genetics
 Biometrics (in which used for identification)
 Fitness
Lawfulness
For processing of private facts to be lawful, you want to find out unique grounds for the
processing. This is known as a ‘lawful foundation’ for processing, and there are six options
which depend on your cause and your relationship with the character. There also are precise
extra situations for processing a few particularly sensitive forms of information. for brought
information, see the lawful foundation segment of this manual. If no lawful basis applies then
your processing can be unlawful and in breach of this principle.
Lawfulness moreover technique that you don’t do something with the personal records it
surely is illegal in a extra elegant enjoy. This includes statute and commonplace regulation
duties, whether or now not or not criminal or civil. If processing includes committing a criminal
offence, it'll obviously be unlawful. But, processing additionally may be unlawful if it
consequences in:
 a breach of a duty of self assurance;
 your business enterprise exceeding its jail powers or workout the ones powers
improperly;
 an infringement of copyright;
 a breach of an enforceable contractual settlement;
 a breach of corporation-unique pointers or rules; or
 a breach of the Human Rights Act 1998.
Fairness
Processing of private facts need to continuously be sincere further to lawful. If any
element of your processing is arbitrary you will be in breach of this principle – regardless of the
fact that you may display which you have a lawful foundation for the processing. In general,
equity method that you should high-quality address non-public records in strategies that humans
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need to pretty expect and now not use it in techniques that have unjustified terrible outcomes on
them. Firm like Smartville need to save staff and expect not pretty masses how they can use
personal data, but additionally approximately whether or now not or now not or no longer you
need to.
Assessing whether or not or now not or no longer or not you're processing statistics quite
is based upon in issue on how you got it. in particular, if sincerely everybody is deceived or
misled at the equal time due to the fact the personal records is obtained, then this is not possibly
to be honest.
So as to test whether or not or not or now not or now not you're processing non-public
information pretty, you want to keep in mind extra commonly the manner it affects the pursuits
of the humans worried – as a group and for my part. if you have obtained and used the statistics
pretty in terms of most of the people it relates to but unfairly near one man or woman, there will
even though be a breach of this principle. Personal data may additionally moreover from time to
time be achieved in a manner that negatively impacts a character without this usually being
unfair. What topics is whether or now not or not or not such detriment is justified.
Transparency
Transparency is essentially related to equity. Apparent processing is ready being clean,
open and honest with humans from the begin about who you're, and the way and why you use
their non-public records. Transparency is usually important, however mainly in conditions
wherein human beings have a desire about whether or now not or not they choice to enter proper
right into a courting with you. If human beings recognize at the outset what you can use their
statistics for, they will be able to make an knowledgeable preference approximately whether or
not or no longer to go into proper right into a courting, or possibly to try and renegotiate the
terms of that courting.
Transparency is essential even if you have no direct courting with the man or woman and
collect their non-public data from a few other deliver. In some instances, it could be even greater
critical - as people may have no concept that you are accumulating and the usage of their private
records, and this affects their capacity to say their rights over their records. That is sometimes
called ‘invisible processing’.
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Therefore, from the above information this has been analysed that it is important for
Mercedes-Benz car manufacturers to use respective act for their all plants including Smartville so
that they can able to protect their information of staff as well as firm effectively and efficiently.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report, it has been conclude that it is vital for all firm to manage their
information and technology as this is a set of additives for collecting, storing, and processing
data and for providing records, knowledge, and virtual merchandise. Moreover, Michael Porter
suggests that two generally accepted strategies organisations often adopt are: cost leadership and
differentiation. As this help them to perform their business effectively. In addition to this data
protection act is adopted by firm so that they may able to protect their information of staff as
well as firm effectively and efficiently.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
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Holm, D.B., Drogendijk, R. and ul Haq, H., 2020. An attention-based view on managing
information processing channels in organizations. Scandinavian Journal of
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Kumar, A., 2020. Information technology industry. Journal of Management Science, Operations
& Strategies (e ISSN 2456-9305), 1(1), pp.12-15.
Mykytyn, P.P., 2020. COVID-19 and Its Impacts on Managing Information
Systems. Information Systems Management, 37(4), pp.267-271.
Owusu, A. and Broni Jr, F.E., 2020. Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP)
Implementation and Use in a Developing Economy: The Case of Ghanaian
Organizations. In Handbook of Research on Managing Information Systems in
Developing Economies (pp. 1-27). IGI Global.
Saffady, W., 2020. Managing Information Risks: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Responses.
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Samimi, A., 2020. Risk Management in Information Technology. Progress in Chemical and
Biochemical Research, pp.130-134.
Tomanek, M. and Lis, A., 2020. Managing information on the physical education research field:
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Security Uncertainty.
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