Strategic E-Business: Analyzing Nissan's Information Systems

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Nissan's strategic e-business initiatives, focusing on how the company leverages various information systems (IS) to manage data, interact with stakeholders, and achieve its business objectives. The report explores the implementation and integration of different IS such as Transaction Processing Systems (TPS), Management Information Systems (MIS), Decision Support Systems (DSS), and Executive Support Systems (ESS) across different departments. It also highlights the importance of the Knowledge Management System (KMS) in storing and utilizing knowledge related to markets, products, and competitors. The report examines how Nissan addresses the challenges in e-business, including B2B and B2C interactions, and emphasizes the role of IS in enabling effective communication, decision-making, and strategy formulation to achieve organizational goals. Furthermore, the report references several academic sources to support its findings and conclusions, highlighting the importance of IS in the current business environment.

Strategic E-Business

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
In present era businesses has changed their way of dealing with customers and providing
products and services in the market. E commerce has emerged as modern way of doing business.
It has provided a platform to directly interact with customers. Moreover, businesses are using IS
to store data and knowledge. They have integrated IS with processes so that effective strategies
are developed. Different types of IS are installed for various functions. This report will show
how company have connected there and communicate with stakeholders.
Introduction to Nissan
Nissan is a Japanese company headquartered in Nishi- ku, Yokohama. It was founded in
1933 by Masuijiro Hashimoto (Gerow, Thatcher & Grover, 2015). It is a public limited
company that operated all over the world. Currently, the company is operating as partnership
firm with two other organization. The organization is sixth largest auto mobile company in world
and majorly operating in North America. The company also manufactures electric vehicles that
reached global sales of 275000 in 2016 which was highest in auto mobile sector. As it operates
worldwide, they have to develop effective strategies to achieve goals and objectives. Along with
this, firm is having a large customer base in different countries. So, for this they have to store
and manage different types of data. IS are basic necessity in IT infrastructure for every company.
This is because they hold large data sets and process it to provide useful information.
Nissan strategy to manage information is to implement various IS in different
departments so that it can be sorted in easier way. Moreover, they have implemented KMS in
order to store knowledge. Alongside this, company have implemented MIS to interact with
stakeholders. It has allowed them to interact with them so that strategies are developed to attain
goals (Gerow & et.al., 2014). This has also facilitated in effective communication with them.
Moreover, a separate process is developed to integrate IS in strategy formulation. It has resulted
in solving issues that occurs in e business.
In e business there are two concepts that are B2B, B2C. this enables company to interact
with business and customers. But in recent time, there are many issues that has occurred in e
business. This has made it difficult for company to store and manage data. It has made the
process and business operations more complex. In addition to this, two concepts such as B2B
and B2C consists of different data and information. thus, it has led to various issues faced by
Nissan. This is the reason Nissan needs to manage its information. with the help of it strategies
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are developed. Also, they will be able to store data in IS (Ross, 2016). There are many types of
IS implemented by Nissan. They are as follows:-
TPS- it is an IS in which information related to transactions are stores and maintained. This IS is
usually used by financial department to develop reports. Moreover, TPS is a system that works in
automated manner. This IS perform various functions such as updating, validating, sorting, etc.
therefore, IS stores facts and figures through which graphs, tables, etc. are developed (Martins,
Rindova, & Greenbaum, 2015). Nissan manages their all financial data in this IS. Moreover, IS
is connected with units of production, marketing, sales, etc. through TPS lower level staff
update, insert, delete, etc. daily transactions. Then, it is processed further in other IS where
managers of company access it.
MIS- In this IS different information related to sales, inventory, etc. are managed. Generally, it is
used top management to evaluate and analyze organizational performance by comparing outputs
with set goals. The info contained in IS is used to solve various issues that arises in E business.
Nissan have implemented it to improve relations with business. Moreover, managers are able to
compare outcomes with goals and issues are identified. For this strategies are developed to solve
issues. Apart from this, company have integrated MIS with government and employees. It has
enabled in dealing effectively with customers.
DSS- This IS contain info about complex decision that are taken by management. IS stores
reports about forecast and other things. it gives an insight to management about what further
plans or goals should be developed (Woodside & LaPlaca, 2014). Also, it enables in describing
what change is required to improve performance of business. By using DSS Nissan is able to
solve issues related to B2B and B2C. they are able to focus on leading through e business
channel so that expansion can be done. It is essential for Nissan to manage IS so that by
evaluating previous decisions, further actions are taken.
ESS- Basically, ESS is used by senior level management to evaluate overall operations of
business. Managers determine long term goals of by analysing information from both external
and internal sources. After using ESS, manager uses DSS to take effective decisions. Hence, IS
manages crucial info which help in determining long term goals. Nissan executive are using ESS
to develop goals in both e business concepts. It also gives an insight on vision of organisation in
coming years.
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Now, in order to manage knowledge Nissan uses knowledge management system (KMS).
Knowledge consists of products, customer satisfaction, customer needs, etc. By this company is
able to store useful info related to market, products, competitors, etc. that helps in determining
goals. Along with this, managers use info to develop strategies so that goals are achieved. They
forecast the performance of organisation as well as market. Moreover, reports, graphs are
prepared and provided to stakeholders (Soto-Acosta, Popa, & Palacios-Marqués, 2016). KMS
is highly used in e business so that current market trend and taste and preference of customers
can be identified and products are developed accordingly. KMS also give useful info to
stakeholders.
It is important for Nissan to interact with stakeholders so that company performance can
be evaluated. Also, they must provide them report of how data, knowledge are managed in IS.
There exists a link through which both organisation and stakeholders evaluate this. Through this
gaols and objectives are attained. Therefore, by using all the above IS data is stored and managed
by Nissan. Through IS data is processed into useful info. then, managers use it to formulate
strategies so that goals and objectives are achieved. The IS provides info of customers, markets,
products, etc. in quick time to employees and management. It has enabled them in taking
effective and quick decisions (Chan, Ngai & Moon, 2017). Furthermore, issues are determined
and plans are made to solve them. This has resulted in improvement in efficiency of business
operations in Nissan. Stakeholder are also highly involved in interacting with members of
company. the sharing of reports has enabled them to participate in meetings so that strategies are
formulated
CONCLUSION
From this report it is concluded that various types of information systems are used to
manage data. Nissan also uses different types of IS such as KMS, MIS, etc, to manage data. these
systems are connected with each other in such a way that it ensures a smooth flow of process.
KMS is used by Nissan in generating useful data for taking effective decision and solving issues.
Besides this, company has focused on more participation of stakeholders in formulating
strategies.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Chan, A. T., Ngai, E. W., & Moon, K. K. (2017). The effects of strategic and
manufacturing flexibilities and supply chain agility on firm performance in the fashion
industry. European Journal of Operational Research, 259(2), 486-499.
Gerow, J. E., & et.al., (2014). Looking toward the future of IT-business strategic
alignment through the past: A meta-analysis. Mis Quarterly, 38(4), 1059-1085.
Gerow, J. E., Thatcher, J. B., & Grover, V. (2015). Six types of IT-business strategic
alignment: an investigation of the constructs and their measurement. European Journal of
Information Systems, 24(5), 465-491.
Martins, L. L., Rindova, V. P., & Greenbaum, B. E. (2015). Unlocking the hidden value of
concepts: a cognitive approach to business model innovation. Strategic Entrepreneurship
Journal, 9(1), 99-117.
Ross, D. F. (2016). Introduction to e-supply chain management: engaging technology to
build market-winning business partnerships. CRC Press.
Soto-Acosta, P., Popa, S., & Palacios-Marqués, D. (2016). E-business, organizational
innovation and firm performance in manufacturing SMEs: an empirical study in
Spain. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 22(6), 885-904.
Woodside, A. G., & LaPlaca, P. J. (2014). Handbook of strategic e-business management.
Springer, Barcelona, Spain.
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