HC1041 IT for Business - Supply Chain Management Systems - HIHE

This document presents a discussion activity focused on Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems, addressing key aspects such as the advantages and risks of agile methods compared to waterfall development, the benefits and risks of outsourcing IT services, and the role of end-users in information system development. It explores the purpose of supply chain management systems and elucidates the function of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) in SCM, highlighting its importance in tracking products and managing supply chains efficiently. The discussion emphasizes the balance between the benefits and limitations of information systems, concluding with references to relevant sources.

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Running head: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Supply Chain Management systems
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note:

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SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Discussion activity 2
1. What are the advantages of agile methods over waterfall development methods,
such as the traditional SDLC? What are the risks?
The prime advantage of agile methods over the waterfall development methods are that the
products developed considering the agile method can be changed according to the clients even
after the planning and designing stage. The risks associated with Agile method is that the
timeline and the cost associated with the projects cannot be significantly evaluated as compared
with the other methods.
2. What are the benefits and risks of outsourcing IT services?
Outsourcing IT services saves lots of money for every corporations, capital outlay can be
controlled with the help of the outsourcing IT services. The extra expenses of the stakeholders of
the business can be also minimized with the help of the outsourced services1. The risks
associated with outsourcing the IT services are the privacy and security of the products. Quality
and consistency of products are not always maintained in the outsourced IT services.
3. Do you think the development of information systems by end users should be
encouraged? Do the benefits of the practice outweigh its risks?
According to me, end users can play a huge role in the development of the information
systems. They understand the needs and requirements of the project better than any one else so
they should be taken under consideration so that the desired results are obtained from the IS.
1 "SCM and RFID: Questions about integration", in SearchERP, , 2019,
<https://searcherp.techtarget.com/feature/SCM-and-RFID-Questions-about-integration> [accessed 14 January
2019].

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SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
The wide range of benefits offered by the information system compared to its minimal
limitations prove the effectiveness of the information systems.
4. What is a supply chain? What is the purpose of Supply Chain Management
systems?
Effective distribution of products and service in business corporations is done in a sequence
of process which can be defined as the supply chain.
The Supply Chain Management System is used in the business organizations for controlling
the flow of the products and services of the distribution and the production units of business
organizations.
5. What is RFID, and what roles does it play in SCM?
Radio Frequency IDentification is used in the distribution unit of business organizations
as it helps in tracking the products such as the passports, credit cards and merchandise2. The data
which are encoded in the RFID labels are captured by the radio waves.
The entire history of a particular product or unit in the Supply Chain Management can be
tracked with the help of Radio Frequency Identification. Maintenance of products and services
by organizations are easier with the help of RFID technology.
2 "The pros and cons of RFID in supply chain management - IEEE Conference Publication", in Ieeexplore.ieee.org, ,
2019, <https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1493672> [accessed 14 January 2019].

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SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Reference
"SCM and RFID: Questions about integration". in, , 2019,
<https://searcherp.techtarget.com/feature/SCM-and-RFID-Questions-about-integration>
[accessed 14 January 2019].
"The pros and cons of RFID in supply chain management - IEEE Conference Publication". in , ,
2019, <https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1493672> [accessed 14 January 2019].