A Report on the Impact of Information Technology on TJ Maxx Operations

This report examines the impact of Information Technology (IT) on the business operations of TJ Maxx, a major American department store chain. The report explores the role of IT in retail, including point-of-sale systems, customer service, inventory management, and price auditing. It discusses various networking technologies like LAN and WAN, and addresses ethical and social issues associated with technology use, such as security, software privacy, and job displacement. The importance of Intranet and Internet for business operations, including communication, data storage, and online sales, is also highlighted. Furthermore, the report analyzes the types of information systems used by TJ Maxx, such as Management Information Systems and Decision Support Systems, and details the different stages of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC), encompassing planning, analysis, design, development, integration, testing, implementation, and operations and maintenance. Overall, the report emphasizes the necessity of IT adoption for TJ Maxx to increase market share and achieve success in a competitive retail environment.

Impact of Information Technology
on business operations of a TJ Maxx
Executive Summary or Abstract
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Information technology is the new use of doing business and operations of business in
an effective and efficient manner. It is very essential for organisation to use new and updated
technology for increasing market share and success in competitive manner. TJ Maxx needs to
adopt IT in their business for better outcomes.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents...................................................................................................................................3
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Purpose........................................................................................................................................4
1.2 Background..................................................................................................................................4
2. Literature Review...............................................................................................................................4
2.2 Information Technology and its role in retail business in general................................................4
2.3 Networking Technology, different types in general.....................................................................4
2.4 Ethics and Social Issues of using technology in general...............................................................5
2.5 The importance of Intranet and Internet in business in general..................................................5
3. Analysis and Discussion.....................................................................................................................6
3.1 Role of Information Technology in the selected business............................................................6
3.1.1 Types of different Information Systems that are used in selected business like Management
Information System, Decision Support Systems etc...........................................................................6
3.2 Types of Networking Technologies that used in the selected business.......................................6
3.3 Ethics and social issues in selected business................................................................................6
3.3 The importance of Intranet and Internet in the selected business..............................................7
3.4 List and explain the different stage of system development life cycle.........................................7
4. Conclusions........................................................................................................................................8
5.References..........................................................................................................................................9
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1. Introduction
Information technology is defined as use of network, computers, physical evidence,
types of resources, process for building, storing, securing devices in electronic information
and data form (Acemoglu, 2012). It is used by organisation for operation and functioning
purposes rather than entertainment or personal technologies. The given assignment is based
on TJ Maxx which was founded in 1976 at United States. It is American department store
chain which deals in footwear, domestic, clothing, giftware and toys. This has more than
1000 stores making largest clothing retailer in states. This report highlights about role and
importance of information technology which includes social and ethical issues which helps in
running business successfully. There are various kinds of network technologies and roles for
growth and success of organisation.
1.1 Purpose
The main purpose of this report is to analyse role of information technology in different
fields and types of networking. The ethical and social issues solving through use of
information technology.
1.2 Background
In today’s scenario information technology is very important to get success and growth
in competitive market. The organisation TJ Maxx needs to use various types of information
technology in their business to get success and growth.
2. Literature Review
2.2 Information Technology and its role in retail business in general
Information technology is defined as business sector which deals in computing
including telecommunications, hardware, software and other that is involved in
transformation of information or system facilitating communication.
According to views of Emily Pribanic, 2019, there are various role of information
technology in retail sectors such as point of sale, customer service, management of inventory
and price auditing (Role of Technology in Retail Industry, 2019). With adoption of
information technology, it has become easier for consumers to purchase products and service
online without standing in queues. The information technology leads helps to consumers by
providing helps with self kiosks. The managing of inventory is costly but due to change in
technology it make easier for them to track and offer real time information to business about
products. This has become easier for business to know about requirements of products in
market.
2.3 Networking Technology, different types in general
Networking technologies is defined as regular or continuous operations of business
through use of various technologies in order to save information and data in proper manner.
There are different types of networking technologies which are used in business. They are
described below:

As per view of Bradley Mitchell, 2019, there are various types of networking
technology which can be used in business. They can be LAN, WAN and others. Here, LAN
means local area networks which connect devices of short distance. This includes networked
office, school, building, homes and others. This is managed, owned, controlled by single
person. Similarly, WAN means wide area network which is geographically dispersed
collection of LANs. They are not owned by single organisation as it requires more to collect
wide area network of business (Introduction to LANs, WANs, and Other Kinds of Area
Networks, 2019).
2.4 Ethics and Social Issues of using technology in general
There are various kinds of ethical and social issues which can be faced by organisation
with use of technology.
Ethical Issues- It includes following:
Security- This is the major ethical issues which is faced by organisation in order to
run their business in an effective and efficient manner (Tarafdar Gupta and Turel, 2015). Due
to rise in technology, it is very easy for hacker to hack data and information of user with use
of IP address for their personal reasons. While doing online transactions hacker can easily
interrupt when they transfer amount into personal accounts which can impact consumers and
back.
Software Privacy- This is defined as illegal copying, software utilisation, distribution
without legal or lawful rights. Hacker can easily hack and get information of legally protected
device which can provide huge impact to business operations.
Social Issues- They can be:
Utilising network to advantages- The using of poor networking can impact business
in negative manner for managing information of clients and their details.
Job displacement- This is also major issues in today’s market. With the use of various
technologies in business can leads to job displacement.
2.5 The importance of Intranet and Internet in business in general
According to opinion of Josh Fredman, 2019, intranet means serving organisation in
digital communications need and requirements. They help in providing space for accessing,
storing, developing electronic materials. This helps business to speed work and reduce errors
and issues. This can include network folder, offline websites and others. Similarly, extranet
helps in connecting multiple intranets together in order to solve issues and problems faced by
organisation. They also helps in connecting with their consumers more effective and efficient
manner (Business Uses of the Internet, Intranets & Extranets, 2019). Both are important for
organisation to achieve their goals and objectives of firm in an efficient and effective manner
for growth, success of business.
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3. Analysis and Discussion
3.1 Role of Information Technology in the selected business
Information technology helps in utilising store, transmit, receive and manipulate data
and information of business enterprise (Aral, Dellarocas and Godes, 2013). The IT role
depends upon different factors such as administration support, systematic change process,
system modification and others. This helps in creating various opportunities for business. TJ
Maxx needs to use information technology in their business so that goal and objectives can be
achieved in systematic manner. With helps of IT, respective organisation can make
communication channel more effective and efficient. It can help to make effective decision
for business in order to carry out work. TJ Maxx can improve their sales through online and
offline by using updated information technology in business.
3.1.1 Types of different Information Systems that are used in selected
business like Management Information System, Decision Support
Systems etc.
Information systems helps organisation to perform each and every task in an effective
and efficient manner. For running business in market, TJ Maxx needs to use various types of
information systems to accomplish and attain goal and objectives in systematic manner
(Mithas and et. al., 2013). They can be decision support and management information system
which are used by respective organisation to get effective outcomes. For managing each and
every task of business, respective organisation needs to use management information system
for better results. With management system they can manage each and every single activities
and function of organisation in systematic manner. Similarly, decision support system can
help TJ Maxx for making decision in business to get effective outcomes. There are various
decision which need to be taken place in organisation which can be made through such
system to get better results.
3.2 Types of Networking Technologies that used in the selected business
Network technologies connect people and their business into single market. There are
various types of network technologies which are used by TJ Maxx for connecting their people
to network. The first is LAN where their business operation and activities are connected
within organisation to get positive outcomes. There are various activities which are provided
by TJ Maxx for increasing their profits and gain so they need to use WAN to collect
organisation from international or wider areas. This need to be chose by respective
organisation as per nature and structure of their business for getting better results in
competitive market.
3.3 Ethics and social issues in selected business
Each and every thing has positive and negative impact which can hamper business and
their operations. With use of information technology, TJ Maxx has faced both social and
ethical issues for running their business activities and operations in successful and effective
manner. The social issues are related with society and hamper business operation. TJ Maxx
has used IT in their business which creates social issues in organisation. As many people has

to left their jobs and become unemployed. Similarly, in terms of ethical issues they have
faced problems in security and social privacy.
3.3 The importance of Intranet and Internet in the selected business
In order to run business in competitive market, it is very essential to use intranet and
internet in their organisation (Rainer and et. al., 2013). There are importance of both intranet
and internet in TJ Maxx to achieve growth and success. Intranet used by respective
organisation helps to improve productivity, improving corporate communications, knowledge
management. It is also used in streamline processes and spurs collaboration. Similarly,
internet is also used by TJ Maxx for running their activities and operations in an effective
manner. For maintenance of record and information related with business is done through
internet. In order to communicate, perform online shopping and other is done through
internet. Therefore, these both can helps in accomplishment and attainment of goal and
objectives in an effective and efficient manner.
3.4 List and explain the different stage of system development life cycle
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is defined as development life cycle which is
used by organisation for system engineering, software engineering and information system in
order to describe and identifies process for proper planning, creating, testing and deploying
information system in business (Rivard and Aubert, 2015). The different stages of system
development life cycle are described below:
Planning- It is first step which identifies new system to be needed in business
objectives or not is planned. Through this step they can identify scope, problem and
determine solutions. The cost, time, resources and benefits should be considered in this step.
System Analysis and Requirements- In this step, business need to work on sources of
problem or requirement of change in business. The possible outcome is submitted and best
should be identified. Different tools organisation should use in business for this step such as
requirements gathering, structured analysis and CASE.
System Design- This identify features, specifications, operations in order to satisfy
requirements of functions and systems. The important components need to consider such as
network capabilities, hardware, software and others.
Development- In this stage, real work begins where flowchart is ensured for the
system. This is regarded as end of initial section of stage. Here the production starts and is
characterised through change and installation. The training can help to achieve goal and
objectives.
Integration and Testing- In this step checking should be done for errors, issues and
others so that work can be performed in effective and efficient manner.
Implementation- The code of program is written in this stage. It is actual installation
of new and developed system. This moves production from old to new system in an effective
and efficient manner (Schwalbe, 2015).
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Operations and Maintenance- It is the final stage of SDLC where user fined tune
system. They focus on boosting performance and adding new capabilities.
4. Conclusions
From above report, it can be concluded that information technology plays an effective
role in achievement of goal and objectives of business. This IT helps all types of business in
an effective manner for accomplishment and attainment of goal. In order to survive in
competitive market, it is essential for organisation to use IT for running their operation and
activities. IT helps in success of business in proper manner. There are various types of
networking technologies used by firms for collection of data and information. The social and
ethical issues can be arising in business due to information technology in enterprise. Various
types of information system are used in concern.

5.References
Books and Journals
Acemoglu, D., 2012. Introduction to economic growth. Journal of economic theory. 147(2),
pp.545-550.
Aral, S., Dellarocas, C. and Godes, D., 2013. Introduction to the special issue—social media
and business transformation: a framework for research. Information Systems Research.
24(1). pp.3-13.
Mithas, S. and et. al., 2013. Leveraging big data and business analytics [Guest editors'
introduction]. IT professional. 15(6). pp.18-20.
Rainer, R. K. and et. al., 2013. Introduction to information systems. John Wiley & Sons.
Rivard, S. and Aubert, B. A., 2015. Information technology outsourcing: An introduction. In
Information Technology Outsourcing (pp. 15-34). Routledge.
Schwalbe, K., 2015. Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Tarafdar, M., Gupta, A. and Turel, O., 2015. Special issue on'dark side of information
technology use': an introduction and a framework for research. Information Systems
Journal. 25(3). pp.161-170.
Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y. and Xu, X., 2012. Consumer acceptance and use of information
technology: extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. MIS
quarterly. 36(1). pp.157-178.
Walsham, G., 2015. Interpreting information systems in organizations.
Online
Role of Technology in Retail Industry. 2019. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.techfunnel.com/information-technology/role-of-technology-in-retail-
industry/ >.
Introduction to LANs, WANs, and Other Kinds of Area Networks. 2019. [Online]. Available
through: < https://www.lifewire.com/lans-wans-and-other-area-networks-817376>.
Business Uses of the Internet, Intranets & Extranets. 2019. [Online]. Available through: <
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-uses-internet-intranets-extranets-
62042.html>.
(Acemoglu, 2012) (Aral, Dellarocas and Godes, 2013) (Mithas and et. al., 2013.) (Rainer and
et. al., 2013) (Rivard and Aubert, 2015) (Schwalbe, 2015) (Tarafdar Gupta and
Turel, 2015) (Venkatesh, Thong and Xu, 2012) (Walsham, 2015)
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