Analyzing the Role of Information Systems in Business Operations

The essay begins by evaluating the potential of an e-Learning system designed for remote education. Using Moore et al.'s 2011 e-Learning framework, it assesses how well this system meets criteria such as accessibility, student engagement, and course management. Next, it compares a CRM software application with Araqich's offerings to determine their strengths and suitability in customer relationship management contexts. The essay then explores various coordination mechanisms within supply chains, focusing on strategies for enhancing efficiency and collaboration among partners. Finally, the Namely HRMS is scrutinized, presenting its benefits like user-friendly interface and integration capabilities, alongside challenges such as payroll integration issues and limited automation features.

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Running Head: INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Information Systems
Student’s Name
Institution

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Information Systems
Task 1
a)
In the scenario given, the decision made would be managerial as the decision is based on the
operations of the firm. Typically, managerial decisions are concerned with business
operations, are medium term, and less complex. These decisions are made by middle
managers and are designed to meet the objectives of strategic decisions made. As defined in
the scenario, Joondalup has to decide when and the amount of new stocks to be ordered. This
managerial decisions follows strategic decisions made by the company such as improving
customer experience, increasing speed of product delivery, or improving convenience of the
company’s outlets. For example in order for WoolWorths store to satisfy customer demand, it
may have to have a particular level of a specific product. Also, the scenario can be classified
as an opportunity problem which offers potential for improving an organization by taking the
appropriate actions. Opportunity problem is one of the three types of problems addressed by
managerial decisions.
The decision-making process in this scenario involves three stages: determining company’s
goals, formulating a strategy, and implementing the strategy (Nutt, 2008). The first stage
involves assessing goals set by the organizations and their relation to the scenario. The
second stage focuses on analysing the situation and developing a strategy that can be applied
while aligning with the organizational goals. That is, the manager has to decide the time and
amount of new stocks that can be ordered when the current stocks reach a specific level. The
time and amount of stocks chosen has to align with the market demand. The final step is
allocating responsibilities and resources to ensure orders are made in time and the appropriate
stock level is maintained.

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
b)
An automated Information System (IS) would be best choice for this scenario. In contrast to
the augmented IS which requires human input, automated IS relies on computer controls to
make decisions. The decision made in this scenario requires an insight about the demand for a
specific product. An automated can efficiently determine the market demand by monitoring
sales made and keep track of the inventory levels (Laudon, 2016). As such, it can identify the
right amount of stocks required and the time to order when the inventory levels reach the
reorder point. The automated IS can automatically determine when the inventory needs to be
stocked to ensure products are available when the customers make orders. This system would
be more effective than augmentation IS which is prone to errors particularly due to human
input.
c)
An example of an automated Information System that can be used in this scenario is Araqich.
The system is made by Araqich Limited Liability Company. The system has various features
which are designed to enable firms to efficiently manage inventory (Araqich, 2017). These
features include retail products, accounting integration, products catalogue, and product
organization. It has a control panel which monitors inventory levels in real time. The system
can be connected to many sales channels and provides reports that keep managers informed
and enable them to make business decisions through accurate records of inventory and sales.
The systems comes with support from the vendor who provides a technical team to prevent
irregular activities and ensure users are able to set up and effectively leverage the system to
improve their operations. With system, the company can effectively manage its inventory and
ensure products stock available can meet the customer demand.

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Task 2
Q1.
Woolworths can adopt Information systems to improve its services and operational
efficiency. Key information systems that can help the company to gain competitive advantage
over its rivals include supply chain systems and networked systems. Supply chain systems are
essential in managing inventory and building alliances with suppliers. The system allows the
company to track the inventory levels and make orders from suppliers when the stock level is
too low to meet customer demand (Li, 2007). As such, with the supply chain system,
Woolworths can establish an alliance with suppliers which can enable it to perform their
business operations and efficiently serve its customers.
Networked system can also play a key role in enabling Woolworths to gain leverage over its
rivals. With such a system, the company can deliver complex services to customers in an
efficient manner. This can offer a significant cost barrier for new companies that may seek to
enter the market and compete with Woolworths. As such, the company will have an edge
over other companies entering the market hence can maintain its market share and customer
base. Through the networked system, the company can enhance the value of its products and
services by aligning with the needs of its customers (Rainie, 2012). As a result, customer
loyalty to the company may be improved leading to an increase in repurchase rate and
customer retention. Also, networked systems can enable the company to enhance its supply
chain by reducing waste and unnecessary costs. This offers it a competitive edge over its
competitors and greater control of its stock. With this system, the company can sell stock and
collect the profits before paying the suppliers.
Q2.
Edith Cowan University’s competitors are other tertiary education providers such as
universities and colleges. They offer similar services as ECU and compete to get students

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who can undertake the courses offered. ECU is competing with these education providers to
gain a share in the education market.
ECU can leverage information systems to gain competitive advantage. Online learning
system is a key tool that the university should consider. This system supports online
education by providing a platform through which students can collaborate and engage with
teachers (Moore, 2011). Through this system, students can access learning materials and
learn at their own pace. The key advantage of this system is that it can be accessed with any
device in any place (Moore, 2011). As such, students can undertake any course without being
physically present at the university’s facilities. Such a system can enable the university to
enrol students residing far from the university. For example, ECU can enroll students from
Europe or Asia with such a system. This is key in enrolling more students and ensuring
students can access learning resources any time. With such a system, ECU can be a front-
runner in providing tertiary education in an efficient way.

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Task 3
Forms

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 Query

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Report

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Task 4
User Generated Content on social media
A majority of social media platforms are driven by user-generated content. In sites such as
Facebook and Twitter, members post various content such as images, videos, and text. Users
generate content that they have an interest in. Others post content about topics that may be
informative to other social media users. For example, on Twitter, users may tweet links and
videos that provided an insight into a particular topic. A report conducted showed that people
use social media to obtain and share information. Many organization such as businesses
leverage social media to provide information which allow social media users to be informed.
I have chosen user generated content as it dominates the internet and influences the world in
many ways, from informing people to engaging people with brands.
According to David Westerman(2014), social media has increasingly become an importance
source of information. Many people leverage social media platforms such as Twitter to obtain
information especially regarding risks and crises. The researchers conducted a research that
focused on examining how user generated content available on social media influence how
users perceive its credibility. Emphasis was placed on evaluating users’ perception on
credibility of information posted on twitter.
The study was aimed at testing three hypotheses proposed which are: recent social media
updates are considered to be credible, credibility is linked to cognitive elaboration, and there
exists a relationship between recency and cognitive elaboration (Westerman, 2014). To test
these hypotheses, the researchers designed a condition experiment. Mock Twitter page of a
healthcare organization was created. The intention was to represent the page as a source of
information regarding heart disease. Participants viewed the page including the tweets posted
and responded to metrics established to assess source credibility.

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
The study involved participants viewing the pages created by organizations on Twitter and
the content posted. They rated the credibility of the information posted by the organization.
They evaluated the recency of the tweets posted and reported their perceived source
credibility of the account owners. Data collected showed that recent of tweets significantly
affected how the participants perceived credibility. The results suggested a possible link
between credibility measures the recency of tweets. This indicated time of updates affected
perception of credibility via cognitive elaboration. It was suggested that Twitter users are
likely to consider recent tweets to be more credible than old tweets. This has many
implications especially for brands that leverage social media platforms to inform users.
As social media becomes popular among many people, it will become an important source of
information for critical things. The function of the information provided falls into the hands
of social media users rather than the content curators. As such, it is key to gain a deeper
insight into credibility judgements made about social media information.
Conclusion
Based on the results obtained in the study, I concur with the researchers that recency of social
media updates are likely to affect source credibility. In social media platforms such as
Twitter, posts are displayed based on the time they are published. This implies that users see
the most recent posts and are likely to consider them credible if they have not encountered
such information before. Thus, it is critical for social media users to focus on curating
credible content that can inform users and prevents bias.

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Task 5
Q1.
a)
b)
The business process involves manual activities that take a lot of time and undermine
operational efficiency. With an Information System, most of the activities can be automated
reducing human input required to complete the process. By implementing a new information
system, activities that involve informing other stakeholders can be automated. For example,
when a patient presents an appointment card, it is checked and the check-in clerk is notified
by the system. A medical information system can allow vital signs and patient information to
be documented digitally which eliminates the need for papers. Such information can be
assessed and verified by the treatment nurse on a computer or tablet. Thus, with an
information system, the paper trail and time spent to complete the process would be
significantly reduced. This is key in improving patient satisfaction and reducing operating
costs.

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Q2.
Namely is a human resource management system developed by Namely Inc. This software is
designed to fit any company culture. Its features include payroll, performance reviews, time
planning, reporting, goals, robust human resource information system, benefits administration
among others (Namely, 2017). The application provides a platform for managing HR data
and can be personalized to enable firms to use it better and faster. It can be easily configured
and be scaled based on company growth. It incorporates a permissions engine which allow
organizations to implement several access levels to restruck views, functions, and views
based on the role of an employees within a company. The software comes with customizable
formats, adaptable templates, and tools that can be activated or deactivated any time. The
system has a simple user interface that is easy to use. Users can easily navigate the system.
Also, it provides a platform where employees can contribute and can be easily integrated with
other platforms.
Similarly to other HRMS software, Namely uses per-employee pricing model. The vendor
doesn’t release pricing information to the public. Some source report that the company
charges about $20 per employee per month. This implies that firms with many employees
incur a lot of costs especially if all the customers have to use the system. Large companies
may afford the system but start-up companies with small budgets may have financial
challenges that constrain their use of the system.
Namely has several advantages over other HRM software. First, it is user-friendly as it has a
simple user interface which enables users to easily navigate the system and run reports. It
incorporates various time saving features such as benefits enrolment features which make it
easy for managers to perform their tasks. The system allows employees to share information,
communicate, as well as learn about the company’s goals. It supports integration with other
platforms which makes it powerful. Also, the system has an excellent client support. Clients