IMS Report: Applicability, Planning, and Policies for ABC Timber

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of an Information Management System (IMS) designed for ABC Timber and Hardware, a small chain of hardware stores. It begins by exploring the applicability of IMS to mobile and cloud computing, addressing security concerns and the benefits of information sharing. The report then details the planning activities necessary for developing an effective IMS, including identifying requirements and prioritizing applications. It emphasizes the importance of a Learning Needs Analysis to minimize confusion and maximize IMS utilization. Stakeholders, including sales representatives, the sales manager, the board of directors, and customers, are identified, and the human, financial, and physical resources required for IMS implementation are outlined. The report discusses promotional activities to encourage IMS use, such as communicating benefits, empowering employees, and developing training programs. It further identifies two essential policies for effective IMS operation: enhancing data privacy and establishing IT system procedures. Finally, the report addresses legal requirements and ethical issues concerning IMS and users, including adherence to the Archives Act of 1983 and the Privacy Act of 1988. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and recommendations for successful IMS implementation at ABC Timber and Hardware.

IMS 1
Information Systems Management -
Assignment Report

IMS 2
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Applicability of the IMS to Mobile and Cloud Computing.......................................................3
Description of the Planning Activities.......................................................................................3
Reasons for conducting a Learning Needs Analysis for IMS....................................................4
Identification and Information on Stakeholders to the IMS.......................................................4
Description of Human, Financial and Physical Resources........................................................5
Human Resources...................................................................................................................5
Financial Resources...............................................................................................................5
Physical Resources.................................................................................................................5
Promotional Activity for encouraging the use of the IMS.........................................................6
Communicating the Benefits..................................................................................................6
Empowering Employees........................................................................................................6
Development of Training and Incentive Programs................................................................6
Two Policies and Procedures needed for effective Running of IMS.........................................7
Enhancing Privacy of Data.....................................................................................................7
Different Procedures for Employing Information Technology Systems...............................7
Legal Requirements and Ethical Issues concerning IMS and users...........................................7
Conclusions................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9

IMS 3
Introduction
ABC Timber and Hardware operates as a small chain of different hardware stores that
operates throughout the state. It operates through a network of 12 different branches that
works on the basis of one sales representative per branch. The Sales Representatives annually
report to the Sales Manager of the organization and generates monthly sales report. The Sales
Manager in turn is required to report to the Board of Directors of the firm.
Applicability of the IMS to Mobile and Cloud Computing
The era of emergence of mobile and cloud computing is observed to create fear in the minds
of the users regarding undue access to secured data resources and thereby pilferage of the
same without generation of adequate knowledge. Mobile and Cloud Computing encourage
the growth of a collaborative atmosphere regarding sharing of information resources.
However, the firms tend to hold on to the contents rather than sharing the same owing to the
emergence of security issues. Content sharing activity requires the users to employ cloud
sharing services like Dropbox, Google Drive and iCloud among others which in turn raises
security threat. The Mobile Computing service is also preferred by users for helping in
earning an effective work-life balance which is not possible in traditional work spheres. The
incorporation of mobile and cloud computing services contribute in the sharing of
quantifiable amount of information pertaining to diverse categories in a rapid manner.
Transmission of data across the digital environment creates necessary challenges associated
to security and vulnerability of information resources (Victor, Abah, Adewale, & Ume,
2014).
Description of the Planning Activities
The different planning activities that are required to be undertaken for designing an effective
Information Management Systems (IMS) are rendered as follows.
-Identification of the requirements and stages regarding development of information systems
in the organization.

IMS 4
-Identification of the type of application concerning Information Systems to be utilized in the
firm.
-Generating evolution to each of the different types of IMS Applications depending on the
level of priority inside the firm.
-Generation of a priority ranking for the different types of applications.
-Focusing on the development on an effective and optimum architecture of IMS for
addressing the needs of the different applications (Bogabol, AL Musadieq, & Handayani,
2014).
Reasons for conducting a Learning Needs Analysis for IMS
Specific reasons for conducting training for effective implementation of Information
Management Systems in an organization are outlined as follows.
-Reduction of the level of confusion and mistakes regarding the implementation of the
Information Management System
-For ensuring the optimal and effective utilization of the IMS in the firm
-For ensuring the optimal utilization of the budget planned for the implementation of IMS IN
ABC Timber and Hardware
-For helping in the reduction of unnecessary workloads and tasks concerning the staffs
pertaining to the Information Technology department for increasing efficiency and expertise
in handling complex tasks
-Further the development of learning and skills development program for the organizational
staffs help in making them feel valued and also duly empowered for enhancing their skill
base regarding working in an environment associated with IMS (Karikari, Boateng, &
Ocansey, 2015).
Identification and Information on Stakeholders to the IMS
The different stakeholders regarding the incorporation and implementation of IMS in ABC
Timber and Hardware are the sales representatives of the 12 different sales branches, the

IMS 5
sales manager, and the board of directors of the organization and finally the customers or the
final user base of the hardware company. The development of the Information Management
System in the organization would contribute in meeting the knowledge and information needs
of the different stakeholder groups in the firm while also in understanding the needs of
customers, recording them for future needs and also in developing of potential of the firm for
meeting the emergent and diversified needs of customers.
Description of Human, Financial and Physical Resources
The different human, physical and financial resources for development of an effective
Information Management System in ABC Timber and Hardware are outlined as follows.
Human Resources
Staffs and employees are required to be involved by the hardware firm for effective collection
of information regarding sales and consumer data from the different branches where the
hardware company has opened up its branches. Moreover, further staffs would also be
involved that would help in effectively storing and analyzing the data collected regarding
consumer interests and behavior along with the purchasing activities made by customers and
also other types of market data. Effective human resources are also required to be involved
that would help in disseminating the data and the analysis of relevant information concerning
customer data of ABC Timber and Hardware (Gupta & George, 2016).
Financial Resources
Different types of financial resources can be gained from varied sources like investment
agencies, government and business hubs for the development of the Management Information
System in ABC Timber and Hardware. Effective meetings are required to be generated and
carried out by the board of directors of the firm with the investors and also the other financial
sources such that the same helps in development of needed awareness concerning the IMS
required by the company. Similarly, donations and also budgets allocated by the government
for development of technological projects in firms are also required to be rightly streamlined
for the development of the IMS project (Al-Mamary, Shamsuddin, & Aziati, 2014).

IMS 6
Physical Resources
Different types of physical resources are required by ABC Timber and Hardware for helping
in the rightful implementation of the Information Management System (IMS) in the
organization. Basic facilities associated to rooms like availability of furniture and electricity
is required for working on the basis of IMS. Similarly, an effective guidebook concerning use
of IMS and information technology sources are required for training the staffs to handle the
system effectively. Most importantly, the incorporation of information technology resources
like computers and laptops along with effective internet connection through use of a modem
need to be incorporated for helping the staffs gain access to needed data and also use the
Information Management System (Kellermanns, Walter, Crook, & Kemmerer, 2016).
Promotional Activity for encouraging the use of the IMS
The promotional activity concerning encouraging the internal staff, both new recruits and
existing staffs to effectively use IMS can be conducted in an effective fashion as follows.
Communicating the Benefits
The management of ABC Timber and Hardware is required for effectively communicating
the benefits associated with the use of the IMS in the organization like development of both
tacit and explicit knowledge. Further, the communication of the benefits can be carried out
through out through identification of roles played by the different staffs in the organization
and thereby make the staffs understand the manner IMS can be employed by them suiting the
different roles.
Empowering Employees
The sales staffs of the different branches are required to effectively encourage in participating
in the development activity concerning implementation of IMS in ABC Timber and
Hardware. It would contribute in increasing the accountability of the members and also in
making they work responsively for meeting the objectives of IMS implementation (Gupta &
George, 2016).

IMS 7
Development of Training and Incentive Programs
The management of ABC Timber and Hardware is also required to not only develop an
effective training program for enhancing the competencies of the staffs to work proactively in
an IMS governed enterprise but also to render financial and non-financial incentives based on
their activity in its effective incorporation in the firm. The same would encourage and
motivate the staffs to work proactively in the development of IMS in ABC Hardware and
Timber (Lavin, Harper, & Barr, 2015).
Two Policies and Procedures needed for effective Running of IMS
Two different policies that are needed for effective implementation and running of IMS in
ABC Hardware and Timber are outlined as under:
Enhancing Privacy of Data
An effective privacy policy is required to be designed for governing the process of collecting,
storing and thereby used for the benefit of the firm and also the different restrictions imposed
for sharing such data resources with other third party users. Development of policies is
required to be made for gaining permission in sending mails to different contacts.
Different Procedures for Employing Information Technology Systems
The information technology department of ABC Timber and Hardware is required to identify
and generate different procedures regarding both using and also for gaining access to
different data sets and system, generating backup of data and also in providing protection to
data sets. It would also help in defining the procedures for both the employees in the
organization and also the contractors involved in the IMS Project (Cresswell, Bates, &
Sheikh, 2013).
Legal Requirements and Ethical Issues concerning IMS and users
The use of IMS by ABC Hardware and Timber for collection and storage of data sets is
required to effectively follow the legislations concerning Archives Act of 1983. It focuses on
both sourcing and storing of records and also its destruction after completion of its use.
Moreover, the use of IMS is also required to follow the legislations concerning the Privacy

IMS 8
Act of 1988 that governs the collection, storage, employment and disclosure of information
concerning information of consumers and other stakeholders (Snyder, 2017).
Conclusions
The report ideally reflects the fashion in which ABC Hardware and Timber can effectively
work for developing and implementing an Information Management Systems in the
organization. It reflects on the planning activities concerning the implementation of the IMS
with also the allocation of different resources for the conducting of the program. Further, it
also highlights on the different policies, procedures and also the legal and ethical
requirements behind the incorporation of IMS in the organization.

IMS 9
References
Al-Mamary, Y. H., Shamsuddin, A., & Aziati, N. (2014). The Role of Different Types of
Information Systems in Business Organisations: A Review. International Journal of
Research (IJR) , 1 (7), 1279-1286.
Bogabol, A. O., AL Musadieq, M., & Handayani, S. R. (2014). The Need for Management
Information Systems on Strategic Planning Process in Libyan Health Service
Organizations. IOSR Journal of Business and Management , 10 (10), 13-26.
Cresswell, K. M., Bates, D. W., & Sheikh, A. (2013). Ten key considerations for the
successful implementation and adoption of large-scale health information technology.
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association , 20 (1).
Gupta, M., & George, J. F. (2016). Toward the develop,ment of a big data analytics
capability. Informations and Management , 1-16.
Karikari, ,. A., Boateng, P. A., & Ocansey, E. O. (2015). The Role of Human Resource
Information System in the Process of Manpower Activities. American Journal of
Industrial and Business Management , 5, 424-431.
Kellermanns, F., Walter, J., Crook, T. R., & Kemmerer, B. (2016). The Resource-Based
View in Entrepreneurship: A Content-Analytical Comparison of Researchers’ and
Entrepreneurs’ Views. Journal of Small Business Management , 54 (1), 26-48.
Lavin, M. A., Harper, E., & Barr, N. (2015). Health Information Technology, Patient Safety,
and Professional Nursing Care Documentation in Acute Care Settings. The Online
Journal for Issues in Nursing , 20 (2).
Snyder, L. (2017). Modernizing Legal Services in Common Law Countries: Will the US Be
Left Behind? Australia: Lexington Books.
Victor, W. O., Abah, J., Adewale, O. S., & Ume, A. (2014). A Survey on Mobile Cloud
Computing with Embedded Security Considerations. International Journal of Cloud
Computing and Services Science , 3 (1), 53-66.

IMS 10