IT Management Issues Report: Analyzing Monet Group's IT Strategy

This report analyzes the IT management issues of the Monet Group, a merger of five Australian hotels aiming to enhance customer value and increase profits. The group plans to integrate operations, implement an ERP system, launch a customer loyalty program (MonetLoyalty), and create a Web 4.0 portal. The report provides a critique of the management decisions, identifying potential problems with the ERP system's cost, the sustainability of the loyalty program, and the feasibility of customer self-management. It differentiates between information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) issues, highlighting data corruption, hacking risks, and integration challenges. The report examines the impact of these issues on customer choice, patronage, and brand loyalty. Finally, the report provides recommendations for improving the IT strategy, including marketing strategies, discounts and maintaining healthy customer relationship management.

Running head: IT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
IT Management Issues
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2
Assumptions....................................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Discussion........................................................................................................................................4
Critique........................................................................................................................................4
Difference between Information Systems and Information Technology Issues..........................5
Recommendations............................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Executive Summary
The objective of this report is to understand to case study of the group of five holiday resorts.
They have decided to merge their functions and operations for delivering excellent values to their
customers. Another motive of them is to increase the profits of the business. They have named
the new Group as Monet. This particular group incorporates all types of living quarters all
around Australia. The broad range of living quarters includes various types of backpackers, bed
to breakfast homes to several luxurious suites. The group named Monet even provides the
alternatives to famous holiday booking web sites like travel.com.au, booking.com and many
more and also allows the several customers to book directly. They expect that the bookings are to
be managed through a single web site only with prices varying dynamically based on the
demand, and seasonal factors. A complementary mobile application is also included. The
management bodies have finalized several decisions, as a customer loyalty scheme called
MonetLoyalty will reward customers with airport transfers, free tours and free meals. The
decision is that various interactive tools will be developed in order to allow the customers to
choose, which particular tours they would like to undertake for their business. The third decision
is that an integrated Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP solution is to be developed in order to
enable the management of the operation to a single Information Technology system. The last and
the final decision is that a new Web 4.0 level with intelligent electronic portal is to be created to
enable the customers to self manage their account with the company and to customize their
bookings and shopping experiences. The report covers a management process and involvement
in the planning for Information Systems and Information Technology in an organisation and the
identification and co relating the emerging technology issues in management.

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Assumptions
Assumptions are made to evaluate and understand the probable outcome from an
upcoming project. There are several assumptions of this case study. They are as follows:
i) The Monet Group will serve their customers excellent services.
ii) The services of Monet Group should be affordable to everyone so that all customers
can afford them (Galliers & Leidner, 2014).
ii) The quality of the services provided by the Monet Group should be of the best quality,
so that the customers are happy with the quality.
iv) Customer satisfaction is the most important factor for any business.
v) The Monet Group should be eco friendly so that it does not harm any individual.
vi) The customer loyalty scheme called the MonetLoyalty will reward customers with
airport transfers, free tours and free meals (Pearlson, Saunders & Galletta, 2016).
vii) The seventh assumption is to develop various interactive tools in order to enable the
customers to select, which particular tours they would like to undertake for the business.
viii) The new Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP system should integrate all the
operations and functions of the business so that the complexities are reduced.
ix) The New Web 4.0 level with intelligent electronic portal should allow the customers
for self managing their account with the company and to customize their bookings and shopping
experiences (Yang, Chen & Wang, 2012).

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Introduction
Monet is a merger of five recognized hotels in Australia. They have decided to merge
their functions and operations for delivering excellent values to their customers. Another motive
of them is to increase the profits of the business. This particular group incorporates all types of
living quarters all around Australia (Laudon & Laudon, 2016). The broad range of living
quarters includes various types of backpackers, bed to breakfast homes to several luxurious
suites. The group named Monet even provides the alternatives to famous holiday booking web
sites like travel.com.au, booking.com and many more and also allows the several customers to
book directly. They expect that the bookings are to be managed through a single web site only
with prices varying dynamically based on the demand, and seasonal factors. A complementary
mobile application is also included (Galliers & Leidner, 2014). The management bodies have
finalized several decisions.
The following report outlines a brief description on the case study of Monet. The report
covers a brief introduction of the case study with proper details. The report provides relevant
assumptions of the case study and the critiques into the management decisions. It also provides
the difference between information system and information technology issues and how will it
affect the customers of Monet. Relevant recommendations are given in the report for attracting
new customers.
Discussion
Critique
The management of the Monet Group has taken several decisions for their business
(Yang, Chen & Wang, 2012). The decisions taken by them include giving loyalty scheme for the

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existing customers known as the MonetLoyalty and implementation of a new ERP system for
integration of the business modules. Moreover, introducing a new Web 4.0 level with intelligent
electronic portal for allowing the customers to self manage their account and book and shop and
todevelop various interactive tools in order to enable the customers to select, which particular
tours they would like to undertake (Bloom et al., 2014). However, there can be several problems
while implementing these management decisions in the business. The main problem that can
occur is with the ERP system. ERP is extremely expensive when it is implemented. As this is a
new business, they should think about their expenses. The second problem can with their
MonetLoyalty scheme. Providing free meals and free tours to all existing customers can bring
huge losses to their business (Mithas et al., 2012). The problem can occur with the new Web 4.0
level. This is not at all feasible to allow the customers to manage their own accounts. The
customers may be wrong and might take wrong steps and the business can be in major problem.
Difference between Information Systems and Information Technology Issues
Information systems and information technology are two different terms, yet they are
similar. Information system is nothing but a part of information technology that deals with all
activities related to information (Holtshouse, 2013). However, information technology deals with
the implementations of information systems. There are few differences between the two. The
differences are as follows:
Information Systems (IS) Information Technology (IT)
1. It is the term for people, systems and processes
that are designed for creating, storing, manipulating
and retrieving information (Lloyd, 2017).
1. Information Technology is the term that is
defined as the implementation, study, support,
management and designing of all the information
systems that are computer based (Mithas et al.,

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2012).
2. Information systems help to bridge the computer
science and business.
2. Information Technology looks after the
acquisition, storage, processing and elimination of
the digitized data or information that are generated
from the computing and telecommunications
disciplines (Rainer et al., 2013)
3. Information systems do not focus on the
management of technologies.
3. Information technology always focuses on the
management of technologies.
4. Information systems do not deal with hardware. 4. Information technology deals with hardware and
equipments.
5. The main issue or problem for this particular
case study in information systems is the corruption
of the database (Mithas et al., 2012). This will
delete all the data related to the customers.
5. The main issue or problem for this particular
case study in information technology is the
integration issues (Laudon & Laudon, 2013).
Although they have thought of implementing a new
ERP system for integration, still there is a high
chance that the integration of the different modules
of the business would not work properly.
6. The second major issue for the information
system of the Monet Group is that the data or the
information could be easily hacked or intruded by
hacker (Bloom et al., 2014). This would lose the
integrity of the system.
6. The second main issue for the information
technology of the Monet Group is the backup and
disaster recovery challenge (Chomicki & Saake,
2012). If there will not be a backup and disaster
recovery challenge in the information technology,
there is a chance that information can be lost.

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The above-mentioned differences clearly state that there could be several differences
between information systems and information technology in the Monet Group. These problems
can be however solved by taking necessary measures (Laudon & Laudon, 2016). The security
measures for securing the information systems and information technology include
implementation of antivirus, firewalls and several security policies and standards in the business
or organization. These help to protect the information systems and information technology
perfectly without any failure. However, if not resolved on time these issues can create massive
negative impact on the business (Lloyd, 2017). The probable affected regions for the problems
and issues in information systems and information technology are as follows:
i) Customer Choice: The customers are the key aspects for any organization. They help
to achieve the organizational goals and objectives for any business. If they will not be happy, it is
impossible for any business to make their position in the market (Luftman et al., 2013). The
scenario is similar in this case study. The Monet Group should focus on their information
systems and information technology so that there exists no loophole for the customer
dissatisfaction. The problems or the issues in the information systems and information
technology often lose the important data and information related to the customer and the
customer might feel offended about it (Peppard & Ward, 2016). From the next time, before
coming to their hotel group, they would think twice and the other hotels might be benefitted due
to this.
ii) Continued Patronage: Patronage is the encouragement or the support that is given to
some organization for a particular cause (Schwalbe, 2015). The Monet Group will be getting the
continued patronage if they are able to solve the issues and problems related to information
systems and information technology. This patronage is extremely important for this hotel group

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as they are setting up their business. Any wrong decision or wrong step can lead their business to
severe loss and they might their patronage (Stair & Reynolds, 2013). This patronage comes from
customers, banks and several managing bodies that would help the hotel group to become
successful in their business.
iii) Brand Loyalty: The third affected region that can occur due to the issues and
problems related to information systems and information technology is the brand loyalty
(Luftman et al., 2012). The Monet Group is the merge of five recognized and distinct hotel in
Australia. All five of them have decided to merge with each other for bringing profit to their
business. If there will be issues and problems in the information systems and information
technology, their brand name would be affected (Venkatesh, Thong & Xu, 2012). Once the brand
name is stained, the customers will reduce coming to their hotel and the hotel might incur major
loss in their business.
Recommendations
The Monet Group might be facing severe issues and problems in their business. However
there can be mitigated or reduced by undertaking necessary recommendations. The
recommendations for this particular case study are as follows:
i) They should learn how to attract new customers. This can be done easily by marketing
their hotel group properly (Willcocks, 2013). It is recommended that the marketing department
of the hotel group should focus on their strategies and undertake such strategies so that the
customers are attracted.

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ii) The second recommendation is giving specific discounts to the existing customers.
This will attract the customers more and the existing customers will come to the hotel more
often.
iii) The third recommendation for this case study is to maintain a healthy customer
relationship management with the customers (Venkatesh, Thong & Xu, 2012). CRM helps to
understand the customer demands easily and the hotel group will be able to keep their existing
customers and attract their new customers.
iv) The fourth recommendation is to behave with the customers properly. All the
employees and the staffs should interact politely and patiently with all their customers.
v) The fifth recommendation is to set up a brand new technological service on site. This
would increase the business opportunities (Yang, Chen & Wang, 2012).
vi) The sixth recommendation is to organize automated free tours ad rides for the
customers and special attention should be given to the senior citizens and children.
The above-mentioned recommendations and suggestions would help the Monet Group in
attaining their organizational goals and objectives easily.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion it can be concluded that, Monet is a merger of five
recognized hotels in Australia. They have decided to merge their functions and operations for
delivering excellent values to their customers. Another motive of them is to increase the profits
of the business. This particular group incorporates all types of living quarters all around
Australia. The broad range of living quarters includes various types of backpackers, bed to

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breakfast homes to several luxurious suites. The group named Monet even provides the
alternatives to famous holiday booking web sites like travel.com.au, booking.com and many
more and also allows the several customers to book directly. The main advantage of this group is
that they would be providing a mobile application for the customers, so that the customers can
book or shop with only a click. Moreover, the website of Monet is extremely user friendly and
anybody can access it with ease. This is even gaining the popularity of the group, Monet.
Customers are liking the merging of the five hotels. The above report describes about the on the
case study of Monet. The report covers a brief introduction of the case study with proper details.
The report provides relevant assumptions of the case study and the critiques into the management
decisions. It also provides the difference between information system and information
technology issues and how will it affect the customers of Monet. Relevant recommendations are
given in the report for attracting new customers. Recommendations also cover the opportunities
for business that can arise with technological services on site, personalized automated tour guide
and many more.