MIS 201 Semester 1: Analysis of Apple, Vail, Walmart, and Zappos Cases

This assignment provides a detailed analysis of four case studies: Apple, Vail Ski Resorts, Walmart, and Zappos, focusing on their use of information systems and technology to achieve business success. The Apple case study explores the importance of data, information, business intelligence, and knowledge, illustrating how Apple leverages these elements in product development, particularly with the iPad. The Vail Ski Resorts case examines how the company uses information systems to enhance customer experience and improve business operations. The Walmart case study discusses the role of IT and IS in communication, data processing, inventory management, and customer satisfaction. Finally, the Zappos case study investigates the company's approach to customer relationship management and its impact on business growth. Each case study includes answers to specific questions, providing insights into the strategic implementation of information systems and their impact on organizational performance. Desklib offers a wide array of similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Running head: MANAGEMENT OF INFO SYSTEM
Management of Info System
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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MANAGEMENT OF INFO SYSTEM
Table of Contents
Case Study 1: Apple Merging Technology, Business, and Entertainment..........................2
Answer 1..........................................................................................................................2
Answer 2..........................................................................................................................2
Answer 3..........................................................................................................................3
Case Study 2 : Vail Ski Resorts Goes High-Tech for High Touch.....................................5
Answer 1..........................................................................................................................5
Answer 2..........................................................................................................................5
Answer 3..........................................................................................................................6
Case Study 3: Walmart........................................................................................................8
Answer 1..........................................................................................................................8
Answer 2..........................................................................................................................8
Answer 3..........................................................................................................................9
Answer 4........................................................................................................................10
Case Study 4: Zappos........................................................................................................11
Answer 1........................................................................................................................11
Answer 2........................................................................................................................11
Answer 3........................................................................................................................11
Answer 4........................................................................................................................12
Answer 5........................................................................................................................12

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Case Study 1: Apple Merging Technology, Business, and Entertainment
Answer 1
Data is important for Apple since with an effective use of available data, Apple aims in
improving the customer satisfaction. Apple invests heavily on research to gather customer
centric data, which is further used in development of products with improved facilities such as
iPad. iPad is able to multitask, that allows the customers to read a webpage and simultaneously
download a webpage in background. The continuous research enables Apple to track the use of
programs and products. iPad is mainly designed with exposed screen and a separate keyboard
that is specifically built for accessories. With a strategic use of data, information and business
intelligence, Apple gain a business benefit of tracking the use of its products and programs. This
step helps in tracking whether the Apple products are being used or accepted by the consumers.
It is important for Apple to collect those data to improve their future products and understand
their customers’ preferences.
Considering Apple’s latest release the iPad, it can be said that iPad is more of a customer
centric product as it is designed according to the preferences of the customers. A bit more than a
decade ago, Apple was almost on a brink of bankruptcy. However, with development of unique
and innovative products, Apple could gain competitive advantage in the market. Thus, it is
important for Apple to collect data, information and knowledge so that it can improve their
products specification and design customer centric products.
Answer 2

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Apple achieved business success by collecting data, knowledge and information about the
products and the customers’ preferences. With the collection of these data, Apple could develop
more customer centric products. Apple could achieve business success with the use of
information technology and continuous improvement. The collection of such data helped the
company in achieving the same. Furthermore, the collection and use of such data helped the
company to track the sales, hours of working, employee turnover and inventory demand. These
information helped Apple in perfectly managing their new and old products and in invention of
new products according to the needs of the customer, such as the iPad. According to the planned
business technology research, the staffs of Apple could collect and analyze the customers’ data
in an efficient manner. Earlier, the managers use to manually collect and analyze data which was
a time consuming and complicated task.
With the use of Information Technology, Apple could achieve business success since the
managers were more competent to the business function thereby making the organization
departments more effective. With the collection of data, the Apple was able to provide best
customers’ service since the organization is more interested and involved in ensuring customers’
satisfaction. Since an organization cannot success without the involvement of customers, it is the
strategic plan of Apple to collect customers’ data to improve their business strategy.
Answer 3
With the implementation of customer relationship management system, Apple will be
able to gain information about customers’ data to gain an insight to the customers’ expectations.
The customer relationship management can help Apple to gain an insight to customers’
expectations about a particular product of Apple. This will further help the company in

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integrating other ideas, processes and possibilities into their products to develop innovative
products. The integration of customers’ needs and expectations will ensure that customers are
getting the products according to their expectations. For example, iPad has been developed
considering the needs of the customers. With this Apple device, a customer can download
applications, check email and play music with ease. The device has been designed according to
the needs of the customer which could have been possible with the collection of data from CRM.
The implementation of CRM will help in business growth as well. The arrival of iPad resulted in
simultaneous expansion of the network of accessories as well. iPad was designed with an
exposed screen and without a camera. Thus it is clear that it was specifically built for
accessories. Thus, it can be said that Apple can gain business intelligence through
implementation of customer relationship management system.

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Case Study 2 : Vail Ski Resorts Goes High-Tech for High Touch
Answer 1
An information system is software that helps in organizing and analyzing the data. The
use of different information system is prominent in Vail Ski Resort which is the largest single
mountain ski resort in United States. The presence of different information system is noticed in
managing the entire operation and business of Vail Ski Resort.
One of such information system is transaction processing system. With the transaction
processing system, the company collect basic data that includes details about the number of
skiers who are using lift at a time, number of tickets sold. This is possible by since Vail make use
of Radio Frequency Identification in their lift tickets and ski passes. The EpicMix social media
program enables the organization to scan the tickets and passes at the base of each lift. After
scanning the data is automatically transferred to the EpicMix application. The application can be
easily accessed by a Smartphone or a computer. Apart from the transaction processing system,
Vail makes use of management information systems as well to make instantaneous decisions.
Vail implemented SAS intelligence software in order to collect and manage the customers’ data
more efficiently. The collection and storage of customers’ data helps in easier analysis and
anticipation of the customers desires which results in greater business benefits.
Answer 2
The use of different information system helps in improved business operations as well.
Since the customers’ data can be easily collected and analyzed with the information system such
as SAS customer Intelligence software, the company could easily get hold of the customers’ data

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and their preferences. The data obtained from the information system can be used to target the
customers who are most likely to return. With an accurate data of the customers, the officials
could identify their target customers. This could be used for business benefit as well. The
anticipated customers can have more amenities than others and might be entitled to get more
attractive offers. This is a business strategy by Skies to identify the loyal customers. The
collection of customers’ data will help in easier decision making as well. The information
systems ensure that executives can use data for better decision making. The improved decision
making enables better business profit since the need and the demands of customers can be easily
tracked. This is possible since the information systems in Vail are able to collect more accurate
information which helps in making accurate long term as well as short term decision making.
The collection and analysis of data will help in designing marketing campaigns targeting the
needs of the customers. Thus improvement in system operation and business can be achieved.
Answer 3
The information systems support decision making by accurate data collection and
storage. The data stored in information systems help in appropriate designing of the marketing
campaigns, thus increasing the customers’ reach. Vail should focus on marketing campaigns
more since it will work for increasing the customers’ reach and in improving the business
benefits. Since the organization can easily track the customers’ need and demands, the decision
making process becomes easier and efficient for the organization. The easier decision making
helps in providing quality services to the customers as well. The data about the customers, tickets
and the booking are simultaneously added in the decision making system and data management
system, thereby improving the decision making process.

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The three different decisions that can be supported by the system include decisions about
marketing, decisions about providing additional benefits to the loyal customers. The loyal
customers can be tracked with the help of data stored in the system. Apart from that, the
decisions about the marketing campaigns can be easily taken with those information systems.

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Case Study 3: Walmart
Answer 1
The use of different IT and IS in Walmart can help in faster communication and data
processing. The use of information technology can help in speeding up the time taken for
development of new products and assigning those products in the market. Walmart have always
been known for developing high tech information technology and using it as an essential
ingredient for better market growth. The use of information technology for better inventory
management and suppliers’ management is common in Walmart. The use of information system
in Walmart enables the organization in better decision making as well. Furthermore, the Walmart
has developed a well equipped and computerized Point of sales system as well for better
management of the sales. The point of sale system has helped Walmart in achieving the world’s
largest market share and revenues. Walmart has been first in the retail industry that adopted the
use of electronic radio frequency identification tags for better inventory management. The use of
RFID has enabled the organization is better management and tracking of the inventory items.
The use of information technology provides best shopping experiences to the customers
and which acts for better business benefit. Walmart make use of cutting edge technology to
maintain good customers’ relation, which is another significant advantage of this technology.
Furthermore, the Walmart stores have latest wireless systems that help in easier information
management.
Answer 2
In order to improve the services it offers, Walmart has strategically implemented the
concept of self service in business. However, there were certain challenges associated with the

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CIO. The most important challenges that were being faced were the problems with the research
and the development of the CIO. However, the company was able to address these problems
quite efficiently.
Answer 3
Information technology plays a significant role in business. It helps in easier management
of different business processes. For the business of WalMart, information technology plays a
significant role in improving the customers’ reach and increasing the customers’ satisfaction by
development of Smartphone Apps. Furthermore, Walmart allows its customers to place online
orders that improve the customers’ satisfaction. The use of information system helps Walmart in
speeding up the business processes. Walmart has ranked among the first retailers in Fortune
Magazine. Walmart makes use of high tech information technology as an essential ingredient for
the growth of Walmart. With the use of information technology, the process of information
tracking becomes easier as well.
Walmart has made use of information technology in developing better business strategies.
The use of information technology helps in easier tracking of the inventory and sales data along
with easier management of the customers’ need. Since the customers’ need can be easily tracked
and understood, it is easier for Walmart to develop business strategies in an effective manner.
For example, the data about the sales and customer preferences enables Walmart to offer more
customer centric products. The goods that have high demands are the most profitable ones as
well and therefore, accurate data about those products increases the profit margin of the
company. Furthermore, with the use of information technology and information system, Walmart
has been able to reduce the operational and maintenance cost to large extent thereby increasing

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the profits and revenues from the business. Thus technology has helped the business of Walmart
to bloom as it helped the company to develop efficient business strategies.
Answer 4
Information systems are an integral part of any company or business. Information
systems generally processes data from company inputs for managing different operations within
the organization. The use of information system therefore helps in effective management of
operations at different levels thus reducing the load of manual labors. Furthermore, the use of
information systems helps in easier decision making. Easy and effective decision making helps
in developing effective business strategies, which in turn contributes to the growth of the
company. The use of information system further helps in effective problem solving as all the
required data are present in one place. The use of an information system helps in organizing the
business data in one place that helps in efficient problem solving. The use of high tech
information technology and information system worked for Walmart in a positive manner, which
can be cited as one of the most important benefits of use of information systems in organization.

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Case Study 4: Zappos
Answer 1
SCM or supply chain management is a technique for efficient management of goods and
services associated with an organization. the term supply chain management encapsulates a
broad range of activities that include acquiring of raw materials, production of goods and
delivering the final product to the customers. An effective supply chain management can benefit
Zappos in a number of ways. For better management of the business and for facilitating the
supplier partner relationship, the supply chain management data is shared with the suppliers.
Answer 2
CRM or customer relationship management helps in developing and maintaining good
relationship with the customers. It is a strategy that helps in easier management of an
organization’s relationship with its customers as well as with its potential customers.
The implementation of a CRM system or software can benefit Zappos in a number of
ways. Zappos is known for providing efficient services to its customers. With the
implementation of a CRM, Zappos can control the customers’ query and solve them in a more
effective manner. Zappos receives 5000 calls per day from its customers and therefore it is quite
clear that the company needs an efficient CRM system in place for better management of the
customers’ relationship with the company.
Answer 3
Zappos would need to implement SCM, CRM and ERP for a connected corporation
mainly to ensure that with business growth, the business data are correctly organized.