Security Services Limited (SSL) Information Systems Report

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Business Information
Systems
Security Services limited (SSL)
Assignment:
Author name:
Author ID:

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Illustration of Question # 1..........................................................................................................................3
Analyses of the current portfolio of Information system of SSL..............................................................3
Evaluation of the techniques which can be used for assessment of future IS investment......................3
Assessment of question #2..........................................................................................................................4
IS don’t have coherent strategy...............................................................................................................4
Coherent strategy for SSL........................................................................................................................5
Benefits derived from the coherent information strategy.......................................................................5
Elaboration of Question # 3.........................................................................................................................6
An analytical view of strategic potential of SSL: at divisional as well as headquarter level.....................6
The process of business re-engineering is useful in maximizing the potential of IS and IT within the
Company.................................................................................................................................................6
Elucidation of question # 4..........................................................................................................................7
Current location of IS function in SSL.......................................................................................................7
Recommend the best locations for IT services in future..........................................................................7
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8
Bibliography................................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Security services limited (SSL) is constituted three decades old in London. That company ha the
major provider of services in the field of security services. The ratio of profit while providing
services remained steady during the three successive years. It is also a distinct feature of SSL
that it provides the services from individual level to company level. This company has a IS
system, but the matter of serious concern is that this company doesn’t have an eloquent IS
system.
SSL have following capacity for facilitation of its employees:
 Transport with security to transfer cash, cheques and other valued items between the
business sites and banks or between two parties.
 Security Services for businesses that include security guards (With shifts), analysis, and
security devices are also installed.
 Appropriate security devices are also installed for the domestic security services and
needs.
Headquarter of SSL is in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. There are four discrete divisions of
SSL
1. The Private Transport Division (PDT).
2. The Business Security Division (BSD).
3. The Domestic Security Division (DSD).
4. The Home Office Service Division (HOSD).

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Illustration of Question # 1
Analyses of the current portfolio of Information system of SSL
Information system is helpful in dissemination of information amid offices and
divisions, different divisions and divisions and headquarters. As it is mentioned above that SSL
comprises of four divisions each of which represents the key area of the business. All of these
divisions have separate premises and separate operation. Firstly the information system PTD is a
network of three PCs i.e. financial ledgers, route planning and duty rostering. This managed by
ex-policemen who is not an IT- expert. Secondly, BSD’s management structure comprises of:
sales (in which sales data is being recorded on a PC based ledger and then it is sent to Milton
Keynes on Floppy disk), Marketing section (no specific section based on it), Finance section
(this section is running on a range of stand-alone PC-based financial ledger) and Purchasing
section (is a subset of finance section). Thirdly, DSD does not have IS investment and specialist
IS staff. Lastly, HOSD consists of the well-organized in computing terms because this section is
amalgamation of financial ledgers, budgeting and costing software purchased from KCB Ltd.
This division is managed by the most advanced and ‘hybrid’ manager. The information system
set-up present at SSL headquarters are also old-fashioned and under-investment.
Evaluation of the techniques which can be used for assessment of future IS
investment
Assessment of future information system is major area of concern in the last three decades but
now it is gaining importance both in management as well as academics. Investment on IS
requires mammoth investment and the major problem is the capital. There are numerous methods
for IS investment evaluation, different Dutch researchers have evaluated almost 65 methods.
The evaluation of information system of SSL lucidly shows that division and headquarters have
distinct IS systems. Some of the divisions have extraordinary quality of IS. Other the hand, some
divisions has very weak system and a few don’t have information system. Another issue is that
the regional offices to divisional offices and divisional offices to headquarters are not properly
linked with one another. Moreover, another matter of grave concern is that the clients were not
properly linked with security services system. After digging more in information structure of the
SSL Company, in PTD division new IS system must be introduced for job costing which are

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currently performed manually. In BSD, the internal IS system of this division is handled and
managed by a 24-year-old-graduate in business computing which is a very good sign for this
division because now a skilled person has replaced an old age senior accountant. Now internal
efficiency of this division will improve rapidly. As already mentioned but the elucidation is that
DSD division have no IS staff and investment, which really is matter of grave concern. This
division should have certain IS investment which will be helpful to enhance the efficiency of this
division.
Well-planned investment must be done which must covers the remedies of all the problems and
must give the maximum output. This investment must be done on the basis of proper survey
which is further based on proper facts and figures. A unitary system must be introduced for the
whole company. (Berghout, 1997)
Assessment of question #2
No coherent IS strategy
Undoubtedly, there is no coherent IS strategy which really is declining the efficiency of the
organization. One of the major reasons for not having a coherent IS strategy is that the
organization is expanded with the passage of time and new division was included when needed.
Whenever, new division is added, a new and upgraded IT system was introduced by the IT
experts of the organization. Another major reason for not having coherent IS strategy is lack of
coordination amid the new and old IT team members of organization. There is a clash between
the methodologies of these members. Furthermore, regional, divisional and headquarters are not
interlinked with one another through proper IS system.
Coherent strategy for SSL
There are a few recommendations in order to develop harmony and coherence among IS system
of the organization.
 Unitary information system must be developed and all the regional offices, divisional
offices and headquarters must come under the umbrella of that system. Moreover, all the
divisions must be linked with one another as well with headquarter. In this way,
information can easily be disseminated throughout the organization. In an effective way,

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members of organization will coordinate with one another. SSL will compete with other
organizations in more eloquent way.
 By the development of proper and coherent strategy, corresponding members of the
company have access to the most accurate information of the organization and they can
acquire every kind of information easily.
 Before the proper planning of IS strategy, customers do not have access to latest
packages and other initial information of the company, whereas, with the introduction of
new IS strategy the customer would have access to the latest packages or new offers
introduced by the company. By the addition of this feature company will wonderfully
attract the customer and the reputation of company will also increase. Moreover,
company can advertise itself in order to grab attention of its customer to maximize its
dividends.
Benefits derived from the coherent information strategy
Dividends of coherent strategy are numerous:
1. There will be only one information system which will be connected to all offices at all
level via WAN network.
2. Introduction of new package and any information is disseminated easily among all the
division of company with the introduction of this new information system.
3. Only a few experts, well-trained and confidential personals of the company have access
to the admin portal, so that they can alter as well as update the information for the benefit
of other personal of company as well as for the clients of the company.
4. It would be benediction of newly planned information system that the detailed and
updated information about the vehicles, transportation and the cost of each facility must
also be uploaded on the portal. Moreover, the workers can easily access to the roster that
when and how will there duty shift. Through this emergency notices can also be updated
by the admin.

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Elaboration of Question # 3
An analytical view of strategic potential of SSL: at divisional as well as
headquarter level.
Investment in information system and technology of SSL has strategic potential as well as
it is of gigantic significance.
 At divisional level, all the offices will be integrated properly and the workers of all the
divisions would work as one unit. This will create a conducive ambiance for all the
workers to work as a team and they will feel that now they are connected with one
another in a better manner.
 From the company-wide perspective investment in Information system and technology
will be helpful to sustain a chain of links between various divisions and headquarters.
Headquarter is like a heart of this organization and divisions are like organs of the
organization. When organs are disconnected from heart then how blood can be
transferred to them.
Investment in information system has great strategic potential. (DS, 2015)
The process of business re-engineering is useful in maximizing the potential.
Business re-engineering technique would be instrumental in order to enhance the potential of the
IS and IT within the company.
 Firstly, the tool of business re-engineering would be helpful to eradicate the archaic
methods of running the Information system in SSL. Eradication of previous old-fashioned
would be instrumental for SSL to attract the competent workers which will develop
competition within organization and ultimately, the productivity of organization would
become better.
 Secondly, by using this tool internal environment of the organization can be made more
conducive for workers because for proper functioning of organization a well-managed IS
system is need of the hour for SSL.
 Thirdly, this tool is also pertinent to revamp the overall edifice of IS system of SSL
which will bring fruitful results in every sphere of the organization because by
overhauling the system a rapid shift in working of the organization would happen.

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Elucidation of question # 4
Current location of IS function in SSL
As we have already discussed that SSL is divided into four divisions performing various
assigned functions and also has headquarter. Except DSD, every other division has its own IS
system which is performing variety of functions for that division. By the organization different
functions are assigned for different divisions that’s why location and function of IS are different
in every division of organization. Moreover, a proper set-up is also present in headquarter but it
is inappropriate to mention it here that headquarter is completely attached with different
divisions. IT-department is based on archaic methods.
Recommend the best locations for IT services in future
As far as best location of IT services in future is concerned then there are certain steps which
need to be taken for determination of location.
 Firstly, many experienced IT experts must be invited by SSL Company and then a proper
conference must be arranged. In which IT experts of SSL and guests must sit to discuss
the future best locations for IT services.
 Secondly, IT experts of the company must give presentation to guest speakers and aware
them about the pros and cons of the current as well as future location of IT services and
then their expert opinion must be wrote down.
 Thirdly, as it is discussed several times above that the IT services located in all divisions
headquarters. What all is required is that advancement of the IT investment as well as
integration of all the divisions with headquarter.
 The location of IS already is wonderfully placed but recommendations of experts must
not be neglected and ignored because there can be certain other avenues which may have
opened.

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Conclusion
To conclude, it is pertinent to say that the SSL is an apt private security provider company
provider in London. This company have certain loopholes particularly in it IS system due to
presence of different techniques. Every division has its own IS set-up, whereas, some does not
have any set-up. Moreover, the IS set-up present in divisions have no link with headquarter.
Owing to which coordination among workers is not well. Furthermore, a coherent information
system must be set-up by doing business reengineering. The experts must also be hired to do a
proper discussion on the location of IS system in the system. By doing this, customers as well as
the internal environment of the organization would become better.

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Bibliography
Berghout, E. (1997, December 22). methodologies for information systems investment
evaluation at the proposal stage: A comparative review. p. 40.
DS, T. (2015, October 15). Strategic potential and potential of consumer cooperation
organizations development: Methodolgy of formation and assessment. p. 50.