Chapter One
Why is Introduction to MIS the most important class in business school?
Perfect Gardens Inc. was founded based on the mission statement that we will be a global leader in garden and lawn care services. In order to accomplish this mission, it requires that every aspect of our business is aligned perfectly and fully organized to meet the needs of each and every client. We must then be positioned for success. With each stage of growth that the organization anticipates encountering, knowledge of Management Information Systems (MIS) is essential as this is how we will grow. It is the most important course offered to the business student because with an in depth understanding of how MIS works, students are empowered to run effective businesses. Luckily for the management crew at Perfect Gardens Inc., MIS is a course that was mastered and the acquired skills and knowledge from it will be compiled to aide in each phase of the organization’s development process. Phase one of the organization’s growth and development are outlined below:
Along with organizing information in the most appropriate way, it is essential to the clients are prompted to engage in the organization’s social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any other social network. While MIS courses prepares students to make the most appropriate choices for their organization, a lot of the decision making is left to them.
Chapter Two:Define what is meant by a business process
Every organization have a business process. It is simply “a network of activities for accomplishing a business function.” (Pg. 27). For Perfect Gardens Inc. there are many different business processes, from attaining new clients through sales, to delivering services to clients, and then there is the closing process. Each process is vital to Perfect Gardens Inc. and during each phase MIS is integral since it helps with receiving and storing data. Phase two of running the operations will involve preparing the organization for expansion. As the team work together to promote the company, they find that by year two, the demand for their services are much heavier than they anticipated.
Phase two of building this organization involves taking the company to the next level and meeting the growing demand for it. While the organization grows and increases in the number of employees, it is important that they are able efficiently complete each business process. This means that they have the ability to enter data into the system, as well as access data. Throughout the business processes, things are expected to change. Client addresses more change, phone number, account information. For some clients, they may request additional services; they might even request to have some services dropped.
The general business process for the organization is very simple:
Marketing: We will utilize social networks, Google ads and a number of other methods to attract new clients in the area.
Initial Contact: Client will contact office inquiring about services. It is the sales agent’s goal to turn the call into an actual sale.
Appointment: Once an appointment is made, someone will visit home or office of potential cline to give them an estimate. They will also follow up with client to assure them that Perfect Gardens Inc. is the right choice for them.
Contract and Schedule: The next step is to get client under contract to agree to have services rendered.
Chapter Three: What is Competitive Strategy?
Very early in running the organization, the strengths and weaknesses of the company have been identified. In doing so, the four core competitive strategies of the organization were determined. The competitive strategy of Perfect Gardens Inc. was formulated in accordance with the goals, objectives, and mission of the organization, which is to become a leader in lawn care and garden services. The organization’s competitive strategies will be developed during phase one and two of the organization’s development. As the company continues to gain new employees during year two, the success of the organization will fully depend on the ability of each employee to master the Information Systems, as well as to be able to interpret data as it is being transmitted.
Chapter 4:What should be known about hardware and Software
Running Perfect Gardens Inc. requires basic knowledge of hardware and software. Without it, it is impossible to carry out any of the business processes. Even the lawn care technicians will have a difficult time processing information as would be needed. At the end of every job, the lawn care technician is expected to complete a report, logging in information about the job. This might include the time the job was started and completed, to the form of payment collected from client and the condition of garden/lawn when arrived on scene. Phase two will include hiring new employees, and perhaps the most essential part of hiring those employees is training them on how to operate computer systems. This includes knowledge of the basic computer input hardware from understanding the key board and how to use the mouse. The processing devices are very important as well since it is the brain of the computer. The output provides a display for employees to see and ensure that information is being recorded accurately. This is very important since inaccurate information generally leads to issues in the long run.
Chapter 5: The Purpose of a Database
A database is perhaps one of the most essential parts of a company. Without a database information will only be scattered around the office and there would be no sure way to keep track of who is who and what is what. On a weekly basis, the information that is compiled on new inquiries during the marketing process will be utilized for direct marketing. A database is a collection of records on potential or existing customers. Phase three of the organization will involve utilizing a more advanced database. All four managers will work directly with designers to create a custom database. Not only will the new database be used to log new client information. It will be utilized to manage employee information as well.
Phase three of the organization will also include opening a second location. With a second location in place, the managers will find that it is important to have information shared across each location so that managers can access it from either location.
When incoming calls come in to the queue for the sales team to answer, they will input information to the database that can be accessed at location one and location two. It will allow managers to track production, to make notes, and to plan accordingly.
Chapter 6: Why the cloud is the future for most organizations
Cloud is the future for most organizations, including a landscaping business such as Perfect Gardens Inc. it allows information to be stored safely and pooled. With this organization, it is important that appointments are kept at all times since this is how the organization will be able to keep their appointments. The organization will consider the best cloud-based service offerings, from software as a service (SaaS) to platform as a service (PaaS) to LaaS. Microsoft Azure and or Oracle on demand would more than likely be the choices the organization will elect to choose. This will allow the company to add their own applications to the host as well, which is exactly what the company needs; customization.
Perfect Garden Inc
Chapter seven: Describe how information systems vary by scope.
Information systems vary by scope. First, there occurs a difference in the information system with reference to the technology that is used. Ideally the information system level of technology that is used to run the system may differ in terms of the strength. Besides that, there are different detailed requirements that are required to run different systems. These requirements may not be the same. For example, the requirement for an information system that is used in a hotel may be radically different from the one that is used in a large institution. As a result there occurs the difference. Besides that there is the difference in cost between the systems. Taking into consideration the groups below, there is difference in the information systems scope.
For Personal information system, the cost as well as the level of technology of the personal information system is comparatively low. This is because the level of use as well as the task that it is carrying out is relatively small.
For the Workgroup information systems, the level of technology is quite improved. That is, more technology is improvised in the practice of developing the information system. Comparatively, the cost of the information system in terms of developing it as well as maintaining it is relatively high.
Enterprise information systems are technologically intensive than the personal as well as the workgroup information system. Owing to the fact that the number of users as well as the geographical scope in which the system is used is used is large; a better technology in terms of efficiency as well as effectiveness is required. This means that one has to pay better for the same.
For the inter-enterprises, the information systems are used over a wide range and handle much data, this means that the level of technology is alarmingly high and the same case as the cost of maintaining the system across all the member enterprises.
Chapter eight: SMIS Roles
The SMIS also known as the Shelter Management Information systems have different roles that they actively play. The roles are generally categorized into distinct categories; these categories are the primary, secondary and financials. Technologically, they are referred to as the SMIS Primary roles, SMIS secondary role and the SMIS financials.
For the second role, it works along with the primary roles such that the users in this role are given access to the combination of both primary and secondary. This mean that more than one secondary role should be selected.
For the financial role, the financial module is used to enable the users to make issue as well as track the financial processes of the common shelter programs. These programs include the food allowances, client’s funds that are necessary for safe keeping as well as the allowances that are related to the personal needs. This means that the roles that are accrued to the shelter programs are arranged in an order with respect to the authority they hold.
Chapter nine: How organizations use business intelligence systems?
Business intelligence systems are certain tools that are intensely instrumental in the strategic process of planning within any organization. They allow the organizations to be in a situation to access, gather and analyze data belonging to an organization with an objective of good decision making. It is an informational technology center that is intensely used in the exercise of making important decisions like cutting off of the organizational costs. Ideally, the intelligence tools are used by the organizations to determine the best and the lowest costs of operation. Besides that, organizations also use the tools to draft and design the better supply as well as perceptive sales hence making organization be in a position to move competitively. Other detailed uses of the business intelligence tools are related to the way the organizations draft their marketing campaigns. Besides the organization making suitable marketing plans, they also use the tools for ruling out complicated Human resource management and putting into place suitable and up to date strategies that will rhyme with the current state of the economy. As a result, the organizations expect to make out in the competitive market after making ample use of the business intelligence tools.
Chapter Ten: What is information systems development?
Information systems development is the act of developing and maintaining information systems. The process of development of systems is a process that involved different processes. It is an exercise that requires the intervention of people as well as the expertise merged with management skill in order for it to gather essence. It composes a series of works as well as operation phases that are put into use in order to plan, design, build, test and then deliver an effective and desirable information system. Its major objective is to deliver very high quality systems that are expected to be sufficient and rhyme with the expectations of the users of the information users. Basically the information systems are developed in phases. That is, into segments of activities. The development of systems includes the internal development of systems that are customized. Besides that, it involves the systematic creation of database systems. This is closely related to the acquiring of third-party software’s
There are distinct stages that are found in the process of system development. These are: gathering of information, then investigation after which testing will take place, installation and implementation of the system and finally the maintenance of the system.
Commencing with the preliminary investigations, it is a stage where the analysts make efforts to begin the process of developing the system. After understanding the nature of the information in the system, the analysts they can actually begin the work of selecting the development design that is suitable for a specific system. After identification of a best suited format, then the analyst carries out the process of encoding the system. This is formulating the machines in a specific form that is easy to read. Below is the process of developing a system:
After formulating the system in a specific format that is readable, them the system is examined. The last activities in the system development process are implementation and later maintenance of the system
