EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Riordan manufacturing is a global plastics manufacturer headquartered in San Jose. The company has production lines in Albany in Georgia, Pontiac in Michigan and Hangzhou in China. In order to better its business and operations, Riordan needs a new information system. The information management system will integrate the services of various departments including finance, human resource, research, product development and planning.
This paper is going to propose a new system for Riordan manufacturing. The system will best manage production, business and human resource services at the company and surpass their sales targets. The report will describe the components of the new system proposed, networking aspects, operational and training. By the end of the report it is desired that valuable information has been derived sufficient to motivate the executive wing to adopt the system.
INTRODUCTION
Information systems are integrated pieces of software that are used to manage personnel, production, finance, materials and marketing. Automation in Riordan manufacturing will significantly improve all sectors of the company. A manufacturing industry information system that will migrate the company’s documentation to the digital platform for better information management unlike the conventional paper based management of the company properties.
COMPONENTS OF PROPOSED MANUFACTURING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The proposed system can either be off-the-shelf MIS or developed by the company through contracted vendors. A tailor made system is best suited to deal with Riordan functions. The new system will integrate various functionalities in a single package including;
- Human resource management information system
- Research and product development system
- Finance and accounting system
- Customer relation management
- Supply chain management
If Riordan Manufacturing Company implemented a range of information systems management of processes and operations in its plants will be a success. Currently, the company uses an old and outdated HRIS installed in 1992. The system tracks personal information, pay rate personal exemptions among other parameters. However, changes to personnel details are submitted in writing and changes effected by payroll clerks who in most instances are not efficient and not error-proof. Likewise, training and development records are kept in Excel worksheets while resumes are kept in storage rooms. The employee’s files are kept by respective line managers in hard copies as there is no central employee file area.
The solution to this inefficiency can be handled by implementing a payroll management system. Payroll management systems are software’s used by organizations to generate pay slips and salary records as per the employee work attendance and factoring in allowances, overtime, loans, advances and other types of deductions. The management software’s consist of activities that aid in the completion of work through efficient and organized quick methods. Generally, they improve the processing of information in a standard prescribed manner. The system will document the entire employee remuneration in all the branches of the company. Thus data analysis will be managed efficiently.
Fig. Data flow in HRIS
In spite the fact that has implemented a fully licensed Windows based ERP manufacturing distribution, and financial management software, Michigan and Georgia branches use vendor developed software. It is important that universal software is utilized in all its branches to ensure uniformity and efficiency. The problem with different vendor specific software for each and every branch is that updating and support is limited and may result to losses when the vendor stops updating or seize to operate in the market. As recommended in the follow up report, assessing feasibility of R&D using a global and proactive strategy is preferred for reviewing asset capabilities to determine the availability of resources and technical aspects of technologies. By doing so operating cost associated with training and implementation will be reduced.
The marketing department of the company desires to strengthen relationship with existing customers while nurturing new markets. In order to improve sales, track customers and maintain them, it needs a customer relation management system installed in all its branches.
CRM is used to manage the interaction of the company with current and future customers. It integrates multiple channels such as social media, telephone, email and search to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, customer service, technical support and marketing.
SCM integrates a number of features such as value chain planning and execution, product life-cycle management, manufacturing, and order orchestration. Product design and development systems take care of the plastic product design and development processes. The information system is instrumental in the design and development of new models as well as the re-design of faulty products. Analysis of streamed data provides an insight in re-design and improvement of safety-oriented, stylish and reliable products.
Manufacturing industry management system in this scenario can best be developed using the client/server architecture. In this architecture, the system is divided into clients and servers that shares tasks. The client handles the entire system interface tasks such as input data entry, data querying, and screen presentation logic while the server stores the data and provides data access and database system management functions. Generally, the client submits a request such as employee information from the server which carries out the operation and responds to the client. The employee data file is not transferred to the client. It is only the request that is transmitted across the network. Client/server architectures are cost effective as companies have developed platforms that deliver unique combinations using internet protocols and network models.
An extension of the server in a fully web based application is the cloud. The proposed MIS may be host-based or hosted in the clouds. Cloud computing takes the place of clients task processing. Cloud of computers acts as giant devices that perform the task queries for the users. In this scenario, the cloud computing experience distributes the performance to numerous remote computers found on the cloud thereby, eliminating compatibility issues and promoting scaling.
The recommended system is web based and as such Riordan needs a dedicated network connection and file sharing infrastructure. The company may implement a Virtual Private Network.
Virtual Private Network is a combination of software and hardware components that permits employees, telecommuters, business partners and remote business branches to utilize the same company resources as those in the headquarters through a secure private connection with a host network. When implemented, Riordan employees all over the globe will access the company resources through virtual private connections deployed across the internet.
VPN provides a host of upsides in an organization. Its implementation in Riordan will guarantee security as well as performance. VPN connects via Internet to the outside world securing the internet traffic and the corporate assets of the organization. Most of the VPN networks are encrypted so that computers and other devices communicate with them through encrypted channels. Employees in San Jose, Michigan, Georgia and Hangzhou will be able to access the network resources such as files, applications, and printers through local area networks without compromising on the security and privacy. In addition, the proposed information system is highly successful when integrated with VPN. The LANs in each branch will be connected to the WAN, and the VPN to concentrate all the servers and other networked resources among them all.
References
Gabor Magyar, G. K. J. Z., 2007. Advances in Information Systems Development:New Methods and Practice for the Networked Society, Volume 1. s.l.:Springer.
Glenn R. Lowry, R. L. T., 2007. Information systems and technology education. s.l.:Idea Group Inc .
Gunasekaran, A., 2007. Modeling and Analysis of Enterprise Information Systems. s.l.:Idea Group Inc.
Ralph Stair, G. R., 2011. Principles of information systems.. s.l.:Cengage Learning.
