cis 32 business computing applications and ecommerce

8/14/2019 CIS 32 Business Computing Applications and eCommerce

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Learning Object Types of Business

Applications

CIS 32

Business Computing Applications and

eCommerce


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Key Elements1. Review Framework for Describing Business Applications

2. Examine Accounting Support Systems

3. Examine Manufacturing Support Systems

4. Examine Customer/supplier Support Systems

5. Examine Operating Personnel Support Systems

6. Examine Management Support Systems

(Includes Communication)

1. Examine Personal Support Systems

2. Consider major issues surrounding integration between

Functional Area Support Systems

Business Applications


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1. Describing Business Applications

The framework, presented in the last topic, willform the basis for describing the six specific

types of Business Applications to be reviewed in

this topic.



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1. Describing Business Applications (Cont.)Characteristics of Business Application

Functional (activities, tasks, subprocesses and processessupported)

Technological (hardware, software, procedures)

Information (and Data) Inputs (sources) Outputs (sinks)

People Interfacing with Business Application Indirectly affected by Business Application



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2. Accounting Support SystemsAccounting Departments generally provide two

types of report that can be distributed throughoutan organisation, or distributed to entities in theexogeneous environment.

The two types of reports are: those which show what has happened, and

those which attempt to predict the immediate future.Entities in the exogenous or "external"

environment are individuals and organisationssuch as accountants, bankers, Governmentauthorities and so forth.



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2. Accounting Support Systems (Cont.)

Functional Activities, Tasks, Subprocesses andProcesses Supported: Monthly Sales Report

Monthly Production Report

Annual Master Budget

Cost Analysis Reports



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2. Accounting Support Systems (Cont.)Technological Infrastructure

A given organisation may have a

combination of hardware, software and other

technology such as mainframe, mini or

personal computer systems, plus telephonesystems, fax machines, photocopiers and a

whole host of other office technology.



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2. Accounting Support Systems (Cont.) Information (and Data)

Inputs (sources)Some of the most valuable information an organisation

uses relates to its own business process.This information is obtained from records maintained

by all functional areas of the business. Information is also obtained from a wide variety ofsources outside the business.

This information is generated by Government bodies,suppliers, customers, competitors etc., and transmittedvia a variety of transmission methods.



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Information (and Data)Outputs (sinks)

Much of the information generated by the accounting

department is provided to individuals or groups in other

functional areas of a business organisation.

Information is also provided to external entities, e.g.

customer invoices and compliance returns required by

the ATO and the ACCC.



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Transmission methods generally fall into threebroad categories: Face to face communication

Print media, and

Electronic media.



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2. Accounting Support Systems (Cont.)People

There are two groups of people: the people who directly interface with the technology

that forms the Business Application the people that either provide information input, or use

the information output.

Interfacing with the Business ApplicationPeople in this category would mainly consists of data

input clerks and accountants employed in theAccounting Department.



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2. Accounting Support Systems (Cont.)People

Indirectly affected by Business ApplicationThis includes staff in all functional areas of the

organisation who either supply information for inputinto the Accounting Support System, or useinformation produced by it.

It also includes people outside the businessorganisation who supply information for input into theAccounting Support System, or use informationproduced by it.



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This analysis of an Accounting Support System isgrossly over-simplified.

Not all common information sources and people

have been identified and discussed. Even for a

relatively small organisation, the detail for an

Accounting Support System would run into many

pages / lectures.



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3. Manufacturing Support Systems

Many organisations with a manufacturingprocess share the same basic characteristics.

There is normally a warehouse operation for the

storage of both raw materials and finished

goods.

A manufacturing process combines the raw

materials using people, equipment, knowledge

and procedures into finished products for

internal and/or external customers.



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4. Customer/Supplier Support Systems

Customer Support Systems serve two basicpurposes: advise the availability of products and services

support after sales service.



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4a. Customer Support Systems

Web sites are becoming popular venues to advertiseand sell a wide range of products and services.

In the evolution of eCommerce so far we have seen

the Internet used to advertise and sell a wide range

of common goods and services.

However, in recent years we have seen the

beginning of the new range of products specifically

designed for sale and distribution over the Internet.



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4a. Customer Support Systems (Cont.)

One example is the sale and distribution of popularmusic via MP3 technology.

A number of businesses are now using Internet-

based after sales support systems to provide

information to customers about how to correctly use

their products, about making warranty claims and

how to arrange periodic servicing etc.



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4b. Supplier Support Systems

Supplier Support Systems support the interactionbetween businesses and suppliers of raw

materials or component parts.

Perhaps the best known examples are the

Japanese car manufactures using Just-In-Timeproduction processes.



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5. Operating Personnel Support Systems

A Personnel Department has the basicresponsibility of obtaining suitably qualified and or

experienced staff to perform the activities, tasks,

subprocesses and processes in every functional

area of an organisation.

Personnel Departments also typically have the

responsibility for payroll, and may oversee the

periodic assessment of individual employee's work

performance.



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6. Management Support Systems

The range of tasks that managers perform is wide.The specific range of activities, tasks,

subprocesses and processes that they perform, or

over which they bear responsibility, can be

extensive.

Basically, management is the process undertaken

by one or more individuals to coordinate the

activities of others to achieve results not

achievable by one individual acting alone (Donnelly,

Gibson and Ivancevich, 1990).



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6. Management Support Systems (Cont.)

Van Tassell and Keller (1991) stated thatmanagement has been commonly referred to as

the "decision-making process."

Osburn and Schneeberger (1983) refer to the

concept of management as a procedure, related to

scientific methods of approaching problem solving.

A system for providing information is vital to

business decision-making (Kast and Rosenweig,

1981).



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Basic Communication Concepts Social Context

It is the situation and relationships within which the

communication takes place.

It includes social presence, organisational position,

relationships, cultural norms, age, gender and thetopic being discussed.



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6. Management Support Systems (Cont.)Basic Communication Concepts

Personal, Impersonal and Anonymous CommunicationThe form and content of communication varies

depending on whether communication is personal,impersonal or anonymous.

The personal relationship between the sender andthe receiver affects the form and the content of

communication, even in business situations. In impersonal communication the specific identity of

the sender and the receiver affect thecommunication less, if at all.

In anonymous communication the sender's identify ishidden.



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Basic Communication Concepts Time, Place and Direction of CommunicationCommunication can be described in terms of whether

the sender and receiver are present at the same time,

whether they are present at the same place and

whether the communication is inherently one-way ortwo-way.

Alter, Table 5.3 classifies communication technologies

by the time and place of communication.

Approaches for Improving Communication



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Alter, Information Systems, Tbl 5.325



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Basic Communication Concepts Approach 1Use presentation technologies to present ideas more

effectively in same-time, same-place meetings.

Approach 2

Eliminate unnecessary person to personcommunication by substituting on-line data access.

An example is the use of ATMs by banks.



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Approach 3Making communication systematic reduces the effort

required to clarify the meaning of the communication.Communication between people tends to beunstructured. Usually there is little or no effort tomake the message confirm to a specific framework or

task. Approach 4

Through the process of convergence with computingtechnologies, electronic communication technologiesare rapidly being combined and expanded to provideenhanced mechanisms for communication.



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Alter, Information Systems, Fig. 5.128

Basic Decision-making Concepts



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Problem Finding Identifying problemsFormulating problemsClarifying problems

Problem Solving, consists of 4 stages: IntelligenceDesignChoice Implementation



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6. Management Support Systems (Cont.)Problem Solving and their key challenges

Intelligence is the collection and analysis of data related tothe problemKey challenges

Obtaining complete and accurate data sets Interpreting data accurately

Drawing realistic implications Design is a systematic study of the problemKey challenges

Set boundaries to the problem Generate workable alternatives Identify/ develop methods/ models for evaluating

alternatives



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6. Management Support Systems (Cont.)Problem Solving and their key challenges (Cont.)

Choice is selection of preferred alternativeKey challenges

Reconciling conflicting objectives/ interests Incorporating certainty, risk & uncertainty

Managing group discussion processes Implementation is putting the decision into effect

Key challenges Ensure the decision is understood Others understand their roles

Create commitment to follow through



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6. Management Support Systems (Cont.)Holsapple and Whinston (2001, p.p. 151 - 152)

suggest that: Management Support Systems canbe divided into subclasses which include: Management Information Systems (MIS) Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) Decision Support Systems (DSS) Communication Support Systems (CSS) Executive Information Systems (EIS) Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) Organisation Decision Support Systems (ODSS)

Office Automation Systems (OAS).



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6. Management Support Systems (Cont.) The combination of characteristics a Management Support

System will embody a function of the range of activities, tasks,sub-processes and processes that all managers across the

organisation perform or are responsible for.

The specific range of activities, tasks, sub-processes and

processes that each manager is responsible for is a function of

their seniority within the organisation, who they communicatewith, and the nature of the decisions they make.

You should be aware that Management Support Systems will

generally transcend all functional areas of an organisation.



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7. Personal Support SystemsThey are primarily developed to support the

activities, tasks, subprocesses and processes thatare the responsibility of a single individual.Again they will normally be some combination of

characteristics found among: Management Information Systems (MIS)

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) Decision Support Systems (DSS) Communication Support Systems (CSS) Executive Information Systems (EIS) Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) Organisation Decision Support Systems (ODSS)

Office Automation Systems (OAS)



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7. Personal Support Systems (Cont.)Many Personal Support Systems are created by the

end-users themselves, and as such commonly

engender the advantages and disadvantages of this

form of system development.

Advantages of End-User Development

Less reliance on I.T. specialists (Lower overall costs) User involvement and satisfaction

Reduced application backlog



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7. Personal Support Systems (Cont.)Disadvantages of End-User Development

Non-compatible systems

Limited portability

Naive designs

Idiosyncratic designs

Lack of testing, security and controlsWays of Reducing the Disadvantages

Provide I.T. professionals as advisers/ reviewers

Enforce organisational standards

Provide end-user training



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7. Personal Support Systems (Cont.)

Should be aware that Personal Support Systems

generally support only a relatively narrow scope of

activities, tasks, sub-processes and processes within a

specific functional area of an organisation.



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8. Integration between Functional Area Support

Systems It is true that many Business Applications lack

integration with applications used in other

functional areas of organisations.

It is also true that this lack of integration was

encouraged, in part, by a wide spread

management policy to encourage competition

between functional areas.



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Systems (Cont.)But, it goes much deeper than this. Specific

functional areas were frequently staffed by

individuals engaged in particular professions or

trades.

Historically there has been a strong demarcation

between professions and trades that has also

contributed to wide spread lack of integration

between functional areas.



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Systems (Cont.) In recent years, the nature of the market spaces in

which many organisations operate has changed

dramatically.

Many markets have become highly competitive

and are characterised by a high degree of volatility

and uncertainty.



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Systems (Cont.) In order to remain viable in such markets business

organisations are forced to strive to establish or

maintain competitive advantage by continually

seeking to improve their own business performance

to at least keep pace with competitors.

Many organisations strive for competitive

advantage by encouraging collaboration between

all functional areas of the organisation.



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8. Integration between Functional Area SupportSystems (Cont.)Such collaboration promotes increased value of

products and services for both internal and externalcustomers.

Business Applications must therefore be more

integrated in order to support collaboration betweenfunctional areas. Integration is one of the major challenges facing

information technology and information systemprofessionals in the new millennium.



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Review of Key Elements Review Framework for Describing Business Applications

Examine Accounting Support Systems

Examine Manufacturing Support Systems

Examine Customer/supplier Support Systems

Examine Operating Personnel Support Systems

Examine Management Support Systems Examine Personal Support Systems

Consider major issues surrounding integration between

Functional Area Support Systems


cis 32 business computing applications and ecommerce

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