University of Development Alternative (UODA) is one of the renowned private universities in Bangladesh. It has rapidly introduced a number of Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes and increased student intake capacity. UODA has computerized its examination process based on software. The library had already been computerized a couple of years back using a freely distributed Library Automation System. Cash transactions are also handled by computers in the Finance and Accounting Division, using accounting software.

For further improvement of efficiency, the new governing body of the University have entrusted the task of developing an MIS for the University to a Software Company. All these developments were welcomed by a cross-section of the University Community except a few. One of them is a faculty member at the Management Science Department who commented that the University is burdening itself with too many independent information systems. He strongly favored an integrated information system.

Questions:

a. Do you agree with the faculty member? Give reasons.

b. What do you understand by Integrated Information System, the faculty member is talking about? Elaborate in the context of the University of Development Alternative (UODA)

c. Visualize that the University governing Body decides to drop the MIS plan and agrees to the idea of developing an integrated IS. What problems are likely to creep in?

d. Assess the role of Information System specialists and consultants in situations as described in the case.

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Oracle, a leading vendor of database software, predicts that in the near future, multimedia databases will become the norm. These databases will contain not only different forms of media and promote electronic commerce.

What impact can a global multimedia database have on education? Develop a scenario for a global multimedia database and describe its implications for an introductory course in information systems.

Suppose you are assigned the task of convincing the chair of the information systems department in your university that knowledge of C/S systems is significant for future graduates. How will approach to develop C/S systems in UODA?

The UODA Authority needs to deal with a remarkable number of phone calls from the parents of students. They query about the students’ result, attendance, performance and so on from the authority. As an MIS Expert how can you develop the system to provide detail information of each student to their parents?