Reference no: EM132719738 , Length: word count:2500

BIS1001 Foundations of Information Systems

Assessment 1: Report and Presentation

Assessment Details:
You are to deliver a business report that focuses on food service. You have noticed that many busy people are unable to dine in store. Also, many restaurants and cafes have enabled takeaway orders so that they can continue to operate business during the COVID19 pandemic. Foods are being delivered from commercial kitchens to families unable to leave their homes. You are to design a creative website of your choice of online food business. You need to attract potential customers as well as existing customers who would be interested to purchase your food via your website. You are required to address the following:

a. Choose an online food business of your choice.
b. Explain the reason behind your decision to run online food takeaway and delivery.
c. Create a website for your online business. Include as much information as possible such as choice of menu, about the business, payment methods, delivery fees, order processing steps, any information systems to help with online business, and other information that you want to include that are appropriate to online food ordering business.
d. Identify and briefly discuss your target market for food delivery service.
e. Identify and discuss methods of technologies that you can use to communicate with customers to promote your online food business and gain their attention such as using social media, enterprise system such as customer relationship management and any other relevant enterprise systems.
f. Make a list of all expenses incurred in running online food delivery.
g. Identify and discuss key employees' positions and responsibilities with online business.
h. Discuss the challenges that you need to consider when running online business.

Please register with Wix.com and create a free online business using Wix. You are required to submit the report together with the link of your online business. Please do not publish your website. The report submission is due Monday of week 5 and the presentation will be held in class in week 5. The group presentation is 15 minutes and all group members need to present the report findings.
You are required to use PowerPoint slides for the presentation.

Assessment 2: Case Study

Assessment Details:
The case study will assess your knowledge of key content areas in information systems using real world case. For successful completion of the case study, you are required to study the material provided (lecture slides, tutorials, and reading materials), engage in the unit's activities, and the discussion forums). The prescribed textbook is the main reference along with the recommended
reading material. By completing this assessment successfully, you will be able to identify key aspects of information systems. This will help in achieving ULO3, ULO4, and ULO5.
Case Study- Aldra Manages Workflow to Support Customization

Aldra Manages Workflow to Support Customization Aldra Fenster und Türen GmbH, or Aldra for short, is a leading door and window manufacturer with over 300 dealers in Germany and Scandinavia. Aldra is well known for its precision craftsmanship in manufacturing intricate, custom-designed windows. In the early 1970s, the company developed a unique method of manufacturing windows from plastic. Combined with its customization service, this cost-saving manufacturing innovation gave Aldra a leg up on the competition. Aldra's custom window design and manufacturing has created challenges in its corporate workflow and information processing. Mass-producing windows and doors in standard sizes is far easier than creating custom designs, where production techniques change from one item to the next. At Aldra, most orders have unique requirements in terms of size, shape, materials, function, and embedded technology. To support custom orders, Aldra must provide considerable flexibility in both its manufacturing processes and its information systems. Providing customized manufacturing does not excuse Aldra from meeting the tight deadlines imposed by costly construction projects. Aggressive construction schedules rarely allow for the extra time required to produce custom products. Aldra found that the complexities of building its high-quality products were causing confusion in the order processing system and delays in manufacturing, leading to missed deadlines. Order specifications were sometimes incomplete or incorrect, and correcting orders is time consuming. Lack of coordination among departments resulted in additional errors that occasionally resulted in costly idle time on the production line. The lack of coordination also led to errors in calculating manufacturing costs, which reduced profits.

Aldra set out to implement a new system that would assist the company in managing its value chain and corporate workflow. Aldra purchased information systems from Infor Corporation that allowed the company to better coordinate efforts across departments. Using the software, Aldra now models its critical core processes (workflows) and then uses the models to improve communication across the value chain. The models define the specific employees involved in the various stages of the process. The system then generates daily activities for each employee displayed in a particular area on the computer desktop. As activities approach their deadline, they are moved to the top of the list. Employees also receive e-mail notices of new or pressing actions needing attention. Aldra's new workflow management system depends on a corporate-wide system that stores and manipulates all order details. Top managers can view orders to see how they are progressing through the value chain so that they can intervene when necessary. Aldra implemented the new system in an unusually short amount of time. The company spent three days installing the system, another three days training managers in how to model workflow processes, and two weeks to model processes and train users.

The benefits of the new system were almost immediately apparent. Within weeks, the company's adherence to delivery dates was improved by over 95 percent. Cost estimates are now reliably calculated. Employees make more productive use of their time, and customers are happy. Aldra is looking to expand the use of its new systems to other areas of its business.

SOURCES: Infor Staff, "Aldra Fenster und Türen GmbH," Aldra Customer Profile, accessed December 24, 2009,  Infor ERP systems Web site, accessed December 24, 2009; Aldra Web site (translated), accessed December 24, 2009, www.aldra.ed.

Exercise:
Imagine you work as a consultant for Aldra. You are in need to introduce a workflow management system to help improve organisation workflows. In deciding whether this system suit your business needs, you are required to investigate the following through considerable amount of research including literature review and relevant examples.
1. Summarize the case study objectives.
2. What problems did Aldra's new information systems address, and what was the root of those problems? What people, organisation and technology factors contributed to this problem?
3. How did Aldra's new systems assist employees in being more productive?
4. What lessons can be learned from this case in terms of managing information in a value chain?
5. What is a workflow management system? What benefits and challenges does this system provide to organisations?
6. How does an organization determine when it is worthwhile to invest in a system such as Aldra's workflow management system?
7. Identify and discuss the information security systems for protecting business information such as Aldras?

Attachment:- Assesment Brief.rar