Assignment #6 Activity
Can Brady Corporation Redesign its Systems for Success?
October 10, 2010
CS460
1.Analyze the Brady Corporation using the competitive forces and value chain models.
Using the competitive forces model we can analyze Brady Corporation by saying that the tread of new entrants into the main market was the main pressure for the corporation to change its information systems. Many competitors were coming into the market and were more competitive because they were using the internet to gain more costumers, while the Brady Corporation was falling behind on technology. The pressure from the bargaining power of costumer was high because each location of the Brady Corporation had different prices and was offering different types of discounts to the costumers. By using the value chain model to analyze the Brady Corporation we can say that they decided to adventure on this project to become the low-cost producer, they wanted to differentiate their product. To realize all of this they highlighted specific activities in their Corporation where competitive strategies could best be applied, and decided where information systems were more likely to have a strategic impact. By using the value chain model, the Brady Corporation specified specific, critical leverage point where their corporation could use information technology most effectively to enhance its competitive position.
2.How well did Brady’s systems support its business model? What management, organization and technology factor were responsible for its problems?
Brady’s corporation supported its business model very well. The corporation was very well organized when doing all of the changes on the systems. The corporation had many factors that were responsible for all of its problems. The managements fail to develop a fast fashion strategy sooner. Also the organization of the entire corporation was not well done since any of the companies on Brady were not able to communicate with each other. On technology they were behind since they were not using up to date software.
3.Analyze the Internet as a source of problems and opportunity for Brady.
The Internet was a source of problems for Brady because the Internet is a very powerful tool that its competitors were using to attract more customers, while Brady was falling behind by not using this powerful tool. Also this brought a big problem of organization when they started using it. But it also brought Brady a huge opportunity to be competitive among the new competitors that entered its market.
4.Was SAP’s enterprise software package a good foundation for Brady’s new systems? Explain your answer.
SAP’s software package was a good foundation for Brady’s new systems because SAP had many experience with other companies and working with IBM consultation team. Also the Brady Corporation got to customize the SAP’s software according to its own needs.
5.Describe the management, organizational, and technology changes Brady was making by its Web-to-Workbench and Eclipse projects. How extensive were they? Why do you think Brady took so long to implement its changes?
The changes that Brady Corporation was making with the projects were many. The main change that they made on management was the development of a fast fashion strategy quickly. The organization managed to develop a design and production process that could help the company to be more competitive. The technology also managed to deploy the inventory and replenishment software necessary to bring Brady back to the top of its competitors. All of these changes were very extensive and it toke Brady some time to implement these changes because the Corporation had many problems and wanted to have all of the employees well trained to deal with the new technology.
6.How successful were Brady Corporation’s systems projects? Explain your answer.
Brady Corporation’s systems projects were very successful. With all of these projects Brady managed to use the internet on its favor. The Corporation started making online orders, getting more in touch with their costumers and also managed to get communication between all of its installations. These projects were also successful because the Corporation toke the time to train its employees well.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Assignment #5 Enterprise Systems Questions
Assignment #5 Activity
Nestle Struggles with Enterprise Systems
September 30, 2010
CS460
1.Evaluate Nestle SA and Nestle USA by using the competitive forces and value chain models.
The competitive forces for the Nestle companies were all mixed up. They all had the same suppliers but with different price rates. Each company managed its costumers on its own way, the tread of new entrants into the marked was always there, because any company could came and take over the market if it was more well organized than Nestle. The companies did not applied the value chain model to identify the specific, critical leverage points where the companies could use information technology most effectively to enhance its competitive position by being decentralized they were very unorganized.
2.What were the problems and issues that Nestle SA faced that caused the company to be so decentralized?
Nestle SA had many issues. They had nine different general ledgers and 28 points of costumer entry. They had multiple purchasing systems. They had no clue how much volume they were doing with a particular vendor because every factory set up their own vendor masters and purchased on their own.
3.Do you think it was appropriate for Nestle to distribute the decision making so widely? Explain your answer.
No it’s was not appropriate. They should of first started with a few of the locations to take the time to train their employees appropriately, and to see how all the new changes were going to be working with the employees and to pay more attention on the little details.
4.Why did Nestlé’s initial enterprise system project encounter so many problems? What management, organization, and technology contributed to those problems?
The main problem on their project was the deadline. The deadline was putting too much pressure on the project. The management should have been more organized and take the time to analyze the situation with more detail making the time to train the employees on the new way of running things. The organization had issues too because they wanted to cover s much in so little time. They technology was up top, they just not integrated the systems pretty well.
5.If you had been in charge of the Nestle enterprise system project, what could you have done to prevent these problems?
The main thing that could have been done was to take things slowly and to take the time to see all of the little details and involved each and every employee on the process. Take the time to train each employee to make things easier for them and also to start just with a little part of Nestle.
Nestle Struggles with Enterprise Systems
September 30, 2010
CS460
1.Evaluate Nestle SA and Nestle USA by using the competitive forces and value chain models.
The competitive forces for the Nestle companies were all mixed up. They all had the same suppliers but with different price rates. Each company managed its costumers on its own way, the tread of new entrants into the marked was always there, because any company could came and take over the market if it was more well organized than Nestle. The companies did not applied the value chain model to identify the specific, critical leverage points where the companies could use information technology most effectively to enhance its competitive position by being decentralized they were very unorganized.
2.What were the problems and issues that Nestle SA faced that caused the company to be so decentralized?
Nestle SA had many issues. They had nine different general ledgers and 28 points of costumer entry. They had multiple purchasing systems. They had no clue how much volume they were doing with a particular vendor because every factory set up their own vendor masters and purchased on their own.
3.Do you think it was appropriate for Nestle to distribute the decision making so widely? Explain your answer.
No it’s was not appropriate. They should of first started with a few of the locations to take the time to train their employees appropriately, and to see how all the new changes were going to be working with the employees and to pay more attention on the little details.
4.Why did Nestlé’s initial enterprise system project encounter so many problems? What management, organization, and technology contributed to those problems?
The main problem on their project was the deadline. The deadline was putting too much pressure on the project. The management should have been more organized and take the time to analyze the situation with more detail making the time to train the employees on the new way of running things. The organization had issues too because they wanted to cover s much in so little time. They technology was up top, they just not integrated the systems pretty well.
5.If you had been in charge of the Nestle enterprise system project, what could you have done to prevent these problems?
The main thing that could have been done was to take things slowly and to take the time to see all of the little details and involved each and every employee on the process. Take the time to train each employee to make things easier for them and also to start just with a little part of Nestle.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Assignment #4 Communications Technology Questions
Assignment #4 Activity
Schneider National Keeps on Trucking with Communication Technology Questions
September 22, 2010
CS460
1.Analyze Schneider using the value chain and competitive forces models.
This company came on top of its competitors by using the value chain and competitive forces models. They used the value chain model to identify specific and critical leverage points where the company could use information technology most effectively to enhance its competitive position. They used the value chain method to determine where they could use the power of technology related to the production and distribution of their products and service to create more value to their customers. They used the competitive forces model to identify what forces affect their organization’s ability to compete to influence their company’s business strategy. They knew how to be on top of their strategies to maintain their market positioning.
2.What business strategy did Schneider National adopt? What is the role of telecommunications and information systems in that strategy? How do these systems provide value for Schneider?
The business strategy that this company used was the use of technology on its favor. They knew what kind of technology to use and how to use it to keep on top of their competitors. The use of telecommunication and information systems played a big role on their business strategy because they knew how to use the telecommunication systems to their favor by using satellites to track trailers and the information systems to connect better with their costumer by using the web and by getting all of their orders electronically. These systems provide value to this company because it helped the company to be on top. It gave the company the value to provide excellent customer service, and better that the one from their competitors.
3.What organization, management, and technology issues did Schneider National have to address when information technology became so pervasive in its operations?
The issues that this company had to overcome in their organization how to develop the design and production process of the company to keep on top of the other companies. Their management issue was to develop a fast fashion strategy to always remain the first choice for their customers. And their technology issue was to deploy their inventory replenishment software to always have the most useful and sophisticated software technology on the market.
4.How did Schneider’s information systems change its business processes?
The information systems of this company changed completely how it business processes were working. They started handling a whole new technology. Now all its business runs around information and telecommunications systems. They started to implement a paperless order tacking by only using electronically order taking as well as tracking.
5.Has Schneider National’s reliance upon information systems been successful? Is the company transforming itself into a digital firm? Why or why not?
The reliance that the company has upon information systems has been most definitively successful. And the company is for sure transforming itself into a digital firm because it is depending very much on technology, to do all of their orders electronically with no more paper, to track all of their trucks where ever they go, to optimize the use of both the company drivers and the loads they used the scheduling system, and also the Touch Home program so their drivers could keep in touch with their families via e-mail. They are depending very much on technology and keep thinking on many different ways to make their business easier by inventing new software.
Schneider National Keeps on Trucking with Communication Technology Questions
September 22, 2010
CS460
1.Analyze Schneider using the value chain and competitive forces models.
This company came on top of its competitors by using the value chain and competitive forces models. They used the value chain model to identify specific and critical leverage points where the company could use information technology most effectively to enhance its competitive position. They used the value chain method to determine where they could use the power of technology related to the production and distribution of their products and service to create more value to their customers. They used the competitive forces model to identify what forces affect their organization’s ability to compete to influence their company’s business strategy. They knew how to be on top of their strategies to maintain their market positioning.
2.What business strategy did Schneider National adopt? What is the role of telecommunications and information systems in that strategy? How do these systems provide value for Schneider?
The business strategy that this company used was the use of technology on its favor. They knew what kind of technology to use and how to use it to keep on top of their competitors. The use of telecommunication and information systems played a big role on their business strategy because they knew how to use the telecommunication systems to their favor by using satellites to track trailers and the information systems to connect better with their costumer by using the web and by getting all of their orders electronically. These systems provide value to this company because it helped the company to be on top. It gave the company the value to provide excellent customer service, and better that the one from their competitors.
3.What organization, management, and technology issues did Schneider National have to address when information technology became so pervasive in its operations?
The issues that this company had to overcome in their organization how to develop the design and production process of the company to keep on top of the other companies. Their management issue was to develop a fast fashion strategy to always remain the first choice for their customers. And their technology issue was to deploy their inventory replenishment software to always have the most useful and sophisticated software technology on the market.
4.How did Schneider’s information systems change its business processes?
The information systems of this company changed completely how it business processes were working. They started handling a whole new technology. Now all its business runs around information and telecommunications systems. They started to implement a paperless order tacking by only using electronically order taking as well as tracking.
5.Has Schneider National’s reliance upon information systems been successful? Is the company transforming itself into a digital firm? Why or why not?
The reliance that the company has upon information systems has been most definitively successful. And the company is for sure transforming itself into a digital firm because it is depending very much on technology, to do all of their orders electronically with no more paper, to track all of their trucks where ever they go, to optimize the use of both the company drivers and the loads they used the scheduling system, and also the Touch Home program so their drivers could keep in touch with their families via e-mail. They are depending very much on technology and keep thinking on many different ways to make their business easier by inventing new software.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Assignment #3 Information Systems Questions
Assignment #3 Activity
Can Information Systems Save U.S Steel? Questions
September 16, 2010
CS460
1.Summarize U.S Steel’s current competitive situation.
It is the largest integrated steel producer in North America and the largest in the United States. It is the world’s largest steel maker with total revenue of 9.3 billion a year. And its largest costumer is the Ford Motor Company, a company that requires an immense amount of steel.
2.How are information system related to the way U.S. Steel runs its business? What role is played by supply chain management systems?
Information systems is a very important tool related to the way U.S. Steel runs its business because it play s a big role on the supply chain management systems since the steel company has worldwide costumers it needs to keep in touch with them and their demands in a quick time manner.
3.What management, organization, and technology factors were responsible for USS’s inability to compete with other steel manufacturers?
The factors that were responsible for USS’s inability to compete with other steel manufactures are many. The management factor was the lack of developing fast fashion strategy. The management team was not up to date with the technology and was not meeting its costumers’ expectations. The organization factor was the amount of time that they were using to develop design and the production processes. This department was really slow in meeting the deadlines of the production. The technology factor was that there was no technology at all. Instead of Deployment of the inventory replenishment software, the company was doing all the orders by hand, which was taking a several amount of time.
4.Describe how USS has responded to its global and American competition.
The USS responded to its Global and American competition very well by getting on top of the technology that is available out there. The USS came on top because it had more organization and became fast passed by meeting its costumers’ needs and demands
5.How helpful were information systems in addressing USS problems?
Information systems were very helpful in addressing the USS’s issues by giving the company more productivity by making their job easier. Information system gave the company the ability to be more organized and fast on their orders taking.
Can Information Systems Save U.S Steel? Questions
September 16, 2010
CS460
1.Summarize U.S Steel’s current competitive situation.
It is the largest integrated steel producer in North America and the largest in the United States. It is the world’s largest steel maker with total revenue of 9.3 billion a year. And its largest costumer is the Ford Motor Company, a company that requires an immense amount of steel.
2.How are information system related to the way U.S. Steel runs its business? What role is played by supply chain management systems?
Information systems is a very important tool related to the way U.S. Steel runs its business because it play s a big role on the supply chain management systems since the steel company has worldwide costumers it needs to keep in touch with them and their demands in a quick time manner.
3.What management, organization, and technology factors were responsible for USS’s inability to compete with other steel manufacturers?
The factors that were responsible for USS’s inability to compete with other steel manufactures are many. The management factor was the lack of developing fast fashion strategy. The management team was not up to date with the technology and was not meeting its costumers’ expectations. The organization factor was the amount of time that they were using to develop design and the production processes. This department was really slow in meeting the deadlines of the production. The technology factor was that there was no technology at all. Instead of Deployment of the inventory replenishment software, the company was doing all the orders by hand, which was taking a several amount of time.
4.Describe how USS has responded to its global and American competition.
The USS responded to its Global and American competition very well by getting on top of the technology that is available out there. The USS came on top because it had more organization and became fast passed by meeting its costumers’ needs and demands
5.How helpful were information systems in addressing USS problems?
Information systems were very helpful in addressing the USS’s issues by giving the company more productivity by making their job easier. Information system gave the company the ability to be more organized and fast on their orders taking.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Assignment #2 UPS Questions
Assignment #2 Activity
United Parcel Services Questions
September 9, 2010
CS460
1. How does this Web site enhance UPS’s competitive position? Change the way it conducts business?
This Website enhances their competitive position by giving their customers the opportunity and facility to track their packages. This special feature of UPS allows their customers to be care free about their packages because they have the security that the package will arrive with no problems because they always know where the package is. Thus putting UPS on top of other parcel service delivery companies. This changes the way that they conduct business by offering a better and more secure service to their customers.
2. How does the site relate to UPS’s business strategy? How does it benefit UPS’s costumers? How is UPS becoming partners with its corporate customers?
The site relates to their business strategy by giving an easier access to their customers through the Wed by offering them a user-friendly easy to use Web page. This site benefits their costumers by giving them confidence in who they trust their packages, thus making customers come back and use this service with confidence again and again, thus increasing the profits. UPS is becoming partners with its corporate customers by giving them a high quality service and offering them many options to keep in touch with UPS by using the Web.
3. What are the strengths and shortcomings of this Web site for use in the international market? After examining the site, suggest ways for the company to increase its functionality and to make it more useful for its customers.
The strengths of this Web site in the international market it’s that it is available to everyone in the world and it is translated in many difference languages, this giving the customers many options and facilities. One of its shortcomings is caused by this worldwide availability. It is not possible for this website to be in each and every language known to men.
4. Select UPS Business Solutions and explore its array of services. How do each of these capabilities contribute to UPS’s bottom line? As the CEO of a Manufacturing Corporation, why might you want to turn to these services? How could they save you money, save you time, lower your costs, and increase your profits?
Since UPS’s bottom line is to deliver packages worldwide each of these Business Solutions capabilities contribute to the main goal by offering their customers vast variety of options for shipping their businesses packages more easily. As a CEO of a Manufacturing Corporation I might want to turn to all these differences to make my shipping of the merchandise easily. This Business Solutions services make it easy to manage the shipping of goods by offering a vast variety of options like help to process returns, it has industry focus so you can easily just select your type of industry and just focus primarily on that. It offers the tracking services. It also has different kinds of deliveries like Domestic, International, or Global, etc. All of these capabilities could save money, time and increase profits by making everything easier. You can process shipping online and just schedule a pick-up time instead of going all the way to the UPS office and waste your time waiting in lines or waste your money in transportation and labor. These capabilities could also increase your profits by offering your customers better service. By using the tracking option your customers could be care free and always know were the packages are located with a click. All these options make the shipment easier because also you can create an account with UPS and save time with labels, addresses and other things.
United Parcel Services Questions
September 9, 2010
CS460
1. How does this Web site enhance UPS’s competitive position? Change the way it conducts business?
This Website enhances their competitive position by giving their customers the opportunity and facility to track their packages. This special feature of UPS allows their customers to be care free about their packages because they have the security that the package will arrive with no problems because they always know where the package is. Thus putting UPS on top of other parcel service delivery companies. This changes the way that they conduct business by offering a better and more secure service to their customers.
2. How does the site relate to UPS’s business strategy? How does it benefit UPS’s costumers? How is UPS becoming partners with its corporate customers?
The site relates to their business strategy by giving an easier access to their customers through the Wed by offering them a user-friendly easy to use Web page. This site benefits their costumers by giving them confidence in who they trust their packages, thus making customers come back and use this service with confidence again and again, thus increasing the profits. UPS is becoming partners with its corporate customers by giving them a high quality service and offering them many options to keep in touch with UPS by using the Web.
3. What are the strengths and shortcomings of this Web site for use in the international market? After examining the site, suggest ways for the company to increase its functionality and to make it more useful for its customers.
The strengths of this Web site in the international market it’s that it is available to everyone in the world and it is translated in many difference languages, this giving the customers many options and facilities. One of its shortcomings is caused by this worldwide availability. It is not possible for this website to be in each and every language known to men.
4. Select UPS Business Solutions and explore its array of services. How do each of these capabilities contribute to UPS’s bottom line? As the CEO of a Manufacturing Corporation, why might you want to turn to these services? How could they save you money, save you time, lower your costs, and increase your profits?
Since UPS’s bottom line is to deliver packages worldwide each of these Business Solutions capabilities contribute to the main goal by offering their customers vast variety of options for shipping their businesses packages more easily. As a CEO of a Manufacturing Corporation I might want to turn to all these differences to make my shipping of the merchandise easily. This Business Solutions services make it easy to manage the shipping of goods by offering a vast variety of options like help to process returns, it has industry focus so you can easily just select your type of industry and just focus primarily on that. It offers the tracking services. It also has different kinds of deliveries like Domestic, International, or Global, etc. All of these capabilities could save money, time and increase profits by making everything easier. You can process shipping online and just schedule a pick-up time instead of going all the way to the UPS office and waste your time waiting in lines or waste your money in transportation and labor. These capabilities could also increase your profits by offering your customers better service. By using the tracking option your customers could be care free and always know were the packages are located with a click. All these options make the shipment easier because also you can create an account with UPS and save time with labels, addresses and other things.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Assignment #1 ShopKo and Pamida
Assignment#1 Activity
ShopKo and Pamida: System Triumph or Tragedy
September 1, 2010
CS340
Question 1:
Evaluate the role of information systems in the way ShopKo and Pamida run their business. How important are they?
Answer:
The Information systems are very important and play a big role since the systems are the backbone of the company, the management of those systems are behind the success or failure of the company.
Question 2: Evaluate the importance of Pamida's distribution center consolidation project on for both Pamida and ShopKo. What management, organization and technology factors prevented Pamida's new distribution center from working successfully?
Answer:
The management made the wrong decision of focusing more on the size of the warehouse rather than on the software. They had bad organization and the technology issue was that they never updated the software that managed the main warehouse.
Question 3:
Are ShopKo and Pamida using information systems effectively? Why or why not? How much value do their systems provide to the business?
Answer:
ShopKo and Pamida are not using information systems effectively because they did not updated the software. The value that those systems have is big because their software was the cause of their loss.
Question 4:
If you were the CEO of ShopKo, how would you have addressed the problem? If you were the CEO of Pamida when it was purchased by ShopKo, would you have recognized the problem? Explain. How would you have solved the problem?
Answer:
I would of addressed the problem by recognizing the issue with Pamida when it was first purchased. And instead of focusing on the hardware I also I would of focused on the software updates for the main warehouse.
Question 5:
What management challenges does this case study illustrate? Explain your answer.
Answer:
The management challenges that this problem illustrates is the lack of technology control. The Management should of be able to take the right decisions, pay more attention and focus on each part of the companies not only one. Because when a company is first purchased one should pay attention to every detail and never forget that the technology will always be one of the most important thing on a business success.
ShopKo and Pamida: System Triumph or Tragedy
September 1, 2010
CS340
Question 1:
Evaluate the role of information systems in the way ShopKo and Pamida run their business. How important are they?
Answer:
The Information systems are very important and play a big role since the systems are the backbone of the company, the management of those systems are behind the success or failure of the company.
Question 2: Evaluate the importance of Pamida's distribution center consolidation project on for both Pamida and ShopKo. What management, organization and technology factors prevented Pamida's new distribution center from working successfully?
Answer:
The management made the wrong decision of focusing more on the size of the warehouse rather than on the software. They had bad organization and the technology issue was that they never updated the software that managed the main warehouse.
Question 3:
Are ShopKo and Pamida using information systems effectively? Why or why not? How much value do their systems provide to the business?
Answer:
ShopKo and Pamida are not using information systems effectively because they did not updated the software. The value that those systems have is big because their software was the cause of their loss.
Question 4:
If you were the CEO of ShopKo, how would you have addressed the problem? If you were the CEO of Pamida when it was purchased by ShopKo, would you have recognized the problem? Explain. How would you have solved the problem?
Answer:
I would of addressed the problem by recognizing the issue with Pamida when it was first purchased. And instead of focusing on the hardware I also I would of focused on the software updates for the main warehouse.
Question 5:
What management challenges does this case study illustrate? Explain your answer.
Answer:
The management challenges that this problem illustrates is the lack of technology control. The Management should of be able to take the right decisions, pay more attention and focus on each part of the companies not only one. Because when a company is first purchased one should pay attention to every detail and never forget that the technology will always be one of the most important thing on a business success.
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