Information Management Assignment: Proposal For A New Information System In Custom Cakes

Question

Task:
Prepare an information management assignment presenting an information management proposal (IMP) for a new information system in your company.

Answer

Introduction 

Information Management System is a vital business process for big organizations and even small growing organizations. There are several aspects of the information management system that need to be considered by the company management. Herein information management assignment, an Information Management Proposal (IMP) will be developed for Custom Cakes which is a leading cake maker over more than twenty countries in the world. In this proposal, a brief background of the company and three related major business process of the company will be discussed in stage one. Then in the next stage, different component of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) for the company will be identified. Based on the supporting factors of information system in the selected business process will be discussed. However, an information management proposal will be developed in this paper which will include aim and objective, required hardware, cost management, project management issues and some other aspects. An information requirement analysis, resource acquisition and some security challenges will be illustrated in the information management proposal.

Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of information management system in supply chain management for Custom Cakes will be developed in this report. All the basic concept of the information management proposal will be illustrated in this report. Based on the current issues and challenges faced by the organization, a new information system will be developed on for Supply Chain Management (SCM). 

Discussion 

Stage 1

Background of the company 

Custom Cakes is a UK based cake making company that sell their product through both online and offline mode. In more than twenty countries, Custom Cakes have their branches that are operated by more than five thousand staffs. A quality product delivery is the main business strategy of the company and the customer base is continuously growing. In every country, Custom Cakes is managing their company data and information though manual modes. A huge amount of data is generated per day and in this case, the company is facing difficulties to operate its supply chain. All the information of the company must be controlled centrally through a proper database management system (Zhang et al. 2018). On the other hand, an information management system could also be implemented by the organization to control and manage their information. In order to develop a proper information management system for the company, an information management proposal will be developed in this task. Due to the high demand of consumers, it is important to efficiently manage and handle consumer data on order, purchase, payment or other related information. In this case, an appropriate information system must be developed for Custom Cakes. All the necessary changes and components need to be adopted by the company to secure and enhance the performance of the organization.

During the information system development supply chain management system has been considered in this project. There are several components of the supply chain management that could be improved in the new information system of the company. Based on the company requirements, all the hardware and software specifications could be identified by the developers. All the security and ethical issues will be identified to develop the new information system for supply chain management of the company.

Three related business process of the company 

There are several business processes are associated with the company and the three most vital processes are information collection, logistic, and warehousing. These three-business processes are related to the supply chain management of the company. Based on the three-business process, Custom Cake is successfully handling their business operations. The existing system could be improved with the implementation of a proper information management system. Here, the three-business process of the company have been described briefly:

• Information collection: Information collection is an essential aspect in supply chain management (SCM) for every organization. All the organizational data and information are stored and handled by the company staff. On the other hand, a large number of external data also need to be managed by the company staff. Here, the information collection process must be implemented by the websites or other applications (Badakhshan et al. 2019). There are several processes by which information could be collected. Depending on the pervious operations, online survey, users profile information, websites or application, data could be gathered to improve the SCM system.

• Logistic: In order to satisfy customers' demands, logistics management analyses, develops, and manages the smooth, profitable to the front and backward transportation and storage of goods, commodities, and things between the point of production and the site of consumer. Custom Cake will be able to deliver fresh product to the consumers if their logistic functions work properly. In this process, transportation management, inventory management, supply demand planning, good and services related information and other aspects are associated that should be considered by the company management (Danilova 2019). This an integrated function that could be automated with the adoption of proper information management strategy.

• Warehousing: In SCM, warehousing plays a vital role to deliver physical products to the consumers. By having warehousing facilities, product delivery cost, shipping time and inventory cost could be reduced by the managers. In terms of information system, it is important to manage all data and information of the warehouse by the management to effectively manage supply demand into the organization.

Stage 2

Components of Supply Chain Management (SCM)

There are several components are associated with SCM all are equally important in terms of information system. In order to improve the information system in supply chain management, it is important to consider all the components. Here, the major components are identified as IT infrastructure, telecommunication, database and data warehouse, software involved, peoples and rules or policies.

Figure: Supply chain management

(Source: Cole, Stevenson and Aitken 2019)

These aspects are the core components of the information system and the supply chain management. Organizations have been adopting sensible business software applications to enhance organizational performance, creativity, and competitiveness for several decades. Businesses evolve throughout time, and in order to be nimble, they must adapt to diverse changes in the market environment. Businesses must automate and simplify their processes across many divisions and activities, including finances, marketing, human resources, manufacturing, distribution and logistics, process improvement, transportation, and sales, in order to achieve this goal (Nunes, Causer and Ciolkosz 2020). Therefore, it is important to discuss all the aspect of supply chain management briefly:

• IT infrastructure: A secure IT infrastructure for the supply chain management system must be adopted by the company. An ICT (Information Communication Technology) network architecture is the most suitable infrastructure for the company which will provide an integrated communication between the consumers and the company. All the data sharing and information communication activities could be performed smoothly. Based on the company requirements, all the networking components could be selected by the IT infrastructure developers (Richards and Seifan 2021). Each component will perform different activities during data sharing and information communication. During the development of security infrastructure, security would be the first priority to protect the organizational data and information.
• Telecommunication: Telecommunication in supply chain management is a vital aspect that is deployed to make a uninterrupted communication between location and users in the company. Considering all of the numerous types of communications that occur in a company. Some interactions are conducted face to face, while others rely on technology specially telecommunication including email, phone conversations, messaging apps, browsing the web, and downloading files (Wisesa 2020). A telecommunications system is used in all of these communications in Custom Cakes. A communications system is a set of terminals and linkages that allow people to communicate with one another. This is the use of electronic signals or radio signals to communicate over long distances.

Figure: Telecommunication network

(Source: Budisusetio, Sule and Febrian 2019)

In the above figure, a telecommunication network has been shown that is utilized by the users of the company. Radio signals are the transmission media by which message travel from one user to another. Signalling towers are the most essential components in telecommunication network and most of the communication service are performed through the signalling towers. 

• Database and data warehouse: Database and data warehouse is now becoming a vital component for the organization. A database is a collection of connected data that represents real-world aspects in any organization. It's made to be developed and filled with information for a certain activity. This is also a key component of data solution that coudl be used by the Custom Cakes. A database warehouse is a type of information system that collects and maintains historical and current data from one or more resources. It is intended for analysing, reporting, and integrating transaction data from many sources which can be effectively used by the company to enhance their productivity. An organization's analytical and reporting processes are made easier by using a data warehouse. It also serves as the company's single source of information for judgement and prediction.

Figure: Database and data warehouse

(Source: Shaheen et al. 2020)

In the above figure, a basic infrastructure for database and data warehouse has been shown that could be deployed in the IT infrastructure of Custom Cakes. All the organization data and information could be stored into the database server and users will be able to get access into the data anytime. This will help of enhance the information system of Custom Cakes. The primary distinction between a database and a data warehouse is that a database is a logically ordered collection of linked information that is stored in a tabular style, whereas a data warehouse is a centralised location that holds aggregated data from various sources. Custom Cakes use a database which is an organized collection of information and it includes software that enable people to create, update, and manage databases.

• Software involved: To ensure the effective circulation of inventory and maintain favourable contracts with suppliers, supply chain management is critical. It ensures that the products travel smoothly from the storage to the clients. Production, quality control, packaging, and shipping are all processes in the supply chain process. As a result, choosing the best supply chain management software is essential for optimising and developing the organisation. SCM software does not have to eliminate logistics applications or inventory management system (IMS), instead, it can complement them. Consumers would not like to wait, even though the merchant presents a solid cause, particularly in today's highly competitive age of internet fulfilment. There are several software applications that could be installed to properly manage entire supply chain management system.

Some popular SCM software are identified as SAP, Blue Yonder, Oracle SCM, and Infor SCM. These applications will help to manage supply chain management efficiently. These supply chain management platforms that lets companies create recyclable items and services and transport them using environmentally friendly methods. For improved flexibility and control, it helps users to forecast and plan consumption, money, commodities, and anything in between (Haulder, Kumar and Shiwakoti 2019). BlueYonder will not provide its consumers with any payment options up advance. To approach one of their agents and discuss rates, company management must provide contact information on their website. Especially with ever-changing client needs, Oracle SCM employs virtualized apps to boost durability and creates a huge. This inventory management software guards’ users from errors, assesses alternative solutions, and re-plans operations in real time.

• Peoples: In the complete process of supply chain management, several peoples and shareholders are involved who performs different activities during the business process. The major peoples who are associated with the SCM have been identified as supplier, manufacturer, distributors, retailers, and consumers. In each stage of the business process, peoples will perform different activities.

• Rules or policies: Instead of just production lines, any supply chain rules or policy or method requires teamwork. Communication between personnel, that is, cooperation between persons who collaborate, and accordance with the recommendation their competency, is a big part of supply chain policy (Halat and Hafezalkotob 2019). A distribution network policy or method must have a first and ending operation, as well as a customer and a provider, it should be composed of a series of activities that creates a valuation results at the end, and it should be performed over and over.

Supporting components of information system on business process

The supply chain management system is supported by various components of information system. Based on the business operation and strategies selected by the Custom Cakes, several aspects could be included by the developers. In the below points, some components of the information system have been illustrated to support the SCM system. 

• Data and information flow: Data and information will be transferred from one user to another through the ICT network. This component of the information system will make the SCM more flexible and secure. 

• Communication: With the help of telecommunication network, users will be able to make an uninterrupted communication during product supply or management. This is a major component of the information system and an entire IT infrastructure is utilized by the company for their communication network. 

• Hierarchies: The network infrastructure of information system in supply chain management is developed in a hierarchical approach. There are different levels and stages are associated in the hierarchy of this business process.

Figure: Hierarchy for SCM

(Source: Li, Holsapple and Goldsby 2019)

In the above figure, a hierarchy of supply chain management has been shown in terms of information system. Based on the company requirements, all the necessary components in the information system could be added in each level.

• Decision making: A supply chain manager must make difficult decisions rapidly, typically based on available data. When the supply chain suffers a snag, it's critical to have issue abilities on hand. If Custom Cakes doesn't have appropriate decision-making procedures and controls, a minor manufactured issue can quickly escalate into a much bigger one (Abdel-Basset et al. 2020). It takes quick and simple sample to manage a manufacturing and distribution organisation that crosses boundaries and regions. Issue skills that enable users to evaluate each new issue and quickly designed answers are crucial in a society where trade policy rules can and do keep changing.

• Peoples: All the associated peoples and individuals in the supply chain management could be able to perform different activities. Suppliers, manufacturer, distributor, retailers, and consumers will be connected with each other with the help of information system of the company. 

• Rules: Some of the information system rules must be implemented by the company management to provide security to the entire system. Based on the data and information security infrastructure, it is important to follow below rules:

• All the data and information should be kept secure by using password and credentials into the databases.

• All the devices and network components must be updated after a certain time to enhance the security features in the system. 

• Any kind of illegal access into the system must be reported to the security experts. 

• All the networking components must be protected by using proper anti-malware component or program.

Based on the above point of the information system, supply chain management could be enhanced by the company management.

Stage 3 

Potential problems 

In every business process, company management faces several difficulties and issue that must be considered by the system developers. For Custom Cakes, supply chain management system is a vital aspect that must be protected from all the potential problems to enhance the business productivity and performance. In this section, all the potential problems and issues have been identified that must be mitigated by the system developers.

• Customer demand handling is one of the problems of efficient supply chain management for Custom Cake. It helps with indirect purchasing, development and production demands, and demands from outside customers (Pal 2019). As a result, Supply Chain Managers must implement efficient operations to ensure that demands are met on accurate time.
• Information management and data handling is another issue that must be considered by the company management and the data base administrators would be able to manage their data through the database management and data warehouse. 
• Maintenance of the company IT assets and product is another vital issue that should be performed by the administration of the Custom Cakes. 
• Data access and information security is also a major issue that must be considered by the system managers and the database administrators (Wamba and Queiroz 2020). On the other hand, all the users and company staff should also be aware about the data handling and information management of the company.
• At the same time, customer personal data and information should also be protected by the users and company staff as hacker or competitors may acquire customer data from the company database server through illegal access.

All the above-mentioned issue are the most common challenges that must be considered by the system developers.

Information Management Proposal development

• Aim and objective

In order to provide better customer service or product delivery to the consumers, Custom Cake should deploy an information management system. Therefore, aim of the project is to develop an effective information management system for Custom Cakes. Both the functional and non-functional requirement of the company should be fulfilled by the developed new information managements system. However, the supply chain management system is a major business process of the company which has been considered in terms of information system. On the other hand, the objective of the project is to make an integrated IT infrastructure for the company.

• Hardware, software and telecom specification

In order to develop the information system for Custom Cakes, it is important to identify most suitable hardware and software products. During the product selection, it must be considered that the components should meet the company requirements.

Required hardware

Required software

Telecom specification

In the below points, the telecom specifications for supply chain management has been illustrated:

• VNF on boarding
• VNF modification
• Order capturing device installation
• IoT device supplier
• IoT device connection

Data flow diagram

Figure: Data flow diagram for Custom Cakes SCM

(Source: Author)

In the above figure, all the necessary steps and process during the supply chain management for Custom Cakes have been shown. Based on the customer demand, all the product and services would be delivered to the consumers by the company. Here, all the aspects for the data information system has been illustrated that should be implemented by the company management successfully. 

• Cost management 

In order to successfully deploy the information system in the company, it is important to plan a cost management process. This will include all the associated cost and components that need to be acquired by the system developers. In the below table, a brief cost management plan has been shown for Custom Cakes.

Based on the above cost planning, near about $20000 is required for the Custom Cakes to implement the new information system in a particular business location. Based on the consumer demand and operational cost, overall cost may increase.

• Project management issues

There are several issues that could be faced by the system developers during the project execution in Custom Cakes. Based on the project management strategy and process, the challenges have been illustrated in the below points:

• Committees: All the business shareholders or peoples associated with Custom Cakes should involve in the new system adoption or implementation. Here, a lack of proper project strategy or communication could break the committees. Shareholders and the company management should engage the committees during the project execution (Ismail and Mansor 2018). 

• Group work management: Group work management is a major issue in supply chain management and the process of project execution could become successful if all the groups work with proper collaboration. Here, some of the major groups are technician, database administrators, project managers, data controllers and others. If all the group work effectively, then the new information system could be implemented in the organization in a suitable manner.

• Deadlines: In order to successfully complete the project, it is important to complete each tasks or activities on pre-defined time. Depending on the timeline, if the tasks are not completed successfully by the project team members, then the entire project execution may become damaged (Silvius and Schipper 2020). So, the deadline of each task is an essential aspect that must be considered by the developers. On the other hand, all the necessary project and activities must be performed by the experts. 

• Information requirement analysis 

An information requirement analysis must be deployed by the company management to successfully identify the company requirements. Form different resources, all the necessary information related to the company management should be acquired. A logical structure for information acquisition needs to be established. All the items and equipment for the information system need to be identified based on the information acquired by the system designers. On the other hand, some previous security incidents could also be identified and mitigated during the new information system development (Park et al. 2018). From the website of the company, product review and customer review could be analysed to gather information related to the drawbacks of the existing system. On the other hand, all the previous transaction and orders could also be analysed by the data analysts to make further prediction on the future sales or product acquisition. 

Based on the business scenario of the Custom Cake, a business strategy could be developed for the company. However, the information system for the organization also depends on the scenario of the product demand and supply. There are several issue and problems that could be considered by the developers in each scenario. In order to enhance the performance of the information system and architecture, different scenarios in the organization should be considered.

• Acquisition method

All the IT assets, products and raw materials need to be acquired by the company management to perform to develop the IT infrastructure of the company. Hardware for the IT infrastructure will be purchased from the local distributors or dealers. In this case, cost on each product may be reduced as a bulk amount of product will be purchased. On the other hand, software or application will be acquired through yearly subscription. Sometime, application become available in different open sources. At that time, it could be installed from open sources but this may cause a security issue for the organization. However, the website or application for the consumers will be developed by the third party and the process of data and information management will also be developed by the database administrators. Therefore, all the necessary equipment or applications will be acquired by the company based on the product specification and system requirements.

• Security and ethical issues

During the development of new information system for the supply chain management, it is important to consider all the security and ethical issue by the system developers. The IT assets of the company need to be protected from external user or hackers. In the below points both the security and ethical issues have been illustrated.

• Virus attack on the system devices is a major security issue that could be mitigated by the using proper security application or network security components.
• Information leakage is another security threat that need to be protected by the system developers (Tanwar et al. 2018).
• System failure or device malfunction is also a vital issue that may cause system failure for the organization.
• On the other hand, trust over the new information system is a major ethical issue that would be considered by the developers.
• All the components of the new system should be understood by the users and company staff. 
• Usability of the new system should be enhanced than the previous system. Based on the previous system and its requirements, the new system will be developed.

The above issue could make a vital impact on the system developer during new information system design.

Conclusion 

A brief description of Custom Cakes and three associated significant business processes have been covered. Following that, several components of the company's Supply Chain Management (SCM) have also been identified in this paper. It has been discussed based on the supporting factors of the information system in the specified business process. However, this article has constructed an information management plan that include a goal and target, required equipment, budget control, program management challenges, and other factors. The information management proposal has included an examination of information requirements, resource procurement, and certain security challenges. Based in this proposal, all the necessary components of new information system will be installed and deployed in the organizational information system. After making a brief analysis on the selected company, this proposal has been developed that include all the major aspects of Supply Chain Management (SCM).

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