FINAL QUESTION #5

TOPIC: THE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS OF VIRTUAL OFFICE


1. Describe or define Virtual office.
Ans.
A Virtual office is a workplace that is not based in one physical location but consists of employees working remotely by using information and communications technologies. A virtual office is characterized by the use of teleworkers, telecenters, mobile workers, hot-desking, and hoteling, and promotes the use of virtual teams. A virtual office can increase an organization's flexibility, cost effectiveness, and efficiency.

Reference: BNET Business Dictionary

2. Distinguish Virtual office from MIS.
Ans.
Virtual office has a provider it is a centralized office although the employees work at home or without physical contact with other employees it enables a network of co-workers to runs a business efficiently by using nothing other than online communication technologies. While in MIS Management Information System differs in different company or every company has their own MIS they are used to analyze other information systems applied in operational activities in the organization. MIS is a planned system of collecting, processing, storing and disseminating data in the form of information needed to carry out the functions of management. And the result is used in decision making of the top management.
3. Illustrate (give examples) how Virtual office can improve company's competitive advantage and organizational performance.
Ans.
Having worked online for a very long time,the virtual office advantage is by far the best aspect of the Internet. A virtual office gives you a huge advantage because you are not limited geographically. Your business should revolve around your laptop. If possible, you should try to store every bit of information online. Either way, the virtual office gives you flexibility because it is available at all times

FINAL QUESTION #4

TOPIC: THE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS (DSS)


1. Describe or define DSS.
Ans.
Decision Support Systems (DSS) are a specific class of computerized information systems that supports business and organizational decision-making activities. A properly-designed DSS is an interactive software-based system intended to help decision makers compile useful information from raw data, documents, personal knowledge, and/or business models to identify and solve problems and make decisions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_support_system
2. Distinguish DSS from MIS.
Ans.
The terms MIS and DSS stand for Management Information Systems and Decision Support Systems respectively. There has been a lot of talk regarding these two, whether they are actually the same thing or if there are any significant differences between the two.

MIS is basically a kind of link to facilitate communcation between managers across different areas in a business organization. MIS plays a pivotal role in enabling communications across the floor of an organization, between various entities therein.

DSS, many consider, is an advancement from the original MIS. However,this is not the sole difference between the two. While there may not be too much separating the two, the difference is still there,as is apparent when we say DSS is an advancement over MIS.

The essential difference between the two is in focus. DSS, as the term indicates, is about leadership and senior management in an organization providing good, reliable judgment as well as vision. MIS, on the other hand, is about focusing on the actual flow of information itself.
3. Illustrate (give examples) how DSS can improve company's competitive advantage and organizational performance.
Ans.There are some advantages of DSS

1. Improves personal efficiency
2. Expedites problem solving
3. Facilitates interpersonal communication
4. Promotes learning or training
5. Increases organizational control
6. Generates new evidence in support of a decision
7. Creates a competitive advantage over competition
8. Encourages exploration and discovery on the part of the decision maker
9. Reveals new approaches to thinking about the problem space

FINAL QUESTION #3

Identify and describe one company that adopts an MIS. Include in your discussion, how MIS helps and supports the company, its managers and other employees, in their problem solving and decision-making.

Ans.
Coca-cola bottlers Philippines is an example of a company that adapts management information system. Coca-cola is one of the most well- known company in the Philippines. The management information system helps their managers and employees in their decisions making and solving problems that is related to their positions in the company. Every managers have access to the information that they need to make good decisions.

MIS also helps in achieving to the objective and goals of the employees and of the company as a whole. It helps employees to become productive and effective in performing their duties and responsibilities in the company. With MIS and competitive employees, goals and objectives of any company in the world is achievable.

FINAL QUESTION # 2

A company may adopt specific computerized database system according to their unique needs after thorough MIS planning. However, it has to be noted that MIS if properly planned, and implemented, benefits can be immeasurable on the other hand, if this is misused, then it may mean information or financial losses and opportunity and resources wasted.

From this, answer the following.

1.0.a Research one international company from the Internet and describe their MIS strategic plan in 1-2 paragraphs.

Ans. The management information systems (MIS) literature reveals a list of parameters essential for the successful implementation of an IS planning process. Some studies stress the importance of integrating the corporate objectives of a firm into the IS planning process. Other studies discuss the importance of performing an analysis of competitors, or determining the stage of maturity a firm has reached, or the framework used for setting information technology investment priorities. Yet others state that the choice of methodology that will be utilized to develop the IS plan will be crucial to the success of that plan. The objective of this paper is to develop a holistic conceptual model that combines the above parameters into a framework that fully integrates the corporate objectives of a firm into every aspect of the planning process. Three large multi-national courier companies with regional headquarters in Singapore were studied over an eight-month period while undergoing an extensive MIS planning process. Based on these studies, a model based on general systems theory that views the IS planning process in a holistic framework firmly rooted in the view that a firm's corporate objectives must drive the entire process.
1.0.b Discuss too the impact of this strategic plan on the company's management,competitors, customers and the company as a whole.
Ans. Companies vary widely in their strategic management capabilities. Some still rely almost entirely on ‘fire-fighting’. Many others are slowly developing their capabilities but there are only a few which do give due attention to strategic issues and implement their decisions effectively. To be effective a corporate planner must assist this process of development of strategic ability and must adapt his role as the company's capability changes. In the most successful corporate planning units it is clear that this change in role is occurring, but is there not also a largely untapped market for consultants to assist companies in developing these capabilities?.
2.0.a Evaluate how can this strategic plan be applied to any local company in the Philippines.
Ans. Nestle company have a strategic plan using the MIS like they have in their web sites some wellness tips and also they have their presentation of their sales from Feb. 27 to Sept. 01.
They have their new promos NESTLÉ Ice Cream Offers Impulse Party Pack in party packages suit different sizes of parties, get-togethers, reunions, social affairs, seminars, conventions, and other gatherings.

- This strategic plan can be applied to any local company here in the Philippines .
2.0.b Discuss too the possible effect on the company.
Ans. Simply stated, if you put too many eggs in one basket, you can expose yourself to significant risk.

In financial terms, you are under-diversified: you have too much of your holdings tied to a single investment—your company's stock. Investing heavily in company stock may seem like a good thing when your company and its stock are doing well. But many companies experience fluctuations in both operational performance and stock price. Not only do you expose yourself to the risk that the stock market as a whole could flounder, but you take on a lot of company risk, the risk that an individual firm—your company—will falter or fail.

3.0.a What is an Accounting Information System?
Ans. An Accounting Information System is the system of records a business keeps to maintain its accounting system. This includes the purchase, sales, and other financial processes of the business. The purpose of an AIS is to accumulate data and provide decision makers (investors, creditors, and managers) with information to make decision While this was previously a paper-based process, most modern businesses now use accounting software such as UBS, MYOB etc. Information System personnel need knowledge of database management and programming language such as C, C++, JAVA and SQL as all software is basically built from platform or database.

In an Electronic Financial Accounting system, the steps in the accounting cycle are dependent upon the system itself, which in turn are developed by programmers. For example, some systems allow direct journal posting to the various ledgers and others do not.

Accounting Information Systems provide efficient delivery of information needed to perform necessary accounting work and to assist in delivery of accurate and informative data to users, especially those who are not familiar with the accounting and financial reporting areas itself.

3.0.b Identify or list down different accounting information systems used.
Ans.General Ledger is the foundation of your accounting system. Its built-in flexibility meets both the current and future financial needs of organizations of all types and sizes. It provides a robust feature set designed to meet even the most demanding budgeting and processing needs. You can customize General Ledger by using the many tools inherent in the system, including a built-in financial report writer that provides you with a timely picture of your company's fiscal activities. General Ledger fully integrates with all ACCPAC Advantage Series modules and is the key to maximizing the efficiency and accuracy of your financial data. Advantage Series also runs through a standard Web browser, so you can design and view financial statements – anytime, anywhere – using an Internet browser.
3.0.c What are the benefits by the management, users and customers derived from these AIS?
Ans.While total quality management (TQM) has been widely applied in the management of change, and is likely to remain a priority into the next century, failure rates at times above 75 per cent give cause for concern. The study on which this paper is based has reviewed TQM as an approach to change management. Four interrelated classifications of organizational change are presented: change as structure (or "functional change"), process, values, or power distribution. Of these, it is contended, TQM adequately addresses only process change, with incidences of failure closely correlated to the application of process-based TQM techniques in change contexts characterized by structure, values or power. This study suggests that, for TQM to be applied successfully, either an approach is required which adequately addresses all types of change context (a so-called "systemic" approach), or its application needs to be restricted to those contexts where process dominates.
3.0.d Cite any threat or misuse of these AIS by a specific company. How were the threats addressed? What were the damages?
Ans.

Bacon said Hamre and the Joint Chiefs of Staff office have been looking
"aggressively" at the military's Web sites to see what information currently
is available on:

• Building plans;

• "Actual diagrams of buildings of certain military installations";

• "Lessons learned on certain military operations or programs";

• Future research and development goals; and

• "Personnel information that could perhaps provide too much information in
terms of locating people or recreating identities from information provided
on the Internet."

FINAL QUESTION #1

For those who are working, interview your IT in-charge and ask him/her to describe the computer database systems used in the company. Write your answer in 1-2 paragraphs. Further, ask also the benefits and/or disadvantages derived from these database systems.

For those who are not working, research one company in the net who is using computerized database systems. Describe the use and/or nature of these systems and describe too the benefits/disadvantages from these systems. Include your reference.

Ans.

Microsoft Access- this application is, hands down, the most powerful mainstream database software available. If the school instructional technology program include access. A major advantage to access is its scalability;it grows with you. Whether you're using database of 20 names or 20,000 it handles t bhe database runs just as smooth

Consider the following: A teacher assigns students the task of creating a database of their grades for the entire year. In the first month of school, students create a database that identifies all of their teachers, courses, and types of assessments they receive. In the second month, students begin to input the data. This continues throughout the year. This may require a 30-minute block of time each month. At the end of each grading/marking period, students are asked to determine their own grades in each course as well as identify which form of assessment is giving them the most trouble. Imagine, students would be able to identify their strong and/or weak areas. They can identify their learning style and have quantifiable proof to back it up. It can be a valuable lesson for students and can enhance their learning experience.

MIDTERM QUESTION #3

Internet if properly maximized can be used as a medium to the advantage of the company. However, risks and threats are there. Thus, research the following:
1. Identify the possible risk and threats (eg. virus) that can potentially attack a company with internet connection.

2. Case research and analysis:

Vigilante virus attacks MP3 music files

by Stan Beer

Tuesday, 26 April 2005

! Experts at security vendor Sophos, have discovered a worm which has taken the law into its own hands against internet music pirates. However, legal downloaders are also at risk. The W32/Nopir-B worm, which appears to have originated in France, spreads via peer-to-peer file-sharing systems posing as a hacked utility to make copies of commercial DVDs. However, in reality it displays an anti-piracy graphic, and attempts to delete all MP3 music files, disable various system utilities, and wipe .COM programs on the infected PC. "The internet is swamped with people pirating movies and music, costing the entertainment industry millions each year. The Nopir-B worm targets people it believes may be involved in piracy, but fails to discriminate between the true criminals and those who may have MP3 files they have created themselves," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "Whichever side of the fence you come down on in regards to internet privacy, there's no debate about the criminal nature of this worm - designed to inflict malicious damage on people's Windows computers." Internet pirates who have illegally distributed music files, movies and TV shows have been in the news recently as ISPs have been ordered in a number of cases to provide identitifying details of those individuals responsible so prosecutions can be brought against them. Last month, a Canadian man lost his job after it was found he had leaked the first episode of the eagerly anticipated BBC science fiction series "Doctor Who" onto the internet three weeks before its official broadcast. Although there have only been a small reports of the worm, Sophos recommends computer users ensure their anti-virus software is up-to-date, and that companies protect themselves with a consolidated solution which can defend them from the threats of both spam and viruses.

2. a Identify one company that had experienced an attacked from the internet.

Elk Cloner is one of the first known microcomputer viruses that spread "in the wild," i.e., outside the computer system or lab in which it was written.Elk Cloner spread by infecting the using a technique now known as a "Apple II operating system boot sector" virus.

2. b Describe the attack

Elk Cloner spread by infecting the Apple II operating system using a technique now known as a "boot sector" virus. If a computer booted from an infected floopy disk, a copy of the virus was placed in the computer's memory. When an uninfected disk was inserted into the computer, Elk Cloner would be copied to the disk, thus allowing it to spread from disk to disk.

An infected computer would display a short poem on every 50th boot. Elk Cloner did not cause deliberate harm, but Apple DOS disks without a standard image had their reserved tracks overwritten. The aforementioned poem follows:

Elk Cloner: The program with a personality

It will get on all your disks
It will infiltrate your chips
Yes, it's Cloner!

It will stick to you like glue
It will modify RAM too

Send in the Cloner!

2.c Identify the damages done and the solutions adopted to reverse the damages and to protect the company from future threats.
According to contemporary reports, the virus was rather contagious, successfully infecting the floppies of most people Skrenta knew, and upsetting many of them. Part of the "success," of course, was that people were not at all wary of the potential problem (virus infection could have been avoided by not inserting floppies into computers without hard-booting them first), nor were virus scanners or cleaners available. The virus could still be removed, but it required an elaborate manual effort.

MIDTERM QUESTION #2

Question #1. Research 1 Philippine Company and 1 International company that have employed e-commerce.
Ans. BIR
San Miguel Corp.

Question #2. Describe how e-commerce operate in these companies.
Ans. BIR offers announcements, directory, issuance and rulings, tax and registration information, updates and legal matters. It includes tax code and calendar and tax payer bill of rights. The presence of e-commerce today people nowadays can easily get their tax payer identification number online, EFPS to access the BIR, EFPS, pay BIR to download the payment confirmation reflecting your moblie payment of taxes. Their strategy makes the life of working individual easy because they just log into BIR website if they have questions, verifications and updates to know all about.

San Miguel is one of the Philippines leading business conglomerates, carries brand names of some of the most formidable players in the Philippines food and beverage industry. San Miguel Beer company's flagship product is one of the largest selling beers and among the top beer brands in the world. Today, San Miguel is the build around closely related businesses; beverages both non-alcoholic and alcoholic food and packaging. Each of which are dominant in thier respective segments, holding no.1 for no.2 positions in their markets.

Question #3. Identify the benefits/ constraints/ derived by these companies from e-commerce.

Ans. The benefits are cost effective improvement in customers acquisition, growth and retention.