B6111 Assignments Questions

Week 1

Assignment 3: How is Technology Changing the Face of Business Today?

The traditional retail model has focused on finding high-margin, high-volume products or services because limited space means reduced space inventory. For example, organizations such as Walmart select the biggest hits from the broadest genres, called the “short head.” The short head means Walmart will only carry a select mix of country, pop, and rock that is calculated to provide the greatest cost/benefit. The business model of Amazon is different. Amazon provides the short head but also provides the “long tail” of more than 100,000 different audio selections. The competition for customers between the Walmart and Amazon marketplace is profoundly changing the face of retail business today.

Using the assigned reading and the Argosy University online library resources, find at least three scholarly articles that address similar current trends related to e-business and how e-business is changing the face of businesses today.

Using your company or a real-world example from your research, respond to the following:

• Describe how technology is changing the face of businesses today.
• Describe the most critical business processes that utilize information systems in your selected company.
• Explain how IT makes the company’s business processes faster, cheaper, more accurate, and customer-savvy than that of competitors.
• Cite at least three sources found in your online library research.

Give reasons and examples from your research to support your responses.

Write 3–5-page paper in Word format. Be sure to use and cite the module readings. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M1_A3.doc. For example, if your name is John Smith, your document will be named SmithJ_M1_A3.doc.

By Sunday, February 14, 2016, deliver your assignment to the M1 Assignment 3 Dropbox.

 

WEEK 2

Assignment 2: Scanners and Xerox

With the advent of scanners and the universality of the portable document format (PDF), the market for optical copiers is shrinking rapidly. Can a company such as Xerox Corporation survive? In this assignment, you will address this question.

Research the issues faced by Xerox from 2000–2010 and the solutions found using the assigned readings, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet. Specifically review the company’s annual report at the following:

• Xerox Corporation http://news.xerox.com/investors/reports

Respond to the following:

• Identify multiple business pressures on Xerox.
• Describe some of the company’s response strategies.
• Identify the role of IT as a contributor to the business technology pressures (for example, obsolescence).
• Identify the role of IT as a facilitator of Xerox’s critical response activities.
• Support your positions with reasons and examples based on your research.

Write a 3–5-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M2_A2.doc.

By Wednesday, February 24, 2016, deliver your assignment to the M2: Assignment 2 Dropbox.

 

WEEK 3

Assignment 2: Required Assignment 1—Business Case and Proposal for Project Selection

You work for Centervale Apparel, a large clothing manufacturing firm. Centervale Apparel has budgeted $9.7 million for new technology initiatives in the coming year but the project requests currently in the queue for next year total about $15 million. Your boss, the executive director of operations, has asked you to put together a proposal for this project to replace legacy order fulfillment technologies by implementing a supply chain management (SCM) system. Your boss wants to ensure this project will be prioritized over other projects on the list and will be implemented in the coming year. Use the following data to prepare a proposal using a balanced scorecard approach to demonstrate the project’s value to Centervale Apparel.

Here is your brief:

Business Problem: The order fulfillment team has been using several legacy technology systems to manage inventory and distribution. The current systems do not work together, requiring redundant information input and processing. Because of the redundant processes, work is duplicated requiring multiple data entry points and sometimes results in inaccurate and irreconcilable data. There is a constant overage or shortage of supply due to the time it takes for data to get from one point to another. This causes unhappy customers and inventory carrying costs that could be avoided.

Project Description: Replace legacy order fulfillment technologies by implementing a SCM system.

Project Cost: The project will cost approximately $1.2 million including infrastructure and resources to complete the implementation and $250,000 annually to support and maintain the new system with a ten-year lifecycle for the system.

Project Benefit: It is estimated that the implementation of a supply chain management system will improve the order fulfillment processing time and reduce inventory-carrying costs. Implementing the SCM system will also enable the retirement of several legacy systems. Estimated annual cost savings are:

·         Data entry staff reduced from 10 FTE to 8 FTE = $100,000/yr savings

·         Reduction in inventory carrying costs = $300,000/yr savings

·         Improved order fulfillment = 10–20% decrease in order to delivery time. This will improve customer satisfaction and retention

·         Improved data accuracy

·         Legacy system maintenance retirement savings = $100,000/yr

Using the information that details the primary business goals for the coming year, you will need to demonstrate how implementing the SCM system will help achieve the business objectives.

Note: Customers are retail companies who order from this clothing manufacturer. Assume a ten-year lifecycle for the SCM system.

Using the module readings and the Argosy University online library resources, research methods of developing proposals by applying the balanced scorecard approach. Select two scholarly resources for use in this assignment. You will use these resources to justify your recommendations.

The proposal should include the following:

• Describe the measureable value. This should include a cost-benefit analysis, such as payback period or ROI that relies on tangible measures of organizational value through cost savings, revenue enhancements, or improvements in the speed, quality, or efficiency of key processes that help achieve competitive advantage (note the difference between tangible and intangible measures in this proposal).
• Evaluate and choose alternatives. Make sure to identify any alternatives to the project implementation and provide a justification for each.
• Complete a risk assessment of all risks associated with implementing the project using an enterprise risk management (ERM) model.
• Describe total cost of ownership and include descriptions of implementation project and ongoing maintenance costs.
• Explain the benefits of the project, which include tangible and intangible benefits.
• Fully justify a recommendation with a compelling proposal that aligns to the business goals.

Write a 6–8-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M3_A2.doc.

By Wednesday, March 2, 2016, deliver your assignment to the M3: Assignment 2 Dropbox.

 

 

WEEK 4

Assignment 2: Online Payment Systems

With the increasing use of digital payments and the decreasing use of cash payments, enhanced digital security and tracking of financial transactions have become significant aspects of many businesses. The executive director of operations of Centervale Apparel has asked you to research this issue and prepare a presentation for the executive committee to educate them on these issues. You remember hearing that the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) is a leader in this field and would be a good place to start your research.

Review the following:

• NACHA - The Electronic Payments Association. (2011). News headlines. Retrieved from www.nacha.org

Using the Argosy University online library resources as well as NACHA’s Web site article to complete the following:

• Describe NACHA and its role.
• Examine and explain the Automated Clearing House (ACH), its role, and how it relates to NACHA.
• List and explain the key participants in an ACH e-payment.
• Describe the key initiatives currently underway at ACH.
• Identify and analyze at least four digital payment concerns Centervale Apparel might want to consider in light of what you have learned from NACHA.
• Use the Notes function in Microsoft PowerPoint to prepare detailed speaker’s notes for your formal presentation to the executive committee.

Develop a 3–5-slide presentation in PowerPoint format. Add speaker notes. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M4_A2.ppt.

By Wednesday, March 9, 2016, deliver your assignment to the M4: Assignment 2 Dropbox.

 

WEEK 5

Assignment 2: Required Assignment 2—IT Strategic Planning

Using a company of your choice, determine the strategic business goals. Develop an IT strategy that aligns to the business goals. You can use the balanced scorecard approach or you can develop your own method for defining and aligning the IT strategy to the business strategy. You will need to cite at least two credible sources that will provide justification for your strategy or approach.

Finding a company: If you are employed, it is best for you to use your current place of employment so you can practically apply the concepts in this assignment. Alternatively, you can use a nonprofit organization or any other organization you may have ties or access to.

Your IT strategy should include:

• Business Goals and Objectives
• List at least two or three specific business goals for the next year or two with an explanation of the business’ rationale for the goal.
• List an objective for each business goal to explain what the company needs to do to achieve the goal. 
• IT Strategies aligned with business goals and objectives
• List one or two IT strategies for each business goal
• These should be recommended strategies that would enable the business goals and objectives to be achieved.
• If your company already has IT strategies, you may provide an analysis and justification or new recommendation for each of the strategies
• Organizational Structure
• Describe the structure of the organization including:
• Organizational design
• Organizational culture
• Leadership factors (the types of leadership displayed within the company)
• Business processes
• Physical layout (i.e., how many offices, virtual offices, international locations)
• IT Infrastructure
• Describe the current IT infrastructure including:
• Hardware
• Software
• Network
• IT resources
• This should be a high-level overview
• IT Challenges
• Describe internal and external challenges IT faces in meeting the business needs
• Include social and/or ethical considerations
• Risks
• Describe risks IT might face when implementing change

As you develop your strategy, you may want to consider the following:

• An effective IT strategy will enable the business operations, helping business leaders achieve business goals more efficiently and effectively.
• Focus on top priorities. Take the time to understand organizational issues, how they are related, and how they affect performance. Determine what will happen if nothing changes and where IT can have the greatest, positive impact.
• Identify how IT supports business processes. The business is relying on their capabilities to achieve the business goals. The IT strategy should include a plan for supporting those business capabilities, creating efficiencies, and competitive advantage for the business.
• Define IT priorities and governance for IT. Without priorities and a process for IT governance in place, progress will be slowed. An agreed upon plan for governing IT will enable the decision process.

Understand the challenges. Improving processes and increasing efficiencies through IT implementation also requires behavioral and sometimes organizational change. With these changes come inherent challenges. Understanding and planning for those challenges will increase the chance of success in meeting the business goals.

Write an 8–12-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M5_A2.doc.

By Wednesday, March 16, 2016, deliver your assignment to the M5: Assignment 2 Dropbox.