CIS499 Information Systems Capstone Assignment 4

Background

In the last two years, the ACME Company has experienced continued growth. This growth is expected to continue in the very near future. Specifically, the company is expected to experience a 60% growth in the next eighteen months. This rate of growth has presented new challenges for the company. It now has to redesign its information systems for the larger office space occupied. The continued growth has also highlighted the need to set up the company to deal with more data and ensure for safety and security for its clients. The ACME Company is currently valued at $25 million but is expected to experience significant growth in the future.

Type of Business

The ACME Company collects data using Web analytics and combines it with operational systems data. Increasingly, businesses have appreciated the competitive edge presented by analyzing market data. However, the successful use of data in decision making is a long process that has greatly influenced the growth of information systems. Some of the major steps in this process include collecting information and interpreting its significance. This is intended to compare the external and internal environments of a business and propose better practices that would benefit as a whole.

ACME based its information technology on a hybrid model where some of the systems are hosted and other in-house. This method was initially done with the goal of minimizing costs. However, a lot has changed in the business that necessitates major changes to be made.

Skilled Information Systems Personnel

At the moment, there are only four employees in the company dedicated to the Information Technology department. ACME has adopted a hybrid solution to information technology where much of the systems used by the company were hosted by other entities. This was believed to be part of cutting costs. As the business has continually grown, its information technology needs have expanded and redesigned to meet its current obligations.

The personnel at the company will need to be trained to use any other systems introduced at the workplace. Although all the workers are trained information technology experts, it will be important to involve them in the development of the new design to facilitate its effectiveness. This is primarily intended to ensure that all the qualified personnel at the organization are well-informed about the information technology changes occurring at the workplace.

Types of Data

ACME collects web analytics and combines it with operational systems data. Web analytics includes all the data that relates to the performance of a website. The continued growth of e-commerce has meant that businesses are taking their online sales more seriously. Many companies now make more revenue through their online sales. It has hence become essential to remain aware of the performance of an organization on its online platform (Clemons & Kauffman, 2011).

As stated previously, the information obtained from web analytics combines with the data of the operational system. Operational systems data refers to the systems used to process information on the day-to-day activities in a work environment. The goal is to merge these types of data to assist in internal decision making.

Organization’s Information Systems

The company now uses a computer-based decision support system that aims to facilitate organizational decision-making activates. The operational system at ACME is a computer-based system that processes and interprets data. There are various stages and methods of obtaining, and analyzing data; especially as a result of the existing varied marketplace. Each organization's web analytics and operational systems are analyzed based on the unique nature of each workplace. The organization starts by identifying the needs of each data set, and how it should be combined with other relevant information to become valuable.

The company uses hosting services for its databases. The on-site databases have limited use, and usually contains information on recent internal activities. The use of hosting services presents companies with some benefits. For example, it allows for easy and flexible access to the company’s data. The company also preferred hosted database services because it does not have to invest in its own databases. This method was presented as an option to cut operational costs. Hosted solutions have been a big boost for the company in the last two years.

Analytics and Interfaces

The web analytics obtained by the company are categorized into three main classifications: web structure, content, and usage (Shmueli & Koppius, 2011). These are the three main parameters used in web analytics to assisting in internal decision making within organizations. The web has been presenting revenue and other opportunities to businesses for the last few decades. The goal is to determine what nature of web structure, content, and usage maximizes the performance of an organization. This is especially important in the field of e-commerce continually grows to dominate the modern marketplace.

The information systems at the ACME Company will be connected across all three floors. There will be wires, plugs, and sockets to facilitate this interconnectedness. It will be possible to plug in authorized devices with options for simple but effective user interfaces (Shmueli & Koppius, 2011).

Infrastructure and Security

The system at ACME will adhere to a coherent foundation that will support responsive change, and agility in a rapidly growing company (Chen & Mocker, 2010). The system’s design will incorporate security measures that limit unauthorized access, use, disclosures, disruptions, or modifications. A detailed security management plan will be developed to define the security controls to protects the information assets at the company. All databases will require authorization before access. Some information will only be accessible by some employees. All activities that will be undertaken using the system will be monitored by the IT department.

Since a hybrid solution will be used, the hosting choice will be made with the issue of security in mind. The continued growth of the business has placed more importance on responsibility and accountability on the IT department. In this case, the level of security provided by the hosting solution will have to meet the company’s benchmark. There will also be other considerations such as the ease of access, and reliable enough for the tasks at the company.

References

Chen, D. Q., & Mocker, M. (2010). Information Systems Strategy: Reconceptualization,

Measurement, and Implications. MIS Quarterly, 34(2), 233-259.

Clemons, E. K., & Kauffman, R. J. (2011). Special Section: Competitive Strategy, Economics,

and Information Systems. Journal of Management Information Systems, 27(3), 7-10.

Shmueli, G., & Koppius, O. R. (2011). Predictive Analytics in Information Systems Research.

MIS Quarterly, 35(3), 553-572.

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