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Business Analysis and System Recommendation Report

Maryland Technology Consultants, Inc.

Diamond Sears

IFSM 300

September 28, 2020

BA and SR Report

Introduction

MTC is a fictitious company that deals with the provision of consultancy IT services. The company is still on its developmental stage, but it has already worked on different projects, and the future only seems to be bright. The company's goals are to ensure that its clients are satisfied with the services rendered and increase its market base locally and globally. However, like any business, the company is facing numerous challenges that it must achieve the set goals to be completed. For instance, there is stiff competition from already established companies such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), and Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH). These are established companies with good profits and resources that MTC has to work against to ensure that it gets its niche in the environment. Besides that, the company also faces challenges in the hiring docket; for a long time, the company has been in turmoil in getting qualified and skilled staff that would be effective in achieving its goals (Horstman, 2019).

Therefore, this BA&SR report provides an analysis of the company in terms of its challenges and the goals that have been set. To achieve these goals and overcome the company's challenges, the company must initiate the most appropriate technique that would achieve the targeted goals. The MTC's plans also have to be aligned with the prevailing business environment, especially with the advances in information technology to achieve the desired goals. As a result, through strategic planning highlighted in this report, the company should be in a position to achieve its goals.

Strategic Use of Technology

Business Strategy

MTC has its business strategy to ensure that it remains active in the market by seeking new projects upon completion of the current projects. The strategy is to ensure that more customers are targeted and that they are in a position to win the tenders despite the competitive nature of the business. The management of this company also aims to ensure that its employees, once contracted, are kept busy not to be paid, yet they are not working (Clement, 2015). Therefore, to achieve this, they seek more projects and employ the best-skilled employees that would guarantee them higher chances of completing the project with high standards and meeting the clients' needs.

The company goals of increasing its global consultant services would be achieved if its plan of getting highly skilled employees work out. The work done by the staff determines the ability to ensure that the reputation of the company is safeguarded and well built in the environment. In this regard, the new hiring system will be in apposition to identify and track the most qualified and skilled staff in different parts of the world and make them accessible to the company. This is because skills are vital for this kind of company, and it's only through investing in the best that MTC will be in a position to outsmart its established competitors in the market (Kuebiko Global, 2017).

Additionally, the company's strategy to remain abreast of the technological changes and advances made in the business would be effective enough to ensure that it remains relevant. It is a vital aspect of the information technology sector where there are always continuous changes daily. For MTC to achieve its goals, there must be an acquisition of the skilled staff equipped with the modern technological skills that would make it easier to run its projects. The new hiring system will be effective enough to get the required employees from different locations and employees who understand the needs of the clients` needs, thus making it easier to meet the changes and advances in the sector.

Competitive Advantage

MTC has retained its competitive nature in the market by providing its consultative services to the clients. To get its clients, the company usually competitively bids with the rest of the companies offering similar services for the proposals that have been provided by business organizations, non-governmental organizations, non-profit making organizations, and governments. Besides that, the company is also gaining some momentum through the referrals and the follow-up techniques for the clients that might have been happy for the services rendered. Therefore, through the reliance on quality and its employees' expertise, the company aims to ensure that it remains highly competitive in the market. In this quest, it's also believed that it’s on the verge of getting two significant projects shortly (Horstman, 2019).

To achieve its competitive advantage and increase its marketability, the company has to initiate strategies that would make it highly competitive. For instance, MTC should step up its marketing strategies to make its services well known to the public and the companies seeking its services. However, for this to be successful, the recruitment plan must be put into the proper use; it must employ some of the best-skilled employees to easily improve on the services rendered and ensure that the clients' needs are perfectly satisfied. The company's image should also be updated such that its reputation is well known for the quality work rendered. In this regard, the company has to ensure that all the projects contracted to them are perfectly done such that the clients will also aid in promoting awareness of the company to more clients.

The new hiring system will also make the company more competitive when the system's data is effectively put into use. The recruits will be hired with the aim of improving the existing infrastructure while in the process, adding value to the long term goals of the company. MTC seeks to remain competitive in the market, and this will only be achieved if it’s equipped with some of the IT experts and expertise that can always satisfy the clients (Sennewald & Baillie, 2016). Therefore, an effective hiring system will make it easier to track and access the company's skilled recruits.

Strategic Objectives

The success of MTC is only attributed to effective decision making made at various levels of production. In this regard, hiring skilled personnel is one of the decisions required in making the company runs smoothly. There must be the right staff needed at different company levels for the company to achieve its targets. Therefore, the following are some of the company's strategic goals, the objectives, and the accompanying explanations on the decisions made.

Strategic Goal (from case study)	Objective (transparent, measurable and time-bound)	Explanation (2-3 sentences)
Increase MTC Business Development by winning new contracts in the areas of IT Consulting	To improve the performance of the company concerning the contracts won within the next two years. It is to hire highly skilled staff.	The new hiring system aims to ensure that there is effecting tracking and hiring of highly skilled staff. These staff would ensure that the clients' needs are met; hence through a good reputation created, there will be more returning clients seeking our services, thus improving the company's performance overall.
Build a cadre of consultants internationally to provide remote research and analysis support to MTC’s onsite teams in the U. S.	Increase international recruiting efforts and employ five research analysts in the next 12 months.	The new hiring system would allow applicants worldwide to apply online, increasing the number of international applicants. It would enable the recruiters to monitor these positions' applications carefully, identify the necessary research and analysis skills needed, and screen resumes for these critical skills. Recruiters could quickly view the number of applicants and identify when additional recruiting efforts are necessary to meet the objective.
Continue to increase MTC’s ability to quickly provide high-quality consultants to awarded contracts to serve the clients' needs best.	To increase the MTC's ability to recruit highly qualified staff to meet the clients' needs within the next 12 months.	The new hiring system will track and get some of the highly qualified personnel in the field that would result in the provision of high-quality work to the clients. The recruitment will be effectively done concerning ensuring that the required values are obtained.
Increase MTC’s competitive advantage in the IT consulting marketplace by increasing its reputation for having IT consultants who are highly skilled in leading-edge technologies and innovative solutions for its clients	To acquire skilled staff that is competitive enough in consultation matters within the next 12 months.	The new hiring system will be able to consider the competitive edge of the company is seeking the qualities of the required staff. The recruits would be able to put into practice their skills and make the company work towards being highly competitive.

Decision Making

Information is vital in the decision-making process. It is essential for the MTC, and it’s critical that all the decision made is made based on the data available. Therefore, based on different performance levels, there must be effective decision-making that would result in achieving the desired results.

Role

Level as defined in Course Content Reading

Example of Possible Decision Supported by Hiring System

Example of Information, the Hiring System, Could Provide to Support Your Example Decision

Senior/Executive Managers

(Decisions made by the CEO and the CFO at MTC supported by the hiring system.)

Top-level management

Getting into a contract with a client that MTC is sure of providing the required services.

The needs of the clients, which will be required for the client to be satisfied, and the company's ability to meet the needs of the client.

Middle Managers

(Decisions made by the Director of HR and the Manager of Recruiting supported by the hiring system.)

Middle-level Management

Recruitment of the skilled staffs and training of the staffs to meet the expectations of the clients

The type of employees to be trained, and the training they require, the process of getting the best employees.

Operational Managers

(Decisions made by the line managers in the organization who are hiring for their projects supported by the hiring system.)

Low-Level Management

Putting into practice the required goals of the client. Making the hands on the decision to ensure that the final product meets the needs of the client.

The individual information on the skilled staff that would be appropriate in handling the projects at hand.

References

Clement, M. C. (2015). Ten steps for hiring effective teachers. doi:10.4135/9781483393339

Horstman, M. (2019). The effective hiring manager. John Wiley & Sons.

Kuebiko Global. (2017). Winning the business systems analyst job interview: A powerful compilation of real-world interview questions and answers for business systems analyst positions.

Sennewald, C. A., & Baillie, C. (2016). Hiring security personnel. Effective Security Management, 71-80. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-802774-5.00008-3

Stage II. Process Analysis

A. Hiring Process.

The current processes at MTC hiring steps are ineffective and outdated. Recruiters, Human resource managers and assistants are responsible for managing the hiring and selection process. MTC hiring is based on communication sources such as phones and emails. However, through advanced technological systems, the company can experience a faster process and save time.

As-Is Process (Part 1)	Responsible MTC Position (Part 1)	To-Be Process – How the System Will Support and Improve the hiring process (Part 2)	Business Benefits of Improved Process (Align with MTC’s overall business strategy and needs.) (Part 2)
1. The recruiters obtain an application through the Postal Service Mail.	Recruiter	The hiring system collects the application form the MTC submission site, stored in the application database.	An efficient and advanced system saves time, since little effort is required for the submission and processing applications is more efficient. Also, it builds a positive image for candidates, thus attracting top (IT) experts.
2. The recruiters manually assess available positions to link applications with the vacant employment opportunities.	Recruiter	The hiring system will connect the job applications to the available positions.	Accurate job placement as a result of streamlined processes.
3. Recruiters analyze the curriculum vitae visually to establish qualifications.	Recruiter	The hiring application will examine the resumes through a screening software feature, and the results will be forwarded to the field managers. It minimizes the burden of reviewing multiple curriculum vitae.	Improved and faster screening of resumes. Selection of highly competent applicants.
4. The Human Resource assistant contacts the candidates and hiring managers to make an interview appointment manually.	Human Resource Assistant	The hiring enables selected candidates to schedule appropriate dates and time farms for the interview. The chosen schedules are forwarded to the hiring manager’s system to confirm their availability.	Reduced time due to computerized interview scheduling. Enhances the flow of information with top hiring managers.
5. Interviews Conducted	Human Resource hiring manager	The system software will input the real time frames and dates for the interview.	It allows a timely view of the candidate information. Allows sharing of information about the applicants via a software platform during the interview.
6. Information is manually obtained from the candidates during the interviews.	Recruiters	Storage of interview information in the database.	Interview records are stored in the system for future references. For applicants who are not hired, records are maintained for future available positions.
7. Based on the results of the interviews, phone and emails are used to communicate with candidates.	Human Resource hiring manager	The hiring technology system provides a push or pull software system that will have a "push or pull" support for candidates.	The software allows hiring managers to share their reasons for applicant selection or disqualification, which improves the hiring quality.
8. Another round of interviews is done through emails and handwritten notes	Human Resource hiring manager	The database notes can be assessed to recap the first interview information.	Human Resource managers acknowledge the reasons for selecting a particular candidate and their unique set of skills.
9. The status of applicants is shared with recruiters via emails and phone calls.	Recruiter	The hiring system software is updated.	Recruiters can track the progress of the hiring process in real-time. They can monitor the vacant positions and identify if specific vacancies will be filled or not.
10. Communicating with disqualified applicants to inform them they were not selected.	Human Resource Assistant	The Human Resource Assistant contact candidates through emails	The Human Resource Assistant informs candidates why they were not selected.
11. A manual update of the present job listings	Recruiter	The Human Resource Software system updates the job listings once vacancies are occupied	The hiring software applications help to manage current jobs effectively
12. Human Resource Assistant sends emails on hiring offers to the contracted candidates.	Human Resource Assistant	Ted technology is used to create offer letters with specific information of the qualified candidates. The Ted software reviews the letter and emails to applicants.	Recruiter reviews the letters and electronically sends them to Ted software for processing and mailing to applicants.

B. Expected Improvements.

As a result of integrating advanced technology into the hiring process, the expected improvements include a faster and efficient hiring process. The issue at MTC is that hiring operations are handled manually; hence they are vulnerable to errors. Also, due to outdated communication such as phone and email use, the response to applicants by human resource assistant is slow.

AREA	CURRENT ISSUE (From the Case Study)	IMPROVEMENTS (Due to use of technology)
Collaboration	The Hiring Manager states that recruiting is only one area he is responsible for, and he is not as responsive to HR as he could be. Therefore, he counts on the Recruiters to help manage the process and keep him informed. The current manual system causes considerable communication breakdowns and takes additional effort and time to stay on top of the hiring process.	An efficient system with all information in one place, easily accessible via a dashboard, and updated in real-time could make the recruiting job more manageable, and he could devote time to effectively working collaboratively and proactively with HR on his staffing needs.
Communication	According to the case study, the primary means of communication are emails and phone calls. For example, the human resource assistant prepares and sends work letter offers to contracted applicants via emails letter. In the second round of interviews, handwritten notes are taken. This means of communication is slow and outdated hence inefficient	Integrating phone calls and emails with advanced technologies and software improves communication and speeds up the hiring process (Schweyer, 2014).
Workflow	The recruiter admits that the current hiring process is time-consuming and ineffective. Applications and resumes are easily misplaced since the operations are handled manually.	Adding computers and technological software in the hiring process eliminates the issues associated with manual handling. Computerization and automation of the process not only minimizes the errors but also speeds up the workflow.
Relationships	According to the recruiter, applicants encounter problems to know their applications' status and progress upon inquiry.	According to Hosain, 2017, an organized and efficient system enhances the satisfaction and retention of the future employee.

References

Hosain, S. (2017). The impact of E-HRM on organizational performance: Evidence from selective service sectors of Bangladesh. International Journal of Human Resources Management (IJHRM) ISSN (P), 2319-4936.

Schweyer, A. (2014). Talent management systems: Best practices in technology solutions for recruitment, retention and workforce planning. John Wiley & Sons.

Stage III: Requirements

The system is expected to improve the existing processes instead of replacing them. Also, it should transform the hiring process to ease, fasten, and enhance the system's efficiency.

1. Stakeholder Interests

Role	Specific problem related to the current hiring process	How a technology solution to support the hiring process could address the problem.
1. CEO	Meeting the present contracts is a challenge.	Implementing technology will streamline the entire hiring process, thus curb issues about contracts.
2. CFO	The current manual approach to hiring is ineffective and time-consuming.	The software will transform the hiring process into a faster, affordable and more efficient activity
3. CIO	Mobile computing is mainly utilized at MTC, which creates probability and maintenance problems	The software will incorporate mobile computing and more updated features that enhance compatibility and comprehensiveness (Laudon and Laudon, 2013).
4. Director of Human Resources	The existing manual model is not suitable since it leads to hiring and staffing errors.	The software is easier to use and apply to the hiring processes, thus saving time and resources due to improved efficiency
5. Manager of Recruiting	It is challenging for managers to follow up applications, and the interview progresses due to the manual processes.	The software application will allow real-time and quick access and monitoring of applications and interviews.
6. Recruiters	Recruiters are struggling with time consumption since they have other tasks other than coordinate hiring. Besides, applications and resumes are lost in manual handling, making it hard to retrieve the documents in urgent situations.	The software eases recruiters' jobs, saves time, and enhances the storage, security, and retrieval of applicants' information.
7. Administrative Assistant	The increased number of hiring at MTC has become challenging for administrative assistance due to higher workloads	The technology will mechanize and speed up processes hence provide a manageable workload (Dornberger, 2018).
8. Hiring Manager (Functional supervisor, the new employee would be working for.)	The current process of making interview appointments, screening resumes and selecting the best candidates is not effective.	The software applications will initiate computerized scheduling and selection of competent applicants, thus improving efficiency.

1. Defining Requirements

Different stakeholders have varying expectations and requirements for the new system. For example, recruiter Peter O'Neil requires candidate information to be stored in a central database, thus accessible by appropriate staff.

Requirement ID	Requirement Statement	Stakeholder (Position and Name from Case Study that identified this requirement)
User Requirements – (What the user needs the system to do)
Storage of information	Storing all information about the applicant's resume and other documents in a central database.	Recruiter – Peter O’Neil
1. Integrating the new system with its existing counterparts	The updated system should not replace the current payroll and timekeeping system instead, and it should improve it.	CFO – Evelyn Liu
1. Usability of the new solution	The solutions should be easy to apply and integrate with the existing systems and processes.	Director of HR –Joseph Cummings
1. The efficiency of the system	The increasing competition at MTC with rival firms requires the system to identify top IT talent and ease hiring.
1. Reporting-Output of organized information retrieved from the system	An electronic dashboard is appropriate for assistants to monitor the vacancies and data on qualified candidates. Also, electronic scheduling of interviews will save time for managers.	Hiring Manager
1. Handling the workflow	An automated tool should be implemented to track the workflow electronically.	Administrative Assistant — Tom Arbuckle
System Performance Requirements	Requirement Statement	Stakeholder
How the system will perform)	The system must be implemented as a Software Service provider.	CIO – Raj Patel
1. Integration with the current system	The investment and integration of a new system should not replace the current system	CFO: Evelyn Liu
2. Viability	MTC is rapidly expanding, and a global venture will require viable solutions internationally	CIO: Raj Patel
3. Reputation	The reputation of MTC is dependent upon hiring competent and capable staff to deliver quality services	CEO – Samuel Johnson
4. Security	The new solution should have strong security measures to prevent loss of applicant information or breach of candidate data	Recruiters – Peter O’Neil along with Mike Thomas and Jennifer Blackwell
5. Security	MTC must maintain high security other than credibility and reliability. Security breaches of the applicants’ data will pose adverse effects and affect future employees application	CIO – Raj Patel

References

Dornberger, R. (Ed.). (, 2018). Business information systems and technology 4.0: new trends in the age of digital change (Vol. 141). Springer.

Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2013). Management information systems: new approaches to organization and technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ.