Business

Riordan Manufacturing is a multinational company that manufactures plastics. It is headquartered in San Jose, California but has branches in China, Michigan and Georgia. Each of its branches produces specific plastic types, a factor that has enhanced him sales proceeds of the company since its inception. The one in Georgia for instance produces only beverage bottles and containers while the one in china produces some fan parts of the plastics. The company is headed by Mr. Michael Riordan who is the current CEO and is in charge of all the corporate affairs of the business, ("Service Request SR-rm-022 Student BSA/375 Instructor Date", 2016).

The Proposed HR System

Recently, the company sought a service request to its Human Resource and legal department to help improve the functionality and effectiveness of the department. Its main objective of submitting the service request is to integrate the HR and legal tool with the global corporate existing tools in similar departments. The new system is also intended to make it easier for the system development life cycle (SDLC) to be implemented, (Satzinger, Jackson & Burd, 2004). This idea was developed by the company’s Chief Operating Officer; Mr. Hugh McCauley, whose intention was to help integrate the functionality of all the HR departments in all of the Riordan Manufacturing business branches across the US and in China.

The HR and legal department of the company performs such tasks as classifying and describing jobs for various employee categories, creating and the maintenance of a sound organization chart, coming up and maintenance of sound HR and legal policies affecting the company, establishment and maintenance of sound employer-employee relationships as well as proper management of human resources for the company. The architecture of the new HR system is something that is worth a careful consideration so that it may not end up complicating things, ("Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. - SR-rm-022 - Section 2-Robert - Running head:", 2016). To ensure this, there is a need to make wide considerations with different stakeholders to consolidate their views into one lasting project. Among such stakeholders from whom I would seek relevant information if I were a part of the implementation team for the intended changes will include the following:

The top management

The top management of Riordan Manufacturing is the strategic decision makers of the firm. The CEO for instance is in charge of implementing the HR strategy over the long term. The team implementing the service request should seek a lot of information from the CEO.

The company employees

The Human resource system is for the welfare of the employees. In any case, the system will have a direct impact to the employees of the company more than any other stakeholders. It will not be healthy to leave them behind when seeking information about the new system. When they are involved in the system development system, they are likely to feel part of Riordan Manufacturing. It will also make it easier to phase out the existing system once the new one reaches the implementation stage, since the employees will be having some ideas about the new system, ("Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. - SR-rm-022 - Section 2-Robert - Running head:", 2016).

System users

The system users are the people who will be directly involved in operating the new system. This will include the person responsible for maintaining the payroll, employee database and other end users of the system. They should give an idea of the system infrastructure they prefer so that it does not become hard them to maneuver through the system.

The financiers

These are the people who will fund the project whether internal through the Finance and accounting departments or external doors. They are likely to run short of funds if they are not consulted prior to the development of the new system.

System developers

They have all the information on what is required to come up with the HR system. They should give to the management a list of all the required materials, may explain all the possible costs related to the new development and such other information that may be needed from them.

All these investors are useful to the success of the phasing out of the current system. Stakeholders must be invited in all meetings to acquire information from each of them. In ensuring success in the process of acquiring information from stakeholders, the following factors are to be considered.

Customers

The customers may also have ideas that may transform the entire process. Each of those who are willing to participate in the workshop should be welcomed on board to give opinions.

Suppliers

The suppliers are an important part of the Riordan Manufacturing. They will need to tell us what material they can supply and which ones they cannot. We also need to know the cost of materials and services so that we can plan ahead.

· Interests of the stakeholders: Each of the stakeholders has their interests, some of which could depict the interest of the entire Riordan Manufacturing incorporation. Listening to each of them is therefore inevitable.

· Availability of the stakeholders for interviewing: It will take time to acquire information from stakeholders. Their availability to attend interviews or joint workshops will have to be taken care of before they are invited.

· The nature of the information required: Different stakeholders will be willing to give different information with you. You will need to be very keen on the relevance of the questions you ask to ensure the stakeholders are not offended.

· Problems associated with the current system: This will be important so that any new information will be meant to improve on the current status of the HR and legal department.

· The likely problems of the proposed system: Asking the opinions of stakeholders about the likely risks that may come with the new system is a good idea. The required course of action will be easily taken in the worst case scenario.

Scope of the project

The project aims at creating an integrated HR system that caters for the human resource needs of all of the Riordan Manufacturing pants and be able to centralize every aspect of the departments to the headquarter in California. It will also go ahead to install an automated system that will see the manual one currently in use being done away with. Currently, the worker’s compensation services are outsourced, ("Riordan Manufacturing HR System: Architecting and implementing a more sophisticated, state-of-the-art Information System :: HR System Business", 2016). The new system intends to reverse this. Other intended goals will be;

· To have a an integrated Human Resource Information system at the headquarter,

· .make the existing departments at the various plants HR representative offices, and

· Automate the communication systems of the HR department.

Areas of feasibility in the system Development Life Cycle

Like any other project, this project needs to be valid. A feasibility study will therefore be necessary. At the onset of the project, preliminary feasibility study will be conducted by the project tem to determine possible challenges, pros and cons of the new system development process. This is followed by operational feasibility which will involve a process of interviewing members of the HR department to establish the viability of the project, (Shelly, Cashman & Rosenblatt, 2001). The members of the HR department are required to express their views on what is and what is not workable with the proposed system.

Conclusion

To successfully out the old HR system at Riordan Manufacturing Incorporation, a lot needs to be done. A lot of consultations will be required and stakeholder interest must be considered. This makes it a complex and costly project and the results of the feasibility study is what should determine whether it is a viable project. The company expects to improve the HR department’s function capability by using the new system. We have every reason to believe that if all that need to be done is actually done, the company will realize its dream of having a better integrated HR department for its 4 main operating plants.

References

Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. - SR-rm-022 - Section 2-Robert - Running head:. (2016). Coursehero.com. Retrieved 10 April 2016, from https://www.coursehero.com/file/9083817/Riordan-Manufacturing-Inc-SR-rm-022-Section-2-Robert/

Satzinger, J., Jackson, R., & Burd, S. (2004). Systems analysis and design in a changing world. Boston, Mass.: Thomson/Course Technology.

Service Request SR-rm-022 Student BSA/375 Instructor Date. (2016). Academia.edu. Retrieved 10 April 2016, from http://www.academia.edu/9288025/Service_Request_SR-rm-022_Student_BSA_375_Instructor_Date

Shelly, G., Cashman, T., & Rosenblatt, H. (2001). Systems analysis and design. Boston: Course Technology.