Global Mobile Commerce Strategies - Implementation

Question: Discuss about the Global Mobile Commerce : Strategies, Implementation. Answer: Introduction An information system is essential to a business to provide the appropriate information required for analysis. Databases for business activities such the customer database owned in NCF as well as paper records are good sources of data. However, an information system offers a more accurate data required for specific business processes. Moreover, an intelligent system provides efficient ways of analyzing the data for effective planning and decision making. Furthermore, Information systems are flexible and provide real-time modified information based on the business requirements. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the situation of NCF and provide a solution to its problem. It outlines the benefits of adopting information and suggests appropriate information system. It also highlights the procedure to the followed to implement the system and provide advice on further developments the company would consider for future growth. Benefits of having an information system Apparently, NCF operates an ineffective accounting system which does not allow for detailed analysis of customer information. The system is rigid and does not provide intelligent ways of examining the information captured from their clients. As a result, the company is not able to perform targeted marketing due to lack of accurate information about the market dynamics. Having an information system will enable the company to obtain more specific information about their customers (Laudon Traver, 2002). It will provide information about their ordering trends based on their tastes. Through an information system, the marketing manager will be able to obtain the overall picture of the department including the company's daily activities. Such will enable him to plan efficiently for marketing activities. Similarly, the marketing team will use the same data set to analyze customer records and identify which orders have not been processed. Paper-based forms used for supply operations can easi ly get duplicated or lose. However, Information system minimizes the use of paper by storing data safely through backups to prevent loss or damage. Moreover, the emergence of cloud computing makes it possible to store essential organizational data securely (Gupta, 2006). Moreover, it will help reduce the cost of printing supply forms as all operations will be performed electronically. Information system also provides data in custom formats which will make it easier for the NCF management to use. The system analyzes and presents same data set in various formats based on the department or the position of an individual. For instance, the marketing team headed by Tommy Walker will be able to access the list of purchase orders and contacts of the customers. Similarly, Tommy Walker as the head of the department will be presented with a pie chart highlighting every marketing representatives share of the sales (Bidgoli, 2002). Furthermore, the manager will see a bar graph illustrating sales volume for every product. On the other hand, the accounting will be served with the amounts generated by every supplier or marketing representative as well as the total amount realized for each product. Access to real-time information is essential for making strategic decision aimed at achieving short-term goals. NCF has rolled out new food products as part of its expansion plan. Operating various food products will thus require access to real-time data to keep every product line alive. Adopting an information system will enable the company to obtain real-time information about each product. For instance, the company will determine a failing product line and quickly develop a solution. Such is because the system will collect immediate data concerning the customers and suppliers and convert it to useful information that can be acted upon swiftly (Awad, 2002). Such will solve issues of supply problems witnessed earlier in the company. The problems of supply experienced in NCF are as a result of the inability to scale with the growing market needs. Some of the companys suppliers are not able to adapt to the expanding business operations leading to missed delivery lines hence poor services. However, an information system is flexible and can adapt to various organizational needs. Different parts of an information system can be programmed to adjust to changes (Goldstein, et al, 2002). Therefore, by adopting the system, NCF will be able to scale various departments to adapt to the market requirement to ensure success. For instance, the system will be upgraded to include instant information on customer orders and supply schedules to assist suppliers in processing. Most appropriate system for NFC One challenge faced by NCF is the inability to access accurate and timely information about the market and specifically its customers. Although the supermarkets which act as its supply agents collect vital market information, the company cannot access such information because of its confidentiality. The company is also faced with the problem of managing the information gathered about customers. For example, there are individual clients and agencies concerned about allergens and need to track their orders from the source to production. However, the company does not have a capable system in place to process and serve their customers with such information. Third, the company needs to conduct a more strategic marketing based on the accurate market intelligence. Apparently, it depends on insufficient and unorganized information obtained from the accounting system. It is clear that NCF suffers mainly from information insufficiency as well as an appropriate measure for managing and processing such information. Therefore, the best system to implement is an E-business system. E-business system is preferred as a sustainable solution to the company because it encompasses numerous business activities including sales of products, customer service, supplies, payment processing, information sharing, and management of production control among others (Glover et al, 2001). Through an e-business, NCF will be able to perform various business operations online ranging from data collection to supply management. It will help the company solve the problem of supply as the system will provide supply management functionality (Chaffey, 2009). Moreover, the company will be able to scale further to other geographic locations. The system comes with an online ordering functionality where customers will be able to place their orders online. It will also assist in addressing the problem of managing information about customer orders. The online ordering system will allow customers to track their orders based on their specific requirements from source to production (Xu Quaddus, 2010). E-business systems also come equipped with the ability to collect information about customer activities. The systems record customers ordering trends to assist in predicting their shopping behaviors. This is essential to NCF as it will be able to obtain relevant information about the market for analysis and decision making (Xu Quaddus, 2010). As a result, the company will be able to achieve a more strategic marketing. Compared to BI system, e-business system is most preferred because of its efficiency and ability to address numerous issues under a single front. Business intelligence would be helpful for processing market information for planning and decision marketing. However, Business Intelligent systems rely on a variety of information collected from various sources which are expensive to obtain (Marschan-Piekkari Welch, 2014). Moreover, business intelligent systems are solely for information processing and analysis without regard to other business processes like supply management. Thus it would not provide a complete solution for all challenges facing the company. On the other hand, social media would be an appropriate source for market information. The company could also adopt social media strategy for marketing and customer service. However, it is limited to information collection function and would not address other issues such as production control management. Steps for implementing an e-business system The first step to implementing the system would be to collect information from the expected users. In this case, the NCF IT department would seek the opinion of their customers regarding the system to enable them to assess the pitfalls and benefits of the system. It would involve developing questionnaires with accurate information such as purchase orders, targeted transaction, and supply procedures among others (Nahari Krutz, 2011). As such, they would ask their customers such as the agencies and individuals how they would like the supply system to operate. Moreover, NCF may contact their supply partners such as the supermarkets on the appropriate way to integrate their systems for smooth operations. They would also propose ways integrating their systems with other e-business organizations in the industry to facilitate information sharing. Feasibility study Although e-business is prioritized for the company's solution to their problems, it needs to perform a comprehensive feasibility study to determine its appropriateness regarding economics, operations, and technical requirements. First, the new IT department team will prepare a list of requirements needed. Second, they will identify various providers for both hardware and software required to implement the system. This will be followed by an organizational feasibility study to determine the importance of the system to addressing the company's problems. The team will then conduct an economic feasibility study to determine whether the expected increased profits cost savings, reductions, and increased revenue will exceed the operating and development cost. A technical feasibility study will enable the company to assess the capabilities of the proposed software and hardware to meet the requirements (Hice Cashwell, 1974). Here, they may trade between in-house development and off-the-shelf solution. For a proprietary system, they will consider comparing the cost of migration to an in-house solution with that of developing it in-house. For example, NCF plans to create an IT department headed by Tommy Walker. In this case, an in-house solution would be feasible and less costly. They will also carry out an operational feasibility to determine the willingness of employees, management, and suppliers to support the system. Project After assessing the required software and hardware as well as the feasibility study, the IT department would create the project team responsible for project implementation. They will create a communication plan and conduct a staffing analysis to identify an appropriate team for the project. The team members may include the project manager responsible for coordination, organizing, and directing the project. It will also include order management analyst to help define new process flow based on the old ones and the development team with the technical programming knowledge to develop the system. They will also require the skills of an e-business consultant to suggest the best business practices (Chaffey, 2009). The consultant will also be responsible for explaining the process of converting business requirements into the technical business objects of e-business. Development This phase will involve the development of the system by ensuring that all the requirements are met. The development team under the guidance of the project manager will cooperate with other team members including the e-business consultant to implement the system. It will involve planning, designing and development of the system to completion within the stipulated budget and time (Hice Cashwell, 1974). After development, the team will perform testing to ensure that every component of the system is working efficiently and effectively. They will then document the system to assist other stakeholders in understanding the process flow as well as in usage. Maintenance Maintenance of the system will be performed continuously based on changes or adjustments required to keep it operational. Moreover, support will involve scaling the business to new requirements. For example, it would help NCF expand their business operations such as opening new branches or increasing the number of suppliers. Here the company would hire an e-business consultant to help it jumpstart the processes. The consultant will also guide the company through new implementation to avoid common pitfalls. Further developments for future growth Implementing an e-business would help address various challenges faced by NCF ranging from lack of market information to timely supply of food products. However, the field of technology is dynamic, and new technologies are developed on a daily basis. Moreover, new technologies come with many benefits that would offer one a competitive advantage over others (Broke Roseman, 2010). Therefore, NCF should keep a flexible business model ready to adopt new technologies as they emerge. Apparently, the company through its website will enable its customer to enjoy inline ordering. However, the introduction of mobile technology has made it possible for ordering through cell phones. NCF should, therefore, consider adopting the mobile technology to survive and grow in the industry. Additionally, the e-business system is developed mainly for online business operations with limited data analysis capabilities. Therefore, the company should consider integrating the e-business system with an intellig ent business system to assist in the analysis (Huang Day, 2008). Such will enable it to perform an extensive analysis of the market trends thus obtain vital information for marketing and product development. References Boone, L. E., Kurtz, D. L. (2010).Contemporary business. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Xu, J., Quaddus, M. A. (2010).E-business in the 21st century: Realities, challenges, and outlook. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific. Gupta, V. P. (2006).E- Business. 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