M.B.A. II (Semester III) Examination, 2016
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (Paper XIX)
Group D Systems Management (Paper
Day and Date Saturday, 24-12-2016 Total Marks 70
Time 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Instructions Question No. 1 is compulsory.
Solve any two questions from 4 and any two from
6 and 7.
All questions carry equal marks (14 marks).
1. Analyze the following case, identify the problem, provide alternate and justify the
best solution for the same. 14
Tom Trainer joined XYZ Co. in 1991 as the Chief Information Officer (CIO). He
noted that his role "is to enable the kid in XYZ Co. to stay fresh and creative
while also following the grown-up corporation to compete in global markets". To
accomplish these objectives, trainer implemented videoconferencing, computeraided
design, the internet, and laptops for the sales force. The goal was to
improve communications among employees, faster development of products,
and more effective sales presentations.
Before Trainer joined XYZ Co. in 1991 as vice-president of information systems,
the information systems area was less than up-to-date, with no global information
system or way to look at data. Communications, primarily by telephone and fax,
between the manufacturing partners and worldwide distribution network were
slow. Turnaround on new products was equally slow. This was a critical problem
because XYZ Co. is a fashion-oriented business with three product cycles a
year in footwear and five in apparel. While sales representatives from ABC were
walking in with laptops to display their lines, reps from XYZ Co. were walking
into offices with bags of shoes.
P.T.O.
Seat
No.
SLR-T 51
Trainer's early days were spent accomplishing short-term projects that got him
points with the board of directors. He fired six of eight senior staff. He kept 85
percent of the old programming staff, retraining many of them. In addition to his
IS responsibilities, Trainer drove the re-engineering process in the company. To
do so, he spent a great deal of time on the road, building relationships with XYZ
Co. executives around the world. He also studied Sony Corporation to learn
ways that it meets customers needs.
To accomplish his re-engineering, Trainer formed five mega processes that
stream-lined procedures for production, sales and marketing, research and
development, administration, finance, and distribution. In 1992, he presented a
four-year, $75-million strategic information systems plan to XYZ Co.'s executive
committee. The board approved it on the condition that it give XYZ Co. strategic
advantage.
To improve its communications, XYZ Co. installed a privately designed architecture
for voice, video, and data. XYZ Co. communicates not only with its worldwide
distribution base but also with its ad agency and other suppliers. IT currently
developed an electronic image library to enable product shots to be distributed to
every country where XYZ Co. does business. The system dropped the new
product lead time from six months to three, and, in some cases, 30 days.
Before the new ordering system was installed, orders were first printed out locally
and faxed to the international headquarters in London. London would take all of
the faxes and send them to the United States to be entered in the mainframe.
Different standards for shoe sizes from different countries added to the delay.
Once the information was entered in the mainframe, production and manufacturing
would evaluate the orders.
To improve this process, Trainer developed a software package called Passport.
Passport rationalizes product codes and shoe sizes. It also gives small
distributors and subsidiaries access to the system through personal computers.
It can also function as a module by plugging into larger systems.
Laptops were also given to the entire XYZ Co. sales force. When orders were
paper based, replacing material in a shoe to change its price from $95 to $65
might take 30 days and mean a lost sale. With the new system, these changes
could be made almost automatically. Salespeople are able to check inventory
and look into special orders. They can also access two years' catalogs with full
motion video and sound clips of XYZ Co.'s advertisements. Lotus Notes is used
to store the catalogs with mail links through cc: Mail.
Another XYZ Co. initiative is to use electronic data interchange with 10-15 percent
of its retailers. This commitment enables goods to be tracked through shipping
companies, customs, and warehouses. However, a data capture system to "suck
information from databases around the world, is linked to customer databases
that track what customers have ordered and what they want.
2. Write short notes on any two of the following 14
Production Management Information System.
Executive Support System.
Scope of Management Information System.
3. Answer any two of the following 14
Explain the importance of Knowledge Management.
Explain the Strategic Role of Information System.
Discuss tools for interaction with MIS.
4. Answer any two of the following 14
Explain the relationship between types of information systems.
Compare the terms data, information and knowledge and discuss relationship
between them.
Discuss computer literacy and information system literacy.
5. Explain in detail the Financial Management Information System and its association
with other systems. Also discuss the queries and reports form Financial Management
Information System. 14
6. Explain in detail the role of DSS, GDSS and ESS in enhancing management
decision making. 14
7. Discuss in detail the problem areas factors of success and failure and strategies
for implementation of information systems. 14