Running head UTILITY AND CLOUD COMPUTING2UTILITY AND CLOU.docx

Running head: UTILITY AND CLOUD COMPUTING
2
UTILITY AND CLOUD COMPUTING
Utility and Cloud Computing
Derrick Hobbs
David Conway
CIS/568
Utility computing refers to a system where computer services
are rendered at a pay-per-user billing and when on demand
(John, 2016). The provider takes control of the system regarding
operation and management of the computing infrastructure.
Users have access to the services when required and as they
may dim fit, but on a rental basis. Due to the economy and the
flexibility it provides, it is one of the most popular computing
service models available today. The principle on which utility
computing is built is where the provider has the back-end
infrastructure of the computing services while the consumer is
allowed access the services over a private or a virtual network
whenever they need the services.
Cloud computing is a much broader concept than utility
computing. However, it is also built on the principle of utility
computing (Geva, 2008). It is difficult to get a precise
definition of cloud computing but the idea behind it is that
applications run somewhere nobody can tell hence the name
cloud. End users have been using computers and running system
without caring to know where they actually run from. For
developers and IT operators, cloud computing allows them to
deploy and run systems that can grow capacity, improve

performance with reduced possibilities of failure. Cloud
computing infrastructure is self-driven, allows for multi-
tenancy, virtualized and deals specifically with data
management.
Utility computing has significantly changed the economics of
information technology. Initially, upfront capital investments
and lead times were required to obtain computing resources.
Utility computing apart from making cloud computing a
success, has reduced the upfront payments and lead times and
companies and individuals can access computing services on
demand. Utility and cloud computing has also made it possible
for consumers to view their charges in real time. the systems are
designed programmatically such that at the request of
computing resources, the system has a billing platform that
automatically processes the data.
Today, the company has a few computers it for the computing
services of data storage and bandwidth the company is charged
per hour. Due to cloud computing the company can scale up and
reduce the operation costs related to computing services. The
company can do this through automatic scaling by making more
requests using an API. The cloud computing is such that it
offers more discounts where prices reduce as you use more of
the service.
The other issue of data security. Data is the most important
element for companies and its security is, therefore, of critical
importance. Companies have started to realize that the data they
have is growing and securing it might be a problem leave alone
the storage space. Cloud computing is bringing on board a
platform that is efficient not only in data storage but also in
security. Cloud storage is one of the safest way to store
information today because eve its security is much more
guaranteed that the previous data storage methods.
Companies are headed to a point where they will source external
storage services for their databases. This is the essence utility

and cloud computing. Utility and cloud computing are becoming
mainstream options for businesses as storage and data safety
continues to become an issue (John, 2016). In this regard, it is
important for businesses and companies to start appreciating the
relevance of utility and cloud computing in business
environment.
References
John S. (2016). What is Utility Computing? Retrieved from:
https://simplicable.com/new/utility-computing on 1/11/2018
Geva P. (2008). How Cloud & Utility Computing Are Different.
Retrieved from: https://gigaom.com/2008/02/28/how-cloud-
utility-computing-are-different/ on 1/11/2018
EXECUTIVE DIGEST
Why I hate feedback: Anchoring effective
feedback within organizations
Tijs Besieux a,b
a Leuven University, Dekenstraat 2 — Box 3725, 3000 Leuven,
Belgium
b IÉSEG School of Management, Paris
1. The paradox of feedback
Steven stares aimlessly at his laptop screen. His
heart pounds and his hands tremble. “What to do
now?” Steven asks himself in silence. He feels like a
complete failure. It is about 9 p.m. and he is the

only person left in the offices of his highly respected
law firm. His day has suddenly turned into a night-
mare. Ten minutes later, Steven reads the report
one final time before packing his things and hurrying
outside. Once inside the subway, he bursts into
tears. The next day, Steven returns to the office
at 8 a.m. Bracing himself, he forces a big smile. He
is determined to continue his journey up the corpo-
rate ladder. Business as usual.
What happened? Two years ago, Steven was made
a partner at the London headquarters of Finlaw, a
boutique firm specializing in legal advice for online
retail banks. As partner, Steven leads a team of
15 top-notch lawyers. Last month, the HR depart-
ment sent out a survey to Steven’s 15 team mem-
bers, asking them to assess Steven on a number of
topics, including leadership, legal expertise, and
research skills (see Figure 1). The goal was for
Steven to receive valuable feedback so he could
grow in his role.
Business Horizons (2017) 60, 435—439
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect
www.elsevier.com/locate/bushor
KEYWORDS
Human resource
management;
Feedback ecosystem;
HRM;
Organizational

development;
Leadership feedback
Abstract More than ever, business practitioners perceive
feedback as a vital tool
for increasing sustainable business competitiveness; however,
research on feedback
shows mixed results in terms of its effectiveness. Three
problems underlie the
paradox of feedback. First, the word ‘feedback’ lacks definition.
Both scholars
and practitioners have different understandings of what
feedback means. This lack
of clarity hampers successful implementation of feedback as a
corporate reflex.
Second, feedback can be destructive. In fact, toxic feedback
might disengage
employees from their jobs. Third, giving and receiving feedback
is more difficult
than we sometimes like to think. The mantra “our organization
has an open feedback
culture” does not alone suffice to support effective feedback
behavior. This Execu-
tive Digest addresses these issues and introduces the feedback
ecosystem: a four-
step process (receive, reflect, plan, act) bridging theory and
practice to anchor
effective feedback within organizations. In addition, evidence-
based advice is
offered on how to implement each step of the feedback
ecosystem.
# 2017 Kelley School of Business, Indiana University.
Published by Elsevier Inc. All
rights reserved.
E-mail address: [email protected]

0007-6813/$ — see front matter # 2017 Kelley School of
Business, Indiana University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All
rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2017.03.001
Copyright 2017 by Kelley School of Business, Indiana
University. For reprints, call HBS Publishing at (800) 545-7685.
BH820
For the exclusive use of N. Demir, 2017.
This document is authorized for use only by Nurbanur Demir in
Leadership taught by Martin Chatterton, Endicott College from
December 2017 to January 2018.
Yesterday, around 8 p.m., Steven received the
report, along with a message from HR. It stated:
“Please find your feedback results attached. They
provide key insights for you to develop. We expect
you to take action on critical scores. Do not hesitate
to contact us if you have further questions.” The
report came to Steven as a complete surprise.
Although he received high scores in expertise and
research skills, the only survey result that stuck
with him was that he had failed as a leader; the
positive feedback in the report was already out of
mind.
How has this feedback been of any help? Steven
now feels uncertain. “You truly are a horrible boss,”
his inner voice whispers repeatedly. He reacts de-
fensively when a team member challenges the cho-
sen path for a project. He is afraid to contact HR
with questions about the survey. Steven feels like he
is misunderstood. Sound familiar?

2. The problem with feedback
I identify at least three problems regarding feed-
back. First, the term ‘feedback’ is one of the
business world’s most omnipresent words, yet it
may also be one of the hollowest. Second, feedback
gone wrong can be destructive. Third, feedback is
not as simple as we sometimes like to believe. In
fact, providing effective feedback is very difficult.
Let’s face these three issues.
2.1. The word seems hollow
The business sector is obsessed with the notion of
feedback, believing that it can and will do won-
ders. In the hunt for feedback, we try to gather as
much as possible, like squirrels hoarding acorns in
September. The problem is that feedback is con-
ceptualized in a variety of ways. I once had a client
who, on a Monday, asked me for feedback on a
team meeting. Great. Except the meeting had not
yet taken place; it was scheduled for Friday the
following week. What did the word ‘feedback’
mean to my client? I wondered if we were on the
same page.
What do we actually mean by feedback? Several
definitions exist, but two elements appear consistent
(Gabelica, Van den Bossche, Segers, & Gijselaers,
2012; Larson, 1989):
1. Feedback is about the transfer of information to
an individual or team; and

2. It reflects behavior, processes, or performance.
Based on this, two types of feedback can be
identified: process feedback and performance
feedback–—that is, the ‘how’ (process) and the
‘what’ (performance) of things. The information
provided can be positive or negative. Steven re-
ceived a flurry of feedback on how he does things
(i.e., process feedback). That is a starting point,
but by no means should it be the final chapter.
2.2. Feedback can be destructive
Bad feedback can be destructive. Generalized,
vague, and highly negative feedback is considered
toxic. Toxic feedback is difficult to reflect upon. It
does not contribute to the development of the team
or the individual. In fact, it might do the opposite;
people react defensively and conflict may arise.
Even worse, people can feel disengaged (Bakker
& Leiter, 2010). Toxic feedback derails employee
engagement rather than provide fuel for growth.
Steven received feedback through a survey. Often-
times, such results lack specificity and they tend to
be a generalization of attitudes and behaviors over
a long time period rather than regarding a specific
project. In such situations, concepts remain at the
surface. And, too often, we forget the powerful
effects of positive feedback on employee engage-
ment (Yukl, 2012).
When we ask for feedback, we create expecta-
tions regarding our future actions. If we do not then
take action on the received feedback, we diminish
trust by signaling a lack of commitment to and
willingness to act for our employees and our clients.

Little is worse than asking a client for feedback
without having the resolve to take action. When
someone is kind enough to provide feedback, he/
she expects to be informed about the actions it has
triggered.
Think twice before you give or ask for feedback.
Steven’s team might now have high expectations
regarding how he will develop as a leader, and his HR
department likely looks forward to Steven’s
Figure 1. Survey results for Steven
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Leadersh ip Ex pertis e Researc h
Survey results: Steve n
436 EXECUTIVE DIGEST

concrete actions on critical scores. However, Steven
does not feel capable of properly reflecting, plan-
ning, and acting. At this point, feedback creates
more damage than opportunity for development.
2.3. Feedback is difficult
Despite the fact that feedback is difficult to gener-
ate, deliver, and hear in return, many organizations
expect their employees to give feedback continu-
ously. Giving and receiving effective feedback is
quite hard (Steelman & Rutkowski, 2004). Some
consider it an art; I would agree. As a corporate
advisor, I often join client meetings as an observer.
Afterward, I ask team members how they felt about
the meeting. Sometimes, they complain about a
lack of clear goals and/or few opportunities to voice
their own opinions. I ask how they raise such con-
cerns with the team leader; as you might guess,
they often don’t.
Why do we refrain from giving feedback? Often-
times, it is because we do not want to hurt people or
for them to be disappointed or mad. We certainly
don’t want them to criticize us in return. The
difficulty of providing and hearing feedback should
never be underestimated. These issues related to
feedback hamper its effective potential.
3. The feedback ecosystem
How can the aforementioned feedback challenges
be transformed into opportunities for growth? To

anchor effective feedback within organizations, I
developed the feedback ecosystem (see Figure 2),
a simple tool that facilitates a journey of continu-
ous development for feedback recipients . . . like
Steven.
3.1. Step 1: Receive
We receive feedback whether or not we ask for it,
and appreciating the same can be difficult. The
implicit assumption made by individuals who re-
ceive feedback is that accepting criticism renders
them vulnerable. From that perspective, feedback
can be a scary thing. However, when feedback is
appreciated as a development opportunity, the
gates are opened to growth and performance (Stone
& Heen, 2015).
Giving feedback is not always straightforward
and may be made easier by following three simple
guidelines. First, convey your message from the ‘I’
perspective. Second, provide clear and objective
facts. Third, express your emotional evaluation of
the situation. “You’re no good to this organization
because you are always late” sounds a lot different
than “I’ve noticed that you’ve been late twice
during the last five meetings. I’m concerned about
you and feel like you’re no longer committed to the
team.” The way we provide feedback determines its
potential effectiveness (Aguinis, Gottfredson, &
Joo, 2011).
Do you want to dig deeper? Research by de
Villiers (2013) uncovered seven principles for highly
effective feedback. According to the scholar, feed-

back should be (1) situational, (2) manageable, (3)
specific, (4) meaningful, (5) timely, (6) relevant,
and (7) reliable.
3.2. Step 2: Reflect
Feedback is useless unless it is followed up by
individual self-reflection. Team leaders, executive
committee members, and HR strategists often refer
to this part of the ecosystem as the ‘pause button.’
Carving out recurring, dedicated time (e.g., every
Friday morning for 1 hour) explicitly for reflection is
good practice. Just as we need sleep to stay healthy,
we also need reflection to grow (Edmondson, 2014).
The role of the HR department can be crucial
here. In our example, Steven is hesitant to contact
HR. If an HR representative plans a meeting with
Steven, this facilitates his ability to reflect. HR
should be proactive with employees, especially
those like Steven who may be reluctant to initiate
contact.
3.3. Step 3: Plan
The next step entails designing an action plan. This
might be a team or an individual effort. Above all,
the plan should be SMART: specific, measurable,
actionable, realistic, and timely. Do not aim to
change the entire world at once; craft a plan that
is challenging, yet doable. As elaborate and fine as
they might be, grand designs that stand no chance
of implementation in the real world are nothing but
worthless wastes of time.
EXECUTIVE DIGEST 437

Referring back again to our example, after a
reflection meeting with HR, Steven can draft an
action plan. He can then prioritize, together with
HR or with his team if he feels comfortable. The
SMART plan will empower Steven to communicate
clearly with his team on the actions based on the
survey feedback.
3.4. Step 4: Act
All that remains is gathering the courage to act.
Having an action buddy can aid in this process.
Discuss your plan with someone you trust and then
ask him/her to observe as you try out the new
behavior. Make sure to celebrate successes–—
especially the small ones, which are too often
forgotten. Before you know it, the feedback eco-
system starts all over again. Continuous develop-
ment is now anchored.
4. Feedback: A summary
Effective feedback is powerful. The strength of
feedback lies in how it can guide behavior toward
more efficient goal achievement (Gagné & Deci,
2005). It is also vital in helping employees to feel
engaged, which promises value for organizations;

indeed, Deloitte’s 2015 Human Capital survey ranks
engagement as a top priority (Schatsky & Schwartz,
2015). Further, feedback stimulates continuous
development. Individuals become better adapted
to the environment’s complexity and fast-paced
change because they continuously seek and provide
high-impact information, thus creating oxygen for
growth (Ashford, Blatt, & VandeWalle, 2003). As a
result, feedback assists along the pathway to strat-
egy execution.
5. Loving feedback: Your next step
Think about the last time you received feedback.
Now, observe the feedback ecosystem and make an
assessment. How did the feedback go through the
ecosystem? If it got stuck somewhere, explore why
and how. Then, ask yourself a simple question: What
will I do tomorrow to unlock the potential of feed-
back? I’ll bet Steven knows.
References
Aguinis, H., Gottfredson, R. K., & Joo, H. (2011). Delivering
effective performance feedback: The strengths-based ap-
proach. Business Horizons, 55(2), 105—111.
Ashford, S. J., Blatt, R., & VandeWalle, D. (2003). Reflections
on
the looking glass: A review of research on feedback-seeking
behavior in organizations. Journal of Management, 29(6),
773—799.
Bakker, A., & Leiter, M. (2010). Work engagement: A
handbook of

essential theory and research. New York: Psychology Press.
de Villiers, R. (2013). 7 principles of highly effective
managerial
feedback: Theory and practice in managerial development
practices. The International Journal of Management Educa-
tion, 11(2), 66—74.
Edmondson, A. C. (2014). Teaming: How organizations learn,
innovate, and compete in the knowledge economy. San Fran-
cisco: Jossey-Bass Pfeiffer.
Gabelica, C., Van den Bossche, P., Segers, M., & Gijselaers, W.
(2012). Feedback, a powerful lever in teams: A review.
Education Research Review, 7(2), 123—144.
Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self-determination theory and
work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4),
331—362.
Larson, J. R. (1989). The dynamic interplay between
employees’
feedback-seeking strategies and supervisors’ delivery of per-
formance feedback. Academy of Management Review, 14(3),
408—422.
Schatsky, D., & Schwartz, J. (2015). Global human capital
trends 2015: Leading in the new world of work. Available
Figure 2. Feedback ecosystem
Receive
Act Reflect
Plan

Acknowledgment
I would like to thank Hans Driesen for the
intellectually stimulating dialogue that led
to the design of the feedback ecosystem and
subsequently the current article.
438 EXECUTIVE DIGEST
at http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/at/
Documents/human-capital/hc-trends-2015.pdf
Steelman, L. A., & Rutkowski, K. A. (2004). Moderators of
employee reactions to negative feedback. Journal of Mana-
gerial Psychology, 19(1), 6—18.
Stone, D., & Heen, S. (2015). Thanks for the feedback: The
science and art of receiving feedback well. London: Penguin
Books.
Yukl, G. (2012). Leadership in organizations. Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice Hall.
EXECUTIVE DIGEST 439

Why I hate feedback: Anchoring effective feedback within
organizations
The paradox of feedback
The goal is to receive valuable feedback
How positive feedback can be forgotten for negative feedback
The problem with feedback
The term feedback is omnipresent and hallow
Feedback gone wrong can be destructive
Feedback is not simple
The word seems hollow
Feedback is conceptualized in a variety of ways
What do we mean by feedback?
Two consistent elements of feedback
Feedback is about the transfer of information to an individual or
team
Feedback reflects behavior, processes, or performance
Two types of Feedback

Process feedback – the how
Performance feedback – the what
Feedback can be destructive
Generalized, vague, and highly negative feedback is considered
toxic
Toxic feedback is difficult to reflect upon
It derails employee engagement
Take action on feedback
Feedback is difficult
Giving and receiving effective feedback is quite hard
People are hesitant to give feedback for fear of hurting a
persons feeling or the relationship
Feedback ecosystem
Step 1: Receive
Feedback should be viewed as a development opportunity
Step 2: Reflect
Follow-up and be consistent with self reflection
Step 3: Plan
Design an action plan
Step 4: Act
Try out the new behavior

Running Head: Information Systems Planning
1
Information Systems Planning
4
Information Systems Planning
Derrick Hobbs
David Conway
CIS / 568
An information system planning refers to the process of
translating organizational and strategic objectives into
initiatives of the development of systems. It helps to determine
the alignment of IS goals with organizational goals. The
systems development process is also termed as the life cycle of
system development. There are various methods of planning
development which are considered appropriate for
implementation of a new system; they include the life cycle of
traditional systems of development and the Rapid development
of application.
Traditional Systems Development Life Cycle involves a number
of steps which include system investigation, design, analysis,
implementation, review and maintenance. Systems investigation
is where opportunities and challenges are identified and
considered because of the business objectives. Systems analysis
is then conducted through studying of existing work processes

and systems to determine weaknesses, strengths, and
improvement opportunities. Systems design follow which define
the manner in which the information system will operate in
order to attain the solution to the problem. The system is then
implemented whereby the different components of the system
are acquired, assembled and placed into operation. The system
must be maintained and reviewed regularly so as to ensure it
meets the ever dynamic business requirements. Rapid
application development is another method of system
development which employs techniques, tools, and
methodologies which have been designed to increase
development of the application. RAD uses the Joint Application
Development process extensively for the purpose of requirement
analysis and data collection.
Apart from In-House built information systems, applications can
be obtained through other options such as leasing, purchasing,
making use of open source software, using the software as a
service or even outsourcing. The Off the Shelf approach could
be time-saving and cost-effective when compared to
applications that are developed in-house. The application should
consider carefully confirming the software has all the needed
features to meet the future and current needs of the company.
The company could purchase many packages in order to fulfill
various needs. This option is attractive in case the software
vendor permits modification of the technology. In case
customization is the sole method that can be used to provide the
required flexibility which can address the needs of the
company, the option is not attractive. The application bought
through this method may not be the best where it is expensive
or could get obsolete within a short period. The advantage of
this option is that most of this software is available. The
challenges come in where the software may not meet the exact
needs of the company, the software may also not permit
modification, or it could need huge changes in the processes of
business to implement.
Leasing an application could be another option which can save

the company both money and time. This approach is attractive
to enterprises that are small and medium as they cannot afford
great investments. They lease applications to establish in the
market a quicker presence from external resources. There are
three methods of leasing; installing an application on the
premises after leasing the application from a software
developer, using application service providers and utilizing the
software as a service.
Various tools could be used to attain the best outcomes from the
new application. They include; cost-benefit analysis, payback
analysis, and the present value analysis. The cost-
benefit analysis compares the projected costs of the system with
the benefits of the same system.
The payback analysis determine the system’s duration to start
paying for it through the benefits. Present value analysis is also
a tool that puts into consideration the manner in which the value
of money changes over time.
References
Gallaugher, J. (2015). Information systems: a manager's guide
to harnessing technology. Washington, DC: Flat World
Knowledge, Inc.
NoAuthorFound. (2015). Gamification: concepts,
methodologies, tools, and applications. Hershey, Pennsylvania
(701 E. Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, Pa., 17033, USA: IGI
Global.
Running head: BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
1
BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

2
Business intelligence
Derrick Hobbs
David Conway
Business intelligence
How business intelligence can use data collected from business
applications to improve an organization's competitiveness.
Business intelligence refers to the systems and software that are
put into use to retrieve data from a variety of sources (Herschel,
2012). The aim of the collection of the data is to create an
opportunity for the businesses to be in a position to draw
reports that can be depended on by the management.
Additionally, the retrieval of the information creates a chance
for the businesses to be in a position to keep up-to-date
information that explains the current performance level of the
businesses. Moreover, with the assessment of the large amounts
of data, it becomes achievable to make the right decisions that
are triggered by the evaluations that have been based on what is
most effective than others.
Business intelligence creates a chance for companies to review
large amounts of vital information and data that pertain to the
past and current performances of the businesses. With the
review of the information, it becomes easier to get informed
about all the challenges and issues that have hit the companies
at that moment. Therefore, the identification of the effective
solutions that will counteract the problems can be identified
with ease. Additionally, with the use of the business
intelligence, the businesses can run and assess the solutions that
have been chosen to realize whether they will be functional as it
has been anticipated or not. The business intelligence helps to
come up with a more intelligent business that with the

utilization of a model that is analytical.
Therefore, business intelligence is appropriate when it comes to
advancing organizations’ competitiveness since the different
tools are effective when initiated to analyze large amounts of
reliable data. In other words, the tools are chosen wisely and
implemented appropriately creating it attainable to discover all
the metrics that can be initiated to transform the available data
in the most functional manner possible. The software creates aid
when researching how other firms have managed to become
competitive in the market. Therefore, with the use of their ideas
and other advanced strategies, firms tend to run and perform
their procedures according to the set standards.
Moreover, business intelligence has been associated with
processes that run the assessment on the existing policies and
programs. With these assessments, chances arise to improve the
internal systems, policies, structures, and procedures leading to
opportunities such as advanced productivity and developed
returns (Quaddus, & Woodside, 2015). Additionally, market
intelligence can be attained with the implementation of business
intelligence software. With the utilization of the business
intelligence tools, firms manage to assess the clients’ buying
patterns, and how they behave with the existence of some
goods. Therefore, the goods that are discovered to be stars are
supported to maintain and increase the returns while the items
that are considered to be dogs are eliminated. It results in a
position where the businesses do away with all their
incompetence.
Therefore, it evident that with business intelligence software,
firms run their businesses strategically, since once they realize
what supports their achievement of more returns, they work to

support the actions. Moreover, the anticipation of various
objectives becomes attainable, and they tend to maintain the
sales strategy personalization creating access to more
information about the other companies. Competitiveness is
advanced with time, and the firms never lack to come up with
creative decisions that once initiated, resulting in a scenario
where all the members pool their qualities and skills together to
ensure that they prevent having losses that might arise from
competition.
References
Herschel, R. (2012). Organizational applications of business
intelligence management : emerging trends. Hershey, PA:
Business Science Reference.
Quaddus, M. & Woodside, A. (2015). Sustaining competitive
advantage via business intelligence, knowledge management,
and system dynamics. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing
Limited.
Running head: BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
1
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
2
Information systems
Derrick Hobbs
CIS/568
David Conway
12/11/2017

Information systems
Technology advancement has enabled most organization to
incorporate contemporary intelligent business systems that
facilitates the achievement of competitive advantages in the
market. The information technology system has enabled the
business to operate efficiently and effectively hence reducing
most operational cost and facilitates the production levels
significantly.
The transactional process system (TPS) is a business
information systems the entails the collection of transactional
data, modification, and retrieval of all the information within
the system. Due to its reliability and effectiveness, the system is
also referred to the real-time processing system. This is one of
the benefits that the system portrays hence once implemented in
the MediBracelets it will facilitate the processing of
transactional information in real time hence saving a lot of
constructive time and resources. On the other hand, the
transactional processing system will enable MediBracelets to
reduce the operational cost that is associated with handling
inventory, huge numbers of personnel and ordering cost as there
will be a significant reduction of their cost once implemented in
the business. Furthermore, the transactional processing systems
will significantly increase the production levels in the
organization and due to the high speed transactional and
response-ability, the customer will be satisfied with the services
provided. The system will also guarantee data stability effect in
the organization as they will be stored prevented from data lost
and automatic data recovery in case of failures.
On the other hand, Customer Relationship Management systems
(CRM) are technological incorporated strategies or practices
that the organization utilizes in facilitating an effective
interaction between the customers and the organization. The
systems are developed to ensure that there is with improving
business relationships with customers, assist customer retention

and driving sales growth to other higher levels. The system can
assist Mary's MediBracelets in developing better customer
relationships that will enable them to identify customer
preference and needs and develop strategies to cross-sell and
meet the needs effectively. In addition, the system will
facilitate effective team collaboration in the workplace as there
will be effective communication platforms and common goals
that will bring the employee together. Except for the initial high
cost of implementation, the system comes with vast cost-
effective advantages like increasing profitability, revenues, and
reduction of operational cost (Turban, Shardam & Delen, 2011).
On the other hand, the system also facilitates the development
of strategic measures that identify customer needs, wants and
feedback hence developing effective platforms to ensure
customer and employee satisfaction.
Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the information system
that entails the overseeing of the information, strategies,
material, and finance from the external market segments to the
organization and back to the market once again as final or
finished products. Effectual supply chains give businesses a
competitive advantage in the marketplace and assist moderate
risks connected with acquiring raw materials and delivering
products or services. This system will ensure that Mary's
MediBracelets organization achieves the best quality of raw
material or services in the market as they monitor the
procurement to ensure that the organization receives the best of
the best from the market. The system will also ensure that
Mary's MediBracelets have the right amount of inventory and
reduce the costs associated with overstocking or under stocking.
Effective supply chain management system enables the
organization to mitigate risks associated with suppliers in the
market hence facilitates the constant and reliable supply of
quality material or services to Mary's MediBracelets.
In conclusion, the various business intelligence systems that

have been discussed in this paper are essential in the business
sector in order to facilitate the organization in achieving the
competitive advantages in the market (DeBenedett, n.d.).
Training and educational programs need to be implemented
simultaneously with the systems in order to train and prepare
the staff for working with them effectively for the best interest
of Mary's MediBracelets. There might be the high initial cost
associated with the implementation but the subsequent benefits
are way fruitful and profitable to the organization.
References
DeBenedett, J. (n.d.). The Advantages of Supply Chain
Management Systems. Retrieved from:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-supply-chain-
management-systems-77606.html
Turban, E., Sharda, R., & Delen, D. (2011). Decision support
and business intelligence systems. Pearson Education India.
Running head: HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND NETWORK
REQUIREMENTS 1
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND NETWORK
REQUIREMENTS 2
Hardware, Software, and Network Requirements
Derrick Hobbs
Hardware, Software, and Network Requirements
· Describe how you would select appropriate hardware and
software to develop her internal business infrastructure
When one wants to buy computer hardware or software, there
are a number of considerations that they ought to make. To start
with is quality. The quality of a computer hardware or software
encompasses how the product can perform the required
functions. In other words, quality is about the suitability of the
product to the required needs. For instance, some of the features
that they can look into are whether it has features that would

enable it to perform the intended functions effectively. The
second feature is the price. If the business is at start up, the
systems that can handle the available client base can be
considered. More sophisticated software and hardware can be
bought later on when the business expands. The after sale
services and products is also critical. For instance, it is
important to understand that computer systems are prone to
breakdown due to attacks by malware and viruses that may harm
the functionality of the system completely (Kendall, 2015).
Hence, return policy should hence be given consideration.
Warranty is also key and applies to the state of the product
when it is purchased. Some of the fundamental questions that
one can ask herein include would the seller repair the product if
it breaks down or the cost of repairing is extended to the final
consumer?
· Explain at least two possible approaches to managing her data
for easy access and security
Data management refers to the practice of maintaining and
organizing data in a manner that is secure to meet the ongoing
information lifecycle needs. One possible approach to data
management is IT system consolidation. A popular way to
eradicate some of the challenges associated with data
management is by use of this technique. It encompasses both
ERP and EMR data solutions (Gray, 2017). It makes it possible
to consolidate all the data belonging to an organization such
that everything is stored in the organization’s master data. This
is done in such a manner that there is a central management
system such that all actions undertaken in the system are fast-
tracked centrally. This minimizes chances of unwarranted
access to data which can be significantly detrimental if it
happens.
Upstream MDM implementation is another important approach
to data management. In this approach, organizations can

maintain their disparate IT systems. They master their data via a
third party tool like enterprise master patient index (EMPI).
Despite the fact that master data issues are not reconciled at the
source, they are reconciled near the source. This allows
extensive manual adjudication even when the system fails or is
nor working.
· Describe possible networks that might be used to support her
business needs
There are various networks that can be used to support the
business herein. To start with are social networks. The company
will need to advertise its products and services online, and
social media provides a quick and cost-effective way of doing
this. These include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter among others.
The business will also need financial networks. It is important
to understand that the customers will be required to pay for the
products before are delivered to them. Hence, the business will
need to utilize financial networks to facilitate the payment
process.
· Create a network diagram showing possible internal
connections as well as those between her site and her potential
customers
References
Gray, P. M. (2015). The functional approach to data
management: modeling, analyzing, and integrating
heterogeneous data. Berlin: Springer.
Kendall, J. E. (2017). Systems analysis and design. Boston:
Pearson.

Running head: INFORMATION SYSTEMS
1
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
3
Mary’s Medibraclets
Derrick Hobbs
David Conway
Information Systems
A description of the relationship between business processes
and information systems
Business processes refers to the logical set of activities that are
related which defines how the specific activities in a business
are performed. They can also be said to be ways in which
organizations coordinate and also organize work activities,
knowledge and information so that they can produce valuable
products and services. Information systems are related to the
business processes in that they automate the manual business
processes and increase the efficiency in a business. Through the
information systems, the customers can now be in a position to
order the bracelets online because the manual steps have already
been automated. Information systems also enhances the business
processes in that they eliminate the delays in the process of
decision making, changes the information flow and also
replaces the sequential steps that needs to be followed when
making orders manually with the parallel steps. Lastly,
information system speeds up the completion of the business
processes and also acts as a drive to new business models that
cannot be employed without the help of technology (Heinrich,
2014).
A flowchart for handling an online order
The flow chart below depicts the process of handling an online
order when a potential client goes through the purchasing
process. From the flowchart, a client is first required to
complete the purchase requisition form and if it is approved, he
or she chooses the method of payment which can be either cash

or the credit card. If it is not approved, the order is taken back
to the purchase requisition step. If one opts for cash payments,
if they are an independent contractor, the IC’s agreement is
filled out and if they are not an independent contractor, they
directly go ahead and obtain a P.O from the controller just like
the independent contractors. After this, they obtain an invoice
which is sent to the controller for approval. On the other hand if
the client is paying via a credit card, they are first required to
fill out CCPR, then the invoice CCPR and later the documents
are sent for approval by the controller.
Areas for Information Systems (IS) use and security concerns
Information system has proved to be very useful to many
businesses operating in the various industries such as Google,
EBay and Facebook among others. However, the use of
information system in an improper manner can raise security
concerns in a business. When criminals try to gain access to the
credit card information of the clients, the business can incur
great financial losses and also the clients who are the owners of
the cards and can also compromise their private information.
One of the security concerns that are posed by information
systems is the cyber-crimes. This refers to the use of the
information systems in committing crimes. This can result to
huge financial losses and also the loss of human life. It has been
on the rise due to the increased use of the smartphones and the
high end mobile devices which has increased the ability of the
people to access the internet (Vacca, 2009).
A list of areas of concern for ethical handling of customers'
private information
Businesses are required to exercise caution and practice
ethicality while handling the private information for their
customers. Due to the advancement in the internet technology, it
has become easy for businesses and individuals to gather
assemble and also circulate customer’s information. This has
led to the fear on the proper use of the customer’s data and also
on the protection of the people’s privacy especially in the

buying and the selling of the customer’s private information.
The following is a list of concerns when handling customer’s
private information;
· Ensure that the customers data that is collected do not land on
the hands of unauthorized individuals
· Engage with other companies to keep the customers data
private and protected
· Avoid selling customers information without the knowledge of
the clients and if this is done, the business should ensure that its
aware of the individual purchasing the data and the reason
behind this.
References
Heinrich, R. (2014). Aligning business processes and
information systems : new approaches to continuous quality
engineering. Wiesbaden: Springer Vieweg.
Vacca, J. (2009). Computer and information security handbook.
Amsterdam Boston Burlington, MA: Elsevier Morgan
Kaufmann.

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