<Your name> MISM 2301 Final Case (Slusser) <Date>

Q1. For the 3 Information systems described in the case (they are in capital letters in the case) and fill in the following table. Information System (ISs) | Location(s) the IS is used | Who is the main user | Briefly what it helps the user do (not how the system works) Do not repeat the answers from Q2 and 3. | Day Planner | The computer | The store manager | * Retrieving sales for the previous year from the corporate servers * Generating growth trends * Forecasting daily sales * Realization of the customer count * Developing steps to lure people into the store * Provides focus on customers * Provides Knowledge on availability of freshly baked cookies and the ability meet the revenue goals. | Crew Scheduler | The corporate servers | Managers | * Allocation of tasks to people on the basis of time and skills i.e. scheduling | Store Status | Headquarters | Store controllers | * Knowledge on the daily sales and staffing of stores * Detecting anomalies in sales i.e. discrepancy between the daily report of batches of cookies baked, and the sales report |

Q2. For the 3 ISs fill in the following table. Information Systems | List the data the IS needs as input. | List the Information/data the IS produces as output | Day Planner | Command from user | * Questions on the type of day whether normal day, sale day, hot day, school day or holiday * Information on when to expand stores | Crew Scheduler system | Roster of store employees and their skills | * Sales projections for two weeks and compares with standard times * A schedule of the people with skill levels he’ll need during particular hours | The Store Status system | Actual resultsExpected results | * Real results from the stores * Daily report of batches of cookies baked * The sales report |

Q3. The columns are business needs/drivers. Fill in the table describing how each of the 3 needs is or is not supported by the IS. Information Systems | Good product | Good service | Profits | Day Planner | It tells him the number of batches of cookie dough he’ll have to mix and when to mix and bake them to meet the demand for fresh cookies and to minimize leftovers | It provides information on the number of customers he’ll need each hour and the amount to sell them.It provides techniques such as sampling for managers to lure customers to the store. | It helps in the actualization of sales projection by providing information on time and product type to produce during a particular day.It provides information on the number of customers and the amount to sell them so as to actualize sales projection.Tracking of progress from POS data entered at the register which is reviewed by the computer and suggestions made. | Crew Scheduler system | Provides a roster of store employees and their skills. The program produces a schedule of people with their respective skill levels needed during particular hours. | A process that when done manually consumed almost an hour and often produced a sub-optimal schedule is now automated. | Utilization of skills and saving of time by allocating the right skills when required. | The Store Status system | It is able to successfully make comparison between actual results and expected results | Detects discrepancies in records as it is designed to and alerts the management | The superb nature of the system in making comparisons and detecting errors facilitates communication with the store manager and others to determine the problem and how to best correct it hence avoiding the losses that would have otherwise been incurred |

Q4. List and briefly describe the role the Information Technology components play for all these systems. Use one list since the role played in each system is basically the same. Also use the full page but only one page and structure your answer.
Information systems are made out of components that can be assembled in different configurations. These components include: * hardware * software * telecommunications * Data
Hardware
These refer to the tangible components within a computer system and include: * Input devices (keyboards, mouse, scanners, remote sensors, barcode readers) which are used in keying the data to be processed through the system * Storage devices (primary storage such as hard disk drives and secondary storage – DVDs, CD-ROMs.) which are used in storing the data in the system. * Output devices (screens, printers, audio speakers), which display the information to the user that has been processed by the system. * The central processing unit (CPU), which manipulates the input data and controls the computer system to produce information.
Software
This is a set of instructions written in a specialized code that controls the operation of the computer and how it communicates with other computers. It is divided into systems software (managing the resources of the computer, such as the CPU, communications links and output devices) and application software (enabling users to apply the computer to specific tasks, such as email, word processing and stock control).
Telecommunications
It refers to the communication of information by electronic means over distance and consists of digital data transmission, using computers. These may consist of networks, i.e. a linked group of computers that can be arranged locally, say within a single building, called a LAN (local area network) or greater distances, WAN (wide area network).
Data
The combination of hardware, software and telecommunications equipment makes it possible to analyze data much more effectively than when they could analyze it only with traditional paper-based systems.
These are the basic building blocks that are be used in the creation of information systems.

Q5. Fill in the table

BI Systems | Describe a specific example of how each is used at Mrs. Fields. | What would be the business benefits of such a use? | Simple Reporting | Doing daily report of batches of cookies bakedDoing the sales report | * Maximize Employee Productivity * Ensure Policy Compliance * Ensure Legal Compliance | OLAP | The store status system ensuring consistent information in the inventory and sales report.The day planner facilitates planning and budgeting | * Ensures consistency of information and calculations. * Provides a "What if" analysis in a multidimensional processing. * Allows a manager to pull down data from an OLAP database in broad or specific terms. * Creates a single platform for all the information and business needs; planning, budgeting, forecasting, reporting and analysis. | Analytics | Making comparison between actual results and expected results so as to flag the anomalies | * Real-Time Data AccessImmediate identification of errors within the organization, allowing companies to quickly react and mitigate the issue.Real-time data also allows organizations to stay one step ahead of the competition, as CFOs are notified the moment a direct competitor has changed its strategy or lowered its prices. * VisualizationData presentation affects a CFO’s capacity to understand the information and influences how quickly and easily he can use the information and insights provided to make smarter, more informed business decisions. * Making Sense of Company DataHaving the proper analytics software in place can help CFOs accurately predict the future by analyzing current and past trends. | KnowledgeManagement | The day planner shows Debbi the ability to project her influence into more stores.The day planner and scheduling system has ensured that store managers focus on managing rather than sweating the paperwork | * Enabling better and faster decision making * Making it easy to find relevant information and resources * Reusing ideas, documents, and expertise * Avoiding redundant effort |

Q7. Complete the following system diagram for the Day Planner (DP) and Store Status (SS) systems with the following circles. Show only the information flows needed for these systems on the diagram. Note that these systems share data. If one system has produced some data/information it then shares it with the other systems through the shared DB at HQ if needed.

POS

POS
DP at HQ
DP at HQ

Sales & Staffing
Sales & Staffing

Sales
Sales

Store Mgr.
Store Mgr.

Sales Discrepancies
Sales Discrepancies
DP at store
DP at store
Shared DB
At HQ
Shared DB
At HQ

Sales & Staffing
Sales & Staffing

Sales
Sales

Sales Discrepancies

Sales Discrepancies

SS at HQ
SS at HQ

Q8. Give 2 specific examples of data at Mrs. Fields that should be made secure and briefly explain why. List and briefly explain four technologies you could use to enhance the security of this data? Structure your answer.

The success of any business is dependent on the aspects that set them apart from their competitors. Mrs. Fields owes its success to elements whose data it has to efficiently protect to maintain the success. This data includes: * Inventory & Sales Projection Data and Reports
This is with regard to the ingredients, skill, mechanism and the process involved in the cookies that Mrs. Fields bakes. This needs to be protected to prevent imitation of the product by competitors.
Sales projections and reports reflect the company’s vision and it is important that this data is kept in the company’s management to keep competitors off your tail. * System Code Blocks Mrs. Fields has an advantage of possessing information systems that have significantly automated and increased the efficiency of service provision and customer satisfaction. The codes that have built the Day Planner, Crew Scheduler and Store Status systems should be well documented and patented if necessary to protect from fraudulent behavior.

TECHNOLOGIES TO ENHANCE SECURITY * Anti-Malware Technologies
This is important for protecting the Mrs. Fields infrastructure against unforeseen threats hiding in code and user actions. They include: antivirus and anti-spyware, both of which are effectively prevent, detect, and correct different types of infection.

* Network Anomaly Detection
While anti-malware keeps an eye on systems, network anomaly detection (NAD) monitors the common pathways, watching for well-known indicators of suspicious behavior and reporting this information to the RMD for remediation. This could be used to detect suspicious behaviors like somebody trying to leak Mrs. Fields inventory via email.

* Use of Firewall
Despite the best efforts in IT management, any large enterprise network will inevitably encounter an occasional malware incident. In this case, the network anomaly detectors should be built into the host anti-malware software or firewall, casting a net of protection where all the included computers help watch for and potentially stop attacks before they spread. This will help prevent hackers from trying to obtain codes for Mrs. Fields system.

* Desired Configuration Management
One of the biggest challenges IT departments face in large enterprises is keeping systems configured appropriately. There are many motivations for wanting to maintain system configurations—ease of management, simplifying scalability, ensuring compliance, locking down against various forms of intrusion, and promoting productivity, to name a few. Many of these reasons factor into security.
A good DCM system should automatically scan the network to assure that new systems are deployed as desired and also verify that established systems remain in compliance. Whether it’s making sure the latest patch is deployed or minimizing the number of users who have domain privilege, a complete DCM solution must configure systems, analyze them, and report how close each configuration is to the ideal. DCM can also assist in malware infection identification and removal, since simple types will be readily spotted in scan results. This will ensure that only authorized personnel within Mrs. Fields can view stored data and make adjustments.