REGENT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

BY
VWAMHI LONGJI
INFORMATION SYSTEM SCIENCE
00220113

DECLARATION * I declare that this research has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree.

* This thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated, and that other sources are duly acknowledged by footnotes giving explicit references and that a bibliography is appended.

* I hereby give my consent for the thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organizations. The candidate then provides his/her full name as listed on the records of Regent University. The official name of the candidate’s supervisor should also be listed on this page together with spaces for signatures of the student and supervisor.

STUDENT: VWAMHI LONGJI SUPERVISOR: SETH ALORNYO

TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE- INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT 1.3 AIM OF STUDY 1.4 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY 1.5 BENEFITS OF STUDY 1.6 SCOPE 1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY

CHAPTER ONE 1.1 BACKGROUND
The increase in urban development in West Africa, has led to a rise in the number of urban cities within the region. The development has brought about large migration as more and more people within West Africa have migrated from the rural regions to more developed cities to seek employment and better living conditions. Most of these cities have become overpopulated; Lagos alone is populated with over 20 million people with just under 293,864 cars on the road [1].
The increase in the number of cars on the road has caused an increase in traffic demand, leading to an imbalance between parking supply and parking demand. This has been considered as the main reason for urban cities’ parking problems. Moreover, the parking system plays a key role in the metropolitan traffic system, and the parking problems show closed relation with traffic congestion, traffic accident, and environment pollution as stated in an article about metropolis traffic problems. [2]
It has become imperative for service providers to provide proper parking spaces and facilities for their customers, clients and employees to give them a competitive advantage. Because the current road system does not provide enough facilities to park most of the cars on the road, big cooperation’s with large amount of staff’s include a proper parking facilities as a priority in the design of their buildings. Recreational centers, shopping malls all provide parking facilities for their customers and clients as people will patronize a service provider with convenient parking facilities.
With the provisions of these parking lots comes its management, this includes managing and keeping count of the number of spaces available, managing of people with access to the parking lot and for recreation centers and shopping malls involves management of revenue as customers are made to pay a stipend for time spent on the parking lot.
Because of the large amount of money shopping malls invest in providing convenient parking lots, it is not unusual for the organizations to charge a fee for people who wish to have access to their facilities. To maximize their revenue, digital devices such as computers are used to keep the data and give accurate reports. These reports include how much money the mall has generated from the parking lot daily; it gives an estimate of how many cars visit the mall daily, it improves security as the details of the car such as license plate, color, model etc. are recorded.
The implementation of parking lot management systems and software is seen as the most efficient way to manage parking lots, improve security and manage revenue.
West hills mall was built over 27000m2 of land, the construction cost about $97000000.00 and there are plans to develop the mall and increase its land mass to 40000m2 [4]. On a very busy day, West hills mall will accommodate thousands of people and hundreds of cars. The parking lot of west hills mall is sub divided into smaller lots with barrier gates separating them. With proper numbering on the parking spaces and ticket validation, the parking system would be able to help customers locate parking spaces more easily on very busy days when the parking lot is congested.
The importance of parking management software cut across traffic control. With the help of security personnel and traffic lights, the software can help direct customers better and avoid traffic jams.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

* West hills mall doesn’t have a system in place to effectively manage its parking lot; a system that would keep count on parking space availability whether the parking lot is full or not.

* There is currently no way of estimating how many cars visit the mall; such information would help with the marketing of the mall. * The mall is open to security risks because there’s nothing keeping data about the people who visit the mall. With the recent attacks in West Africa, public places such as shopping malls have become targets to the terrorist groups.

* Revenue management; the mall needs to generate more revenue to keep their operations running, the parking lot can be used as a source of revenue for the mall as customers will be charged a little stipend for the time they spent within the mall.

1.3 AIM OF STUDY

* To provide an adequate parking management software to maximize the parking lot and create an “inviting environment” for customers, as soon as they reach the establishment, to increase customer loyalty.

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY * The system would include an entry ticket dispenser system where the operator would input details of the car entering into the mall such as color, model, and license plate number. It would include a ticket dispenser or printer just before the barrier gate which would open upon receipt of the ticket by the customer.

* The system would also include a point of sale at the payment collection booth when the customer is ready to leave the mall, it would also include a ticket reader just before the barrier gate which would authenticate if the time has been paid for using its barcode before opening the barrier.

* Upon entrance into the mall, the operator uses the surveillance cameras to view every car entering into the mall, surveillance cameras would also be mounted on the speed bumps to check for any foreign devices such as bombs etc. upon arriving the barrier, the customer would be issued a ticket with the details of the car, the time of entry and a barcode upon the ticket. This would trigger the barrier gate to be opened.

* Upon exit, the customer would be required to go to the payment booth and make adequate payment for time spent as customers would be charged per hour. The operator scans the barcode on the ticket and marks it as paid in the database thus authenticating the ticket for exit out of the mall. At the exit barrier, the ticket barcode is scanned, and if authenticated, would trigger the barrier open.

* The manager would have an over view role in the system where he can view periodic activity in the mall and check periodic reports on revenue and number of cars that visit the mall. This would help the manager make better decisions as he is aware of the activity going on the mall.

1.5 BENEFITS OF THE SYSTEM

* Improved security and surveillance within the mall as there would be a more accurate account of people visiting the mall.

* The parking system would aid in the generating of revenue for the mall as customers would be required to pay a small amount for time spent within the mall.

* No conflict for payment for amount of time spent within the mall as everything would be documented automatically.

1.6 SCOPE

* The study would cover West hills mall Accra. The study is based on the parking lot and management of the parking lot in West hills mall. The research conducted is about the need for the provision of proper parking and traffic facilities within their establishment.

* The research covers how these parking lots are managed with the use of digital devices such as computers etc. to effectively manage the parking lot, traffic flow and revenue. It also covers the significance of implementing parking management software and how it benefits the establishment.

* The research doesn’t cover management of the shopping mall, it only covers the management of the parking lot and not the mall itself.

* The beneficiaries are both the management and the customer, the management would have a unique system that helps them run their operations effectively, provide more security and generate revenue while the customer would benefit in a more convenient and secure place to shop and spend time.

1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY * The research was limited by factors of logistics and funding to interview managers of shopping malls to get their perspective on the system.

REFERENCES
[1] www.lagosstate.gov.ng/pagelinks.php?=6
[2] Yuejun Liu, Wuhong Wang, Chengxi Ding, Hongwei Guo, Weiwei Guo, Liya Yao, Hui Xiong, and Huachun Tan, July 2012, “Metropolis Parking Problems and Management Planning Solutions for Traffic Operation Effectiveness” http://www.hindawi.com/journals/mpe/2012/678952/
[3]Samuel Nii Narku, May 2013 “Ghana houses biggest shopping mall in Africa” http://business.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201305/106578.php