ISOM Mid-term Short answer questions

Discuss the top two most common threats against Business systems.

Business systems are essential for an organization to run successfully and efficiently. These systems rely on advanced security & controls, as well as data accessibility to help a business function and grow. Therefore, the top threats to any business system are cyber-attacks and loss or misuse of crucial data/information. Cyber attacks are the obvious top threat to any business system as they are costly, disruptive and can be extremely difficult to remediate depending on how much data is affected. According to a study done by the University of N Georgia there about 2200 cyber-attacks that occur each day on average in the U.S. alone, which breaks down to every 39 seconds. The 3 most common types of attacks reported by many organizations, including the U.S Dept. of Homeland Security, are... malware (malicious software) - a program or code created with the sole purpose of doing harm to a computer, network, or server. Examples of malware are trojan horses; designed to appear as legitimate software to gain unauthorized access into a user's system, spyware; used to collect data and monitor a user's activity without their knowledge, viruses; replicates itself spreading from one computer to another causing damage to files and/or systems, and SQL injection; malicious code injected into a web app to gain access to a database. Phishing - a popular type of social engineering designed to steal personal and sensitive information from users across many applications and platforms. Phishing, most commonly involving the use of fake emails, texts, or phone calls, attempts to lure victims into revealing their own valuable information like credit card numbers, passwords, or social security numbers. Less obvious attempts might ask for a birthday or phone number, which likely would be to answer security questions followed up by passwords (especially on banking platforms). An extreme case of phishing is the 2020 attack on the World Health Organization where a fake website was launched in an attempt to steal users' logins and passwords. DoS (denial-of-service) attacks - designed to overwhelm an online service (website) or network with traffic from multiple sources, making it unavailable to intended users. A service disruption or all out shut down in service can be detrimental to an organization or computer machine. While most of these attacks don't end in data loss, they generally are resolved by the affected org having to paying a high ransom. An avenue where this kind of attack would be especially detrimental is talked about in this article - Cyber Attacks More Likely to Bring Down an F-35 Than Missiles | IE (interestingengineering.com). Transitioning from external dangers, the next biggest threat to a business system. You guessed it, it's you. Insider threats are most commonly the cause of loss and/or misuse of crucial organization data, leading to a threatened business system. Statistics confirmed by the World Economic Forum reported that 95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error. Some of the errors mentioned in the text that fall under this category are lack of consistency in business practices & procedures (i.e., using/sharing company data on a personal device or network), improperly storing or disposing of crucial company data, failing to deactivate past user accounts, and lastly not consistently educating employees and system users on cybersecurity updates (inc. current/ongoing cyber threats). Diving into our current state, somewhere around the start of COVID, and before AI was released to the general public, cyber threats of all kinds reached an all-time high. This record was set not only from counts of reported attacks, but also from financial costs to recovery, recovery times, and newly used tactics by hackers. Banks and healthcare organizations were/are among the most targeted industries for data hacks. It was reported that in 2020 the healthcare industry suffered from a 58% increase in confirmed data breaches. Which didn't come close to the 238% increase banks suffered at the same time in cyberattacks. Also reported, 27% of all cybercrimes that year were targeting banks and healthcare organizations (almost 1/3). Following, the need for an immediate shift to remote work created its own category of security concerns. With limited time to implement proper employee training, met with an expectation to keep producing essential products or services, firms scrambled to create training opportunities for all members and secure new technologies to protect crucial data from the impending internal and external security threats.

Identify the benefits and challenges of outsourcing your IT services

There are many benefits of outsourcing IT services for your businesses. Some of the most notable ones include... potential overall cost savings --while the cost for specialized IT services can be pricey, it's almost always overall cheaper due to not having to use company resources to hire individuals, train them, monitor their systems internally using other internal resources, and upkeep their training and software needs as a sole provider. IT service companies are already equipped with the necessary equipment and processes and can multiply usages when serving more customers. receiving specialized expertise well-established IT service provider will have the framework already existing and will be able to quickly and efficiently tailor service to your company's needs. maximum efficiency capability-- larger firms with specifically tailored recourse to their industry have the capacity to tap into those resources at any time to create a better user experience. Through competition of these firms, they will always strive to have the best technology available to show customers (businesses) the value of their services. improved scalability and flexibility -- like mentioned above - the framework already exists within these IT service firms making an easy transition when accounting for growth or shrinkage in sales, personnel, clients/customers, and operating territory, changes in business offerings (products and services), changes in laws or global standards, etc. enhanced level of security --choosing the right firm is essential to achieving the highest level of security for your business. Even for the smallest niche market most security firms could provide adequate service for the most basic of needs. Knowing your user base is also a factor for success. reduced risk of hacks---While it's difficult to report on cyber attacks that 'could have happened but didn't due to excellent security measures being in place' there are many companies that have minimized risks and it has showed in customer satisfaction over many years. A good example of this is Microsoft. Microsoft's tried and true security infrastructure has worked in protecting customer data and information, while also providing tools that allow businesses and individuals to manage their own security. Microsoft also offers advanced analytics and machine learning solutions to address potential cyber threats before they become detrimental. In addition, there are also challenges with outsourcing such an important part of business operations which conclude to... communication issues (cultural/language, best practices)language barriers and miscommunications on business standards can lead to potential disruptions or weak points in operations, deter customers from an otherwise good product or service, and cause delays in business process. lack of control over processes/visibility into op'strust is key here. Without operating in the same hub as your outsourced security you are 100% reliable on them to provide the contracted services. Limited ability to monitor access isn't suitable for all users. costly service contractssome businesses, especially new business that likely won't turn a profit for years, may not be able to afford even the most basic offerings of IT firms. potential intellectual property risks in a wildly competitive world, it is never impossible to ignore the risks of corporate espionage and theft/misuse of sensitive information at any level. your business is not your IT service provider's only client. In reality, thousands of users are utilizing these same services. Increasing users means constantly needing to increase security protocols and internal monitoring. An example - the US security firm Symantec failed to properly encrypt its customer data which allowed a hacker to access a number of its customer's personal passwords and relating Medicare data. legal issues your business is in the US and your hire a security firm in the UK, it can be complicated to determine which laws pertain to which actions of business.

Discuss how technology can be used to help a business achieve any one of the four competitive strategies discussed in chapter 3(low cost, differentiation, niche etc)

Technology can help business lower their cost in a variety of different ways. A business can use technology to lower costs by automating basic processes such as online orders and pick-up. This would allow businesses to reduce their workforce and save money on wages and employee costs. Businesses use technology to understand their customers better and reach out to potential consumers through personalized ADS and algorithms that learn how a person behaves and what she or he likes, and how likely they would behave when suggested certain products. With these tools, the company is able to identify its niche. With that, the company is able to analyze consumers' patterns and trends to better market products to potential customers. when the company knows its niche well, it can achieve maximum efficiency in marketing to that segment and producing products that will satisfy its niche. Technology also opens doors for companies to innovate and differentiate themselves from other companies. a company that was very unique was Netflix which used technology to be the first worldwide company to stream movies and series, there creating temporary uniqueness and differentiating itself from competitors. when a company is able to use all three competitive strategies, the company then is able to achieve maximum efficiency.

Discuss how Avon (review Avon Beautifies Its Supply Chain case study on page 308) used SCM to solve its challenges and gain competitive advantage in the market place.

Avon Products Inc. is one of the largest and oldest companies in the United States. To keep a good reputation and stay ahead of its competitors, Avon must keep updating their systems with the latest technology. They did just that with their SCM system, JDA. With this software, Avon is now able to foresee some of the market trends. By collecting data on inventory, future sales demands, transport schedules, and sales history, JDA allows Avon to create a deliberate and calculated plan for distribution and manufacturing. Previously, Avon had expanded their operations into different continents including Africa, Asia, and Europe. However, Avon struggled with the planning and production of their products. Their factories in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland were overflowed and incapable of the production needed to keep up. By implementing the JDA software, Avon executed a strategic plan in which they could predict the demand for products with shorter lifetimes, seasonality, multiple sale channels, frequent promotions, and local shopper preferences. Overall, Avon gained a competitive advantage through their implementation of the JDA software. Instead of roughly estimating what customers would buy, JDA uses previous data on their customers and their habits to create a calculated product and distribution plan.

What is Big Data and how can businesses use it to make better decisions?

Big data consists of massive amounts of data sets. They typically have a great volume of data, a broad variety of data, which is then processed at a high velocity. This data includes web traffic, emails, social media content, and many other machine-generated data from sensors. There are billions and trillions of records from many different sources and it is very hard to manage all of this information. This data goes past what a typical database management system can handle. This kind of information is not slowing down either. According to the International Data Center (IDC), the world's data is almost doubling every two years. Companies and businesses use this kind of data to find patterns and complex interconnections than what smaller data information could provide. They are looking for things like customer behavior, weather patterns, financial market activity, and maybe even another pandemic. All of this information helps them sell their products or service and get ahead of the competition. However, it is very costly to store this kind of data. Companies need to keep up with their technology with updates. This is to assure that they can hold the ever-growing data. Overall big data is very important yet very difficult to handle.

Using examples, Discuss the important of understanding business processes in an organization (skim through chapter 2)

Business process - the unique ways in which organizations coordinate and organize work activities, information, and knowledge to produce a product or service. Understanding the Business process within an organization is extremely important to the success of that said business. The business process gives specific departments tasks that need to be done in order for the product or service to be sold. An example of multiple departments using the business process would be a construction company. The company is selling its services of building things and the products they use to complete the projects. The installation crew is responsible for actually building and completing their services. The marketing department must sell and inform potential customers of the work that the company does. The finance and accounting team needs to ensure that the company is being paid for the work they are doing and the tools they use. Finally, the HR department hires good crew members and employees that can fulfill certain tasks. Overall this construction company would not survive without each department doing its part. By using technology in this process, each department could communicate faster and more efficiently. Almost instant communication through email is something important in a construction company. When design plans change or approval is needed a simple email would resolve any sort of confusion. Data storage is also something technology improves. Instead of keeping paper copies of any sort of data or previous plans, the company can now store any data system. With access, anyone in the company can use and view it. These parts are all important to the business plan for the company to run smoothly and stay alive.

What are the most important tools and technologies for safeguarding information resources?

Businesses employ different tools and technologies to protect their data and information. These tools can help them prevent unauthorized access to their systems ensuring the security and safety of their information. One of the most common tools is the use of passwords, but users tend to forget passwords, or they create easy passwords that make it effortless for cybercriminals to access their information. In my opinion, one of the most important and efficient tools for safeguarding information resources is biometric authentication. This type of system interprets individual human traits to give access. For example, most mobile devices use fingerprints and facial recognition technologies to grant access. Companies such as Apple, implement this in most of their devices, and if it doesn't recognize they still ask for a password that can be numbers or letters which makes it harder for anyone to have access to the device. Another important tool is two-factor authentication. With this system, users need to validate their identity through a multi-step process. Users need to provide two means of identification. Suffolk uses this type of technology to access any of its platforms such as Blackboard. They use the Duo Mobile Two-Factor Authentication. First, you need to provide your Suffolk Credentials, which are your username and password, followed by a push they will send you to your phone, or a passcode that you can receive via SMS or a phone call.

What are the pros and cons of moving your IT infrastructure from an internal data center to the cloud?

Cloud computing describes the usage of hosted services such as data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software through the internet. All these services are stored on physical servers which are maintained by a cloud service provider. Many firms and organizations are migrating their IT infrastructure from an internal data center to the cloud. Firms need to understand the positives and negatives of migrating to the cloud before they decide to make this big switch. Two of the biggest benefits of moving to the cloud are availability and accessibility. The cloud is accessible anywhere, anytime, by anyone with an internet connection. This allows firms to access their data from multiple devices and locations. Another benefits are scalability, increased storage capacity and flexibility. The cloud offers nearly unlimited storage and gives firms the flexibility to adapt to market conditions and customize business goals to meet their needs. Firms can scale up or down as the business grows. However, accessing to the cloud requires a high-speed internet. Firms rely on an internet connection. Any problem with the internet system can affect the cloud system as well. When you migrate to the cloud you can face unexpected initial migration problems as everything needs to be recoded to work in a digital environment. Also, the risk of new government regulations, such as forcing businesses to keep their information in-house, will obligate firms to take back all the data and break any contract with a cloud provider.

Skim through chapter 1 and then discuss the major technologies that are expected to totally change the way business is being done

Devices like cell phones, smartphones, and tablets, as well as programs like Zoom and Skype, are now some of the most common tools for business transactions and communications. These technologies allow people across the entire world to conduct business together in seconds. In addition, most of today's purchases come from ordering online; In 2018, approximately 190 million people made a purchase online. The result of this technological advancement means that without these technologies, or an online presence a business is not as effective as it could be. Considering such a rapidly large increase ine-commerce businessess must adapt to a new supply chain management and inventory system. Without the ability to create a faster and more efficient supply chai,n a business is likely to become overwhelmed by the growing volume of orders and future shipments from online purchases. Furthermore, businessess must recalibrate from older ways of communication to become in tune with the new methods of modern communication. For example, in 2018 around 220 million people used social media sites and blogs to gather their news, 160 million people banked online, and 85 million more people were blogs. With all of the new readers, writers, and comment-droppers there are more ways to reach future customers and if a business fails to utilize these channels then they are not doing business as effectively as it should be.

Skim through chapter 2 then explain how enterprise applications improve organizational performance, Demonstrate with examples

Enterprise applications are systems are designed to coordinate multiple functions and business processes, making it easier for your company to run smoothly. Enterprise systems can also integrate all of your key internal business processes into one software, which can improve coordination and decision-making within your company. To coordinate internal communication and improve efficiency, four enterprise applications are discussed in chapter 2. They are Enterprise Resource Planning, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management, and Knowledge Management Systems. Enterprise Resource Planning automates information (such as production, finance, sales, and human resources)to put in one piece, which helps make a business decision more efficiently. Supply Chain Management helps suppliers with the logistics of the product. This will allow supplying at a lower cost and put more focus for managers on the supply decision-making process. Customer Relationship Management keeps track of the interaction between customers and enterprises to analyze and increase customer satisfaction. Knowledge Management System takes external data to advise enterprises to enhance the accuracy of business infrastructure.

How do enterprise systems (ERP, CRM, and SCM) help businesses achieve operational excellence?

Enterprise systems provides value to companies and businesses by helping them increase their operational efficiency and excellence. One type of enterprise systems is ERP which is based on a common central database that collects data from all departments in a firm. This enterprise system is used by large companies that have operating units in different locations, so with this database they are able to do business the same way from different locations. This also helps businesses to respond rapidly to their customers and provides information to improve the decision-making process. SCM or Supply Chain Management is a software that helps companies to match supply to demand. Companies can manage and coordinate all the activities from different suppliers. In this way they improve their delivery service, increase sales, and use assets more accurately. Firms are able to have the right product available for customers at the right time. Another type of enterprise system is CRM or Customer Relationship Management. With this type of system, companies can increase customer satisfaction and marketing becomes more effective lowering cost for customer retention. They are able to identify the most loyal and profitable customers to provide a better service. Enterprise systems provide businesses the tools needed to improve their performance and achieve operational excellence.

Explain how software defects can be exploited by hackers and possible solutions.

Hackers test many aspects of the software to find an opening to manipulate the software internally. For example, hackers can find glitches that allow them to access a person's data or sometimes even remotely manipulate people's devices or social media. Some hackers install a backdoor into many different devices and use them to make massive attacks on big corporations. Facebook is a common example of how hackers take advantage of website defects; hacks take control of Facebook users' profiles and make changes so that the actual owner does not have access to it; some of the changes are changing the emails, passwords, and usernames. fortunately, companies provide support for the actual owner of the account to recover it; unfortunately, by the time the real owner gets back control of their social media account, the damage has already been made, such as selling fake products, scamming people, and storing the user's data. possible solutions for this would make huge investments in cybersecurity to prevent the software from being published with defects that can be exploited. Big corporations such as google, Facebook, and Microsoft offer a lot of money to people that can find exploits and defects in their software.

Using examples, discuss how information systems can help businesses compete globally?

Information systems can provide significant competitive advantages to businesses that operate in the global market. Here are some examples of how information systems can help businesses compete globally: Real-time data analysis: With the help of information systems, businesses can gather and analyze real-time data from multiple sources, which enables them to make informed decisions quickly. For example, a company can use real-time data analysis to identify market trends and adjust its production accordingly to meet changing demand. Global communication: Information systems allow businesses to communicate with suppliers, partners, and customers around the world quickly and easily. This enables companies to develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders in different countries, which can help them expand their customer base and increase sales. E-commerce: With the growth of e-commerce, businesses can sell their products and services globally through online platforms. Information systems allow companies to manage their e-commerce operations efficiently, including inventory management, order processing, and payment processing. In summary, information systems can provide businesses with a range of tools and capabilities that enable them to compete effectively in the global market. By leveraging the power of information systems, businesses can improve their operational efficiency, develop new markets, and grow their customer base.

"How businesses store, organize, and manage their data has a tremendous impact on organizational effectiveness." Discuss using examples to support your position

Many stores, like Walmart, Target, and Amazon, all have large amounts of data that enter the system at one time. With them all having the ability to buy in store, online, customers can pick up their orders (some are at store others are at pick up locations), the amount of data they need to manage is great. Their business's effectivieness in organizing that data is what allows customers, and employees, to have an easier time when interacting with the business and allows day to day functions to run smoothly. Most retail stores email reciepts of orders with tracking details or an order number that they can either take to the store when they run into a problem or they can call the customer service hotline of the company and request help there. Stores also have to ensure that their inventory is up to date. If they Target had a number of customers all order the same product but the did not hae enough supply, there would be an issue there. Many businesses have their data stored, organized, and managed properly in order to prevent issues that arise from consumers as well as complaints about operations from employees. The better businesses manage their data and information, the greater their competative advantage is against their main competitors, which allows them to retain their customers and potentially grow thier customer segments.

Why is the failure rate with ERP implementations so high and what are companies doing to minimize these failures?

One of the main causes of ERP implementation failures is due to ineffective project teams. For an ERP implementation to succeed, each and every member of the team should be committed; this is because the duration of the project can range approximately from five months to a year. Members are required to work at least 50% of their working hours on the implementation, hence, workers can easily be demotivated and/or burnt out. In order for the full involvement of members, businesses willingly have to offload major portions of the team members' usual tasks to ensure commitment. Similarly, another cause is the wrongful selection of candidates for the team. Many ERP projects fail due to members being underqualified. There are cases where management assigns whoever is available to be a part of the team rather than the most qualified candidates. The ERP implementation needs to be engineered by people with the right knowledge and skill sets. The integrated ERP is about cross-functional business processing, the project members need to understand their own department's system as well as the operations of other departments. Creative thinking skills would be needed to define better business processes. With that said, there are methods that businesses use to prevent the failure of ERP implementations. One of the methods that are used in creating a proper implementation team. As mentioned previously, it is crucial for an ideal member to successfully implement an ERP. The team should be assembled with the most knowledgeable and skillful employees. Employees that are capable of identifying, assessing, and rethinking existing processes to prepare the organization for the shift and prevent failure.

What would be the pros and cons of using open-source software?

Open source software is an interesting topic. The idea is that companies/projects can make their software code open to the public, allowing users to develop advances and improvements at their own discretion. This can be extremely beneficial if the community supporting the project are motivated to utilize this open source code to benefit the project like we've seen on the Cardano blockchain, where hundreds of developers are constantly releasing tools theyve built to improve users experience. Another benefit is the clear transparency between company and consumer, by having the software code publicly available, the company is held accountable to their goals and intentions because the public knows every detail of exactly how the company is built to operate. The downfall of open source software is the sacrifice of intellectual property rights by the company/project. By having software code publicly available companies are allowing competitors to essentially copy and paste their model, eliminating the majority of competitive advantages that may have been available to the company prior to going open source. Overall I like the idea of opensource software but would not recommend it for innovative ideas or projects that don't have a thriving developer community.

Do a competitive analysis (using Porter's Five Forces model) on an industry of your choice (e.g. airline industry.) Suggest how you can use technology to outcompete existing rivals

Porter's 5 forces model gives an insight into a company's opportunities and threats. Traditional competition, New Market entrants, substitute products, customers, and suppliers are the 5 groups. An example is Netflix. the new entrants are disney+ and peacock, substitute products would be cable or other forms of entertainment like live sporting events. the suppliers would be the production services and their customers could really be anyone.

Discuss how you can use business process management (B P M) in enhancing competitiveness?

Since day one of class, we have been told that businesses need a competitive advantage in order to succeed and get ahead. But as more companies and industries start to evolve and implement new systems, technology just will not be enough. Business Process Management is a plan in which the company evaluates itself and then adds new plans, processes, and technology to stay ahead. The first step is to identify what process needs to be changed. Leadership needs to decide what processes are most important and how the processes help the performance of the company. The next step is to analyze the existing process. Digging into what is not working will help reveal what needs to be changed. Leadership needs to find the flaws and deficiencies as well as their cost. Once everything is mapped out, the next step is to design the new process. Starting from scratch can be difficult, but sometimes it's needed if the system is ineffective. Cost needs to be kept in mind during this step. If the new process starts becoming too costly, leadership needs to reevaluate. The fourth step is to implement the new process. Leadership needs to assure that all new rules and procedures are fully explained and supported. The last step is to have a continuous measurement. Leadership also needs to ensure that employees do not fall back into the old process or lose their effectiveness. Overall, Business Process Management ensures that the competitive advantage is up-to-date and relevant to society's demands.

Discuss the opportunities and challenges that will result from the Internet of Things.

The Internet of Things offers vast opportunities to a contactless world. IoT will allow for processes to be expedited and no longer require human help, besides to maintain the sensors and smart objects until they can become self-profficient. Costs for businesses will be high in the initial integration of IoT devices due to upfront technology prices but over time will reduce costs and increase efficiency and consistency. Which has been seen through simple machines being put into factories, initially increasing human function due to robotic help. Some challenges that could result is a higher unemployment rate due to the difference in labor workers that will be required, as well as, the greater connectivity of the world, the more disconnection of the population. Companies may have issues with the Internet of Things due to system shut downs and errors. The high connectivity of things could also pose issues in regards to possible loss of privacy and security due to many physical objects having a "sense" of what is going on around them. Overall, the Internet of Things is one way in which technology continues to develop and reducing costs for business will allow profit margins to thrive and bring to success to those who use IoT to their own competitive advantage.

Discuss the business drivers of information systems (in page 11) and the role of information systems in achieving the same.

The business drivers for the implementation of information systems are operational excellence; new products, services, and business models; customer and supplier intimacy; improved decision-making; competitive advantage; and survival. All six of these aspects aim to improve the experience for everyone involved in the business process. While the textbook gave many examples where information systems aided in achieving each goal, there are risks involved with using more technology and automated systems. Under operational excellence, the textbook gave the example of Walmart and how their suppliers are linked directly to their stores nationwide. Any form of data error or glitch can cause issues like delayed deliveries or items running out of stock. A similar situation arises under customer and supplier intimacy, a minor glitch could disrupt the business and consumers. With new products, services, and business models; and improved decision making the problem becomes data security and the ability to prevent tampering with the company data and information. This isn't to say that information systems are bad or harmful, just that there are risks involved and advancements still to be made in order to continue benefiting from the use of information systems for businesses' competitive advantages and survival in this technological age.

Discuss the problems solved by ERP systems in the current business enterprise

The business processes supported by enterprise resource planning systems include financial and accounting processes, human resource functions, manufacturing and production communications, sales, and marketing. There are a lot of different functions within those categories and ERPs manage to combine many different systems, like accounting, inventory management, HR, CRM, SCM, manufacturing execution systems, production scheduling, and financial reporting. Companies get to select the functions that they want their ERP system to have, which makes it widely customizable for businesses, big and small, to tailor to their specific needs in order for them to achieve operational excellence and a competitive advantage within their industry. This is one way that ERPs solve businesses' problems. It allows for streamlined communication between businesses, their suppliers, manufactures, and their employees. It also can help with their customer/supplier intimacy because one of the functions can help them manage their inventory in one system without unnecessary data repetition that multiple systems would have. It allows for businesses to know exactly what their customers need and accurately communicate that to their suppliers. It helps solve miscommunication issues, repetitive tasks, inaccurate data tracking, and helps corporate leaders make decisions based on the up to date information they receive from the system.

Skim chapter 5 then discuss the major issues in managing hardware and software technology?

The largest concerns when managing hardware and software technology in business are; capacity planning, scalability and total cost of ownership. When a startup begins to invest in this category they must consider if this hardware or software technology is going to adapt along with the growth of the company. (ex. Accessing new markets leading to increase in customers, more employees, new product introduction etc.) The total cost of ownership does not only include the one time purchasing cost but additional expenses such as; maintenance, installation, training, support, infrastructure, downtime, space and energy. When adding all these components together the cost can get very pricey for business owners compared to centralized mainframe architectures but, it is necessary to have a strong IT foundation so your company can gain a competitive edge amongst others through information systems. With the example of American Airlines the service they provide is air-transportation for their consumers, now that they have excelled at their main delivery they want to excel in customer service and stand out amongst their competitors which is why they invested into IBM cloud computing technology because their old hardware and software platform was non-adaptable and caused them to operate inefficiently. As consumer demands change it is important for businesses to drive innovation in information systems and in order to do this efficiently companies must constantly reinvest profits in their hardware and software systems to make sure they don't fall behind in this internet driven age with their consumers and as a business, make sure they don't convert the investment in technology from an asset to a liability.

Name five potential problems that might arise from using a spreadsheet (like MS Excel) for data storage and explain how these problems could be solved by using a database system (like MS Access) instead

There are several potential problems that can arise from using a spreadsheet like MS Excel for data storage. A major one is limited scalability. Excel has a limited capacity to handle large amounts of data, which can lead to slow performance and crashes when dealing with many rows and columns. In contrast, a database system like MS Access can handle large volumes of data without affecting its performance. Next is data integrity issues with multiple users working on the same Excel file, it's easy to accidentally overwrite or delete important data. A database system like MS Access can provide access controls, ensuring that only authorized users can make changes to the data, and provide data validation rules to prevent users from entering invalid data. Another is lack of data consistency, when data is spread across multiple worksheets in Excel, it can be difficult to maintain consistency and accuracy. A database system like MS Access can enforce data consistency by using relationships between tables and referential integrity constraints, ensuring that the data is consistent and reliable. Furthermore, limited data analysis capabilities is a potential problem because Excel offers basic data analysis capabilities, it may not be enough for complex data analysis tasks. A database system like MS Access has built-in features for complex data analysis, including the ability to create complex queries, reports, and dashboards. Lastly, difficulty to manage updates when using Excel, making changes to the structure of the data can be time-consuming and error prone. A database system like MS Access allows for easier management of data updates, allowing for the efficient addition or modification of fields, tables, or relationships.

Compare the performance of two top ERP companies and discuss the one with the highest growth potential.

While there are a number of top-performing ERP companies out there today two systems hold a majority market share. I discovered many similarities, and differences, between these providers. I will also make a recommendation for which I believe will see the highest growth over the next 5 years, and explain why. SAP S/4HANA and Microsoft Dynamics 365 are two of the industry leaders in ERP. Both systems provide exceptionally tailored experiences for their customers with few limitations. Each provider comes equipped with tools and customizations for financial management; includes specialized AP & AR for exceptional budgeting and revenue tracking, cash flow, and inventory management, SCM, and HR management; for example onboarding and training (both take significant time and resources when conducted inefficiently), cloud-based infrastructure, customer service, and high-level security solutions. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an ERP and CRM software that is fully customizable, easy to install and is compatible with all Office 365 products and extensions. MD365 offers cloud-based and desktop/on-premises version operation. Released in Nov 2016, MD365 currently holds a 7.18% market share of all companies using ERP systems in the US. MD365 has the ability to track day-to-day company operations in real time, all in the same place. MD365 boasts a strong focus on sales and marketing. MD365 on average has a lower operating cost and implementation time. It's fully customizable for its industry customers. SAP narrowly leads MD365 at 8.07% market share based on the same criteria. However, SAP HANA has gained significant popularity over a very short time having just launched this new version in early 2022. SAP is operated using Linux. SAP does not own or operate Linux, making them a supplier with added risks. SAP has a reputation for leading in industry customizations and configuration options, SCM and planning features, and real-time data tracking and measures. SAP has been operating for over 50 years, which helps capture consistency and efforts to stay competitive and adapt to new growth. The best feature I saw that really sets SAP apart from MD365 is the Business Outsourcing Feature. This is a feature that financially makes more sense to be used by SAP's behemoth clientele, including AWS, Coca-Cola, and BP. Microsoft better serves mid-size to small businesses (based on number of employees and sales revenues) based on their more centralized offerings. Some clients consist of Fed-Ex, Vertex; a local pharmaceutical firm, and ShipStation. Even though MD365 has been around for significantly fewer years and is considered a smaller package offering, I believe they will soon hold a solid lead over SAP due to their long proceeded AI focus.