Introduction
Achieving market strategic advantage is a fundamental objective of a business organisation, it is by expanding business horizon, and gaining more customers that a business can achieve its fundamental objectives of increasing annual revenues and be able to enhance shareholders’ value. Information Technology (IT) is noted to be an effective tool to achieve competitive advantage for a business organisation. Basically, IT has replaced manual system of conducting system, many businesses have realised the disadvantages of conducting businesses using manual method compare to automated methods of conducting businesses.
For example, using manual method for accounting purpose may lead to financial errors, and this can lead to error in management decision. Manual inventory may lead to delay in processing customers orders. Typically, automated business using IT has been noted to remove all problems from manual methods of business transactions.
Purpose of this document is to present proposed automated system to R & S Entertainment Services in order to improve R & S business advantages.
Convincing the management of R&S Entertainment on the choice of the proposed system requirements requires presentation on the purpose of the purpose of automated computer system.
Purpose
The proposed automated system is Relational Database Management System (RDMS). Many businesses have chosen RDMS to improve their market competitive advantages. (Hellerstein1, Stonebraker and Hamilton, 2007). The purpose of purpose of RDMS is to serve as an effective tool for R& S Entertainment in launching online business, the system will improve R&S inventory, and its financial records using RDMS. In addition, customers of R&S will find it easier to order from R&S website, be assured that their orders will be processed on time. Using RDMS will enhance the efficiencies of R&S management decisions. Using RDMS will also eliminate many other management problems such as forecasting machine use, when to order new machines, when to upgrade and service existing machines, and when to replace outdated machines with new ones.
With proposed EDMS, R&S will be able to manage its current inventory at each location, be able to manage accounting, information on each machine, which include cost, current value, and depreciations. This will help Mr Lewis and other management of R&S to effectively manage customers’ needs.
Will overall purpose of the propose system, there is scope for this document.
Scope
This document contains proposed RDMS for R&S Entertainment. Due to the importance of this document to the management of R&S, this document will only be used by the management of R&S Entertainment, System developer, software developer, Database management, and IT consultant.
Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations
This subsection provides the definitions of all terms, acronyms, and abbreviations required to properly interpret the document.
- RDMS: Relational Database Management System.
- IT: Information Technology.
Literature Used and Citation
References provide a complete list of all documents, books, publications that have been referred to either within this document or used as reference material to compile this document. This paper uses Harvard reference style. Complete list of references are provided in the last page of this document
Document Overview
This subsection provides overall structure of this document. This document is structure as follows.
- First section of this document provides purpose of proposed system, which include introduction to system requirements, specification and analysis.
- This section also provides scope of the document, who will use this document, and how the document will be used. The other document in this section is Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations used in this document.
- Section two provides system overview, which details the description of proposed system, and examine whether the system meets organisational goals. In addition, there will be description of scoping models in this section, and this includes justification for choosing the system.
- Section three provides context level diagram that include details of all sub-processes, their inputs and output data flows, and data stores,
- Section 4 contains system requirements, which include description of system requirements; this section also contains constraints on this system. The document will also contain advice on the anticipated system failures.
- Final section provides advice on how the R&S management can guide on against system failure.
System Overview
As discussed in section one, the proposed system is R&S Entertainment is Relational Database Management System (RDMS). In RDBMS, computer can provide 24 hour online transaction, where credit card can be processed automatically, and this will help R&S to meet customer’s need. Information fed into the computer on each inventory can be searched automatically with assigned filed number, and wastage will be eliminated. The RDMS has been widely used for many varieties of management purpose, and it has been found to be applicable to varieties of world’s application infrastructure such as billing, payroll, supply management, e-commerce, automated record keepings to mention a few. Typically, relational systems serve as effective system for all online transaction and can be managed by management team. (Hellerstein1, Stonebraker and Hamilton, 2007).
Scoping Models
This section provides the analysis of the system and justification for using the system. Justification for using RDMS is to manage online business transaction, which R&S Entertainment intends to launch. It should be noted that R&S intends to create website to accept order online, using RDMS will enhance business advantages of R &S, and Mr Lewis will be able to met customers’ needs. Typically, the tools to analyse the system is whether it has been able to meet R&S objectives, and the system will be analysed based on the level it has been bale to manage all the overall management needs, and whether the system can be easily managed effectively by R&S management team. Next section provides the context level diagram.
System Requirements
The system requirements are multi processing system, where the computer process 24 hour credit transaction. The computer processing is done immediately a customer feeds data into the computer, and upon customer submit his information and credit card details, the order processing is done automatically, and fund transfer is done automatically. (Digital Desk 2009), (XS4All Internet, 2008). This system is also very good during the time of high sales, when business is very busy., and the processing can be done online, and customer data will be encrypt and secure.(Instabill Merchant Account, 2000, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, 2005).
The system also reduces enormous paper work of accounting, and inventory work load. With the automated system P&S can be able to track revenue performances of individual machines, and this will help management to make forecast on machines, and make decision on when to replace old machines with new one. Moreover, with this system, all data in the inventory can be updated where each machine is assigned file numbers, and supply manager can easily locate each machine by input a machine file number, and this will help the management to location and analyse quality and type of machines in service, its installation history. This will also help Mr Lewis to save enormous amount of money. Despite the advantages that this system can provide, there are still some non functional requirements with the system.
Non-Functional Requirements
There are some non-functional requirements of the system. The system can not retrieve data that it has not stored. It can only retrieve, update, and process information that has been input into the system. In addition, the system needs database and computer experts to manage the system. This system can not manage itself, unless being managed by trained computer experts.
System constraints
There are constraints on the system. The system can be attacked by virus if not properly managed.
Additionally, computer hacker can burst into the system and valuable data can be collected if adequate securities are not provided for the system.
Finally, during online processing, server can go down, which make online processing to be slow.
Advice on System Success
To guide against these failures, management must adequately provides antivirus, which guide against virus attack.
To guide against hackers, management should provide software called Fire Walls that prevent the system from computer hacker. Management should always use back up file to guide against data loss.
Finally, management should subscribe from internet service provider that can guarantee non break down of server.
References
Digital Desk (2009), Types of Operating System, Neath Port Talbot CBC.
Hellerstein1, J, M, Stonebraker2,M, and Hamilton, J, (2007), Architecture of a Database System, Foundations and Trends in Databases, 1, ( 2) pp 141–259.
InstabillTM Merchant Account, (2000), Real-time Processing, Instabill UK: London House.
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, (2005), What is Real Time Processing, IEEE Explore.
Note on Case Study for R&S Entertainment.
Document on Data Flow Diagram.
XS4All Internet, (2008), Types of Computer Operation, 4F Computer Studies Voor algemene vragen over XS4ALL.