This paper focuses on discussing several aspects of Asset, Tracking, Logistics and Supply System (ATLASS), which is used by the US Marine Corps to manage various aspects of supply management. ATLASS allows thousands of users to analyse critical data and produce information. In fact, the information system (IS) is important in making essential decisions with regard to supply management. It is applied on a client-server platform that is based on the following key features: Windows NT, HP servers, SyBase database, and local area network (LAN). It is important to recognise that its primary function is incorporating supply, maintenance and readiness that are critical in facilitating the performance outcomes of the US Marine Corps.
The system has both positive and negative impacts on the US Marine Corps. Benefits will be discussed first. One of the benefits of the information technology is cost effectiveness. It has been essential in computerising the activities of the organisation. The computerisation has been noted as an important approach towards streamlining activities that would cost more money if they would be accomplished independently. Reduction in costs associated with performing supply management has been important in enabling the firm to save substantial amounts of money to be used in other activities (Laudon & Laudon, 2009).
The second positive impact of ATLASS is globalisation. It is important to underscore that workers of the US Marine Corps are found in many parts of the world where they are involved in maintaining peace in areas that are close to water bodies. Using many systems to carry out supply management would imply that there would be no interdependence. However, the adoption of the IS has been critical in ensuring that all supply activities of the organisation, which are carried out in different parts, are interlinked. Quick and effective communications are important for the interdependence.
In fact, this merit of ATLASS has ensured that various groups of personnel are not negatively impacted by distances. In addition, globalisation that has resulted from the adoption of the information technology is essential in ensuring that supply management operations are decentralised. In fact, this has ensured that low-level managers can carry out performs that were previously carried out by departmental managers.
Thus, departmental managers of the organisation can devote their time in managing strategic activities in the workplace. Creation of new jobs is another advantage of the information technology. The IT industry has evolved at very high rates that have resulted in the creation of superb programmes. One of such computer programmes is ATLASS, which implies that various specialists have benefited through its creation. Examples of specialists who have found jobs regarding the IS include the following: programmers, designers of websites, analysers of information systems, and developers of both hardware and software. In fact, the information system is exemplified by new jobs annually due to maintenance and improvements.
Minimisation of information overload is another positive impact of ATLASS. In the contemporary world, most firms are characterised by significant amounts of information that require effective management (Laudon & Laudon, 2009). The IS has ensured that supply management information is handled effectively by the US Marine Corps. Another advantage of the information technology is more time with regard to accomplishing activities. It ensures that personnel can spend more time to carry out important supply management activities. In fact, with the use of ATLASS, it is possible to order goods and have them delivered to various locations at any time of the day. In other words, it has allowed the organisation to make purchases from various parts of the world, which are delivered at all times of the day.
Although ATLASS is characterised by many positive impacts, negative impacts also exemplify it. Lack of security has resulted from the adoption of the IS. Experts in the IT industry assert that people are required to learn a lot with regard to the evolution of IT applications (Laudon & Laudon, 2009). What this implies is that persons who were involved in the development of ATLASS would be required to be at the forefront in designing more features that would make the IS more effective and secure.
If they are not updated, then they could face the challenge of losing their jobs. Another negative impact of the application is that it has led to overdependence, implying that workers can rarely perform their activities when it is not working. Thus, activities are greatly affected during system outages. However, the management has ensured that there are manual processes that could be used during system outages.
It would also be important to suggest some concrete solutions that would be used to improve the system. One of the problems affecting the functions of the technology is the lack of adequate back-up measures. Research shows that computer systems are frequently exemplified by outages, which could result from different activities such as hacking (Laudon & Laudon, 2009). It would be prudent for the management to purchase back-up hardware and software applications that would store all data and information on independent hard-drives. For example, there would be hard-drives on which important data regarding daily activities would be stored.
Such data would be saved on a daily basis because it would it difficult to predict when outages would occur. Back-ups should be protected from various damages, which would result in data loss. In fact, this recommendation would be an important approach that would prevent the organisation from many risks in the future.
There has been a problem of inappropriate use of many systems across the world (Laudon & Laudon, 2009). Thus, it would be expected that the organisation has been experiencing the same issue regarding ATLASS. The management should formulate a technology usage agreement that should be used to guide workers on how to use the IS. For example, such an agreement would be critical in guiding staff on how they should search the internet and sites that should not be accessed. In fact, some sites contain harmful programmes that would interfere with the system. In addition, the recommendation would go a long way in ensuring that personnel maintain data confidentiality, which would be important in improving performance outcomes and professionalism.
Finally, the system is relatively complex for its users. Computer systems based on client-server platforms should be developed in such a way that they would be easy to be applied by a significant number of users. It would be recommended that the management should focus on requesting the developers of the system to change it slightly so that easier features would be incorporated. After easier attributes are adopted, then users should be offered adequate training to understand how to use them. The recommendation would be important in preventing the system from frequent outages that are caused by mishandling by users.
Reference
Laudon, K., & Laudon, J. (2009). Management Information Systems: International Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Higher Education.