43205692

Download This Paper

Business, Circumstance

string(417) ‘ most responsive sets of customersDatabase examination and modelling Enterprise Source Planning \(ERP\) Systems ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING systems integrate all departments and functions across an organisation, thus eliminating IS’ isolation in departments including finance, HOURS, marketing and the warehouse, and replacing these a single system where good information is usually connected jointly \(Wailgum, 2008, Steinberg, 2006\)\. ‘

THE BUSINESS WORTH OF INFORMATION DEVICES CASE STUDY: AMAZON . COM Isabel Nancy Arroyo Moreno Business Technology Module BSc Business Administration with HOURS Greenwich Institution of Management, University of Plymouth (London) Submission day: 8th January 2011 Word count: 2 . 776 Stand of Material Executive Summary4 The Business Worth of Information Systems5 Introduction5 Organization Value of Information5 Business Information Management through Information Systems6 The significance of Information Systems6 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems6

Organization Resource Preparing (ERP) Systems7 Supply Chain Management (SCM) Systems8 Data Systems plus the Changing Business Environment8 Amazon online marketplace. com Data Systems10 Introduction10 Amazon.

com’s Information Systems Value10 Amazon’s Customer Relations Management (CRM) system11 CRM System Business Value11 Amazon’s Venture Resource Administration (ERP) System Value13 Amazon. com’s Supply Chain Supervision (SCM) system13 Amazon. com’s SCM system Value13 Amazon IS as well as the external changing environment , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,. your five Conclusion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 18? Executive Brief summary Business information management requires the use of information systems, that make possible the conversion of information into valuable information to be accessed by decision creators in organisations (Chaffey, 2004) The purchase and further deployment of this kind of systems requires organisations for making expensive purchases prior to understand whether they are going to produce the desired business advancements.

Therefore , delivering value for money by information devices investments has turned into a very serious concern for many organisations. There are several good examples in both the private and public sector of expensive failures, but there are fewer published cases of success (Ward, 2006) The goal of the present paper is to clarify how added business value emerges from the use of info systems. The paper starts with a review of the related literature and after that, it takes an acceptable approach by using a case study research which intends to set out the value details systems to a successful organisation such as Amazon online marketplace.

Therefore , the situation study will illustrate how different info systems have empowered Amazon to obtain a solid competitive advantage by improving its marketing techniques and the effectiveness of it is distribution programs in a time when the fast progress technologies have come to redefine the commerce style within the selling industry. Certainly, the use of Net has changed the way people acquire goods and services, and nowadays there is a strong switch towards buying online that is pushing retailers to travel onto the internet if they would like to remain competitive.

In this respect, Amazon is a pioneer in using information systems to anticipate modifications in our retail sector environment, as well as, it provides the ideal example of what sort of company can acquire value for money via information program investments.? The Business Value of Information Systems Introduction Business information management is essential to organisations in order to support strategic decisions. Information brings value to organisations mainly because it allows bettering products and services, minimizing business costs and developing new innovative developments.

Information devices are used in order to manage organization information so that allows organisations to increase earnings, to improve productivity and to gain other intangible benefits with the objective of obtaining sustainable competitive advantage and company success. In addition , the utilization of information devices allow organisations to adjust to external changes in the business environment, otherwise they will could not continue to be competitive. Organization Value of Information

Information supervision is essential to businesses to be able to support operational processes, efficiency performance, and strategic decisions affecting their very own position in the market place. Relating to Marchand (2000) data can make value intended for organisations by simply: ¢Adding worth to products through a better understanding of consumer characteristics and needs, as consumer activities will be monitored to develop competitive tactics. Reducing costs and making business operations and businesses more efficient, because information allows organisations to use fewer resources and to increase communication. ¢Supporting organisational strategic decisions and helping with risk management assessment ¢Enabling enhancements and new product and service developments (Chaffey, 2004, Oestreich, 2010) Business Information Supervision through Details Systems

Business information managing involves the usage of information devices (IS) which will, according to the UK Academy to get IS, happen to be “the means by which organisations and people, employing information solutions resources, collect, process, retail store, use and disseminate information. (www. ukais. org, Chaffey, 2004) Therefore , IS will be computer centered systems that collect, method and retailers data, producing possible the conversion in useful managing information “data mining process- to be used by decision makers inside organisations. (Davis , Olson, 1985, Lucas, 1990, McLeod, 1995 cited by Ramesh, 1997).

The significance of Information Systems During the 1990s, there was a fantastic argument about the real value delivered by simply expensive organisational investments into it and IS, because studies discovered that there was weak correlation between IS DEFINITELY investments and increased business performance (Solow, 1987, Brynjolfsoon, 1993, Strassman, 1997 reported by Dans le marché de, 2003, Chaffey, 2004) However , studies by simply Delone and McLean (1992, 2003) through Jacks (2009) demonstrated the value of Is usually to the creation of business value and competitive advantage. Jacks, 2011) According to Jacks (2011) IS produce organisations good by both: ¢Increasing profitability: sales expansion, profits, RETURN ON INVESTMENT, reduced costs, market share increase. ¢Increasing productivity: business method outcomes, functional efficiency, support performance ¢Intangible benefits: customer satisfaction and loyalty, industry performance, quality improvement. Customer Marriage Management (CRM) Systems

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT systems are intended to build and sustain long term business associations with consumers of an company. Organisations may increase their earnings if they will retain consumers and sell additional products to them. Study by Reicheld and Schefter (2000) revealed that by retaining five per cent more consumers, online firms can increase their profits by simply 25% to 95%. (Chaffey, 2004) Therefore, CRM devices focus on those activities aimed to industry products and services to customers towards a more efficient approach.

By understanding customer features and needs, organisations can complex tailored marketing strategies to acquire, keep, extend and choose potential customers, which will ultimately will translate into more sales and efficiency profitability (Steinberg, 2006, Chaffey, 2004, Lee-Kelly, 2003) Table 4: Advertising activities of CRM CRM marketing activitiesObjectiveInformation based marketing techniques Customer acquisitionGain new customersTailored promoting communication Buyer retentionEncourage repeated purchasesPersonalized/tailored ommunications Customer extensionUp-sell (more high-priced products) Cross-sell (additional products) Personalised/tailored connection Customer selectionIdentify the most reactive groups of customersDatabase analysis and modelling Business Resource Preparing (ERP) Devices ERP systems integrate almost all departments and functions throughout an company, thus getting rid of IS’ isolation in departments such as fund, HR, marketing and the storage place, and changing them with a single system where all important data is linked together (Wailgum, 2008, Steinberg, 2006).

You read ‘The Business Value of Information Systems. Case Study: Amazon . com. Com’ in category ‘Free Case study samples’

ERP devices add worth to organisations by: ¢Integrating customer purchase information: ERP systems integrate order info, product transport and accounts in one sole system, enabling organisations to improve order tracking, and to organize inventory and shipment amongst different places simultaneously. Consequently , the buy process rates faster through the organisational departments, and customers get their orders faster and with fewer mistakes. ¢Reducing inventories: ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING systems streamline the buy fulfilment procedure and help with the delivery process, thus enhancing the movement of the organisation’s supply sequence. Wailgum, 2008, Steinberg, 2006) Supply String Management (SCM) Systems SCM systems synchronize all supply activities of any company just like supply and distribution network, logistic actions and inventory management, and these add value to an organisation by (Gabe, 2010, Chaffey, 2004): ¢Increasing procedure efficiency: SCM systems assistance to reduce the pattern time of organization processes and the resources required to execute them, thus reducing costs every order. ¢Reducing supply chain’s complexity: SCM systems allow organisations to order directly from suppliers, as a result reducing the cost of division. Improving data integration in the supply cycle: SCM systems enable information sharing in product demand between the company and its suppliers, which increases inventory supervision efficiency with the use of VMI (vendor-managed inventory). The benefits include reduced cost of conventional paper processing and lower products on hand holdings. ¢Reducing costs: SCM systems permits organisation to outsource specific assets, to lower costs through price competition and to offer better assistance quality. (Steinberg, 2006, Chaffey, 2004) Data Systems and the Changing Organization Environment

The environmental influences upon any organisation change swiftly, and therefore it is important to continually monitor the current environment also to anticipate upcoming trends through “environmental deciphering or sensing activities, in order to respond to improvements accordingly. Organisations that either do not screen environmental factors or usually do not respond to changes adequately might lose competition or even bear in failing. As example, IS managers need to continuously assess the relevance of new technology and to screen technology developments and enhancements in order to continue to be competitive. (Chaffey, 2004).? Amazon online Information Systems

Introduction Amazon . com is the biggest online store in world, although a lot of consider it is more a leading software developer or “information systems’ company with a little opt for, pack and ship service (Hof, 2003). This worldclass retailer, which will began performing as an online bookseller inside the mid 90s, has changed while using time and at present it offers the customers a wide variety of products including electronics, clothing, beauty products, and so on. In addition , Amazon online operates as a service provider allowing other merchants to sell in its web page and it also commercializes cloud safe-keeping services and its particular own tablet post-PC device “Kindle-. Businessweek, 2003, Hof, 2003, Jenkinson, 2005) Consequently , Amazon is among the most Net’s leading shopping destination in 2011, and data, information technology and info systems amount to its most beneficial assets. (Manjoo, 2011). Amazon’s Information Systems Value Between 2001 and 2003, Amazon . com invested 300 dollar, 000 in to building fresh distribution organisations and purchasing information devices software. However , experts scarcely criticised the business asserting that this would never recover the investment, (Gabe, 2010) and even monetary analysts including Lehman and Brothers expressed concerns above its cashflow situation. Foley, 2000) Though it took Amazon long time to be profitable, additional revenues went up once the organization got enough customers and sales to the initial CAN BE investments, and their bet for facts systems technology enabled the business to defeat competitors including Barnes and Nobles in the 90s and even more recently Wal-Mart Stores Inc (Hof, the year 2003, Gabe, 2010). Amazon uses information systems to improve earnings faster and its particular current finances, strategic situation, market share, and intangible rewards give evidence of that the company’s IT and it is strategies performed as expected.

According to Hottovy’s report (2011) Amazon doubled in size coming from 2008 to 2011 with $34 billion dollars in net sales and its particular current income growth can be close to forty percent. The company provides a valuation of $325 every share and generates go back on invested capital exceeding the fifty percent , remember that Amazon spends mainly in IT which is technologies “. Moreover, it includes an active consumer bottom of 137 million users that makes up about an annual growth rate of 20%.

In general, Amazon features one of the most capital efficient-models in e-commerce and its particular low cost procedures, network impact and concentrate in customer satisfaction provide the firm sustainable competitive advantage (Hottovy, 2011). Amazon uses ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING, SCM and CRM information systems. Oracle (ERP) constructed a multi-terabyte database to get the company, while SCM computer software was obtained to control costs and to boost shipping and logistics effectiveness. In addition , Amazon’s CRM system hopes to build up e-marketing efforts through the analysis of client’s preferences plus the provision of goods for specific segments (Foley, 2000).

Amazon’s Customer Associations Management (CRM) system Amazon’s CRM system uses the following applications to gather buyer information: ¢A database of customers with personal, profile and transactional info which include their very own purchase history and activities ¢An order control system that features the record of credit card information and it is linked to a delivery system ¢A web-page system that takes client information such as customer feedback, personal interests, wish list and product review records, and customises forms. ¢Automated interaction ystems: email-based and meaning systems and order data systems that ensure personalised and relevant communication with customers (Hof, 2003, Jenkinson, 2005, Hottovy, 2011) Crm database Business Worth Amazon’s CRM system creates business value through integrating consumer sales, providers and marketing and sales communications effectively (Jenkinson, 2005, Manjoon, 2011) To be able to detect habits of consumer behaviour, consumer information is analysed by data exploration experts employing statistical CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT and artificial intelligence (SAS) software, while collaborative filtering technology automatically analyzes past customer buys.

The examination provides highly processed information that serves to elaborate profiles of customer individual passions, which allows Amazon to send them customized product recommendations in order to enhance product sales (Foley, 2000, Hof, 2003, Jenkinson, 2005). Additionally , CRM info mining actions also compare individual users to additional customer information and bring them together in to similar teams. As effect, the company offers taken classic campaign methods and move into faster advertisments to target several customer sectors more effectively.

Thus, Amazon is actually able either to launch wide-ranging campaigns to millions of customers, or more concentrated campaigns to a couple of thousands and tailored advice to individuals, because of a better knowledge of customer attributes and needs (Foley, 2000, Hof, 2003). Summarizing, Amazon’s CRM system combine promoting, service and selling to acquire customers in order to encourage repeated purchases through cross advertising and up advertising tailored marketing techniques. Jenkinson, 2005) As a result, Amazon has achieved large levels of consumer commitment and loyalty. Research by Millward Brown (BrandZ study) revealed that 54% of US potential buyers are loyal to the business, as compared which has a 10% from the industry average, while a 67% of its instructions are coming from repeated clients. Moreover, Amazon online marketplace customers may buy in a higher rate than loyal buyers across the category, as forty percent of Amazon . com customers are frequent users when compared with an 8% of the normal category (Jenkinson, 2005).?

Amazon’s Enterprise Source Management (ERP) System Value Oracle is a ERP system used by Amazon online and this consists of a multi-terabyte database that integrates all the details related to customer orders including purchase history, product transport and accounts, thus allowing to reduces costs of the order fulfilment process (Wailgum, 2008) Oracle simplifies the steps of this process if you take customer purchases and process them in to invoices, and so when a buyer comes on the web to buy a product the buy system communicates directly together with the warehouse program to find the enough distribution center, while consumers receive communications about their obtain status and delivery times (Bacheldor, 2004) The company acknowledges that without this system it could be very difficult to coordinate and control the flow of merchandise inside their business operations (Bell, 2011). Such the usage of information makes business benefit by allowing Amazon to speed quicker the buy fulfilment process, as well as to improve visibility of order traffic monitoring and to lessen distribution faults. In fact , the organization has lowered its customer satisfaction contacts per order by simply 50% since 1999 because of fewer syndication mistakes (Businessweek, 2003). Amazon’s Supply Sequence Management (SCM) system In 2000, Amazon online marketplace. om manufactured expensive IS USUALLY investments into building their high quality computerized warehouses, and nowadays their supply sequence is one of the most effective and complex in the world (Jenkinson, 2004, Businessweek, 2003, Gabe, 2010). A CRM system controls all supply chain activities of Amazon online, such as vehicles management, delivery activities and inventory planning, with the aim of reducing functional costs and optimizing logistic operations (Gabe, 2010) Amazon’s SCM program Value In 2000, Amazon’s operational costs accounted for in regards to a 15% of sales earnings because the process of picking and packing several products was not very successful. Employees were required to enter info into the program manually and chutes possessing pending orders were backed up when goods did not turn up on time. (Businessweek, 2003)

Nowadays, the implementation of a SCM system provides enabled Amazon . com to reduce the cycle some the resources required to complete their operational processes, thus making them more efficient. The SCM system examines Amazon’s customer require to identify items which are often acquired together to be able to place them at the front end of the source lines, as a result enabling to speed quicker the process stream (Businessweek, 2003) The SCM system as well allows to find where the goods are physically located, so after receiving a great order the program will send a picker the place that the product is shelved. In the case of multi-orders, the system produces optimised choose lists, seeking the shortest possible path for finding the product. (Gilmour, 2003).

As a result, Amazon’s procedure costs droped down by 15% of total sales revenue in 2000 into a 5% in 2003, and lower costs possess enabled the business to offer even more product discount rates and free=shipping in orders over $25 (Businessweek, 2003). Moreover, Amazon’s CRM system allows information sharing on product demand involving the company as well as its suppliers, which improves products on hand management effectiveness. Amazon’s Crm database is connected to its suppliers’ IS in so that it will share info in real time regarding orders and shipment. Thus, Amazon can hold lower numbers of inventory stock in warehouses as it obtains goods from the suppliers only when needed and accordingly to customer demand levels. Hof, 2003, Foley, 2000) Due to CRM system, Amazon reduces costs by carrying only a 15 day’s worth of inventory whilst traditional merchants must replenish to 160 days’ really worth of inventory in their facilities (Hof, 2003). In addition , details systems’ the use between suppliers and Amazon enables clients to buy goods directly from suppliers. The company forwards orders to its suppliers which get the product to customers straight, therefore the difficulty of the supply chain and costs of distribution get reduced. (Knowledge Wharton, 2009). Amazon’s IS and the changing external environment. Information software has provided Amazon . com with competitive advantage mainly because it as been able to adjust its business design better than the competitors towards the changes that the retail market has knowledgeable during the past ten years such as the change towards shopping online due to a far more widespread usage of Internet (Manjoo, 2011) Therefore, Amazon required traditional suppliers to go upon the Net in the 90s (Hof, 2003), when nowadays, it has the best record with new products -as they can be constantly monitoring environmental changes- and their net services, cloud computing solutions and Amazon kindle device happen to be true innovative developments that have altered the rest of the industry (Manjoo, 2011)? Conclusion This paper shows the importance details management and information systems to the creation of organisational business benefit and competitive advantage.

Relating to Aiguilles, information devices contribute to efficiency success by simply increasing success and output, and rendering other intangible benefits such as customer loyalty. Subsequently, Amazon’s case study illustrates the perfect sort of how an organisation acquires value for money of their information systems investments. The effective usage of information devices has allowed the corporation to improve the efficiency of its syndication channels, to supply cost effective practical products to its buyers and to achieve the highest degrees of customer preservation and dedication within the onlinehandel industry, which in turn ultimately features helped Amazon . com to increase profitability and to acquire a solid budget.

In addition , info systems have presented the company with notorious competitive advantage above their rivals since it has been able to better adapt it is business model towards the changes the retail industry has experienced during the past 10 years, such as the switch towards to shop online due to a more widespread usage of Internet.? CITATION ¢Books and journals 1 . Bausch, G. (2003) Amazon online Hacks: 75 Industrial-Strength As well as Tools (1st Edition) O’Relly. USA installment payments on your Chaffey, M. et ing (2004) Organization Information Managing: Improving Overall performance using Information Systems (1st Edition) Prentice Hall Pearson Education. England 3. Hottovy, R. (2011) “Amazon. com AMZN Hare Stock Focus Morningstar StockInvestor Vol. 11 Iss: two pp. -9 [Online] Offered at: http://web. ebscohost. com/bsi/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? sid=d0f8a490-3601-4df8-b033-0d48d0b16c5a%40sessionmgr113, vid=11, hid=8 [Accessed on 18/11/2011] some. Jacks, Big t. et ing (2011) “A Framework for the Impact of IS about Organizational Performance. Business Procedure Manager Journal Vol. seventeen No . 5, pp. 846-870 [Online] Emerald green Group Publishing. Available at: www. emeraldinsight. com/1463-7154. htm [Accessed 18/11/2011] five. Lee-Kelley, M. et approach (2003) “How e-CRM may enhance client loyalty Advertising Intelligence and Planning Jounal Vol. 21 years old Iss: four, pp. 239-248 [Online] Available at: http://colinwatsonleeds. company. uk/RMarticles/LEEKeeley. df [Accessed on 18/11/2011] 6. Melville N. et al (2004) “Information Technology and Organisational Overall performance: An Integrative Model of THIS Business Value. MIS Quarterly , The Society for Information Management Vol. 28 Iss: n. 2, January, pp. 283-322 [Online] Available at: http://www. misq. org/review-information-technology-and-organizational-performance-an-integrative-model-of-it-business-value. html[Accessed 18/11/2011] 7. Oestreich, T. (2010) “The Value of Information Journal of Management Excelence Issue being unfaithful, June 2010. Oracle [Online] Available by: http://www. oracle. com/us/solutions/thoughtleadership/journal-mgmt-excellence-june-2010-116920. df [Accessed on 12/11/2011] ¢Publications 8. Bacheldor, B. (2004) From Scratch: Amazon online Keeps Source Chain Near Home Informationweek [Online] Offered from: http://www. executivemanagementskills. com/pdf/amazon. pdf [Accessed in 11/11/2011] 9. Businessweek (2003) “Reprogramming Amazon Bloomberg Businessweek January 23th [Online] Available at: http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/03_51/b3863115_mz063. htm [Accessed about 18/11/2011] 10. Dans le marché de, E. (2003) IT Does Matter. European Organization Forum [Online] Available at: http://profesores. ie. edu/enrique_dans/download/IT%20Does%20Matter%20-%20EBF. pdf [ Utilized on 18/11/2011] eleven. Foley, M. 2000) “Amazon’s IT Agenda Informationweek. com News, November 6th [Online] Available at: http://www. informationweek. com/811/amazon. htm [Accessed about 18/11/2011] 12. Gabe, M. (2010) “Lessons in Distribution Mortgage Banking [Online] Available at: http://www. allbusiness. com/banking-finance/banking-lending-credit-services-mortgage/14266140-1. html [Accessed about 18/11/2011] 13. Gilmour, K. (2003) “Amazon Warehouse Internet Journal, Sept. the year 2003 [Online] Available from: http://www. kimgilmour. com/articles/archive/amazon_warehouse. html [Accessed on 14/11/2011] 14. Hof, R. (2003) “Amazon. com: The Untamed World of e-commerce Business Week Archives [Online] Available at: http://www. usinessweek. com/1998/50/b3608001. htm [Accessed upon 18/11/2011] 15. Jenkinson, A. (2005) “Amazon: Bounding Customers with Integrated Service Centre pertaining to Integrated Promoting, University of Luton [Online] Available at: http://www. centreforintegratedmarketing. com/gfx/documents/amazon_bonding_customers_with_integrated_service. pdf [Accessed upon 18/11/2011] 16. Know-how Wharton (2009) “Fit intended for the Holidays: Amazon online marketplace is Surrounding Up and Shipping Out. [email, protected] [Online] Readily available from: http://knowledge. wharton. upenn. edu/articlepdf/2382. pdf file? CFID=172480957, CFTOKEN=80041908, jsessionid=a8305ac77adc802c10107e653f5a2f715b56 [Accessed upon 14/11/2011] 7. Manjoo, F. (2011) “The Superb Tech Battle of 2012 Fastcompany March 19th [Online] Available at: http://www. fastcompany. com/magazine/160/tech-wars-2012-amazon-apple-google-facebook [Accessed on 18/11/2011] 18. Ray, Ur. (2010) “True CRM: It truly is Beyond Technology Smallbiztechnology, June 29th [Online] Available at: http://smallbiztechnology. com/archive/2010/06/true-crm-its-beyond-technology. html/ [ Accessed 18/11/2011] nineteen. Ramesh, A. et ing (1997) “Establishing a administration information system FAO Company document Database. [Online] Offered by: http://www. fao. org/docrep/W5830E/w5830e0k. htm [Accessed on 10/11/2011] twenty. Steinberg, M. 2006) “Enterprise Applications: A Conceptual Take a look at ERP, CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT and SCM Hill Affiliates Inc. [Online] Available at: http://www. hill. com/resources/whitepapers/enterprise_apps. pdf [Accessed on 18/11/2011] 21. Ward, J. (2006) “Delivering Worth from Details Systems and Technology Investments: Learning from success. [Online] Sold at: http://www. som. cranfield. air conditioning unit. uk/som/dinamic-content/research/documents/deliveringvaluereport. pdf [Accessed on 12/11/2011] 22. Wailgum, Capital t. et ‘s (2008) “ERP Definition and Solutions Cio. com [Online] Available from: http://www. cio. com/article/40323/ERP_Definition_and_Solutions [Accessed upon 16/11/2011]

Need writing help?

We can write an essay on your own custom topics!