T 4.3 DSS and GIS

A Decision Support System (DSS) may help managers and executives make informed and logical decisions based on past trends. A DSS is “a computer-based information system that supports business or organizational decision-making activities… help to make decisions, which may be rapidly changing and not easily specified in advance.”¹ There are several different types of DSS including Communication-driven DSS, Data-driven DSS, Document-driven DSS, Knowledge-driven DSS and Model-driven DSS. All of which compile different types of data to aid in the decision making of a particular problem. Data-driven DSS are particularly useful because they allow managers to query and manipulate specific data such as, sales or budget to make an informed decision that will benefit the company as a whole. Data-driven DSS can also be supplemented with other information systems such as Geographic Information system (GIS) to provide further analysis, observe trends and make a better decision based on data relating to a specific region. Supplementing a DSS with a GIS managers are able to make better decisions on a greater scale which could  increase the total profit of a company

The backbone of a data-driven DSS is a data warehouse which is a database that “integrates a very large amount of current and historical data from various internal and external sources and databases.”² A data warehouse is where all the data that a company has previously gathered is stored. Access to this data allows managers to tailor specific queries of relevant data which the manager can analyze to identify patterns or relationships from their company’s past decisions and make new decisions which may be more beneficial to the company.

A Geographic Information System is “a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data.”³ A GIS can superimpose data from a DSS  on to a map to provide a visual representation of the data that a manager can use to indentify which sales strategies are most productive in a particular region. Managers can also use this data to determine where their products are most in-demand allowing the company to open stores at sites which could potentially yield more customers. Using a DSS in this manner allows managers make better decisions on a regional scale that could benefit the business.

 An example of using a DSS in conjunction with a GIS is, if a company implements a new sales strategy and the sales drop in a particular region. The manager may query the sales data of that region and compare the number of transactions, sales on products (i.e. buy one get one 50% off, 20% off) and net profit of each store within that region before and after the implementation of the new strategy. The manager may then analyze the data and determine which sales were bringing in the most customers and adjust their sales strategy accordingly.

In conclusion, a company can stand to significantly increase its profits, and make better decisions by using a DSS to compare previously gathered data and a GIS to provide a visual representation of that data. 

1. 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_support_system#Classification

2. 2. http://www.elml.uzh.ch/preview/fois/DSSII/en/html/lu1_learningObject4.html

3. 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system

4. 4.  http://www.bestpricecomputers.co.uk/glossary/geographic-information-system.htm

5. 5.  http://www.tech-faq.com/decision-support-system.html

T3.6

             Buying products online is as easy as clicking a link and entering your credit card information, but many consumers do not see the intricate procedures involved with accepting the payment information and keeping it from falling into the wrong hands. Authorize.net is a company that provides a payment gateway account¹ and works with several banks so the merchant may set up an internet merchant account¹ to accept electronic payments via their website. Both of these accounts ensure safe transaction of funds between the customer and the merchant. Small businesses are now capable of selling their goods to consumers in nearly any geographic location safely and affordably, thanks to the services provided by companies like Authorize.net.

                Authorize.net provides small businesses the means to accept online payments saving them the costs of developing and integrating their own payment system into their website. The first step to set up a payment system using Authorize.net is to set up an Internet Merchant Account(IMA)which allows a business to accept online credit card payments. ¹Authorize.net provides a list of several banks that the business may choose from to set up their IMA such as, iPayment or Chase Paymentech². Opening an IMA also provides the benefits of the bank fighting disputes on the merchant’s behalf, the funds are FDIC insured and the business seems more legitimate because the payments are processed by a name the customer can recognize.  After setting up an IMA, Authorize.net then provides a Payment Gateway Account¹which authorizes the customer’s payment and securely transfers the funds into the business’s IMA through a series of steps.  After the customer provides their credit card information Authorize.net routes the transaction data securely to the merchants bank who verifies the funds are available with the organization (Mastercard, Visa, etc) who issued the card. After verification, Authorize.net reports the results back to the merchant and customer, if the required funds are available the goods or services are exchanged and the funds are transferred from the customer’s account into the merchant’s IMA within two to four business days³.  Using the payment gateway account provided by Authorize.net merchants may accept payments safely from nearly any credit card a customer may have. Authorize.net also provides a variety fraud detection services to protect the merchants who use their payment system. An example of such services areShipping-Billing Mismatch Filter which helps “Identify high-risk transactions with different shipping and billing addresses, potentially indicating purchases made using a stolen credit card.”⁴ this helps protect a merchant’s profits by flagging suspicious transactions as potentially fraudulent.

                In conclusion, there are a variety of benefits an e-business may enjoy from using a company like Authorize.net to process their transactions. The cost of using a company like Authorize.net to process transactions is much lower than developing a payment system from scratch. The sensitive account information of both the customer and merchant is securely transferred using Authorize.net’s own infrastructure. Merchants are also protected from fraudulent transactions by a vast number of fraud detection filters and tools hosted by Authorize.net.⁴

1. http://www.authorize.net/solutions/merchantsolutions/onlinemerchantaccount/#_getting_started

2. http://www.authorize.net/solutions/merchantsolutions/resellerdirectory/

3. http://www.authorize.net/resources/howitworksdiagram/

4. http://www.authorize.net/solutions/merchantsolutions/merchantservices/frauddetectionsuite/

5. http://www.optimum7.com/internet-marketing/online-payment-methods/ecommerce-payment-methods.html

6. https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/security_standards/

T3.4 Intranets

  An intranet is "a collection of private computer networks of an organzation"¹ which can help increase productivity and effective communication with minimal investment by the organization. Intranets are designed for ease of use and usually bear a resemblance to a normal web page found on the internet. Many of the same protocols that are used to on the internet may also be applied to an organizations intranet. Protocols such as, Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) a protocol used to communicate over a network, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol(SMTP) and Post Office Protocol(POP)which are used to send and receive emails over a network.¹ With the help of an intranet managers are able to communicate with their staff more effectively therefore increasing productivity.

                There are a wide variety of benefits an organization may take advantage of by implementing an intranet system. One benefit of using an intranet is that it provides a location for employees to share and access resources. This allows a greater collaboration of work to aid in the completion of large projects. Another benefit is secure communication within the company. An intranet is usually only available from either a company computer or an outside device through a Virtual Private Network(VPN) which requires the user to enter a username and password to gain access. The VPN also encrypts the data packets making the data unreadable if someone was to intercept them ensuring confidentiality.²This allows an employee to access the intranet and use its resources from home or when travelling while still keeping the information sent and received secure. Intranets improve communication between employees by allowing them to send memos to a single person or the whole company. By Sending these memos electronically managers may more efficiently conduct workflow by checking the progress of projects, or assign new ones as simply as sending an email.

                Proper implementation and usage of an intranet allows an organization to reduce many of its administrative tasks and costs. Companies are able to reduce their paper usage by sending memos electronically over the intranet, rather than printing many copies to distribute to their employees. This saves the company the cost of the paper as well as the time needed to distribute the memos.  Another example of a reduction of cost by using an intranet, is from Cisco Systems who used their intranet to process expense reports. In 1996 before the intranet was implemented, Cisco used four of their staff members over four days to process the reports. The total cost of processing the 54,000 reports was $19 million dollars at about $50.69 per report. In 1999 the reports were processed by the intranet, requiring three staff members over four days to process 145,000 reports. The total cost this time was $77 million dollars and the cost per report was $1.90.³ Cisco was able to cut their costs significantly and nearly triple the amount of reports processed. 

                In conclusion, when properly implemented an intranet can , increase productivity through the sharing of resources and improved communication, and cut costs of several administrative tasks by using the information stored on the intranet. 

1.http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/intranets/g/bldef_intranet.htm 

2.http://computer.howstuffworks.com/vpn.htm

3.http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/nt/2002/nt_2002_11_18_intranet_roi.htm

4.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intranet

5.http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1075386426&r.l1=1073861197&r.l2=1073866263&r.l3=1075386295&r.s=sc&type=RESOURCES

T3.3 Web 2.0

    Tim O'Reilly coined the term Web 2.0 to describe a new era of the web which uses new technologies,  and web page design strategies to "...allow users to interact with the data available there(in the web) in ways we never dreamed possible 10 years ago."¹ New Technologies and communication protocols such as Asynchronous JavaScript and XML(AJAX) and Simple Object Access Protocol(SOAP) allow end users to interact with a web page more efficiently and like never before. Another aspect of Web 2.0 is viewing the web as a platform rather than just a medium to distribute information. These features of Web 2.0 web pages, such as Wikipedia.org, allow users to create, modify and share information with relative ease creating a closer connection between businesses and their customers.

          Advances in web programming and technology allows businesses to create more efficient, and interact-able websites  One of these advances is AJAX, which allows devices, referred to as clients, to send and retrieve data from a server over a period of time rather than all at once. "...web applications can send data to, and retrieve data from, a server asynchronously (in the background) without interfering with the display and behavior of the existing page."² AJAX is a combination of HTML and CSS code which allows users to interact with information retrieved from the server without having to reload the web page after every interaction. This cuts down the load time of a web page which saves the user from the frustration of waiting for the data to be completely retrieved from the server before they may interact with the application. This is especially useful for companies such as youtube.com who hosts multimedia applications. On youtube.com, a user may start watching a video while the rest of the data is loaded in the background.  Another new technology is SOAP which is a platform independent communication protocol that allows applications to communicate with each other "SOAP provides a way to communicate between applications running on different operating systems, with different technologies and programming languages."³ SOAP is how web pages to be viewed no matter what operating system the client is running allow companies such as Hulu.com or HBO(via HBO Go) to reach a wider audience therefore further connecting to their customer base.

          These new technologies have evolved the web into its own platform, Giving companies the capability of adding both, applications they have developed as well as those developed by a third party to their website accessible from almost any operating system. An example of this is Google Docs, a word processor application which can be accessible from their web site and allows users to store, modify and share documents through the cloud. This allows Goggle to better connect with their user base and generate ad revenue because the user does not have to go out purchase a word processing software. It is millions of applications like Google Docs which have transformed the web into its own platform capable of being run off of any device with internet connectivity again, allowing Goggle to expand their customer base and meet the needs they require.

          In conclusion, the new technologies and applications available over web 2.0 allow businesses to stay connected to their customer and provide better, more efficient services to meet the needs of the customer.

1. http://webdesign.about.com/od/web20/a/aa021306.htm

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajax_(programming)

3. http://www.w3schools.com/soap/soap_intro.asp

4. http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-201.htm

5. http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-20.htm

Task 2.5 BCCLS Database Research

 The Bergen County Cooperative Library System(BCCLS) is a database that compiles data from every library in Bergen County into one location accessible by the internet. I was first introduced to this database in middle school to help me find the books I was required to read over the summer. I used it all throughout high school and still today to find books I need for my classes without having to purchase them.

          BCCLS was created to "to foster resource sharing among Bergen County public libraries. The cornerstone activity has been, and remains, reciprocal borrowing where a patron's hometown library card is honored at all participating libraries."¹  This database allows any person with a library card to search the holdings of every library in Bergen County and several from Essex , Passic and Hudson Counties. Once the borrower has found the book they have searched for he or she may then fill out a simple request form and the book will be mailed to their home towns library free of charge, where the borrower may pick it up at their leisure.

          BCCLS is built from Symphony Integrated Library System, which is a database written in SQL. Symphony is a Software as a Service(SaaS) database provided by SirsiDynix who hosts and maintains the software using their own hardware. "...your library can run all the tools of the Symphony system on less bandwidth than it takes to stream a YouTube video."² Using the SaaS delievery model provided by SirsiDynix, BCCLS is able to be run and maintained at a highly reduced price making it available without any cost to the libraries patrons. The other benefits of using SirsiDynix's hardware to host the database is security of user information, and a guaranteed "uptime" thanks to SirsiDynix's consistent maintenance of their own hardware.

          BCCLS interface is very user friendly allowing those whom have limited computer skills or experience to use the database with little to no problem. There are several different options to search the database with allowing the user to limit the number of matches and find the specific book he or she is looking for. These search options include title, author, series, subject, collection(fiction non-fiction etc.), and language the book is in. Several of the books covers are also added to database allowing to user to quickly identify the book they are looking for. The users are also able to search within a specific libraries catalogue giving them the ability to browse that libraries holdings.

1.http://www.bccls.org/buckles/history.shtml

2.http://www.sirsidynix.com/sites/default/files/dl/symphonybookfullpage_0.pdf

3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_as_a_Service

4.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergen_County_Cooperative_Library_System

5.http://www.bccls.org/

 Answers to Questions 

1. One problem that may occur when using BCCLS is the sheer amount of results a search may yield even with the advanced search options. A second is the cover feature is under utilized, several books that have been published recently don't have cover photos which makes it harder to find the book you're looking for while combing a search that yielded a large result. 

2. It provides a competitive advantage because it cuts out the need to physically go to a couple different libraries to find the book you need saving yourself some time and gas money. 

3. Some suggestions I have for improvement would be to ensure that at least the majority of books have a photo of the cover, also adding a "search within results" feature would solve the problem of having to look through several pages of results in order to find the book you're looking for.  

Task 2.3 Hardware & Software

 New Mobile commerce technology is making it easier for businesses to increase productivity and work flow by allowing employees to basically work from any location. There are many different types of this new technology providing businesses the option to select which device or technology would be most beneficial to them. 

 Server- 

A server is incredibly important to a business who would like their employees to work outside the office. This central computer stores information and allows devices which are connected to its intranet to run applications/software. Employees may then work from anywhere with an internet connection and an appropriate device. 

 Smartphone- 

A smartphone is a useful mobile technology because it allows quick and efficient communication between employees and managers. Thanks to advances in 3G employees using smartphones such as a Blackberry or an iPhone may check their emails from virtually anywhere keeping them up to date on current projects. 

 Laptop Computer- 

The laptop computer is one of the most popular and useful mobile technologies. The laptop allows an employee to take his work home with him/her without the need to to save on an external hard drive or server. The IT department may also make the companies intranet available on the device granting the employee access to the same information on his/her work station at the office. 

Radio Frequency Identification-

 RFID tags may be used on company property to properly identify lost or missing devices. The IT department can install these small chips into devices and then program into it relevant information such as, name of employee issued to, company name and address etc.

 

Tablet Computers-

 A tablet computer may be used for to write down notes and send emails quickly. They may also be used to quickly make revisions on a presentation by simply writing the new thought. 

Task 1.5 Systems

Decision Support Systems are incredibly important for any company as it allows for up to date analysis of data making it run more efficiently and profitably. A decision Support system  is required to "Support business or organizational decision-making activities. DSSs serve the management, operations, and planning levels of an organization and help to make decisions, which may be rapidly changing and not easily specified in advance."1   

I work in sales for a company that uses a Point of Sale(POS) decision support system(DSS) named Oliver. The POS Oliver, compiles sales information for Regional Sales Directors, as well as other managers to analyze whether or not the sales strategy they are imposing is beneficial or not. With the help of Oliver, RSD's are able to make quick decisions on how to approach sales for the upcoming month and communicate to the store managers which promotions they should use for maximum profit. 

The data that is inputted and processed by Oliver is collected from the registers at every store within the region. Oliver stores this information in a Data Warehouse where it is processed and analyzed. The benefits of having such a warehouse are "Maintain data history, even if the source transaction systems do not. Restructure the data so that it makes sense to the business users. Restructure the data so that it delivers excellent query performance, even for complex analytic queries, without impacting the operational systems."2  Sales information is not the only data Oliver collects, payroll, and customer information is also stored within the data warehouse. In order to ensure the proper persons are able to view the the newly processed information, the data warehouse is split into various Data Marts.

 A Data mart specifically is "A data mart is the access layer of the data warehouse environment that is used to get data out to the users. The data mart is a subset of the data warehouse that is usually oriented to a specific business line or team"3 These marts allow RSDs to view sales information specific to them as well as other parts of the company such as payroll to be able to view the number of hours worked for each employee. This categorization of information  makes the system more efficient because it allows RSDs to specifically look at sales information and not have to comb through all the other information the system collects. 

 If it was not for Oliver the RSDs would not be able to query the stored sales information to account for growth or determine which sales are best during a specific time of year allowing for the company to maintain profits year to year.  

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_support_system

2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_warehouse

3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_mart

Week 1 Task 2

Robert Tarantino
12 July 2012
Info 224

E-commerce is an information system that allows the convenience of purchasing a product without the consumer ever setting foot within that store. This information system very valuable to businesses because it limits the  need for a storefront and the expenses associated with it. The transactions are conducted over the Internet via a web page owned by the company which showcases its various products. An example of such a company is Newegg.com which solely conducts business online. The process of purchasing a product from Newegg begins with the input of information by the consumer. Information such as name, billing and shipping address, e-mail address etc. After the consumer has entered his account information and found a product he or she wishes to purchase they must input their payment information. The order is then processed by a computer program which verifies the payment and sends  feedback to the customer in the form of an electronic receipt via email. Feedback is then sent to an employee for then organizes the order and prepares it to be shipped to the customer. The transaction information is then outputted to a database which is saved just in case of any disputes the customer has with the product.

This information system is valuable to Newegg because it allows them to thrive without leasing a space to open a store. The feedback Newegg receives regarding payment helps protect them from fulfilling fraudulent orders. This information system also helps Newegg market their products because they may send the consumers who sign up weekly or monthly advertisments straight to their e-mail.  If e-commerce did not exist companies like Newegg would never exist and consumers would not get to enjoy their services.