Page 15 - CIMA OCS Workbook May 2019 - Day 1 Tasks

ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT (E1) - PRACTICE TASKS

EXERCISE 2 (INFORMATION SYSTEMS)

TRIGGER
This morning you find the following note on your desk.

Note from Juliette Goh (Finance Director)

I am aware of ‘office talk’ in relation to the information systems we currently have at VitaMine and
the fact that most of our employees feel there is room for improvement. I am in agreement. For
example, I know all too well that in the Finance Department we spend too much time on day to day
transaction processing. I would like to address this issue with the senior management team.

Before meeting with them, I think it would be beneficial to hold an open discussion on the subject
with those in our immediate finance team, in order to gather opinions. I have set up a meeting for
our team next week and of course I will also want to put forward my own ideas so would appreciate
your help getting up to speed.

At the moment, our information systems do not extend beyond keeping basic data. We could be
more productive, efficient and profitable with improved systems - it’s just difficult to weigh up what
type of system/s best suit us and how to get going with this in practice.

I am aware that many of our employees, given their backgrounds, will probably know more about
information systems than I do, so want to make sure I have some good ideas to contribute. Towards
this end I would appreciate your comments on the following:

• Can you start by reminding me of some of the ways information systems can be used in an
organisation, to include some ideas for how we could use them both in our factory and our
office. I’m aware that a hierarchy of decision based management information systems may be
used – strategic, tactical and operational. Can you provide me with a brief run-through of these.
• Please then outline the benefits and drawbacks of introducing a new information system here at
VitaMine.
• Given these points, do you think it is in our best interests to change/ update our information
systems?
• If we do go down this route, I need to be aware of the steps involved in system implementation,
all the way through from the initial installation of hardware/ software to the system evaluation at
the end of the process. A brief overview is all I need.
Thanks

TASK
Respond to Juliette Goh’s request.
(Time allowed: 30 minutes)

KAPLAN PUBLISHING 33