Business Information Systems:

READ THE ARTICLE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW: INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN A RESTAURANT OVERVI EW A waiter takes an order at a table. and then enters it online via one of the sis. terminals located in the restaurant dining room. The order is routed to a printer in the appropriate preparatlon area: the cold item printer if it is a salad. the hot-item printer if it is a hot sandwich or the bar printer it it is a drink. A customer's meal check-listing {bill} the items ordered and the respective prices are automatically generated. This ordering system eliminates the old three-carbon-copy guest check system as well as any problems caused by a waiter's handwriting. When the kitchen runs out of a food item. the cooks send out an 'out of stock' message, which will be displayed on the dining room terminals when waiters try to order that item. This gives the waiters faster feedback. enabling them to give better service to the customers. Other system features aid management in the planning and control of their restaurant business. The system provides up-to-the-minute information on the food items ordered and breaks out percentages showing sales of each item versus total sales. This helps management plan menus according to customers' tastes. The system also compares BACHELOR OF COMIHERCE IN SUPPL? CHAIN HANAGEMENT YEAR 2- ACADEMIC AND ASSESSMENT CALENDAR m the weekly sales totals versus food costs, allowing planning for tighter cost controls. In addition. whenever an order is voided. the reasons for the void are keyed in. This may help later in management decisions. especially if the voids consistently related to food or service. Acceptance of the system by the users is exceptionally high since the waiters and waitresses were involved in the selection and design process. All potential users were asked to give their impressions and ideas about the various systems available before one was chosen. QUESTION ONE [35] 1.1 In the light of the system, describe the decisions to be made in the area of strategic planning. managerial control and operational control? What system would you require to support such management decision making? {20] 1.2 Explain the steps involved in the transaction processing system. (10) 1.3. What would make the system a more complete lvllS rather than just doing transaction processing? {5} QUESTION TWO [30] 2.1 The central processing unit {CPU} or processor is the part of a computer that sequences and executes instmctions Discuss the components of the CPU. {10} 2.2 Discuss and evaluate the two main types of primary storage {10) 2.3 Critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages of solid state storage devices {10} QUESTION TWO [30] 2.1 The central processing unit {CPU} or processor is the part of a computer that sequences and executes instructions Discuss the components of the CPU. (10} 2.2 Discuss and evaluate the two main types of primary storage {10) 2.3 Critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages of solid state storage devices {10} QUESTION THREE [1 n] 3.1 What is the role of the computer operating system? identify several activities performed by this key piece of software. (5) 3.2 Twenty years ago, a computer could only be operated by a trained professional - today preschoolers everywhere can use a computer. Discuss the user interfaces of tomorrow. {5) BACHELOR OF COMMERCE IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT YEAR 2- ACADEMIC AND ASSESSMENT CALENDAR QUESTION FOUR [25] 4.1. Critically discuss the impact of e-oomrnerce on traditional brick and mortar retail businesses? {10] 4.2. An information system has a systems development life cycle [SDLCi a sequence of steps or phases it passes through. The phases of the systems life cycle include: - Investigation. . Analysis, . Design, * Development. * Implementation Assess the purpose of each ot these phases. {15)