David Anderson Ltd provides transport planning services. The management of the company is considering a report from its consultant which pointed out that the existing accounting information system was not fit for purpose. Major issues were highlighted in the general ledger and reporting cycle. The report recommended that David Anderson Ltd should urgently: Evaluate its current general ledger and reporting cycle *Invest in a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system *Carry out business process re- engineering Explore the option of outsourcing some of its accounting information system (a) Briefly explain what is meant by ERP, and outline FOUR possible benefits of its implementation. 6 Marks Polashi Ltd. is a small business that sells children's toys from ten different high street stores in Northern Ireland. It employs 100 staff. The board of directors decided to replace its existing accounting software with an integrated accounting software. There may be some staff redundancies. The management is concerned that there might be some resistance from staff to the change. Requirement (a) Explain the term integrated accounting software, and explain the possible benefits of this for businesses. 6 Marks (b) Suggest and explain TWO possible means by which small businesses might acquire integrated accounting software 6 Marks Manaus is a growing civil engineering partnership based in Belfast. Presently the business relies heavily on its auditors to prepare the financial statements of the business, with day-to-day transactions recorded on Sage Line 50 software and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets which track work-in-progress. Manaus has sought advice from SystemCo, an accounting software provider, whose representative has recommended that Manaus employ them to develop bespoke accounting software. However, the financial controller of Manaus was shocked by the price quoted by SystemCo to carry out this work. Requirement (a) Suggest THREE reasons why Manaus should consider investing in improved accounting software systems. 6 Marks (b) Suggest and explain an alternative means of acquiring accounting software for this business, discussing possible benefits and drawbacks. 8 Marks