1. Kiki, the marketing manager, and Joan, the director of information systems, have just returned from a conference on state-of-the art technology for marketing management. Each day after viewing vendor presentations and listening to other marketing managers discuss what they dont have and what they really need, Kiki and Joan would brain storm ideas and record them in Joans laptop. On the flight home, Joan, a successful project manager, and Kiki, an experienced marketing professional, recognize that they have the foundation for a one-of-a-kind marketing management system that would improve the decisions the marketing staff must make. This new system could possibly change the way their primary products are marketed. In the process, this new system could save the company millions of dollars and possibly make millions more. Joan has an expert IS staff that is just completing a production management system. They are always interested in learning new technology and often request additional training. No new projects have been approved by the steering committee.

What would you recommend Kiki and Joan do? Include in your discussion the design strategy selection process and the important characteristics that apply to the strategy selected.

2. Mariana, the IS manager, has just received a note from the accounting department stating that they wish a new purchasing system could be placed on the priority list. The chief accounting officer (CAO) has just learned that three of their competitors have new purchasing systems. Since purchasing has not been considered a key business function in the past, the CAO is concerned that his department lacks the functional expertise to implement a new purchasing system. She feels that purchasing is becoming a strategic necessity for the company and a new system should be in place by this time next year. The CAO has managed the automation of numerous accounting functions, such as the purchase of a combined general ledger with accounts receivable and accounts payable, the custom development of a just-in-time inventory control system, and the management of a financial projections and stock funds project that was contracted to an outside vendor.

What would you recommend Mariana do? Include in your discussion the design strategy selection process and the important characteristics that apply to the strategy selected. HINT: Keep in mind that the timeframe of one year is NOT a reasonable amount of time when it comes to build a completely new system of this magnitude.