Q1. aStar Company features a large selection of materials for home decoration accessories including picture frames, fancy wall panels and lamps procured from both local manufactures and imported from outside Pakistan. The prices of lamps and other decorations are constantly changing especially with the US Dollar price fluctuations. When a customer (Shop or a retail customer) queries about the price on imported products, the sales representatives consult a manual price sheet and then call the supplier for the most recent price. The supplier in urn uses a manual price sheet, which has been updated each day. Often, the supplier must call back aStar sales reps because the company does not have the newest pricing information immediately on hand. Recently aStar has expanded its presence in UAE. aStar expansion needs to use global information systems and tools such as it should be able to handle taxation system of UAE. Also, the system should have Arabic and other languages support as the aStar management wants to make its WorldShip and extend product shipping to Middle East and multinational customers via the web.

i.) What are some of the international information system issues aStar must consider in order to operate successfully in the UAE, Middle East and around globe? [5]