Question A2 (TOTAL: 18 POINTS) Read the following problem-solving mini-case for Swan River Import/Export Shipping and answer the questions at the end. Clearly, the teleconference at Swan River Import/Export Shipping (SRIES) was a heated one. The receptionist, Helen, could hear raised voices from outside the meeting room. SRIES was created recently by merging five firms across Australia into one single firm. Although they were one firm, each of the former firms retained their own identity and management approach. These firms are in Perth, Brisbane, Bendigo, Katherine and Oodnadatta. The agenda for this meeting was to plan how the new firm's IT should work together. Inside the meeting room, Rasheed Benti was struggling to keep from shouting at his colleagues, Chris Baxter and Audrey Palamuleni. From your small office near the reception area, you can hear the loud conversation. Rasheed felt compelled to remind Chris and Audrey just how much the company had changed. But Chris, you have to understand, the company is now much, much bigger than it used to be! We have big businesses in five cities, and the point of the merger was to save on our overheads and IT infrastructure costs. We need to use an Enterprise System to keep our costs low. We should centralise all our IT here in Perth to do that. Chris objected to this: "Now listen, Rasheed, we've been fine here in Oodnadatta - we don't need some fancy IT system you've dreamt up. We're perfectly fine. Anyway, what the heck is an Enterprise Application anyway?" Audrey also refused to consider Rasheed's objections. Don't be an idiot Rasheed! Enterprise Applications always cost twice as much and are basically useless." You hear an urgent tapping on your office door. It was the receptionist, Helen, and she looked concerned. "You'd better get in there and answer their questions!", she whispered. Before someone says something they'll regret." You work for Rasheed, and when you walk into the meeting room, he has several questions he wants you to answer. Answer all of the following questions: (a) Tell Rasheed what an enterprise application is (1 point) and discuss three major advantages for an organization that adopts enterprise applications and three major disadvantages for an organisation that adopts enterprise applications (6 points). (7 points) (b) Why would a business implement an enterprise system? That is, discuss the general value that Enterprise Systems can provide for businesses (6 points) and in particular, explain how enterprise systems can be used to improve the organisation's practices (5 points). Question A2 (TOTAL: 18 POINTS) Read the following problem-solving mini-case for Swan River Import/Export Shipping and answer the questions at the end. Clearly, the teleconference at Swan River Import/Export Shipping (SRIES) was a heated one. The receptionist, Helen, could hear raised voices from outside the meeting room. SRIES was created recently by merging five firms across Australia into one single firm. Although they were one firm, each of the former firms retained their own identity and management approach. These firms are in Perth, Brisbane, Bendigo, Katherine and Oodnadatta. The agenda for this meeting was to plan how the new firm's IT should work together. Inside the meeting room, Rasheed Benti was struggling to keep from shouting at his colleagues, Chris Baxter and Audrey Palamuleni. From your small office near the reception area, you can hear the loud conversation. Rasheed felt compelled to remind Chris and Audrey just how much the company had changed. But Chris, you have to understand, the company is now much, much bigger than it used to be! We have big businesses in five cities, and the point of the merger was to save on our overheads and IT infrastructure costs. We need to use an Enterprise System to keep our costs low. We should centralise all our IT here in Perth to do that. Chris objected to this: "Now listen, Rasheed, we've been fine here in Oodnadatta - we don't need some fancy IT system you've dreamt up. We're perfectly fine. Anyway, what the heck is an Enterprise Application anyway?" Audrey also refused to consider Rasheed's objections. Don't be an idiot Rasheed! Enterprise Applications always cost twice as much and are basically useless." You hear an urgent tapping on your office door. It was the receptionist, Helen, and she looked concerned. "You'd better get in there and answer their questions!", she whispered. Before someone says something they'll regret." You work for Rasheed, and when you walk into the meeting room, he has several questions he wants you to answer. Answer all of the following questions: (a) Tell Rasheed what an enterprise application is (1 point) and discuss three major advantages for an organization that adopts enterprise applications and three major disadvantages for an organisation that adopts enterprise applications (6 points). (7 points) (b) Why would a business implement an enterprise system? That is, discuss the general value that Enterprise Systems can provide for businesses (6 points) and in particular, explain how enterprise systems can be used to improve the organisation's practices (5 points)
