Zoom Vacuum, a family-owned manufacturer of high-end vacuums, has grown exponentially over the last few years. However, the company is having difficulty preparing for future growth. The only information system used at Zoom is an antiquated accounting system. The company has one manufacturing plant located in Iowa; and three warehouses, in Iowa, New Jersey, and Nevada. The Zoom sales force is national, and Zoom purchases about 25 percent of its vacuum parts and materials from a single overseas supplier.

You have been hired to recommend the information systems Zoom should implement in order to maintain their competitive edge. However, there is not enough money for a full-blown, cross-functional enterprise application, and you will need to limit the first step to a single functional area or constituency. What will you choose, and why?

Interestingly, Amazon.com does not expect to make money on S3 in the near future. However, it certai uses its technological muscles in a new strategic direction. Use the As Vast as Amazon case study to answer the questions in this section 1. Amazon.com tries to take strategic advantage of its resources. Of what physical resources does Amazon.com take advantage? (5 MARKS) 2. Does Amazon.com strategically leverage anything else in addition to physical assets? (10 MARKS) 3. What are the benefits of S3 for small companies? (5 MARKS) 4. At its current rates for S3 services, Amazon.com does not make a great profit (or any at all). Why, then, do you think Amazon.com offers S3? (10 MARKS) here to search I E - hp - $ % 3 & A 5 6 7 8 9 0 SECTION C[15 MARKS] 1. How can a good CRM system increase profits for a company? (5 MARKS) 2. Sometimes it is difficult to convince top management to commit funds to develop and implement a SIS. Why? (10 MARKS)