Enterprise System Essay Example for Free

Enterprise System Essay This report analyses a fast moving goods companys information systems. The report analyses the companys major types of information systems, including a more detailed assessment of its Decision Support System and issues relating to hardware and software technology and telecommunications. The company that will be analysed in this report is a subsidiary of large international fast moving consumer goods company. The business of the subsidiary company is the bottling and selling of mineral water in Vietnam. Information for this report is based on 2 interviews held with the recently retired Chair of the company (to be referred to as the Chair). The Chair had some reservations about being interviewed for this assignment due to possible commercial in confidence issues. Ron Williams agreed that neither the actual names of the subsidiary company (to be referred to as FMCG Ltd nor the international fast moving goods company (to be referred to as International Ltd) have to be used in the assignment. The report also includes an analysis of the Canberra Institute of Technologys website. Question 1 (a) Introduce the organisation. Describe the organisations features such as business processes, culture, structure, environment, business strategy FMCG Ltd has been operating for some 6 years in Vietnam and was the first entrant into the mineral market there. FMCG Ltd is managed separately from International Ltd and has an entrepreneurial culture and a flat management structure. It is highly profitable. The spring water market in Vietnam is now saturated, with a number of imitation products available locally. This makes further growth in market share by the company difficult to achieve. The companys main strategy is to increase profits through efficiencies in its supply chain. This has been achieved, in part, due to an improvement in business Information Systems (IS) through the establishment of an Enterprise System, which will be discussed in this report. The information system enables the company to maintain close control of the supply chain. FMCG Ltd has recently introduced its own sales staff to supply the retailers of its products. This has been critical in ensuring the products are effectively placed and promoted. This has enabled the company to increase its sales dramatically. The use of the companys own sales force allows important sales information to be gathered and fed into the companys information system. This information assists the company, the wholesalers and the retailers. The company closely supervises and assists the wholesalers, retailers and the company that is responsible for collecting the mineral water at its source. The Chair said that the Enterprise System is the heart of the company. The company uses the system to increase the companys efficiency and profitability. Fahy discusses the benefits of strategic enterprise systems (Fahy, 2001). He emphasises the importance of the management issues as well as the technical challenges associated with introducing such a system. The Chair said that he agreed with this comment. The Chair also said that the benefits of such a system as outlined by Laudon (Laudon, 2002) were experienced by FMCG Ltd .