Week Nine - Operations Management and Supply Chain

Week Nine Weekly Questions

1. 
   
   Define the term operations management.
   Operations Management (OM) is the management of systems or processes that convert or transform resources into goods and services. 
2. 
   
   Explain operations management’s role in business.
   OM has many roles within businesses - examples include,
   - Forecasting
   - Capacity planning
   - Scheduling
   - Managing inventory
   - Assuring quality
   - Motivating and training employees
   - Locating facilities
3. 
   
   Describe the correlation between operations management and information technology
   Managers use IT to make OM decisions including
   - What resources will be needed and in what amounts.
   - When should the work be scheduled
   - Where will the work be performed
   - How will the work be done
   - Who will perform the work
   They use these systems to implement Operations Management Systems (OMs) These systems are the only way to have a consistent view of data and provide speedy results. This will lead to a reduction in overhead costs, increase agility and improve insight into business processes
4. 
   
   Explain supply chain management and its role in a business
   Supply Chain Management (SCM) involves the management of information flows between and amoung stages in supply chain to maximise total supply chain effectiveness and profitability.
   It provides visibility and knowing immediately what is transacting at the customer end of the supply chain. Allows companies to react immediately. SCM transforms raw materials into products delivered to customers. It allows companies to transmit messages and information.
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
5. 
   
   List and describe the five components of a typical supply chain.
   Plan - Source - Make - Deliver - Return.
   
   
6. 
   
   Define the relationship between information technology and the supply chain.
   Advances in the five SRM components and has significantly improved companies forecasting and business operations.
   Increases visibility over supply chain inventory levels.
   ITs primary role is to create linkages of information between functions within an organisation.
   
   
   

   

   
   

Week Eight - Networks & Wireless

Chapter Seven - Weekly Questions

1. Explain the business benefits of using wireless technology.
The benefits of using wireless technology are being able to be anywhere and access information. Productivity is increased - mass customisation. There is higher delivery speed and information. The information is sent to a database which is then transformed into analytical data which is used by managers. Basically it is more convenient and you have universal access.


2. Describe the business benefits associated with VoIP
Voice Over I.P (VoIP) allow you to send phone calls over the internet. Cost cuts and provides faster mobile workforce. Managers can spend control over different areas.




3. Compare LANs and WANs
LAN: Local Area Network one geographical area - Share data and devices E.g Notre Dame share information, printers and control. 
WAN: Wide Area Network services LAN joined together by interaction of data traveled through a secure path via the internet. 




4. Describe RFID and how it can be used to help make a supply chain more effective.
Radio Frequency I.D on toll roads. Transport. Small devices read to receiver transmit data to database - used via inventory to track goods - used daily by millions of people it is fast reliable information.


5. Identify the advantages and disadvantage of deploying mobile technology
Advantages are similar to wireless free roaming increased flexibility. Disadvantages security and privacy are a main problem. unsafe radiation is another concern.

Week Seven - Databases and Data Warehouses Weekly Questions

Week 7 Questions




1. List, describe, and provide an example of each of the five characteristics of high quality information.
Accuracy: Ensuring all information provided is accurate.
Completeness: Ensure complete fields and data.
Consistancy: Fields correctly entered - maintaining time management.
Uniqueness: Entities unquie - Primary key.
Timeliness: Good decisions, effective time management systems, online processing.






2. Define the relationship between a database and a database management system.
A database is the physical data stored such information is tables, fields and reports.
A database management system are where information is used to run systems. E.g Microsoft Access and Word.




3. Describe the advantages an organisation can gain by using a database.
The advantages of databases are it seperates records, increases flexibility, performance and reduces redundancy. It provides correct data and security of data ( Group Based Security)

4. Define the fundamental concepts of the relational database model.
A Rational database model logically relates 2D tables, rows and coloums - data and attributes.
Primary key E.g Student I.D, Links to table which link to acedemic table - who get information from many tables.


5. Describe the benefits of a data-driven website.
They provide website links to databases which are quicker, flexible and reduce multiple entries. They provide assistance when searching the web.




6. Describe the roles and purposes of data warehouses and data marts in an organisation
Data Warehouses are many databases put into a single system. They are used to make business reports from many systems. Data marts are the same as data warehouse but they are smaller but still similar.