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Using writing techniques
Khanya Mangoale 201373025
Information Management 1A
Research Report 2
Due date: 22 April 2017
Lecturer: Mr. J Arthur
Table of contents
Page
1. Introduction
3
2. Business opportunity
3
3. Business Systems thinking
4
4. Architecture planning
5
5. IT Architecture
5
6. Service delivery
8
7. Vendor Development and Contract monitoring
9
8. People
9
9. Relationship building
9
10. Leadership
9
11. Contract facilitation
10
12. Informed buying
10
13. Making technology work
10
14. Security
11
15. ROI
11
16. Conclusion
12
17. Bibliography
13
1. Introduction
The internet Economy has grown more rapidly than anyone could have envisioned even five years ago, opening up new vistas of communication, collaboration and coordination between consumers, businesses and trading partners worldwide (Turban, 2004). What started out as an alternative marketing channel has quickly turned into a complete economic system consisting of ubiquitous, low cost communication networks using internet technologies and standards, applications and human capital that enable business to be conducted over this network infrastructure, interconnected electronic markets that operate over the network and applications infrastructure, producers and intermediaries providing a variety of digital products and services to facilitate market efficiency and liquidity, and emerging policy and legal frameworks for conducting business over the Internet.
2. Business opportunity
Bulktrans (BT) is the largest specialised fuel transport company in South Africa (Bryce, 2009). It consists of four separate companies namely Bulktrans, Highway Junction, Highway Motors and Jacks. Bulktrans makes use of internet technologies, however there is room for improvement.
The following model/framework will be used to assess the use of internet technologies in Bulktrans:
Figure 1: A model for assessing the use of Internet technologies.
This model does not fully reflect the impact of people on Internet technologies. It does not provide for aspects like security and ROI. It is for this reason that the author has made a modification to the model, as illustrated above.
3. Business Systems thinking
This is an important aspect to Bulktrans. Bulktrans IT section created business systems (people, process, technology and data) that match the needs of business and that assist operations with business systems thinking (Kelly, 2005). The result is that business and IT and operations are closely intertwined for the benefit of employees and clients. The main aim is to add value to the business. The Internet is used as a platform for developing and deploying critical business applications to support business operations. A very simple model to clarify the interaction between people, process and technology.
4. Architecture planning
This planning is done in Bulktrans IT department. This department deals with software, hardware and networking requirements. The IT department has a new head which sit...
