The Independent Institute of Education 2014

The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd 2014

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MODULE NAME: MODULE CODE:
BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS BUIS6112

ASSESSMENT TYPE: ASSIGNMENT

TOTAL MARK ALLOCATION: 100 MARKS

TOTAL HOURS: 10 HOURS

STUDENT NAME:
STUDENT NUMBER:
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. No more than 25% of the assignment may be copied from original source(s) used, even if
referenced correctly.
2. Make a copy of your assignment before handing it in.
3. Assignments must be typed/ hand written/ either typed or hand written the important
measure is that they are easy to read (legible).
4. All work must be adequately and correctly referenced.
5. Begin each section on a new page.
6. Follow all instructions on the assignment cover sheet.
7. This is an individual/ group assignment if undertaken as a group, the group may not exceed
4 members and all will be awarded the same mark.


The Independent Institute of Education 2014
The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd 2014
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Referencing Rubric ____

Providing evidence based on valid and referenced academic sources is a fundamental educational
principle and the cornerstone of high quality academic work. Hence, The IIE considers it essential to
develop the referencing skills of our students in our commitment to achieve high academic
standards.

Poor referencing will result in a penalty of a maximum of five (5) marks against the percentage mark
awarded to a student according to the following guidelines. Please note that this will not hold for
assignments in which referencing is not required.

Required Subtract 1 Subtract 2 Subtract 3 Subtract 4 Subtract 5
Consistent, in-
text
referencing
style
Quotation
marks, page
numbers,
years, etc.
applied
correctly
Only one or
two minor
mistakes
made
All sources
academically
sound and
included in
reference list
Accurate
recording of
references.
Consistent in-
text referencing
style
Quotation
marks, page
numbers, years,
etc. applied
correctly
Fewer than five
minor mistakes
made
More than 90%
of the sources
are
academically
sound and
included in
reference list
Mostly accurate
recording of
references.
Consistent in-
text
referencing
style
Quotation
marks, page
numbers,
years, etc. not
always applied
correctly
Not all
paraphrased
content
referenced
At least 80%
of the sources
are
academically
sound and
included in
reference list
Generally
accurate
recording of
references.
Consistent
in-text
referencing
style
Quotation
marks used
for direct
quotes but
page
numbers
missing
Fewer than
50% of the
sources are
academically
valid
Reference
list
incomplete
Inaccurate
recording of
references.
Referencing
style
inconsistent
Paraphrased
material not
referenced in
text
Quotation
marks and/ or
page numbers
for direct
quotes
missing
Fewer than
25% of the
sources are
academically
valid
Reference list
incomplete.
Exceptionally
poor and
inconsistent
referencing
None of the
sources
academically
valid.


The Independent Institute of Education 2014
The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd 2014
Page 3 of 5

Learning Area: Data resource management, Telecommunications, E-Commerce and TPS ___

The questions in this Learning Area all relate to the following case study (this case study is a follow-on of the
case you used in Assignment 1).

You have been appointed as an IT consultant for a medium-sized family-owned fast-food restaurant chain in
your city. The restaurant has three outlets across the city, and each outlet employs ten waiters and a general
manager, together with additional kitchen and cleaning staff. The management of the business is dissatisfied
with the slow pace with which information flows within each restaurant, as well as with the lack of information
available to management for decision-making purposes. Technology is lacking in many areas of the business.
Customer orders are recorded manually, there is a lack of communication between waiters and kitchen staff (in
respect of ingredients and items that are out of stock or unavailable), and errors occur frequently. The owners
of the chain cannot extract valuable information timeously, and sometimes discover only months later what
actual sales figures were for previous months.

The business has experienced many problems, which include:
Inefficient stock systems;
Stock theft and missing stock that cannot be accounted for;
Inaccurate stock levels;
General business and operations inefficiencies; and
Time-consuming administrative functions, such as stock purchasing, ordering, delayed payments to
suppliers, etc.

Your function is to advise the management of the business on their IT and business requirements, and to
improve overall processes and efficiency of the business. The business does have a basic IT system in place, but
the system was installed when the business was started five years ago, and has become outdated. The existing
system does not satisfy the needs of management, and is proving to be inefficient and impractical.

Note: Ensure that you relate your answers to this case study. You may bring in additional information and
research of your own pertinent to the case.


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The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd 2014
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Question 1 (Marks: 15)
The business is intent on the implementation of a new database for the business. You have
established that the following tables will form part of its relational database:

Supplier table;
Stock table; and
Employee table.

Identify four (4) relevant fields per table that the business could use in each table above. (Consider
important information that would be required by the restaurants pertaining to their suppliers, stock
and employees). Depict your answer in a table format. Name the primary key field in each table.

Question 2 (Marks: 10)
Explain to the management of the business why databases would be critical for the daily functioning
of the restaurants, and the business as a whole. Also explain the benefit of online (real-time)
processing systems to management.

Question 3 (Marks: 10)
The restaurants that form part of this chain are not currently networked to each other. Explain how
networks would benefit this business chain.

Question 4 (Marks: 15)
You have recommended installing a LAN in each of the restaurants. While the management of the
business is aware of the advantages of networks, they are concerned about the threat of
unauthorised access from outsiders hacking into their networks. Explain how the following can be
used to reduce the security threats to networks:

Confidentiality, authenticity and passwords; and
Implementation of firewalls.


The Independent Institute of Education 2014
The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd 2014
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Question 5 (Marks: 15)
You have recommended installing an intranet in this chain of businesses. Describe how an intranet
would be beneficial to this chain of businesses, particularly focusing on the benefits for management
and employees.

Question 6 (Marks: 10)
E-Commerce is the focal technology that many businesses are currently embracing. Which e-
Commerce model/ s would you recommend to this restaurant chain? Substantiate your answer by
also describing the benefits that e-Commerce would bring to this business and its customers.

Question 7 (Marks: 25)
Management is keen on implementing a TPS in the business. Management would like to be made
aware of the benefits and drawbacks of a TPS. You are required to write a report to present the
following information to management:

Benefits of a TPS;
Drawbacks of a TPS; and
Applications and modules of a TPS that would be specifically applicable to this restaurant
chain (with substantiation of your answers).

[TOTAL MARKS: 100]