YEAR OF EXAMINATION: 2018

SUBJECT AND UNIT: INFORMATIO0N TECHNOLOGY UNIT 1

CANDIDATE NUMBER: 090100045

CANDIDATE NAME: ANN MARIE KHADOO

TITLE OF PROJECT:

NAME OF TEACHER:

SUBJECT SCORE AWARDED:

DATE:
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page
 Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………………

 Problem Definition………………………………………………………………………

 Problem description ………………………………………………………………………

 Schedule of Activities …………………………………………………………………….

 Gantt chart ………………………………………………………………………………...

 Analysis of Problem ………………………………………………………………………

 Identification of Possible Solutions ………………………………………………………

 Evaluation of Solutions …………………………………………………………………

 Justification of Solutions ………………………………………………………………….

 Identification and Justification of Best Solution ………………………………………….

 References ………………………………………………………………………………...

 Appendix ………………………………………………………………………………….

 Interview Questions ……………………………………………………………

 Questionnaires …………………………………………………………………

 Mark Scheme …………………………………………………………………………......

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researcher would like to express special thanks to my CAPE Information Technology
teacher, Sir Mark Amin as well as the principal of the school who gave me the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project, “The problem of effectively managing a business with
the use of Information Technology based concepts” which allowed me to be able to know more
about the concepts of Information Technology and how it can benefit the people and the
surroundings.

Secondly, the researcher would like to thank my loving parents who helped me a lot in
financing this research project and would also like to thank my friends for helping me and also
guiding me through this project.

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PROBLEM DEFINITION

The problem of effectively managing a business with the use of Information Technology based concepts.

2
PROLEM DESCRIPTION

Located on the West Coast of Demerara, in Guyana, is the supermarket “V and Ps’
Supermarket. This supermarket is located in Leonora on the public road. As the name suggests,
this store sells various grocery items and cosmetic items. Since the establishment of the business,
the business has been making large amounts of profit. Many persons would usually go and buy
their groceries form the supermarket which is the main cause of the business being profitable.

Since the business has started, there has been a manual system of recording transactions
which was done by the employees of the business. As each transaction is carried out, the
employees record what was sold and the price of that item. At the end of each month, the owner
sends the financial records to the accountant who checks the record books for the items sold and
the quantity and then tries to balance the figures so as to know if a profit or a loss is made in the
business However, recently, the supermarket has been experiencing some financial problems.
The supermarket has been making a loss which is causing both the employers and employees to
worry. The figures in the record books and the financial accounts are not corresponding which is
causing the owner to become worried since the financial information is no longer reliable.

The business is also facing a loss of customers in the business. When the business started,
lots and lots of customers would come and buy their items form the business however, less and
less customers are coming to buy their goods from the supermarket. This would hinder the future
ventures in the business and it can lead to the business being closed down.

There is also a loss in grocery and cosmetic items in the business. There have been cases
of these items going missing in the business. This can lead to the business having to buy more
items to replace the ones missing which will cause the business to go in expense.

This research aims to solve these problems by utilizing information technology based
concepts to improve the management of the business.

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 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

TASK START END DURATION

DATE(2017) DATE(2017)
Identification of the problem 5-Nov 5-Nov 1 Day

Inquiry into the nature of problem and 8-Nov 8-Nov 1 Day

the arrangement of possible date of
investigation.

General research on the research problem. 9-Nov 9-Nov 1 Day

Construction of the questionnaire. 12-Nov 15-Nov 4 Days

Sharing out of questionnaires to relevant 16-Nov 20-Nov 5 Days

persons.

Construction of the interview questions. 18-Nov 20-Nov 3 Days

Meeting with the employees and the owner 21-Nov 21-Nov 1 Day
of the business.

Observation of business 23-Nov 28-Nov 6 Days

Processing of data obtained from 1-Dec 2-Dec 2 Days

questionnaires.

Processing data obtained from the 5-Dec 6-Dec 2 Days

interview.

Analysis of Problem. 6 -Dec 15-Dec 10 Days

 Identification of possible solutions. 6-Dec 7-Dec 2 Days

 Evaluation of possible solutions. 8-Dec 10-Dec 3 Days

 Justification of solution. 12-Dec 15-Dec 4 Days

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 GANTT CHART SHOWING THE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT
Date(2017)
12-Oct 22-Oct 1-Nov 11-Nov 21-Nov 1-Dec 11-Dec 21-Dec

Identification of the problem

Inquiry into the nature of problem and the arrangement of possible date of
investigation.
General research on the research problem.

Construction of the questionnaire.

DURATION(DAYS)
Sharing out of questionnaires to relevant persons.

Construction of the interview questions.

Meeting with the employees and the owner of the business.

Tasks

Observation of business

Processing of data obtained from questionnaires.

Processing data obtained from the interview.

Analysis of Problem.

> Identification of possible solutions.

> Evaluation of possible solutions.

> Justification of solution.

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ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM
A number of sources were used by the researcher in order to obtain the necessary
information to undertake this research. Three main primary source of data collection were the
use of questionnaires, the carrying out of interviews and the observation of the business'
activities.

A questionnaire is a set of printed or written questions with a choice of answers, devised

for the purposes of a survey or statistical study. The main reason why a questionnaire was chosen
was because it enables information to be obtained from the people in Leonora. This in turn will
help the researcher to understand more about the research. The questionnaire is consisted of 15
questions. A random sampling was carried out in order to prevent any biased results. Over a span
of five days, 20 questionnaires were handed out and recollected. The research questions from the
questionnaire, aids in producing data that will help the researcher to better understand the
situation in the business. This is due to the fact that the questions are based on the aims of the
research.

GRAPH SHOWING THE NUMBER OF RESIDENCE WHO

SUPPORT THE SUPERMARKET
10
9
8
NUMBER OF RESIDENCE

7
6
5
4 NUMBER OF RESIDENCE
3
2
1
0
YES NO TO SOME EXTENT
RESPONSE

FIGURE 1 SHOWING THE NUMBER OF RESIDENCE WHO SUPPORT THE

SUPERMARKET

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 Figure 1 shows the number of residence that support the supermarket. from this graph it
can be seen that the number of persons that said ‘no’ is higher that the persons who said ‘yes’.
45% of the residents said that they do not support the market, 30% of the residents support the
market while 25% of the residents support the market to some extent. When inquired about some
of the reasons for not supporting the supermarket, most of the residents said that the quality of
items that were sold were of poor quality and the prices were often too high.when inquired about
some of the reasons for supporting the supermarket, it was found that there are good customer
service and the employees are usually very helpful to their customers.

PIE CHART SHOWING THE NUMBER OF

RESIDENTS WHO THINKS THAT THE BUSINESS IS
MAKING A LOSS

20%

YES
NO

80%

FIGURE 2 SHOWING THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO THINK THE BUSINESS IS

MAKING A LOSS

From Figure 2 is can be observed that 80% of the residents that were questioned thinks
that the business is indeed making a loss. When inquiring about the reason as to why they think
that the busiiness is making a loss, the residents gave varied responses. Some of these responses
were: the prices of the items are expensive compared to other businesses, the quality of the goods

7
are not of high quality and the employees do not keep a proper record of the transactions made
between customers, cashier and so the financial information may be inaccurate and not alot of
persons support the business because of varied reasons which can be proven in Figure 1.
At the same time, interviews were carried out. Interviews were chosen because, although
they are time consuming, they allow non-verbal forms of communication to be picked up which
are instrumental in determining the interviewee's view of the response. Ten interview questions
were prepared and the manager and eight (8) employees were interviewed. Upon interviewing
the manager and the employees, they state that the business has been experiencing problems
financially, security wise and the decrease in the number of customers.

PIE CHART SHOWING THE TYPE OF WORKERS

AS RESPONDENTS

22%
SALESMEN
MANAGER

11% ACCOUNTANT
56%
GENERAL CLERK

11%

FIGURE 3 SHOWING THE TYPES OF WORKERS AS RESPONDENTS

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 GRAPH SHOWING THE LEVEL OF ACCURACY
OF THE ACCOUNTING INFORMATION

ADEQUATE
LEVEL OF ACCURACY

LOW

HIGH

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
RESPONDENTS

FIGURE 4 SHOWING A COLUMN GRAPH OF THE LEVEL OF ACCURACY OF THE

ACCOUNTING INFORMATION

Figure 3 identifies the types of workers interviewed. The researcher made efforts to
interview most of the salesmen and general clerks in the business as they work in close proximity
to the business’ s inventory. All of the 9 respondents stated that there was a flaw in how the
business carried out its transactions. For the problems related to inventory loss, the business'
employee's blamed the business' poor keeping of paperwork and accountability and security
problems.
When inquired about what would happen if technology is introduced, all of the 9 respondents
conjectured that technology can solve the problems they have to deal with currently.. When
prompted about the technological solutions that they would recommend, the majority
recommended that most of the business activities should be recorded properly in a centralized
management system where it will be properly managed. Some employee's also recommended
the use of specialized accounting software and the utilization of security cameras. As for the
problem of having less customers, some of the employees recommended having the business
being advertized on the television and with the use of posters and brochures. While the

9
employees were being interviewed, observations were also done, where special attention was
paid to the accounting records and its accuracy. Observations were also done on how often a
person would come to the store to purchase an item.

10
IDENTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

The following solutions are conjectured to solve the problems that the business currently faces:

Centralized Information Management System

All transactions will be monitored in one centralized management hub. This will require
all the different departments of the business to have a computer for entering all relevant
information and sending it to the central hub. The business can also have barcode readers for the
better management of transactions. With all the business transactions integrated, the accountant
will be able to use specialized accounting software such as Peachtree, QuickBooks and Express
Accounts. With this specialized software, the financial information will be more accurate and
there would be room for fewer errors.

Advertisement
The business can do a television advertisement so that persons would be able to the
business not only from the village bus also from other villages. Putting up posters about the
business will also be able to attract persons to come to the store. The sharing out of brochures
with items being sold along with their prices can also bring citizens to the store to buy.

Security Cameras
Security cameras can be placed at crucial spots in the business like the entrance to the
business, next to the cashier and the storeroom. The cameras can be left on when the business is
usually opened.

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EVALUATION OF SOLUTIONS

Centralized Information Management System

Based on the size of the store, the researcher recommends at least four (4) computers
would be required to ensure that each part of the business accumulates information properly for
processing. In order to improve the operation the business should in invest in an electronic point
of sale system. A suitable system with two units would cost at least $60,000. Accounting
software can be expensive. Accounting software such as Express Accounts can be at $16,000 and
software such as Quick Books can be at $60,000 but much more features. However, since the
business' principal problem is with transactions, cheaper software should be suitable. In that
case, the researcher recommends software such as Express Accounts based on the size of the
business.

Advertisement
The business can do a television advertisement. In this way people across the country
would be aware of the business. Doing a television advertisement would not be too expensive.
Posters can also be used to advertise the business. The cost of posters varies depending on the
size of the paper used. In this case small posters should be used since it would be less costly and
so a larger quantity can be printed to post everywhere around the area. Brochures can also be
used. Brochures will give the residents more detailed information about the items sold in the
business, like the name of different items and their prices. Because of the financial issues of the
business, it would be wiser to print these brochures black and white since it would cost less than
when it is colored. A larger quantity can also be printed since the cost is less.

Security Cameras
Based on the observations made, 4 cameras would do. One would be placed at the
entrance, one outside the storeroom and one at each of the two cashiers. A suitable security
camera would be at $10,000; so three would be at $40,000. The cabling of these cameras costs
$6000 for 70 feet. This length would be suitable to span the entire business. A storage device for
the cameras will also be needed.the cost of the storage device is $25,000.

12
JUSTIFICATION OF SOLUTIONS
Centralized Information Management System
A centralized information management system will allow all the business’ activities to be
more organized. Transactions can be recorded faster and processed at the same time. This is so
because a point of sale system will be used. Therefore there would be more accuracy when
handling the financial information of the business. Accounting Software can be utilized by the
accountant and integrated with business financial information to produce reliable results. With a
centralized system and accounting software, managing the information would be easier and more
accurate.

Advertisement
By doing advertisements, the business will become more known to the public. Television
advertisements can allow persons who are far away to know about the business. Brochures can
allow a person to know what the business is about and what it sells. The brochures can have
items and their prices. This will make the customers more aware of prices and so they might
want to buy from the supermarket. Posters will also aid in helping to advertise the business.
With more advertisements the business will be able to make a profit because more persons would
want to buy from the business.

Security Cameras
Security cameras can be used to monitor crucial parts of the business such as the
entrance. The cameras can be used to manage movement of persons in and out of the business.
This will be helpful in discovering any misplaced items . In the case of any items going missing,
the camera footage can be checked to see the person who had stolen the item.

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IDENTFIATION AND JUSTIFICATION OF BEST SOLUTION
The best possible solution for the business is implementation of a centralized information
management system. This system will be combined with a computerized system which will
produce the financial information needed. This system will use the bar code reader which will
send the information about the item to the centralized system. This is the best solution because it
is economically feasible. Once it is established, the business will be able to process transactions
at a faster rate.
There would be a greater amount of accuracy because the system is computerized. With
more accuracy, the financial information would be more reliable. With the information being
centralized, the accountant would be able to use the accounting software to balance the records
more effectively. With reliable information, the owner would be aware of where the business is
standing in terms of making a profit. With accurate results the business will be able to make
improvements so as to maximize the profit made.

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REFERENCES

Retrieved December 9th, 2017 from the World Wide Web:

 https://www.successfactors.com/en_us/lp/articles/using-technology-to-increase-your-
business-productivity.html

Retrieved December 10th, 2017 from the World Wide Web:

 https://www.oksbdc.org/the-role-of-technology-in-business/

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APPENDIX

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QUESTIONAIRRE

Saraswati Vidya Niketan,

Cornelia Ida,

West Coast Demerara.

03-08-2016.

Dear Respondent,

I am a sixth form student of Saraswati Vidya Niketan Secondary School,

preparing for the CAPE Examination in 2018.

As part of CAPE requirement in Information Technology, a research has to be

under-taken. The topic of research is “The problem of effectively managing a business with the use
of Information Technology based concepts.” Please complete the questionnaire as soon as possible
and to the fullest of your knowledge by placing a tick ( ) in the box provided or write your
own response where necessary. You can place more than one tick, if necessary.

This is not a test and there is no right or wrong answers. You do not have to
write your name on the questionnaire as all information will be treated with confidentiality.

Thank you for your cooperation.

You’re sincerely,

Ann Marie Khadoo

Ann Marie Khadoo

17
 PLEASE PLACE A TICK IN THE BOX PROVIDED OR GIVE YOUR RESPONSE HERE NECESSARY.

1. What is your gender?

Male
Female

2. What is your age group?

11-12
13-14
15-16
17+

3. Do you buy from V and Ps’ Supermarket?

Yes
No
Sometimes

4. How often do you go to buy your groceries from V and Ps’ Supermarket?
Everyday
Once every week
Once every two weeks
Once a month

5. Do you buy large quantities of grocery items from V and Ps’ Supermarket?
Yes
No
Sometimes

6. How long have you been supporting V and Ps’ Supermarket?

________________________________________________________________________

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7. Does V and Ps’ Supermarket sell good quality goods?
Yes
No

8. Does V and Ps’ Supermarket sell very expensive grocery items?

Yes
No
Some of the items

9. Do other people from other villages buy groceries from the supermarket?
Yes
No
Sometimes

10. Are they many employees working at the supermarket?

Yes
No

11. Do you think that V and Ps’ Supermarket makes a loss in the business?
Yes
No

12. Give reasons why you think they are making a loss in the business.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

13. What are some possible solutions you think are available for reducing the loss made in a
business?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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14. Do you think that security is a problem when it comes to inventory loss?
Yes

No

15. If yes, what are some possible solutions to reduce security problems?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

16. How do you rate the business‟ level of accountability when it comes to recording
transactions?
High 
Adequate 
Low 
Inadequate

Thank You for your time and cooperation!!!!!

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INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Is there a good management system in the business?

2. Do you have a manual system of recording information?
3. How reliable is the business' financial information?
4. Do you think that there are less customers coming to the supermarket over the years?
5. Does the business sells good quality goods?
6. Is the customer service of good quality?
7. How would you assess the security of the area?
8. What are some possible solutions that you think can solve the problem of security if
there is one?
9. Do you think that the business' integration with technology can solve any problems?
10. If yes, what problems do you think can be solved and how?

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