Basically, in the context of this research paper, “flight centre” is selected as a case study in order to fulfill and attain the key purpose of the study. Additionally, with regards to this research paper, different key issues would be discussed during the study of the paper. For instance, in this research paper, the business processes of a flight centre would be analyzed in order to understand the business operations and functioning of flight centre. Moreover, a detailed discussion on the business & system requirements, software and vendor selection would be conducted. Additionally, this research paper would address and analyze the different ways or methods that could be used technologies to improve business efficiency. On the other hand, the level of efficiency of the technology implementation would be evaluated in order to fulfill the objectives of the study. At the same time, potential security risks, data breaches would be examined in the context of flight centre. Finally, various methods, ways and strategies would be proposed and suggested to overcome the issues related to security risks, data breaches.
Basically, Flight centre is known as one of the largest, biggest, leading and trusted travel group in the Australia that was founded in the year 1982 and it’s headquartered in Brisbane, Australia. As it is largest and biggest in term of number of employees and annual turnover, it is also listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. Moreover, it is also important to know that, the company has more than$17 billion annual turnover and its total number of employees is, 18,500. The company is also its global presence and performing their business operations and functions in more than 80 nations worldwide. It has also established more than 2,800 shops as well as business units in the Australia and New Zealand.
The following given below flow charts are representing the business process of the Flight Centre. On the basis of above flow charts, it can be said that, the business processes of Flight Centre is more dynamic, strategic and effective. It focuses on providing full range of services to their clients or customers. It means it is satisfying the needs of customers by offering full service. The business processes of the company are also indicates that it provides travel information; prepare itineraries, and offering different facilities including ticketing, insurance, cab booking, arrangement of foreign currencies etc . Moreover, it is also analyzed that, the company is also fully dedicated to offer all services and products related to international and domestic travel (Gitman, and McDaniel, 2007).
On the basis of above flow charts of the business processes of flight centre, it can be said that, all the indispensable functions of the company are directly or indirectly related to IT/IS (information system/information technology). For example, all the services or products provided by the company is related to information system, so the company should adopt an AIS/ERP system in order to run their business operations, and functions more accurately, effectively, innovatively and properly. Moreover, with the help of ERP, the company would be able to improve its business process and systems. It is because the new system would allow the company to conduct their business functions over information system more innovatively, accurately and fast. In addition to this, ERP would provide significant opportunities to the company to effectively communicate and interact with their customers. In the same way, the company would be able to satisfy all the needs and wants of their customers (Chu, Chen, and Cheng, 2011).
This system would also help the company in increasing the number of customers and decreasing the operational or overhead cost effectively. On the other hand, the company would also be able to offer low cost services to their customers. This would provide competitive advantages to the company and it would be able to improve its current performance. Overall the new system would help the company in attaining its core and strategic goals in an effective and proper manner. At the same time, it is also analyzed that, there is immediate need to use a new or ERP system within the company in order to collect the real time information and deal with the inefficiencies in the current business processes. Hence, the company should adopt an ERP system as a strategic planning tool by linking it with the organizational goals and objectives (Daniel, 2011).
In the current time, globalized economy, development in the technologies, more competitive business environment, changes in the customer perception and introduction of new IT/IS system etc are the major forces or factors that are directly or indirectly forcing the companies or business firms to adopt and implement new information systems and technologies in order to effectively run and conduct their business. So, it is becoming more important and essential for the companies to utilize and execute possible information systems and technologies at the workplace for the purpose to attain corporate objectives (Morley, and Parker, 2009). In the same way, business firms or organizations must use and implement various types’ information systems and tools by considering their functionalities, services, and features. For example, this would help the company in order to attain their IT/IS investment goals and objectives (Griffin, 2009).
At the same time, it is also important to know that, Flight centre should also focus on understanding the significance, importance and positive roles of ERP information system for the total success. On the other hand, the company should also analyze the impact of ERP information system on the business success and improving organizational productivity. The management of the company should also analyze and evaluate the roles and impact of ERP system in enhancing the speed, accuracy of business processes and transactions. Moreover, through ERP, Flight centre would also be able to overcome various operational issues and improve current business process (Grossman, and Livingstone, 2009). For case, ERP system would play a fundamental role in reducing the organizational inefficiencies within its business process and activities. This would also motivate and encourage the staff and employee of the company to fulfill their day to day tasks and duties more effectively. It means the new system such as ERP would help the employees of the company to attain their functions timely and accurately (Goel et al., 2011).
Moreover, ERP would also provide a lot of tangible and intangible business opportunities to the company and its employees. For case, it would improve decision making ability of its staff and management and they would be able to take and make strategic decisions in the complex business situation. Moreover, ERP would also allow the company to generate information and data in a more meaningful manner. Overall, it can be said that, with the effective use and implementation of ERP system, the company would be able to compete in the market and achieve competitive advantages over the compactors (Foster, Zhao, Raicu, and Lu, 2009).
In the current time of digital era, there are various companies or firms that are providing different types of software, tools, information system and technologies. For example, SAP, ERP, DSS, TPS, Managerial Information System etc are the major information systems or software or technologies available in the market that could be used by the company as per organizational needs, structure, business process and corporate strategies and policies (Harmon, and Auseklis, 2009).
In the present time, SAP SE is one of the leading, global and innovative multinational software corporations that design, develop and provides enterprise software for the business firms so that they could be able to manage and run business operations, functions and processes more effectively and innovatively. The company is offering a number of application software programs to their clients so that they could be overcome organizational inefficiencies effectively. SAP Software programs are highly innovative that offers a lot of tangible and intangible advantages to the users (Kerzner, 2010). In addition to this, it can also be said that, Flight Center could use SAP as an ERP system in order to fulfill IT objectives effectively. For example, ERP is more powerful software that has ability to integrate different business process in a single system. Moreover, with the help of this software, the company can also bring innovation and consistency within the organizational business process effectively. Moreover, this could also help the company in managing and handling of overall value chain. The company could also communicate and connect directly with their stakeholders or key customers. In the same way, through this, the company could improve customer satisfaction rate effectively (SAP. 2017).
MYOB: It is another leading vendor in the Australian software industry that is offering a wide range of application or software to the customers so that could run various functions effectively. MYOF software is provides facilities to the user related to taxation, supply chain, billing, payroll etc. This software is offer up-to-date information, real time information, and speed & accuracy in business truncations. This software is also used to save cost and motivate the staff by a company (MYOB. 2017).
Xero: It is a New Zealand based software or application company that offers cloud based software and application to their clients. This software is based on the SaaS (software as a service). The main feature of this software is that it could be install and use easily and effectively without any extra costs. This is also allows the user organizations to view their financial position (Xero. 2017).
In addition to this, the Flight Center should consider and understand the possible functionalities, features and services before using and implementing any software. Simply, it can be said that, the company should make their decision based on the following features, services and functionalities of the software or applications.
|
Types of Software |
Category |
Specification and Applications |
|
SAP |
High-End/ERP |
Solve Complex business issues Suitable for the large MNC’s and companies Strong backups (Monks, and Minow, 2008) Telephonic support is high |
|
Xero |
Low and Medium |
Dashboard gives a clear financial overview Effective for small and Medium organization Cloud-based accounting (Parsons, and Oja, 2012) |
|
MYOB |
Low and Medium |
Efficiently manage complex payroll and focus on wide range of accounting and financial area Applicable and suitable for all the kinds of firms (Kumar, and Lu, 2010) Provides much more options to the users to use software on cloud or desktop. |
On the basis of above table, it is suggested to the Flight center that it should use and execute SAP/ERP within the company in order to fulfill their corporate objectives. So, as per the size and need of the company, it would be more suitable and effective for the company. It is because this software has more ability bring accuracy, speed, reduce costs and improve decision making (Carol, 2009).
There are different innovative and specific ways or strategies or methods could be used by the Flight Centre to utilize technologies in order to enhance business efficiency.
Creating and Developing an Open communication Environment: This is one of the best methods that Flight Centre could adopt to utilize new technologies at the workplace to improve business efficiency. As per this method, the company and its management would have to focus on promoting open and friendly communication system within the company. For case, open communication would allow the company to use technologies by linking it with the corporate goals and objectives (Brookson, 2009).
Motivating and Encouraging Employee to Use technologies: This is the second method that can help the company in utilizing the technologies at the workplace to enhance business performance. As per this method, the management of the company should motivate and encourage their staff, workers or employee to bring new ideas and plan for the success of the company. This step would encourage the organizational people to use new and innovative information system and technologies at the workplace (Shim, and Siegel, 2005).
Redesign Key Business Processes and Monitor business productivity: On the basis of this method, Flight Center would have to redesign its business process, organizational structure & culture. The new business process or organizational environment would promote the use of technologies in the company in order to enhance business Efficiency.
It is more important and valuable to evaluate and analyze the level of efficiency of the technology implementation. This step helps in attaining the technology related objectives and functions. In addition to this, it is also important to know that, in order to evaluate the level of efficiency of the technology implementation, several factors should be considered in an effective and proper manner. For example, a company should consider the cost, benefit and opportunity analysis for the technology implementation. Moreover, a company would also need to evaluate its organizational structure and Existing Platforms available within the company. The needs of end users should be considered effectively. Moreover, proper support from the top management and IT department should be considered in order to evaluate the efficiency of the technology implementation. On the other hand, it would also be more valuable to access political, technical, social and cultural factors. In addition to this, it would also be essential for a company to consider power source, marketability and efficiency in order to evaluate and analyze the level of efficiency of the technology implementation in an effective and proper manner (Binu, and Meenakumari, 2012).
The implementation process may create a lot of security risks and data breaches in the front of Flight Centre. For example, the company may face security issues related to data hacking and online fraud. For case, a third party could use valuable and private and confidential information of the company by the unauthorized access that may create potential security risks. On the other hand, Flight Centre may also encounter the issues related to cyber crime, Social Media Attacks, Lack of Encryption, Cheating, Cyber Security risks, manipulation, misappropriation of assets, mismanagement of data/information, mailing room fraud, Kickback fraud, document fraud, internet/online fraud, Monetary aid fraud etc. So, these are the major security risk and data breaches that could be faced by the company in the use of new technology (Furht, 2010).
In order to overcome such security related issues and data breaches, it is suggested to the company that it should develop a strong and strict security policy at the workplace. In addition to this, the new system should be password protected so that any third party could not use company’s information through unauthorized access. The company should also hire special staff or a team of IT professionals so that they could monitor and update the system in the regular basis. This strategy would reduce the chances of fraud, security risks and data breaches. Apart from this, the company must also use ethical and legal standards at the workplace so that no one could use information by unauthorized methods. These strategies and methods must be used by the company in order to overcome potential security issues and data breaches (Aiton, and Russell, 2011).
Conclusion
Based on the above analysis, it is concluded that, business firms should adopt and implement information systems and new technology at the workplace by considering the functions, services and functionalities of software or applications. A company could use different specific ways to use technology at the workplace. Finally, it can be concluded that, implementation of a new technology or information system brings various security issues and data breaches so these should be avoided by using different strategies and ways.
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