Business Assignment: Case Study

Prepare a journal that records your activities and progress related to completing this assignment. In date order, clearly list the following:

·         Date of research activity/discussion

·         Full description of research activity / discussion (at least 25 words)

·         List of all appropriate web sites visited to collect information; other references accessed (using Harvard AGPS Referencing style – submitted separate to the List of References in Task 2).

·         Time duration of the activity

If you are working in a team, clearly state the activities of each team member.

Submit this journal as an appendix to Task 2(after the List of References and include in the Table of Contents).

Any references to web pages and online documents, such as white papers, should be listed at the end of the journal.

Your report should include a professional title page, computer generated Table of Contents (including List of Tables and List of Figures) and Appendices.

Note: Make sure to state the names of all students involved in the report on the title page.

Your report should include a letter of transmittal, executive summary, and introduction to the report.

How can the business move from mail order to being an online presence?

·         What are the benefits and challenges that the business should be aware of before becoming an e-business?

·         What are the characteristics of Web / Business 2.0? How should the business address these characteristics when setting themselves up as an e-business?

·         Which type(s) of e-business model(s) should the business be considering implementing? Why?

·         What type of e-commerce tools should the business consider utilising to connect and communicate with their customers? Why?

·         What tools should the business use to measure their e-business success?

·         Should the business also consider implementing m-business? What are the benefits and challenges Dr Rod N Berrywill need to be aware of?

What type of hardware and software, including networking infrastructure and/or a combination of cloud services, should the business acquire and/or procure to expand their capabilities to meet their new e-business initiative?

·         Develop a computer hardware proposal (including printer(s)) to allow the business to provide up to twenty (20) staff with computer access, including current Australian prices for the equipment. If you decide on a cloud-based infrastructure solution, develop the proposal to enable cloud services for infrastructure for server and data storage requirements, e.g. Amazon EC2 or Microsoft Azure. Justify why your proposal is necessary for the business.

·         Develop a computer software proposal, including both system and application software, to support the proposed computer hardware proposal, including Australian prices for the software. If you decide on a cloud-based software solution, develop the proposal to enable cloud services for software for e-commerce solutions, e.g. Microsoft Dynamics e-commerce or BigCommerce. Justify why your proposal is necessary for the business.

·         Develop a networking and communications proposal, including a suggested network architecture, topology and communication medium to support the proposed computer hardware and software proposal. If you decide on a cloud-based network solution, develop the proposal to enable cloud services for platform for networking and network security requirements, e.g. Amazon EC2 or Microsoft Azure. Justify why your proposal is recommended for the business.

·         Include a diagram of the proposed hardware, software and network infrastructure; or the proposed cloud solution architecture; to help Dr Rod N Berryvisualise what you are recommending.

What would be the benefits to the business of implementing an enterprise resource planning system?

·         Differentiate between a database management system and an enterprise resource planning system. Why would an enterprise resource planning system be more beneficial to the business than a series of database management systems?

·         What are the core enterprise resource planning system components? Which core components should the business utilise? Why?

·         What are the extended enterprise resource planning system components? Which extended components should the business utilise? Why?

·         What are the considerations that the business should make when choosing enterprise resource planning software? Why?

What issues should the business be aware of when embarking on a social media presence?

·         Outline to Dr Rod N Berry why the business should also be considering using Social Media as an avenue for communicating with their customers and promoting their brand.

·         Review and critique, including providing screen captures, the social media presences of three (3) other businesses that sell similar products toDr Rod N Berry’s business.

·         How should the business manage their social media presence? Develop a draft Social Media Policy for the business that they can implement if they were to embark on a social media strategy.

Your report should include separate conclusions and recommendationssections.

·         Conclusions provide a summary of your key findings from the body of the report.

·         Recommendations provide a summary of the recommendations to the business based on the research conducted in the report.

References are required and the Harvard AGPS standard of referencing must be used. This standard is detailed onUSQ Library Site<http://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing>.

Ensure that your reports are fully referenced, including any reference to the text book. Your report should include in-text references and a List of References.

Do not repeat verbatim large slabs of information from other sources such as the text – you must put the ideas/information in your own words.

You must use at least ten (10) academically sound sources other than the textbook in completing this report.