Discussions
To participate in the following Discussion Forums, go to this week’s Discussion link in the left navigation:
- Information Systems and Globalization
How are information systems transforming business and what is
their relationship to globalization? Give examples to illustrate your
answer. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings. - Organizational Performance
How do enterprise applications, collaboration and communication
systems, and intranets improve organizational performance? Give examples
to illustrate your answer. Respond to at least two of your classmates’
postings.
Assignments
To complete this assignment, go to this week’s Assignment link in the left navigation:
UPS and the Utility of Information Systems
After reading chapter one, watch the video: (Real Media Player can be downloaded for free at www.real.com)
and read the additional write-up on page 16 of your text. Answer the
questions listed below using APA format. Be sure to integrate vocabulary
from the text to demonstrate your understanding of concepts. The paper
should not exceed 2 double-spaced pages (excluding title page).
United Parcel Service’s operations are driven by its information
systems technology. Beginning as a local delivery service in 1907, UPS
expanded on the West coast initially, reached New York in the 1930s, and
went international in the 1970s. Today, UPS delivers over 14 million
packages daily to 200 countries and territories. A $1.5 billion
technology investment in the 1980s buoyed the growth of UPS. The
investment enabled the development of the International Shipments
Processing System (ISPS), which is the key to the company’s overseas
operations. The technology infrastructure enables UPS to offer its
customers services in addition to the basic shipment of packages. UPS
drivers play an important role in the company’s services by capturing
information at the endpoints of each delivery segment. Volume, cultural
differences, and hardware readiness all impact the development and
continued growth of UPS.
- What external factors affect international operations at UPS?
- How do these factors cause UPS to adjust its operations?
- What are the inputs, processing, and outputs of UPS’ tracking system.
- What technologies are used by UPS? How are these technologies related to UPS’ business model and business objectives?
- What problems do UPS’s information systems solve?
