(14-15 Academic Year)

Year One (Level 4)

BA Business Studies

Module: Business Systems- An Introductory Management Perspective

Student Name: Daniel Makwara
Student ID: 3101229
Maker: Ralph Gharibi

PART 2
Question 3-

(a) The electronic engineering company part 1, question 1 (b), is upgradeing its PCs including the software. As a junior consultant, I have been asked to write a short report recommending up-to-date PCs as follows:

Hardware

* iMac desktops

The iMac is desktop is an all-in-one designed. The desktop is substantially thin edged, has the new Apple Fusion Drive, faster processors which are 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 Ivy Bridge. These processors makes the computers fast boot and run no delays whilst doing your hence good for business. It also has enhanced graphics along with updates to the ports an 8GB memory RAM for easy backup of large electronics files and also 1TB built in storage for business documents. It comes with 21.5 and 27 inch screen with Intel Iris Pro graphics perfect for viewing electronics circuits easier.

* Surface Pro 3-4 tablets

The Surface Pro 3is a slim lightweight tablet with performance of a laptop. A compact premium tablet body, it's the ideal way to work on the move hence good for the company to employ so employees can be productive where ever they are.
The Surface Pro 3 is powered by a 4th generation Intel® Core™ i3, i5 and i7 processor which feature TurboBoost technology, boosting performance only when necessary saving power and energy.

Software

* NI Multisim

NI Multisim is an electronic schematic capture and simulation software. It is a one circuit design program that still employ the original Berkeley SPICE based software simulation. This is an updated electronics software which used to be called Electronics Workbench which will be good for the organisation to implement into its business.

* Proteus 7.0

It is the program to use when you want to simulate the interaction between software running on a microcontroller and any analog or digital electronic device connected to it. Proteus 7.0 combines circuit simulation, animated components and microprocessor models to co-simulate the complete microcontroller based designs. This is the perfect tool for engineers to test their microcontroller designs before constructing a physical prototype in real time. This program allows users to interact with the design using on-screen indicators on the PC.

* OneDrive for Business

This software upgrade lets users of recent versions of Microsoft Office to use the desktop applications to simultaneously edit the same section of documents stored on OneDrive. Changes are synchronised when users save the document. This allows for collaborative real-time editing with multiple users. Users can also use several different desktop and web programs to edit the same document this will help the company employees be more productive by doing their documents and files wherever they are rather than just the office.

* Windows 8 Pro

Windows 8 Pro is an update from the windows 7 operating system. This will be a good upgrade because to navigate your way around Windows 8 Pro couldn't be more intuitive. On the OS one can simply touch the program wanted from the Start screen and move around it by swiping, pinching or tapping the screen. This will make it easier working around the operating system hence becoming more productive for the organisation.
The operating systems benefits include exclusive features designed specifically for business and advanced users like the electronic engineers and administration individuals. It also has BitLocker data encryption, remote desktop connectivity and the ability to join private business networks.

(b) Information a company can have available, over its Internet, Intranet, and its Extranet

* Internet

A company should have its details of contact, list of products or services that it serves. Information about its business, location. This information will help potential customers know or get what they are looking for and also the contact details of the company for more details. However the company can also have its customers details on the Internet secured away from access by anyone. If it have strong routers and servers that can keep the customer details from hackers and fraudsters. This is because an organisation cannot just have any information available through its internet because the internet is open to the public.

* Intranet

The intranet is exclusive to the company and its associates like customers, employees and suppliers connecting them via usually the internet to the organisation's intranet. It is protected with firewalls from anyone else who's not an associate. Company can have stock information, company progress, emails of employees, organisation data which can be accessed according to the level of management. Access company stock data which the supplies can have access like price and product information for the customers, and requirements and specifications for the suppliers. This is because it will easier for the organisation and its stake holders to be in sync and run smoothly and make decisions quicker.

* Extranet

An extranet a computer network that allows controlled access from outside of an organisation's intranet. An extranet can be viewed as an extension of an organization's intranet that is extended to users outside the organization, usually partners, vendors and suppliers, in isolation from all other Internet users. It is in context of that isolation that an extranet is different from an intranet or internet. An extranet without granting access to an organization's entire network. This can keep information from unauthorised eyes like that of employees who are not on the level of management. This keeps internal information controlled only to the top level management and authorised external eyes hence private business information secure especially if the company is public, this can avoid insider trading which is illegal.

(c) Discuss any data security, consideration for data protection Acts and the software licensing issues that would be relevant to the company’s activities.

Question 4-

The following is a lecture summary relating to Business Systems lecture of week 6 which covered ‘How Data is represented in the Computer’

250 WORDS

Question 5- (This question relates to Personal Development Planning ‘PDP’ – See seminar hand-out notes from first session)
Using Business Systems module, reflect on your class activities (both lecture and seminar) since the start of this module and identify and briefly explain those activities and knowledge that have helped or will help you:

* To develop your own thinking and solution to problems with positive outcomes.

* To understand Information Management and Communications related issues.

* To understand the basics of business systems and what they offer.

* To understand the role of spreadsheet applications in businesses.

* To adopt own efficient and effective techniques within a business environment.

* With own personal goals in relation to Excel and PowerPoint applications software.

* To develop an understanding of hardware and software components of a computer system and

* The appropriateness of a system in a particular business environment.

* To appreciate issues relating to data security, software licensing, data protection and computer

* Misuse Acts.

Reference/bibliography

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMac

http://store.apple.com/uk/buy-mac/imac

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-gb/products/surface-pro-3?WT.mc_id=Paid_SURFACE_FY15_PRO3_SEM&ocid=Oneconstab_SEM_NULL_NULL_NULL_GBR_NULL

https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/the-data-protection-act

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/internet.html

https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/the-data-protection-act