Assignment: IT Management Issues
Length: 2100 words.
Task
Write a business report based on the following:
Two coach tour companies have decided to merge their business.
Outback Safari Tours is a full service coach company with 25 offices located in NSW, QLD, SA, WA and the NT. It prides itself on it's variety of multi-day tours, excellent service and a fleet of new coaches (all less than 4 years old) - each capable of carrying 50 passengers. 75% of its sales come through tour operators and travel agents.
Mainland Express is a low-cost coach company with 10 offices located in NSW, Vic, ACT and SA. Its strengths include low priced fares and on time service. It focuses on city to city routes, with minimal stops and no overnight accommodation. Its online booking system is excellent. Its fleet consist of quality coaches capable of carrying 55 passengers.
Senior management has finalised on the following decisions:
1. The combined company Mainland-Safari Tours will retain all existing all staff, coaches, tours and destinations. It has been determined that current scheduling does not conflict. Outback Safari's aging system is to be merged into the Mainland Express advanced system.
2. Mainland-Safari Tours will begin service as a premium based low-cost carrier (low cost fare but passenger can pay for everything else: seating, baggage, drinks, meals, WiFi on the road and even carry-on luggage to first-to-board privilege). It will move to low-cost coach terminals where available.
3. Travel bookings are available primarily online. A service charge of 15% is applied if booked through an agent or tour operator. It will become a very hi-tech connected company with 24 hour, 7 day telephone and web support but no face-to-face customer support.
4. You are required to provide any two suitable business process or solution that could be employed to enhance this model. Substantiate this process or solution with relevant references to literature.
Write a business report outlining the above case, stating assumptions you make at the beginning of your report. Provide critique into the management decisions substantiating with reference to literature. In your report, make the difference between Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) issues and how it will affect customer choice, continued patronage, brand loyalty, etc.
Suggest how to attract new customers (from competitors) and any other new business opportunities that may arise with such a set up (eg. Waiting Lounge services, Car Parking options, Transfers from Home/Office, etc.). All these should be substantiated with references to IS and IT literature.
Business report format
Readers of business reports expect certain information to be in certain places. They do not expect to search for what they want and the harder you make it for them the more likely they are to toss your report to one side and ignore it. So what should you do?
1. Follow the generally accepted format for a business report: Title, Executive Summary, Introduction, Main Body, Conclusion and Reference List.
2. Organise your information within each section in a logical fashion with the reader in mind, usually putting things in order of priority - most important first.
Report Title. This is simply up at the beginning of your report.
Executive Summary. Give a clear and very concise account of the main points, main conclusion (and recommendation). Keep it very short (see word limit). Some people, especially senior managers, may not read anything else so write as if it were a stand-alone document. It isn't but for some people it might as well be. Keep it brief and free from jargon so that anyone can understand it and get the main points. Write it last, but do not copy and paste from the report itself; that rarely works well.
Introduction. This is the first part of the report proper. Use it to paint the background to 'the problem' and to show the reader why the report is important to them. Then explain how the details that follow are arranged. Write it in plain English.
Main Body. This is the heart of your report, the facts. It will probably have several sections or sub-sections each with its own subtitle. It is unique to your report and will describe what you discovered about 'the problem'. These sections are most likely to be read by experts so you can use some appropriate jargon but explain it as you introduce it. Arrange the information logically, normally putting things in order of priority -- most important first. In fact, follow that advice in every section of your report. Do not write in dot points or numbered points as this will appear disjointed and look like notes taken in a meeting.
Conclusion. Present the logical conclusions of your investigation of 'the problem'. Bring it all together and maybe offer options for the way forward. Many people will read this section.
Recommendations. What do you suggest should be done? Don't be shy; you did the work so state your recommendations in order of priority.
References. As your business report must be academically sound as well as making good business sense, it is essential that your report is supported by accurate in-text referencing and the inclusion of a reference list. Although some business reports in the workplace do not require full referencing (and some students may be used to this), it is a requirement in the academic environment. This is equitable for all students.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.