CMGT/583 » IS Integration

Riordan Executive Report

 Riordan Manufacturing is a global plastics manufacturer

§  Compare and contrast the various business support tools IS and IT commonly uses to add value to a company, such as customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. 

§  Determine if any of these are appropriate for Riordan.

§  Discuss the advantages and future benefits of each.

§  Discuss the pros and cons of each system as it relates to Riordan.

§  Based on your analysis, determine which systems best fit Riordan’s needs.

§  Analyze the ASP model and other outsourcing models as they apply to Riordan to understand outsourcing as an option. Provide the potential success or downfall of each, including partial outsourcing, single-application ASP support, or network systems outsourcing. 

§  Compare a centralized-versus-distributed-server model as an in-house implementation to cut costs. Determine the viability of both as they apply to Riordan–to understand keeping IS/IT functions in-house. Provide the pros and cons of each as they pertain to various business support systems. 

§  Identify the value each implementation provides, and make a recommendation about which support systems should be operated in-house, which should be outsourced, and which methods of outsourcing should be used. 

§  Identify how the organization will measure value of each implementation on an ongoing basis. Describe the process or method the IS and IT departments will use to provide continuing value to the organization. 

§  Include a synopsis of your conclusions and recommendations to the Riordan executives.

§  Provide research and references from at least two recent peer-reviewed articles from the UOP online library to support your recommendations.