Assignment 1: Using a Database for Strategic Business Development

Assignment 1: Using a Database for Strategic Business Development

 

Assignment 1 is worth 5 percent of your final grade for this course. It requires you to use relational databases and queries. If you are unsure of your skill level in Microsoft Access, review the Important Information About Database Assignments.

Read the Hands-on MIS project Improving Decision Making: Using a Database to Clarify Business Strategy on pages 92–93 of the textbook carefully, follow all instructions, and answer all questions.
Background:
Relational databases are not new technology. Commercially, they gained importance in the early 1980s with the introduction of Oracle’s relational database, and since then they have been an essential tool for most businesses. Databases are critical tools that help to support various business functions in an organization. These information systems help a business to build and maintain competitive advantage. Databases not only support the operational levels of business—they are also used to support the activities of managers.

For this assignment, you will be analyzing the data in a simple, one-table database by creating queries and reports in Microsoft Access. The system you are “developing” will be used by The Queen’s Inn in St. John’s, Newfoundland for strategic business development purposes.

Remember that Access, Excel, and even FrontPage, are all tools. This assignment will help you discover how to use a database tool to support a business. You will be analyzing the data in the database and answering the questions in the exercise to create the queries and reports that are necessary to determine what the Inn’s current business situation is.

NOTE: The Access e-text authors advocate using Calculated Data Fields in Access 2010. While these do solve many of the problems that used to exist with calculated fields (because Access does the calculation automatically for you), for this assignment, do NOT use the Calculated Data Field functionality.
Instructions:
o Download the 2007 Access database file. If the data file doesn’t open, check your browser’s pop-up blocker settings or try holding down the Ctrl key when clicking the file.

Assignment 1 Access 2007 Database
o After you have downloaded and opened the file, click FILE? SAVE AS?, then SAVE the file to your hard drive according to the following assignment naming standards:

yourlastname_CMIS351_assign1.mdb
OR

yourlastname_CMIS351_assign1.accdb (depending on the file format default of your version of Access)

Once the file has been saved, you can open it and start working on your assignment.
o Analyze the data in the database and in the application exercise.
o To complete this assignment, you will need to do data calculations. Remember to follow good database practice here by not saving your calculations as part of the data table itself (they should appear only in your queries).
o Create queries and reports that will provide information to help management at the Queen’s Inn to be more competitive and profitable. If you look at the original database you downloaded, you will see that it provides suggestions for the three reports that should be created for The Queen’s Inn. These empty templates will give you an indication of what queries and reports you must create for this assignment.
o If you need a refresher on using Access databases, see the resources on the Important Information about Database Assignments page.
o Write a brief report (1-2 pages) describing what database information (from your analysis) would make the business more competitive and profitable. Your report must include, at a minimum, answers to the four questions in the second last paragraph of the exercise on page 93 of the textbook.
For this assignment you must hand in:
o an Access database with reports and queries as described above (the number of queries and reports will be up to you)
OR
o if you do not have access to a computer on which you can install Microsoft Access, you may use another database tool. Please note: EXCEL is not a database tool, it is spreadsheet software. Another database tool may be something like: OpenOffice (database package) or Dbase. If you use one such tool, you must also submit the following:
o an E-R diagram of your database that clearly shows the primary and foreign keys for each table.
o a screen shot of the first page of the contents of each table. Alternatively, you may create a report that dumps the contents of a table and submit a single page of that report.
o queries that you designed to create each report. Show both the query design and the query output.
o the reports required in the assignment
In either case, you must also submit a Word document containing a report as described in the assignment instructions on page 93.
Marking criteria:
You will be marked according to the following criteria.
Database 4 marks
o implemented correctly
o queries are correct
Reports 3 marks
o provide required information
o comprehensive
o readable (accurate spelling and grammar)
Written report 3 marks
o professional, business-like
o relevant
o correct (covers required information)
When your assignment is complete, return to this page and follow the instructions for submitting it.
All of your course work must be submitted before 12:00 midnight (Mountain Time) on the final day of your contract.
To account for administration, processing, and marking times, please allow up to eight business days from submission for the return of your marked assignment.

Assignment 2: Achieving Operational Excellence – Building a Relational Database for Inventory Management
Assignment 2 is worth 10 percent of your final grade for this course. This assignment is based on the Hands-on MIS project Achieving Operational Excellence: Building a Relational Database for Inventory Management on page 199 of the textbook. However, it has been revised, so first read the assignment scenario in the text and then read the following carefully.
Background:
Sylvester’s Bike Shop has stored its data in Excel for many years but has experienced some data quality issues. As you can see from the Excel file for this assignment, Sylvester’s Excel spreadsheet stores the company’s products and suppliers. Some of the data quality issues Sylvester’s has experienced are errors in supplier names and addresses that have resulted from these being repeated several times in the data. Changes to supplier addresses are not always made consistently.
As well, Sylvester’s is planning to grow its product line dramatically over the next year and therefore feels that they should position themselves for this growth by moving to Access. One of the things they would like to be able to do is move to “Category Management,” in which one category manager is assigned to each product category and is responsible for managing that category to achieve specific performance goals. Initially, all they are interested in adding to the database is a way to add the salesperson name for each product category.
The first step in your assignment is to design and build an Access database to house Sylvester’s current data. Use the information on database design in Chapter 6 of the textbook (“Designing Databases,” p. 186) as well as Chapter 2 in the Access e-text.
As is always required in these kinds of projects, you will need to correct any data problems you find. Wherever there is inconsistent data, you should change the incorrect value to the one that is on the rest of the records for that supplier.
Since you have not been given the Category Manager names, you can make these up for your database. The customer will have to update these once you give them the final database structure, so make sure that your database design makes this easy for them to do.
Keep in mind as well that you do not want to retype all of this data. First, doing so will not be the best use of your time (and will be quite boring); second, it introduces the problem of data errors. You need to make sure that the data in the Access databases matches the Excel data (except for the obvious data inconsistencies). You can import the data directly from an Excel spreadsheet (Assignment 2 Source Data). The steps to do so are explained on pages 134-138 in the Access e-text (see the Learning Materials page if you haven’t yet accessed the e-text) .
The next step is to create queries and reports for each of the three reports requested on page 199 of the textbook. As well, you should create a query and a report that lists each product category with their salesperson and the products which they manage. This report should be sorted alphabetically by product category. Products in each category should be sorted by descending price.
You do NOT need to answer the last question on page 199.

Important notes about this assignment:
o The e-text authors advocate using Calculated Data Fields in Access 2010. While these do solve many of the problems that used to exist with calculated fields (because Access does the calculation automatically for you), for this assignment, do NOT use the Calculated Data Field functionality.
o You will find one database design for this assignment on the textbook companion website. Keep in mind that this is NOT necessarily the best solution, the data is not the same, and your assignment has an additional element not found in the textbook version. Therefore, while you might consider some elements of what they have done, you should create your OWN database design.
Instructions:

For this assignment you must hand in:
o an Access database with reports and queries as described in the textbook in Chapter 6, page 199
OR
o if you do not have access to a computer on which you can install Microsoft Access, you may use another database tool. If you do this, you must also submit the following:
o an E-R diagram of your database that clearly shows the primary and foreign keys for each table.
o a screen shot of the first page of the contents of each table. Alternatively, you may create a report that dumps the contents of a table and submit a single page of that report.
o queries that you designed to create each report. Show both the query design and the query output.
o the reports required in the assignment
Marking criteria:

You will be marked according to the following criteria.
Database Design—Your database must conform to the
relational database guidelines as outlined in the
Supplemental Information for Access Assignments and
in Chapter 6. 20 marks
o tables are correct with appropriate keys (12 marks)
o tables are related correctly (3)
o inconsistent data has been corrected (2)
o table and field names are descriptive and use CamelCase notation (3)
Reports and Queries 20 marks
o reports are correct (12 marks)
o queries are correct (4)
o reports are descriptive, professional looking, and readable (4)

When your assignment is complete, return to this page and follow the instructions for submitting it.
All of your course work must be submitted before 12:00 midnight (Mountain Time) on the final day of your contract.
To account for administration, processing, and marking times, please allow up to eight business days from submission for the return of your marked assignment.

 

Assignment 3: Evaluating E-commerce Hosting Services
Assignment 3 is worth 10 percent of your final grade for this course. This assignment is based on the Hands-on MIS project Achieving Operational Excellence: Evaluating E-Commerce Hosting Services on page 342 of the textbook. You must compare the three e-commerce hosting services identified in the textbook PLUS one other hosting site that you find on your own. You do not have to prepare the report described in the textbook; instead, follow the instructions below for all four websites you are evaluating.

Instructions:

This assignment allows you to explore two important information system trends. First, you will investigate what is necessary to open an Internet business. Second, you will be introduced to cloud computing, in the form of Web page hosting.
To submit the complete assignment, you must:
o create a spreadsheet to compare the three identified e-commerce hosting sites and the e-commerce hosting site that you find. Ensure that your comparison includes (1) evaluation criteria based on customer requirements and other factors you deem to be important and (2) the raw data and an assessment for each hosting site for each evaluation criterion. For instance, you may include as a criterion “Storage” and find one web host offers 10 GB. The raw data is 10 GB; an assessment might be “H”, “M” or “L” OR a number from 1 (low) to 5 (high) or other evaluation that you choose.
o prepare a PowerPoint presentation that represents the presentation you would give to management explaining your selection. It should explain all the criteria that you included in your evaluation, the strengths and weaknesses of each hosting alternative; it should also identify your choice and the reasons why you made this choice. For each slide, include “notes” that represent what you would say if you were giving the presentation.
For this assignment you must hand in:
o an Excel spreadsheet
o a PowerPoint presentation
Marking criteria:

You will be marked according to the following criteria.
Spreadsheet 10 marks
o contains evaluation criteria, each of the four website hosting companies being evaluated (the three identified sites plus the one you found), and the raw data and assessments for each
o is clear and concise
o is of professional quality
PowerPoint Presentation 10 marks
o explains criteria clearly
o summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of each vendor
o identifies and explains the vendor choice
o contains Notes for each slide that indicate what you would say if you were giving this presentation
When your assignment is complete, return to this page and follow the instructions for submitting it.
All of your course work must be submitted before 12:00 midnight (Mountain Time) on the final day of your contract.
To account for administration, processing, and marking times, please allow up to eight business days from submission for the return of your marked assignment.
Assignment 4: Improving Decision Making: Using Pivot Tables to Analyze Sales Data
Assignment 4 is worth 10 percent of your final grade for this course. This assignment is based on the Hands-on MIS project Improving Decision Making: Using Pivot Tables to Analyze Sales Data on page 398 of the textbook.

Instructions:

This assignment gives you an opportunity to practice the use of pivot tables as described in Chapter 12. These are particularly important for managers because they provide easily accessible, business intelligence tools right at the manager’s desk. If you need additional help to learn pivot tables, consult Chapter 12 Learning Track 1 on the textbook companion website.
To submit the complete assignment, you must:
o download Online Management Training Inc.’s data (go to Chapter 12 Hands-On MIS Data App Files on the textbook companion website).
o create PivotTables to help you answer the questions on page 398.
o create one additional PivotTable to answer a question of your choosing.
o create a report to management explaining your analysis and its implications.
For this assignment you must hand in:
o an Excel spreadsheet
o a Word document
Marking criteria:

You will be marked according to the following criteria.
Spreadsheet 15 marks
o Each pivot table is set up correctly.
Report to Management (Word document) 10 marks
o Report describes each analysis and its implications. (8 marks)
o Report is professional, well written, and organized. (2 marks)
When your assignment is complete, return to this page and follow the instructions for submitting it.
All of your course work must be submitted before 12:00 midnight (Mountain Time) on the final day of your contract.
To account for administration, processing, and marking times, please allow up to eight business days from submission for the return of your marked assignment.
Assignment 5: Using Database Software to Design a Customer System for Auto Sales
Assignment 5 is worth 15 percent of your final grade for this course. Read the Hands-on MIS project Improving Decision Making: Using Database Software to Design a Customer System for Auto Sales on pages 433–434 of the textbook. Follow the instructions below.
Instructions:

This assignment builds on your first two Access assignments and asks you to consider the process of designing and implementing a database system solution.

The first step in this assignment is to create a systems analysis report as outlined on page 434 of the textbook. This is a critical step in the systems development process as it helps you to define the requirements for the work you will go on to do. Add a section called “Project Management Considerations” to this report; in this section, explain the project management considerations that the organization must take into account if they go ahead with this project.

You do NOT have to create any data input forms for this assignment. You do NOT have to consider whether or not to use Ace’s existing customer database.
The next step in the assignment is to create the database suggested in your report. Note that one of the requirements here is that it must align with the report you have created – that is, it satisfies all of the requirements noted, but only the requirements noted.
After the database is created, populateeach table with at least ten records.
If you do not have access to a computer on which you can install Microsoft Access, you may use another database tool. If you do this, you must also submit the following:
o an E-R diagram of your database that clearly shows the primary and foreign keys for each table.
o a screen shot of the first page of the contents of each table. Alternatively, you may create a report that dumps the contents of a table and submit a single page of that report.
o queries that you designed to create each report. Show both the query design and the query output.
o the reports required in the assignment
For this assignment, you must hand in:
o a Word document containing your systems analysis report which must include the information specified on page 434
o an Access database with tables, reports, and queries as described in the textbook and in these instructions
Marking criteria:

You will be marked according to the following criteria:
Database Design (20 marks total)
Your database must conform to the relational database guidelines as outlined in Chapter 6 of the textbook and in the Access e-text.
o Tables are structured correctly with appropriate keys. (12 marks)
o Tables are related correctly. (4 marks)
o Database has minimum number of records in each table as specified in assignment instructions. (2 marks)
o Database has all test data as specified in assignment instructions. (2 marks)

Reports and Queries (10 marks total)
o Queries and reports identified in the system analysis report have been created and include the questions managers are considering based on the mini-case on pages 433-434. (2 marks)
o Queries are correct. (4 marks)
o Reports are readable and professional looking. (4 marks)
Systems Analysis Report (20 marks total)
o understandable (clearly defines the solution), professionally written, and organized (2 marks)
o comprehensive (includes all requirements listed on page 434) (15 marks)
o project management considerations are appropriate and draw on the theory explained in Chapter 14 of the textbook (3 marks)

When your assignment is complete, return to this page and follow the instructions for submitting it.
All of your course work must be submitted before 12:00 midnight (Mountain Time) on the final day of your contract.
To account for administration, processing, and marking times, please allow up to eight business days from submission for the return of your marked assignment.

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