Case Study: Kluuvin Apteekki's Transition to Cloud$-$Based Accounting

Kluuvin Apteekki is a small pharmacy in downtown Helsinki, Finland, managed by Pia Moksi, its sole owner and chief pharmacist. As the business has grown, so has the administrative burden, particularly in accounting, prompting Pia to consider cloud$-$based accounting information systems $($AIS$)$ as a potential solution.

The pharmacy's increasing administrative workload, particularly in accounting, diverted Pia's attention from strategic business activities. The current accounting process comprises five main groups: sales, purchases, payments, reporting, and payroll. Handling these tasks manually had become inefficient and time$-$consuming.

Question $1[15]$

Analyse the significance of strategic alignment between Kluuvin Apteekki's business objectives and its transition to cloud$-$based accounting information systems.

In your answer, evaluate the role of strategic alignment in achieving the pharmacy's goals and the challenges Pia Moksi might face in maintaining it$.$ Discuss frameworks for achieving alignment, such as the Balanced Scorecard and IT Governance, and provide examples of similar businesses that have successfully aligned their strategic goals with information systems.