Questions: 1. Consider Transaction Processing Systems, Management Information Systems, and Decision Support Systems. A regional sales manager is suffering from unexpectedly low sales of a new product. How can s/he use each of the above systems for diagnosing the cause of this problem? 2. Considering application software packages that offer best practice generic processes, discuss two answers to the following question: “Should I fit my company to the system, or the system to my company?” 3. In view of the powerful changes that have affected the business environment, describe two reasons why companies invest in information systems. Give one example for each reason. 4. Apex Vacuum, a family-owned manufacturer of budget vacuum cleaners has grown exponentially over the last few years. However, the company is having difficulty preparing for future growth. The only information system used at Apex is an antiquated accounting system. The company has one manufacturing plant located in Arkansas, and three warehouses in Arkansas, Delaware, and California. The Apex sales force is national, and Apex purchases about a third of its vacuum parts and materials from a single overseas supplier. a) Evaluate Apex Vacuum using the Competitive Forces model. b) Which strategy should Apex Vacuum adopt in order to retain its competitive edge, and justify why? c) Which strategic business objective can Apex Vacuum achieve? Justify. d) Based on the strategy and strategic business objective you selected above, which two systems (not general applications like ERP, CRM, SCM or Knowledge Management. Be specific in your answer e.g. “inventory management system”) would you recommend for which functional area(s)? Justify your choice using the Value Chain model.

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Solving Sales Problem 1 Consider Transaction Processing Systems Management Information Systems and Decision Support Systems A regional sales manager suffers from unexpectedly low sales of a new produc... View the full answer