READ THE CASE STUDY BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW:

INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN A RESTAURANT

OVERVIEW

A waiter takes an order at a table, and then enters it online via one of the six terminals located

in the restaurant dining room. The order is routed to a printer in the appropriate preparation

area: the cold item printer if it is a salad, the hot$-$item printer if it is a hot sandwich or the bar

printer if it is a drink. A customer$$s meal check$-$listing $($bill$)$ the items ordered and the respective

prices are automatically generated. This ordering system eliminates the old three$-$carbon$-$copy

guest check system as well as any problems caused by a waiter$$s handwriting. When the

kitchen runs out of a food item, the cooks send out an $$out of stock$$ message, which will be

displayed on the dining room terminals when waiters try to order that item. This gives the

waiters faster feedback, enabling them to give better service to the customers. Other system

features aid management in the planning and control of their restaurant business. The system

provides up$-$to$-$the$-$minute information on the food items ordered and breaks out percentages

showing sales of each item versus total sales. This helps management plan menus according

to customers$$ tastes. The system also compares the weekly sales totals versus food costs,

allowing planning for tighter cost controls. In addition, whenever an order is voided, the

reasons for the void are keyed in$.$ This may help later in management decisions, especially if

the voids consistently related to food or service. Acceptance of the system by the users is

exceptionally high since the waiters and waitresses were involved in the selection and design

process. All potential users were asked to give their impressions and ideas about the various

systems available before one was chosen.

QUESTION ONE $[35]$

$1\mathrm{.}1$ In the light of the system, describe the decisions to be made in the area of strategic

planning, managerial control and operational control? What system would you require to

support such management decision making? $(20)$

$1\mathrm{.}2$ Explain the steps involved in the transaction processing system $(10)$

$1\mathrm{.}3.$ What would make the system a more complete MIS rather than just doing transaction

processing? $(5)$