This section contains a practical mini-case with sub-questions. This question requires you to demonstrate your ability to apply all course knowledge in a practical context. All questions must be answered in the online answer booklet provided. Start each question on a new page. Question B1 (Practical Mini-Case) (TOTAL: 20 POINTS)

Read the following Mini-Case and answer the questions at the end. As the general manager of a growing hotel chain, Riverbend Resorts, Rohana has had a tough week. Two weeks ago, in addition to the two existing hotels in the chain, the owner bought three new hotels. Now, instead of managing two hotels, Rohana finds herself managing five hotels. The current practice is to use a spreadsheet to monitor the purchase of food, beverages, and other purchases. Each week, the duty manager at each hotel emails three spreadsheets (Accommodation Actual vs Forecast Report, Food, Beverages, and Purchases, and Staffing Roster) to Rohana. Rohana then copies this information into her Master spreadsheet. From this spreadsheet, Rohana reviews current performance, authorises purchases and approves staffing rosters. Rohana also uses this information to revise room rates for last-minute bookings through Expedia and Agoda. This arrangement has worked mostly fine up until now. However, with five hotels and sixteen spreadsheets to look after, mistakes are starting to happen. Rohana spent all weekend reviewing and finalising the purchases for this week but she made a mistake in her spreadsheet and sent the wrong approvals to the wrong suppliers. As a result, the hotel in Caloundra received the purchases intended for the hotel in Noosa. Rohana was now really tired, frustrated, and annoyed. Rohana cast her mind back to last week's Barefoot Bowls social gathering where one of Rohana's friends, Barry, mentioned that his business uses both an MIS and a DSS. Rohana thinks these systems sound great, and wants to use an MIS or a DSS at Riverbend Resorts to help with the weekly tasks that she currently uses a spreadsheet for. However, she doesn't know what they are, really not even what the acronyms stand for!

(a) Explain to Rohana the differences between an MIS and a DSS by comparing and contrasting them with each other (2 points). In your view, would an MIS or a DSS help Rohana at Riverbend Resorts - or is there a better type of information system she can use? Justify your view (3 points). (5 points)