In this assignment, a scenario is presented in the form of a description of a security company. ...

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In	this	assignment,	a	scenario	is	presented	in	the	form	of	a	description	of	a	security	company.	 Based	on	your	understanding	on	 the	 scenario,	you	are	asked	 to	write	a	 report	answering	 the	 questions	at	the	end	of	this	assignment.	Your	report	should	be	approximately	1800-2000	words	 long	 and	 needs to	 be	 uploaded	 in	 Moodle	 by	 the	 due	 date	 as	 mentioned	 in	 Teaching	 and	 Assessment	Plan	or	as	per	Lecturer’s	instruction. Case	Study:	Security	Services	Limited	(SSL) The	case	study	‘Security	Services	Limited’	(SSL)	provides	the	basis	for	the	questions	that	follow. 1. INTRODUCTION	 SSL	have	grown	over	the	last	30	years	to	be	one	of	the	main	providers	of	private	security	services	 in	the	UK.	Turnover	for	the	financial	year	ended	April	1995	was	up	17%	to	£98.4	million	from	the	 previous	year.	Profitability	has	remained	steady	at	around	9.2%	of	turnover	for	three	successive	 financial	years.	SSL	provides	a	wide	range	of	services	to	companies,	individuals	and	the	public	 sector.	The	company	has	grown	owing	to	a	combination	of	factors	including	organic	growth	from	 the	original	core	business,	start-ups	in	associated	areas	of	security	and	 finally	takeover	of	and	 merger	with	companies	providing	related	services.	The	range	of	services	offered	include: • Armoured	 transport	 for	 conveying	 substantial	 amounts	 of	 cash	 and	 cheques	 between	 businesses	and	banks,	cash	from	banks	to	businesses	for	wages, and	conveyance	of	highvalue items	between	various	parties; • Provision	 of	 security	 services	 for	 businesses	 – these	 will	 include	 security	 guards	 (day	 and/or	night-time	cover),	analysis	and	installation	of	security	devices	and	regular	security	 sweeps	of	business	premises; • Provision	of	domestic	security	services	– this	includes	the	analysis	of	domestic	security	 needs	and	the	installation	of	appropriate	security	devices.	The	most	recent	addition	to	 the	range	of	services	has	been	the	transfer	of	prisoners	between	police	cells,	the	courts	 MITS4001 Assignment Copyright	©	2015-2018 VIT,	All	Rights	Reserved. 3 and	prison.	This	is	a	contracted-out	service	sanctioned	by	the	Home	Office	and	carried	 out	to	Home	Office	standards. 2. COMPANY	ORGANISATION	 Because	of	the	way	in	which	SSL	has	evolved,	the	present	company	structure	does	not	necessarily	 represent	the	most	effective	or	efficient	way	of	doing	business. SSL	has	its	corporate	headquarters	in	Milton	Keynes,	Buckinghamshire.	It	also	has	four	discrete	 divisions	each	of	which	represents	a	key	area	of	the	business.	The	divisions	are	geographically	 separate	from	the	corporate	headquarters	and	are	organised	as	follows: • The	 Private	Transport	Division	 (PTD)	– based	 in	 Bedford,	 they	 also	 have	offices	 in	 the	 county	town	of	every	county	in	England	and	Wales. • The	 Business	 Security	Division	 (BSD)	– based	 in	 Leicester,	 they	 too	 have	 offices	 in	 the	 county	town	of	every	county	in	England	and	Wales. • The	Domestic	Security	Division	(DSD)	– based	in	Newcastle-upon-Tyne,	they	have	similar	 provision	of	offices	to	the	above	two	divisions. • The	Home	Office	Services	Division	(HOSD)	– this	is	based	in	Central	London;	the	precise	 organisation	of	this	division	will	be	covered	later.	None	of	the	divisions	shares	its	premises	 with	any	of	the	other	divisions.	This	is	in	part	due	to	the	way	in	which	the	business	has	 evolved	 (including	 takeovers	 and	 mergers).	 However,	 it	 is	 also	 due	 the	 very	 separate	 operation	of	each	division. 2.1	Divisional	Responsibilities The	autonomous	nature	of	the	PTD,	BSD	and	DSD	divisions	means	that	in	effect	it	carries	out	all	 the	activities	associated	with	an	individual	business.	The	ways	in	which	each	division	carries	out	 its	business	activities	varies	from	division	to	division. MITS4001 Assignment Copyright	©	2015-2018 VIT,	All	Rights	Reserved. 4 2.1.1	Private	transport	division	(PTD)	 Sales	section	– these	are	charged	for	in	two	ways:	(1)	contract	sales	– these	are	negotiated	for	 various	periods	and	typically	relate	to	regular	transport	of	specific	items	between	two	or	more	 locations;	(2)	one-off	sales	– these	will	be	for	single	transportation	tasks	arranged	by	customers	 on	an	ad-hoc	basis.	The	sales	area	is	headed	by	a	senior	sales	manager	based	at	the	divisional	 headquarters.	Each	 area	 office	 also	 has	 a	 sales	 coordinator,	 together	 with	 a	 number	 of	 sales	 executives.	 Marketing	 section	 – this	 is	 performed	 by	 a	 small	 marketing	 department	 of	 two	 persons	 based	at	 the	 divisional	 headquarters.	Annual	marketing	 spend	is	 small	– this	 division	 carries	out	core,	well-established	business	operations,	with	limited	scope	for	growth.	Transport	 section	– this	is	the	key	area	for	this	division:	the	business	operations	depend	on	scheduling	the	 appropriate	 vehicle	 for	 the	 appropriate	 route	 and	 with	 the	 right	 security	 team.	 In	 addition,	 activities	such	as	vehicle	maintenance	and staff	duty	rostering	have	to	be	managed.	Information	 Systems	section	– this	is	a	subpart	of	the	Transport	section;	the	division	operates	a	network	of	 three	PCs	running	the	following	applications: • Financial	ledgers	(Sage	Sovereign) • Route	planning	(Autoroute) • Duty	rostering	(end-user	developed	spreadsheet).	Payroll	processing	is	contracted	out	to	 Midwest	Bank	Business	Services. Job	costing	for	new	and	renewed	contracts	is	performed	manually,	as	is	one-off	business.	This	is an	area	where	a	new	information	system	may	be	useful. The	IS	function	in	this	division	is	managed	by	an	ex-policeman	who	gained	some	IT	experience	 while	 in	 the	 force	 but	 who	 is	 not	 an	 IT	 specialist.	 However,	 he	 has	 made	 judicious	 use	 of	 consultant	support	since	his	appointment. MITS4001 Assignment Copyright	©	2015-2018 VIT,	All	Rights	Reserved. 5 2.1.2	Business	security	division	(BSD)	 This	 part	 of	 the	 business	 has	 experienced	 steady	 growth	 over	 the	 past	 5	 years.	 Recent	 developments	have	included	a	response	to	increased	levels	of	computer	theft	in	small	to	medium	 hi-tech	companies.	An	objective	of	this	division	is	to	continue	with	this	organic	growth,	while	at	 the	same	time	increase	its	profile	in	the	hi-tech	marketplace.	The	management	structure	is	well	 established	and	comprises	the	following: • Sales	– these	are	managed	by	a	team	of	sales	consultants	based at	each	office.	At	office	 level,	they	are	managed	by	a	senior	sales	consultant.	The	senior	sales	consultants	report	 to	the	Sales	Director	in	Leicester.	Sales	data	is	recorded	on	a	PC-based	sales	ledger	and	 monthly	sales	figures	are	sent	to	Milton	Keynes	on	floppy	disk.	This	department	also	runs	 a	separate	stand- alone	PC-based	sales	tracking	and	marketing	system.	A	subsection	of	 this	 department	 is	 an	 installations	 section	 that	 is	 responsible	 for	 supplying	 and	 fitting	 security	equipment	as	ordered	by	the	customers. • Marketing	– there	is	no	specific	section	dealing	with	this:	marketing	is	perceived	as	being	 little	more	than	advertising	and	leaflet	drops	in	each	geographic	area	and	it	is	left	to	the	 sales	force	to	accomplish	this. • Finance	section	– this	division	has	a	separate	finance	function	that	runs	a	range	of	standalone  PC-based	 financial	 ledgers.	 Purchase	 and	 General	 Ledger	 information	 is	 communicated	to	head	office	on	hard	copy	– this	is	because	the	ledgers	are	incompatible	 with	the	systems	used	at	head	office.	Payroll	processing	is	also	carried	out	in-house	using	 the	Pegasus	payroll	package	on	a	stand-alone	PC. • Purchasing	 section	– this	is	a	 subset	 of	 the	 finance	 section	 that	 deals	with	equipment	 procurement	for	the	installations	section.	Manual	purchase data	is	passed	to	the	finance	 section	for	processing. The	IS	function	is	now	managed	by	a	24-year-old	graduate	in	Business	Computing	who	has	just	 replaced	a	recently	retired	senior	accountant. MITS4001 Assignment Copyright	©	2015-2018 VIT,	All	Rights	Reserved. 6 2.1.3	Domestic	security	division	(DSD)	 This	is	the	most	recently	established	division,	having	been created	by	the	acquisition	from	the	 receivers	of	a	nationwide	chain	of	domestic	security	specialists	within	the	last	6	months.	They	 have	inherited	a	sound	infrastructure	of	local	offices	and	a	reasonable	customer	base	and	have	 been	 concentrating	 on	 turning	around a	 business	 operation	 that	 failed	 principally	 because	 of	 inadequate	financial	controls. The	key	issues	for	this	division	are	to	expand	the	customer	base	by	(1)	increasing	the	number	of	 customers;	 (2)	marketing	new	services	 (e.g.	security	audits);	and	 (3)	emphasising	the	need	 for	 ongoing	maintenance	of	existing	security	systems. This	 division	 is	 devolved	 down	 to	 area	 office	 level,	 with	 each	 office	 responsible	 for	 the	 local	 management	of	the	sales	activity,	materials	procurement	and	installation.	Costs	and	revenues	 are,	therefore,	managed	at	the	local	level	with	little	current	coordination	by	the	divisional	head	 office	 in	 Newcastle-upon-Tyne.	 Currently,	 the	 divisional	 head	 office	 is	 responsible only	 for	 collecting	financial	data	from	each	of	the	branches	(provided	by	them	manually	and	in	a	variety	 of	different	formats),	which	it	then	collates	and	then	passes	to	SSL	Headquarters,	again	in	manual	 paper	form.	SSL	realises	that	it	has	to	do	something	about	the	whole	set-up	in	order	to	establish	 a	strategic	and	operational	direction	for	this	division. There	is	no	IS	investment	and	no	specialist	IS	staff	in	this	division. 2.1.4	Home	office	services	division	(HOSD)	 This	 division	 was	 set	 up	 some	 3	 years	 ago	 as	 a	 result	 of	 a	 successful	 tender	 to	 manage	 the	 transportation	of	prisoners	between	police	cells,	the	courts	and	the	prison	service.	In	addition	to	 the	divisional	headquarters	in	Central	London,	there	are	six	regional	offices	throughout	England	 and	Wales.	From	these	offices,	the	transport	of	prisoners	and	deployment	of	staff	is	coordinated.	 In	addition	to	staff	in	the	transportation	vehicles,	a	number	of	staffs	are	stationed	permanently	 at	police	stations	in	each	county. The	divisional	headquarters	is	responsible	for: MITS4001 Assignment Copyright	©	2015-2018 VIT,	All	Rights	Reserved. 7 • the	coordination	of	the	regional	offices; • ensuring	that	the	contractual	arrangements	are	adhered	to; • accurately	 costing	 both	 the	 standard	 service	 provision	 plus	 any	 additional	 services	 offered; • processing	the	accounts	payable	and	receivable, and providing	financial	and	management	 accounting	information	to	SSL’s	headquarters	(manual	hard	copy	only).	This	division	is	the	 most	well	organised	in	computing	terms:	the	divisional	headquarters	runs	an	IBM	AS/400	 minicomputer	on	which	has	a	set	of	financial	ledgers,	budgeting	and	costing	software	that	 has	been	purchased	from	KCB	Ltd	(a	specialist	in	AS/400	financial	systems);	each	regional	 office	has	a	PC	running	routing	and	rostering	software;	each	regional	PC	is	linked	to	the	 AS/400	 over	 a	 WAN;	 the divisional	 headquarters	 also	 has	 a	 number	 of	 PCs	 running	 business	 productivity-type	 packages	 (e.g.,	 spreadsheet),	 which	 are	 also	 linked	 to	 the	 AS/400	(thus	allowing	the	download	of	data	to	the	PCs	for	further	analysis).	The	division’s	 computing	is	managed by	a	‘hybrid’	manager	with	both	financial	and	IT	expertise.	There	 is	also	one	analyst/programmer	and	one	operator/programmer. 3.	SSL	HEADQUARTERS	 The	company	has	yet	to	rise	to	the	challenge	represented	by	an	increasingly	diverse	yet	related	 range	of	business	operations.	Similarly,	an	historic	under-investment	in	IS	has	meant	 that	 the	 divisional	areas	can	only	send	information	in	manual	form	only	where	it	is	re-keyed	into	relatively	 old	mainframe-based	financial	systems.	The	divisional	nature	of	SSL	means	that	the	activities	at	 headquarters	are	principally	general	and	financial	management	orientated.	The	IT	department	is	 somewhat	old-fashioned	and	certainly	less	up	to	date	than	some	of	the	divisions.	In	addition	to	 a	DP	manager,	 there	are	six	data	entry	clerks	who	are	responsible	 for	re-keying	 financial	data	 from	the	divisions,	three	programmers,	a	systems	analyst	and	two	computer	operator/systems	 MITS4001 Assignment Copyright	©	2015-2018 VIT,	All	Rights	Reserved. 8 programmers.	The	DP	manager	is	about	to	retire,	and	SSL	must	consider	how	it	wishes	to	manage	 IS	both	at	headquarters	and	divisional	level. Questions Considering	the	above	description	of	SSL,	write	a	report	by	answering	the	following	questions.	It	 is	recommended	that	up	to	1	hour	should	be	spent	on	each	question. 1. Analyse	 how	 SSL	 may	 identify	 the	 value	 that	 it	 obtains	 from	 its	 current	 portfolio	 of	 information	systems	and	evaluate	the	techniques	that	may	be	used	in	assessing	future	IS	 investments. 2. In	many	 parts	of	 the	 company,	it	is	 clear	 that	SSL	 do	 not	 have	a	 coherent	IS	 strategy.	 Analyse	how	it	may	construct	an	IS	strategy	that	is	supportive	of	its	business	strategy	and	 the	benefits	that	it	would	derive	from	this. 3. Analyse	 the	 strategic	 potential	 for	 greater	 investment	 in	 information	 systems	 and	 technology	at	SSL	both	from	a	divisional	and	company-wide	perspective.	Could	business	 process	re-engineering	be	a	useful	tool	in	maximising	the	potential	of	IS	and	IT	within	the	 company?	Explain	and	justify	your	answers. 4. Describe	the	current	location	of	IS	functions	within	SSL.	Recommend	the	best	location	for	 IT	services	in	the	future.

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Solving case Study of SSL
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Table of Contents
1)	Answer 1	3
2)	Answer 2	5
3)	Answer 3	7
4)	Answer 4	8
5)	References:	11
1) Answer 1
The SSL (Security Services Limited) is maintaining an effective current system to provide security to all the banks and other organizations for doing financial transaction of cash flow with remaining security services. The process used to take decision in current system of SSL provides their support to IT (Information technology) and IS (information security) both. The supported IT services and IS services are setting high values for SSL. The main question arrives after studying the given case of SSL is that the current system of SSL is making effective processes for improved security. The already existing system used by SSL is making security commitments to the financial transaction in present and also in past. The already existing system used by SSL is making security commitments to running cost and also offering maintenance services. Thus, the evaluation of current system used by SSL is required, so that, the benefits against the applied cost of the current system can be calculated for SSL. It we assign the possible monetary values for the applied costing then it will becomes a straight forward approach as it is possible that some of the applied costing are having tangible nature. The tangible costing will be bringing different advantages and related issues for the current system of SSL.  However, in case when the current system used by SSL is not exists, then, it becomes easy to access and calculate the additional costs which are required to execute the current business conditions of SSL. In absence of current system used by SSL, we can do paper based manual calculations and can easily replace the existing computerized systems. Now again the question arrives that this complete exercise is providing worth to SSL or not when classification of systems is done on the bases of applied strategies and relation important operations. So, we come to the decision that complete current system of SSL is considered as the group and existing portfolio of the used applications in SSL is very useful. The Ward and Griffiths matrix can easily make classifications into different categories as listed here [Ward et al, 2002]: 
1. Classification on bases of applied strategies, 
2. Classification on bases of applied important operations, 
3. Classification on bases of provided support, and 
4. Classification on bases of applied potential values. 
So, the classification of current system used by SSL and possible future contributions can easily be deified by above defined strategies. To make analysis of future applications which may be added to the current system of SSL, following methods can be used for easy evaluation: 
1. The payback method, ROI method (return on investment), and NPV method (net present value) are effective evaluation methods which can be used to make analysis for future developments. 
2. The information economics is also an effective evaluation method which can be used to make analysis for future developments. 
3. The score card balancing method can also calculate the future development analysis. 
As SSL is providing its services to both private organizations and public organizations, so, the selection of evolution method must be considered on the bases of identified practices in client organization. The below provided considerations must be evaluated before applying any evaluation method on any client organization to find security requirements: 
1. The effective decisions on financial investments can be governed by applying financial methods like NPV, payback and ROI. The effective guarantee of financial investment decisions can be obtained by these methods. 
2.  The decision making can be improved by making analysis on the bases of score card balancing methods. 
3.

Inthisassignment,ascenarioispresentedintheformofadescriptionofasecuritycompany. Basedonyourunderstandingon the scenario,youareasked towritea reportanswering the...

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