Case Study 6: 1and 2

CHAPTER SIX
CLOSING CASE STUDY ONE
GETTING ON THE RIGHT TRACK AT GENERAL MOTORS

1. In implementing the new inventory management system and converting existing users (dealership) to it, what sort of implementation method is GM using? In your opinion, why is this the most appropriate method? If you had to choose a different implementation method, what would it be and why?

2. Why do you believe that General Motors has allowed its 7,000 North American dealerships to choose different dealership management systems? What are the advantages to allowing this freedom of choice? What are the disadvantages to such an approach?


3. The new inventory management system provides a satisfactory repair experience 96 percent of the time, up from 67 percent. While that increase is both strong and good, is 96 percent really that good? Why or why not? What quantitative approach would you use to justify system enhancements to improve the 96 percent to 98 percent? To 100 percent?

4. If you refer back to Chapter 4 and decision support systems, how would you characterize the decision-making process of determining how many parts to keep on hand? Is that mainly a recurring decision or a nonrecurring decision? Is that mainly a structured decision or a nonstructured decision? For both the latter questions, justify your answers.


5. The new inventory management system reduces the overall costs of parts inventory and, at the same time, increases customer satisfaction. How is this an example of abottom-line initiative? How is this an example of top-line initiative? If necessary, refer back to Chapter 1.
CHAPTER SIX

CLOSING CASE STUDY TWO
SHOULD AN ORGANIZATION OUTSOURCE SECURITY?


1. If you were developing a new system using the traditional systems development life cycle (SDLC), at what point would you need to identify that you needed to outsource some aspect of IT security?

2. In reference to the first question, how would you continue with the in-house system development effort and, at the same time, carry on the process of the outsourcing IT security with another company?


3. Boiling Springs Savings Bank did a background check on Perimeter before hiring it. Search the Web for sources that can help an organization do background checks on IT security firms? What did you find? Did you find a couple of Websites or certification organizations that offer some guarantee of IT security firms? If so, whom do you find?

4. Turning over IT security to an outside organization is tantamount to giving another organization complete access to all your systems and information. What stipulations would you include in a service level agreement with an IT security outsourcer to ensure that it didn’t exploit the openness of your systems and steal strategic and sensitive information?


5. Do some research on the Web for companies that specialize in IT security outsourcing besides Perimeter and Symantec. Whom did you find? Do you seem to be reputable? Do they include a list of clients you can contact for references?