Decision Support System and Harvard Cooperative Society

Chapter 2 Information Systems and Knowledge Management From his office windowpane overlooking the main floor of the Harvard accommodative indian lodge, CEO Jerry Murphy mountain glance down and see custom- ers shopping. 19 They make their way through with(predicate) the narrow aisles of the crowded department store, picking up a sweatshirt here, onerous on a baseball cap there, checking out the endless graze of merchandise that bears the Harvard University insignia. Watching Murphy, you sight well imagine the Co-ops found- rs, who started the store in 1882, peering through the tiny win- dowpanes to keep an eye on the shop floor. Was the Harvard Square store attracting steady traffic? Were the college students buying plenteous books and supplies for the Co-op to make a profit? Back then, it was tough to break up those questions precisely. The owners had to watch and wait, relying only on their gut feelings to know how things were going from slight to flash. Now, more than a hundred years later, Murphy can describe you, own to the last stock-keeping unit, how hes doing at whatsoever inclined moment. His window on the business is the PC that sits on his desk. All sidereal sidereal day long it delivers up-to-the-minute, easy-to-read elec- tronic reports on whats selling and whats not, which items are hurry low in inventory and which own fallen short of forecast. In a matter of seconds, the computer can report gross margins for every product or supplier, and Murphy can decide whether the margins are rich plenteous to justify keeping the supplier or product on board. We were in the 1800s, and we had to move ahead, he says of the $55 million business. Questions 1. What is a conclusion back system? What advantages does a decisiveness nutriment system fork over for a business like the Harvard Cooperative parliamentary procedure? 2. How would the decision support system of a business like the Harvard Cooperative Society discord from that of a major corporation? 3. Briefly outline the components of the Harvard Cooperative Societys decision support system.Decision Support System and Harvard Cooperative SocietyChapter 2 Information Systems and Knowledge Management From his office window overlooking the main floor of the Harvard Cooperative Society, CEO Jerry Murphy can glance down and see custom- ers shopping. 19 They make their way through the narrow aisles of the crowded department store, picking up a sweatshirt here, try on a baseball cap there, checking out the endless begin of merchandise that bears the Harvard University insignia. Watching Murphy, you can well imagine the Co-ops found- rs, who started the store in 1882, peering through the tiny win- dowpanes to keep an eye on the shop floor. Was the Harvard Square store attracting steady traffic? Were the college students buying enough books and supplies for the Co-op to make a profit? Back then, it was tough to firmness of purpose those questions precisely. The ow ners had to watch and wait, relying only on their gut feelings to know how things were going from minute to minute. Now, more than a hundred years later, Murphy can reassure you, own to the last stock-keeping unit, how hes doing at any apt(p) moment. His window on the business is the PC that sits on his desk. All day long it delivers up-to-the-minute, easy-to-read elec- tronic reports on whats selling and whats not, which items are running game low in inventory and which have fallen short of forecast. In a matter of seconds, the computer can report gross margins for any product or supplier, and Murphy can decide whether the margins are juicy enough to justify keeping the supplier or product on board. We were in the 1800s, and we had to move ahead, he says of the $55 million business. Questions 1. What is a decision support system? What advantages does a decision support system have for a business like the Harvard Cooperative Society? 2. How would the decision support system of a business like the Harvard Cooperative Society disaccord from that of a major corporation? 3. Briefly outline the components of the Harvard Cooperative Societys decision support system.