IFSM 300 Information System in Organizations
IFSM 300 Information System in Organizations
UMUC Fall Session
Clinton Hodge
Chesapeake IT Consultants
Business Analysis and System Recommendation
November 17, 2017
Introduction
Chesapeake IT Consultants (CIC) is an Information Technology consulting services firm that makes the most of IT and management technologies to successfully meet the demand of its customers. CIC has been successful and is now on the verge of growing significantly with two pending contracts that will require CIC to place significantly more IT consultants. Therefore CIC is requesting that a business analysis be done to identify an IT solution that will allow the company to hire and place consultants in a more efficient manner. This report will provide background on the hiring process and organizational analysis of the current hiring process. The report will also identify IT solutions and ways CIC can use IT to support the hiring process to help CIC reach its strategic and operational goals. Finally, this report will identify a hiring system and provide guidance for implementation of the system within CIC.
Organization Strategy
CIC’s business strategy is to provide “extraordinary consulting services” by hiring the best certified consultants that will keep up with the latest trends in IT and business. In order for CIC to meet its strategic goals, a new hiring process software is needed so that consultants can be placed effectively and efficiently. The new hiring process software will reduce the time it takes the hiring managers to evaluate a candidate’s skills and qualifications for placement with one of CIC’s customers. By reducing hiring and placement time, CIC will be able to compete for larger contracts and have the resources to hire international consultants.
Components of an Information System
In today’s society and organization people and technology plays an important role in organizations and businesses to achieve their objectives and goals. “Information system is the study of complementary networks of hardware and software that people and organizations use to collect, filter, process, create, and distribute data” (Bourgeois, 2014, p. 5).
People and Technology
CEO: Alvin Morrison is concerned that the company can meet the needs of its customers in a timely manner. Although he is not as involved in the details of hiring and placing the consultants, he needs the new system to expedite the hiring process so that the company has the necessary staff to meet the demands of the customers when contracts are awarded.
CFO: Marianne Cho would like a cost-effective IT solution to improve the current hiring process, as well as a system that can work long term and add other needed tools. Specifically, she would like the system to track skills and certifications of present CIC staff.
CIO: Fadil Abadi is primarily concerned that the new IT solution is safe and does not cause any security breaches in the existing system. He is also concerned that the new system be compatible with mobile computing and be compatible with the present CIC hardware and software systems. In addition, because CIC is expanding globally, the CIO would like the new software to have the capabilities to effectively function without any barriers.
Director of HR: William Bradley understands that the hiring staff is struggling to meet the demands of processing candidates in a timely manner. His primary concern is that the new hiring system will be user friendly and able to enhance processes, and for it to interface with the existing system.
Manager of Recruiting: Suzanne Rodriguez is very excited about the interest in a new IT solution to help with the hiring and placement of consultants. She knows from contacts in the industry that technology can reduce the hiring time by 15-20% and efficiently process applicants quickly. Her primary concern is that the system is up and running before the next set of contracts are awarded.
Recruiters: Paul O’brien, Mac Thompson, and Juliet Jackson will be the primary users of the new system. The new system will improve the current process by consolidating all applicants by providing automated schedules of interviewees in a database to streamline the hiring process. The new hiring system will improve the recruiters’ time to screen resumes and immediately provide applicant’s information and status.
Administration Assistant: Ted Anderson is challenged daily with a tremendous amount of applicants’ paperwork and tracking the status of the applicants. The new hiring system will have the ability to manage the workflow electronically and improve the routing of applications and resumes to the interview team.
Hiring Manager is interested in a new hiring system that will take the place of the manual process and allow the Manager to quickly identify qualified candidates, as well as key skills and experience of CIC current staff members.
Processes
Processes are an integral part of an information system because it helps an organization take strategic steps to achieve their goal or objective (Bourgeois, 2014, p. 7).
“It is important that each recruitment be properly closed, including the notification of those interviewed and not selected, as well as all documentation associated with the recruitment” (University of California, n.d.)
Data
Data are an integral part of an information system because an organization uses data to make decisions and how they can improve (Bourgeois, 2014, p. 7).
| Data Element |
| 1. Name and contact information of candidate |
| 2. Candidates educational background and certifications |
| 3. Description of assignment and customer’s needs |
| 4. Interview schedule for candidates selected to interview |
| 5. Feedback from the interviewers |
| 6. Determination about whether to hire candidate |
| 7. Where candidate is placed |
| 8. Terms of placement (start date, pay, etc.) |
| 9. Feedback from customer about candidate |
| 10. Certifications and notable skills of all CIC employees |
Decision-Making
Because of the current problem CIC is facing with its hiring process, CIC needs a new hiring process software that will provide information to assist the decision makers in the hiring process at the strategic, managerial, and operational levels.
| Role | Level | Example of Possible Decision Supported by Hiring System. |
| Senior/Executive Managers
(Decisions made by the CEO and the CFO at CIC supported by the hiring system.) |
Strategic |
The CEO needs to decide whether CIC has the resources to handle a contract that requires consultants with certain certifications.
The new system will capture information about candidates and existing employees including specific certifications and skill sets they possess. |
| Middle Managers
(Decisions made by the Director of HR and the Manager of Recruiting supported by the hiring system.) |
Managerial |
The Director of HR needs to decide how many recruiting staff members are needed to process the candidates for the next round of contracts.
The new system will interface with the existing system, be user friendly and reduce the time it takes to process the candidates. |
| Operational Managers
(Decisions made by the line managers in the organization who are hiring for their projects supported by the hiring system.) |
Operational |
A hiring manager needs to identify 3 candidates that possess a level of expertise in a particular software.
The new system will help managers to better review and select new staff with the right certifications for the awarded CIC contracts.
|
Communication
The new hiring system will improve communication internally and externally to expedite the hiring process with the use of an electronic dashboard. The dashboard will allow applicants to check their status and to submit any additional information that may be required. The new system will be web based and able to compile data that each department needs to process the candidates’ applications and resumes. The new system will provide a means for the information to be updated with interview schedules, feedback, and ultimately a hiring decision.
Collaboration
The new hiring system will increase collaboration during the hiring process by allowing the necessary employees to access information about the candidates at the same time. The system will allow the employees who interview the candidates to provide feedback, and to view the feedback provided by others. This information will allow the hiring manager to make a decision without having to track down the interviewers or having to wait for paperwork to get their feedback on the candidates.
Relationships
The new hiring system will assist the HR department communicate more efficiently with candidates about the status of their application. The system will contain information about the progress of the interview process, and it will help to facilitate a smoother and faster process for the candidates. This will allow candidates to be informed so that they are not left in the dark about whether they are a good fit for CIC, and it will help the candidates view CIC as a technologically advanced company.
Structure
The new hiring system will help to add structure to the process by streamlining how applicants are processed. The system will create a consistent flow of information about the applicant’s background, interview schedule, feedback from the interviewers, and the hiring decision. This will help all of the CIC employees who are involved in the hiring process to understand their specific roles and when their input is required to move the process forward. The new system will also create structure by maintaining all of the candidates’ information in a central location where all of the hiring team members can access it, which will allow the process to be more efficient and effective.
Competitive Advantage
The new hiring system will help CIC to efficiently employ consultants with the “new business concepts and technology” which will allow CIC to win new IT contracts. The new system will allow CIC to respond more quickly to customers who are seeking IT consultants so that CIC obtains the contract before any competitor. In addition, by streamlining the hiring process CIC can save costs that can then be passed on to the customer for more competitive rates. Having skilled certified staffing will allow CIC to be a world class provider of IT consulting services.
Strategic Outcomes
| Strategic Goal (from case study) | Objective
(clear, measurable and time-bound) |
Explanation
(2-3 sentences) |
| Increase CIC Business Development by winning new contracts in the areas of IT Consulting | Increase the number of skilled and certified consultants by 15% within 3 months. | The new hiring system will reduce the time it takes to process applicants and make hiring decisions, which will allow CIC to hire more consultants in a shorter timeframe. |
| Build a cadre of consultants internationally to provide remote research and analysis support to CIC’s onsite teams in the U. S. | Increase international recruiting efforts and employ 5 research analysts in the next 12 months. | The new hiring system would allow applicants from around the world to apply online, increasing the number of international applicants. It would enable the recruiters to carefully monitor the applications for these positions, identify the necessary research and analysis skills needed, and screen resumes for these key skills. Recruiters could quickly view the number of applicants and identify when additional recruiting efforts are needed to meet the objective. |
| Continue to increase CIC’s ability to quickly provide high quality consultants to awarded contracts to best serve the clients’ needs | Reduce the time it takes to identify current CIC employees that have the required skills and certifications for a particular contract by capturing all of the current employees’ certifications within one month. | The new system will store |
