Supply Chain Management
1. Supply Chain Management and Natural Beauty
2. What Supply Chain Natural Beauty could use for expanding their business?
a) Domestic
b) Internationally
c) On-line base
d) Off-line base

Customer Relationship Management
1. Customer Relationship Management and Natural Beauty
2. What Customer Relationship Management Natural Beauty could use for expanding their business?
a) Domestic
b) Internationally
c) On-line base
d) Off-line base
3. How Analytical Customer Relationship Management software could be used?
a) Customer satisfaction
b) Customer retention
c) Product mix

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INFS1602 – Information Systems in Business
Semester 2 2013
ASSIGNMENT B
THIS IS A GROUP ASSIGNMENT
EACH GROUP CONSISTS OF EITHER 2 OR 3 STUDENTS FROM THE SAME
WORKSHOP
THIS ASSIGNMENT COUNTS FOR
15 PER CENT
OF THE AVAILABLE MARKS FOR THE COURSE
Australian School of Business
INFS1602 Semester 1 2013 Assignment B

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Scenario:
Established in 2006, Natural Beauty Pty Ltd is an Australian mid-sized manufacturer of
organic cosmetic products, with an annual turnover of $5 million and a range of more than
80 products.
Originally the company had Head Offices in Newcastle NSW, where all products were
manufactured using supplies sourced from local vendors. Originally products were only sold
through major supermarkets and online, via their own website, to customers in Australia.
However, since 2010 the company has expanded through a series of successful
acquisitions. This has led to new production facilities and distribution agreements with a
range of retail outlets in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA. The company is also expecting to
increase its revenue by (i) securing distribution agreements with niche retail outlets in Fiji,
New Zealand and Singapore, and (ii) extending online sales to international customers.
However, as part of its corporate social responsibility strategy, the company has a policy of,
where possible, using locally sourced raw materials.
As a result of its acquisition strategy and rapid expansion, Natural Beauty inherited disparate
information systems. These have never been completely integrated, creating a considerable
obstacle to establishing a complete overview of the business. In addition, the company has
recognised the limitations of its systems which, consisting mainly of transaction processing
systems, do not facilitate the type of analysis and management reporting that it requires.
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Natural Beauty is concerned about the company’s
legacy management reporting and decision support systems. Her priorities for 2014 are to
make better use of the company’s data resources to:
(i) Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s supply network,
(ii) Tailor product mix for specific retail outlets (including online), and
(iii) Improve customer satisfaction and retention.
Requirements
You have recently joined Natural Beauty as a Business Analyst. The CIO asks you to
prepare a report on the potential of new information systems for the company.
Your report should:
1. Explain how Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) systems could be used to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of the company’s supply network,
2. Explain how Analytical CRM software could be used as part of a strategy to improve
customer satisfaction, customer retention, and product mix.
3. Identify the main IS/IT security, ethics and privacy issues that Natural Beauty should
consider as part of an integrated enterprise systems strategy.
4. Recommend specific products/solutions that Natural Beauty should adopt. Your
recommendations should be based on the analysis in parts 1 2 & 3, and focus on the
tools that you have argued would be most beneficial in achieving the CIO’s priorities.
Your justification of particular vendors should include a scoring model.
In preparing the report, the CIO wants you to compare the solutions offered by at least
THREE vendors, and wishes you to consider the potential of ‘best of breed’ solutions.
INFS1602 Semester 1 2013 Assignment B

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It is important that you provide the CIO with information that is customised for her situation
rather than producing material that reads like a generic textbook. You should therefore
illustrate that you understand the company context and priorities. You should include an
appendix detailing any assumptions that you make and provide the necessary explanations
to back up your recommendations.
You are required to carefully consider the points that you wish to make in this report. A ‘brain
dump’ of all you know is of little value. You should consider using tables and figures to
present some material as they may help structure your argument.
In order to prepare your assignment you will need to undertake research. However, you
should ensure that you use the information gathered to illustrate your argument; you should
not simply describe your research findings. A percentage of the marks available will be
awarded for quality research, so you should ensure that your sources are appropriately
referenced.
Submission Details
Using Blackboard Turnitin, each GROUP should submit a single document that includes:
(i) A fully completed and signed cover page (available on Blackboard)
(ii) The business report, including all appendices. The main body of the reports is
expected to be 2,500 words*, with an absolute maximum of 3,000 words. This
includes the table of contents, executive summary etc. Appendices are excluded
from the word count.
(iii) An overview (max 500 words*) of how the INFS1602 course material was used to
prepare the report.
(iv) A full set of references used to prepare the report.
*Indicate the number of words on the document. Please note that material presented in
excess of maximum words will not be taken into account when grading the assignment.
Due date is Friday 25 October at 12 noon.
Please note that ONE submission per group is required. Multiple submissions from the same
group will be considered an invalid submission.
A mark of zero will be awarded for assignments submitted by individuals or by groups larger
than three.
The originality of the submission will be checked using Turnitin. All members of the group
should satisfy themselves as to the originality of the full assignment prior to final submission.
It is the responsibility of the person submitting the assignment to provide other group
members with a copy of the originality report generated by Turnitin during the submission
process.
Each INDIVIDUAL should provide their tutor with a completed and signed Peer Assessment
Sheet (available on Blackboard). The peer assessment sheet should be provided to your
tutor no later than the end of your week 13 workshop.
INFS1602 Semester 1 2013 Assignment B

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You are advised to keep a copy of each submission. In line with School policy, the late
submission of assignments carries a penalty of 10% of the maximum marks for that
assignment per day of lateness (including weekends and public holidays), unless an
extension of time has been granted. An extension of time to complete an assignment may be
granted by the lecturer in charge (LIC) in case of misadventure or illness. Applications for an
extension of time should be made to the LIC by email or in person within 3 days of the
submission date. You will be required to substantiate your application with appropriate
documentary evidence such as medical certificates, accident reports etc. Please note that
work commitments and computer failures are usually considered insufficient grounds for an
extension.
Marking Criteria:
The aim of the assignment is to get you to consider the material that you have covered in the
course in light of the scenario described in the assignment. The assignment requires you to
illustrate your understanding of the course material by making an argument. The report
should therefore be analytical rather than descriptive, and should explain the reasoning
behind the argument made. Marks will be awarded for using course material rather than
reproducing it.
The report should have a professional layout and be well presented and should read like a
well justified consultant report rather than an essay.
Marks are available as follows:
A well articulated and justified argument explain how Supply Chain Management (SCM)
and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems could be used to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the company’s supply network (25 percent).
A well articulated and justified argument explaining how Analytical CRM software could
be used as part of a strategy to improve customer satisfaction, customer retention, and
product mix (20 percent).
A well articulated and justified argument identifying the main IS/IT security, ethics and
privacy issues that Natural Beauty should consider as part of an integrated enterprise
systems strategy (15 percent).
A well-justified proposal (including a scoring model) recommending specific
products/solutions that Natural Beauty should adopt (20 percent).
An insightful analysis of how relevant course material was used to undertake the
analysis contained in the report (10 percent).
The effective and coherent presentation of information in a format suitable for a
consulting report. Adherence to ASB presentation standards including Harvard
referencing and the use of acceptable research materials (10 percent).
Grade expectations are as follows:
Fail: Either the material does not address the question asked or is completely unsuitable.
Pass: Answer covers the topic but largely describes/reproduces material.
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Credit: Answer identifies a potentially relevant solution, but there is little justification of its
suitability in the context of the scenario in the assignment and/or the analysis of alternatives
is limited.
Distinction: A well-articulated case is made for the proposed solution. The suitability of the
proposed solution is justified in light of reasonable alternatives. The answer reads like a well justified report and illustrates synthesis (e.g. a self derived table or figure) and evaluation
(e.g. consequences /recommendations) of the material in light of the case scenario.
High Distinction: A well-articulated case is made for the proposed solution. The suitability of
the proposed solution is well justified in light of reasonable alternatives. The answer reads
like a well-justified report and illustrates synthesis (e.g. a self derived table or figure) and
evaluation (e.g. consequences /recommendations) of the material in light of the case
scenario. It also illustrates that you understand some counter arguments to the ones that you
have proposed, and can briefly illustrate why the argument that you have proposed is more
valid than the one suggested by the counter arguments.
References:
Please remember to properly cite all references. For information on how to acknowledge
your sources and reference correctly, see:
http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/ref.html
For the ASB Harvard Referencing Guide, see:
http://wwwdocs.fce.unsw.edu.au/fce/EDU/harvard_ref_guide.pdf