6. Case Study

6.3 Secondary Data

The secondary data in this research were the study of company business and its source systems.


6.3.1 Study of the Company Business:

A Study of the Company Business was conducted in order to relate business processes with analytical solutions and information needs, and involved an analysis of systems and system models, cross-referenced against interviews and supported by IT analysts.

The operational structure of the company provides services in the following areas: social, education, technology, international relations, and foreign trade, agribusiness, business expansion and incentive, infrastructure, competitiveness, economic research and studies, legal consultancy, the environment, and sustainable development, support for micro and small industries and labor relations.

One of the companies in the organization uses the BSC tool as part of its strategic planning. The methodology has been in place for approximately two and a half years and enables planning to be measured using objectives, indicators, and targets. It also allows communication planning for the entire company via a strategy map. The method is currently under development in another company within the group. However, the existing information architecture does not yet provide access to these metrics in BI tools. They are measured separately, as confirmed in interviews with both company executives and IT analysts.


6.3.2 Study of the Source Systems

The companies are interconnected by an Integrated Management System, referred to as the IMS in this study. It consists of several modules that provide most of the transaction controls needed for process management. The IMS modules were developed internally by organization employees, in accordance with the specific needs of each area. They are maintained according to demand in the business areas and carry out specific functions, including: accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax control, inventory control, accounting, and cost control. All the systems are integrated into a single database.

The role of the main system modules is summarized in Chart 2, together with the type of support the system provides to the organization, indicated by: 'O', for operational support, 'M', for management support, and 'S' for strategic support. Strategic support systems are capable of providing information that can be cross-referenced and analyzed to improve business performance.

Chart 2: Main IMS Modules. 

Module

Brief Description

Support

Health Agenda

Allows appointment scheduling for healthcare professionals, controls medical charts, refers services to suppliers, and maintains records of leave.

O

Scheduling

Manages spaces administered by the Gated Community System, Exhibition Center, and Theater. Performs scheduling, rental, and quoting for spaces and services in the Mobile Units and areas of the Sporting Centers

O, M

Revenue

Controls operations responsible for monitoring payments from institutional funds, identifying late payments, and forecasting amounts receivable. Controls installments related to transactions following audit visits. Controls direct and indirect revenue.

O, M, S

Corporate Records

Services all the companies, recording information pertaining to industries within Rio Grande do Sul, products, raw material, and performance markets. Also contains data on individuals and legal entities such as suppliers, clients, associations, unions, and federations.

O, M

Accounts Payable

Enables the preparation, control, and execution of payments to suppliers, comprising the following modules: maintaining a record of suppliers and bank details, maintenance of payment documents, forecasted payments, payment control reports, reports of payments made to suppliers, as well as accounting.

O, M, S

Accounts Receivable

Operates the records of agreements between the organization and client companies, for payments with installments by employees in the units. Manages billing documents, as well as overdue, maturing, and defaulted payments

O, M, S

Inventory Control

Maintains records of the physical and financial inventories of products in the business units, issues inventory statements, and calculates the average cost of merchandise, as well as recording accounting operations.

O, M

Asset Control

Registration and control of the inclusion and handling of all assets and property, managing processes related to definite equity write-off, enabling the registration of changes or additions to assets.

O

Tax Control

Performs bookkeeping and tax control operations, consisting of: Input and Output records, Inventory Records, Calculation Records, Voluntary Disclosure, Tax files (GIA, DIRF, and GPS). Enables the registration of tax documents, calculation of tax debits and credit, and issuing invoices.

O, M

Bidding and Purchasing

Enables a Bidding Process for purchases, controls the receipt of proposals for supply, issues Purchase Orders, and monitors and records negotiations with suppliers. Issues operational and management reports.

O, M

Marketing

Maintains clients records; classification of customers by market segment; preparation and monitoring of initiatives and campaigns.

O, M, S

Action Plan

Allows the planning of expenditure, performance, and strategic positioning of units and management. It is currently being adapted to balanced scorecard use.

O, M, S

Accountability

Gathers accounting information in all activity centers. The information is sent to other systems, serving as a basis for accounting and cost control.

O, M

ISS – Integrated School System

System composed of six modules aimed at addressing the specificities of administration in Operating Units within the education sector.

O, M, S

Training System

Maintains a record of scheduled and completed training. Tabulates quantitative information (times and amounts) for the forecasted budget against actual results.

O, M, S


Remarks: Compiled based on Strategic IT Planning (ITP) and analyses of interviews, secondary documents, and system manuals.