Information Technology

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes five of the most dominant applications that Ingram Micro uses as one of the global leaders in the distribution of enterprise and personal computing software, hardware, and services. According to the paper, Ingram Micro fulfills many functions both for manufacturers and channel partners that comprise its customer base. The paper further reports that Ingram Micro relies heavily on it's information technology systems that are critical for them to manage and grow their business.

Outline:
Executive Summary
Evaluating Ingram Micro's Five Most Mission Critical Applications
Five Mission Critical Systems Analyzed According to Criteria
Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) Systems
Order Management and Online Ordering Including Product Customization System Platform
Pricing Management and Compliance System
Service Lifecycle Management System
Supply Chain Management System

From the Paper:

"Managing pricing across product lines, locations including distribution centers, customer groups, contracts, pricing strategies and service programs is admittedly complex and requires extensive levels of integration with accounting, contract management, IMPulse, order management, order capture, and product configuration systems. Pricing is the "hub" of all customer-facing activities in Ingram Micro, and as a result the Pricing Management and Compliance Management System is one of the greatest contributors to the profitability of this distributor. Pricing in the high tech distribution business is constantly changing, with margins often becoming razor-thin in a matter of months versus other industries' years of product maturity. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Columbus 2003 - Re-evaluate How Your Measure Your Channels' Performance. AMR Research. Boston, MA December 2, 2003 Text viewed on the Internet on November 15, 2006:http://www.lwcresearch.com/filesfordownloads/ReevaluateHowYouMeasureYourChannelDec2003.pdf
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002) - U.S. Senators Sarbanes and Oxley. Passed in 2002 by both U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Text viewed on the Internet on November 15, 2006: http://www.aicpa.org/info/sarbanes_oxley_summary.htm

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• Analytical Essay # 130480 : "Information Technology and Business Implications"
• Descriptive Essay # 131312 : "Issues in Information Technology"
• Term Paper # 5155 : "Management and Information Technology"

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