Information System of Amazon Company

Information System of Amazon Company

The alterations seen in the operations of businesses today can be attributed to the increasing growth of globalization. For large organizations, it is exceedingly difficult to detect strategic issues that confront the business’s day-to-day operations. Also, it may be hectic for the managers to develop sustainable measures that may drive the organization toward success. However, the advent of computers and information technology has made it easy for organizations to prepare strategic plans and enhance growth and development. A management information system assists the organization in collecting, analyzing, disseminating, and storing organizational data in a mode that guarantees effective implementation of the management functions. Management information system (MIS) is being used in the execution of business operations at Amazon Company. Selling products to customers over the internet enabled the company to accrue vast revenue. Based on the report released by Jeff Wilke, Amazon recorded revenue from its online sales to the tune of $4 billion. This paper evaluates various attributes of the information system in use at Amazon Company, such as the characteristics of the users, server-side hardware and software requirements, client-side hardware and software requirements, and lastly, features and usage of the system.

Characteristics of the Users of the System

Many of the users of the information system installed by Amazon are customers and employees within the organization. The other small group that uses the system less often is the suppliers. The information system used at Amazon is divided into two major segments, namely the Amazon Web Service (AWS) and the Simple Storage Service System. The system users should be tech-savvy and reliable in their time of need. These attributes come in handy by enabling the employees to overcome the challenges in their line of duty. The organization relies on these systems to perform its roles and objectives because they are fast, reliable, and secure from interference by third-party agents.

Server-Side Hardware Requirements

The server-side hardware requirements of the information system used at Amazon Company entail the processor, RAM, storage controller, disk space, and network adapter requirements. The system seems to have embraced the web servers. In this regard, the processor within the information system of Amazon meets various minimum requirements such as a compatible x64 instruction set, 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor, and supporting DEP together with Second Level Address Translation (Heinbach et al., 2022). Furthermore, the RAM used by Amazon is 2GB, which permits desktop experience installation while embracing error-correcting code technology. The information system also includes a storage adapter compliant with the PCI Express architecture specification. The storage devices must not be PATA since the Windows Server does not permit PATA/IDE/EIDE for boot or data drives. The other requirements to support the information system in use at Amazon Company include a DVD drive, trusted platform module, and graphic device for higher resolution. (Heinbach et al., 2022).

Server-Side Software Requirements

The server-side software requirements are segmented into two broad categories: client software and server software. The client software comprises desktop and mobile apps, PC web and mobile apps, and email clients. On the other hand, the server software comprises the database and server operating systems that matter most. The operating system on the desktop app used at Amazon Company is Windows version 8.1. The PC web supports chrome and Firefox as default browsers. The operating system for mobile apps used in conjunction with the information system at Amazon Company is either Android or iOS. The system requires custom software running on the server to manage it. This system is identified as the matter of most server operating systems. While Amazon primarily uses Ubuntu 18.04, the matter most docker deployment system is also recommended. MySQL 5.7.12 server is used in storing the data entered into the system because email addresses return search results.

Client-Side Hardware Requirements

Clients use various hardware devices to access the information system. Users can utilize desktop computers to access Amazon’s information system. This type of computer is designed so that it can only be stationed at a single location because of its size and power requirements (Heinbach et al., 2022). The common configuration used by most organizations encompasses a case that houses the power supply, motherboard, circuit board, and microprocessor comprising the memory, central processing unit, bus, and other electronic components (Walker & Chapra, 2014). Unlike desktops, laptop computers are portable and can also be used to access the organization’s information system. The other hand-held gadgets that users can use to access the information system include tablets and smartphones.

Client-Side Software Requirements

The software products on the Amazon platform are web applications that utilize the application software. The utilization of web applications denotes that the users do not require any installation on their end to gain access to the information system (Walker & Chapra, 2014). Users can easily access the information system through internet browsers like Chrome or Mozilla Firefox (Walker & Chapra, 2014). As long as the user’s computer meets the specifications outlined in the server-side software requirements above, one can easily access the information contained in Amazon Company’s information system without much struggle.

Features and Usage of the System

One of the functions of the information system utilized at Amazon Company is the input mechanism. The input mechanism denotes that the user gives the system instructions on what needs to be executed (Phan, 2019). The user’s key information is often in words or numerals, which are then transformed into binary data for comprehension by the machine language (Phan, 2019). After the solution is revealed in binary form, it is converted into a human-readable language. The reliability of this data can then be used to inform the organization’s functions.

The other function of the information system is storage. After the processing of data and the output provided is used for various purposes, it can then be stored by the information system for future use. The storage mechanism acts as a backup plan to ensure that the organization’s confidential information is not lost because of errors or infiltration by third parties (Phan, 2019). The backup equipment is often stored in different geographical locations for easier retrieval in the unlikely event of major disasters like floods or fires that may otherwise destroy the original data storage and the backup plan.

The last function that the information system may perform is processing. Processing refers to the strategy of transforming data into information. A simple example of processing would be summing up the revenue of all the sales made by Amazon over a week, month, or even during the entire financial year based on the location of various physical stores in different states in America. Nevertheless, a more complex process would entail performing calculations and extrapolating the missing data sets from the table of data provided by junior employees.

Conclusion

The information system used by Amazon has driven the company to success in various capacities. For instance, the company boasts of efficient customer care personnel who talk to customers professionally. Also, the inventory kept by Amazon is limitless, ranging from movies and video games to clothing and electrical appliances. The intense competition has enabled customers to benefit as they can purchase quality products at affordable prices. However, Amazon managers can improve the firm’s operations even further by increasing access to information relating to marketing, employee performance, and inventory of the company. Also, the decision-support system should be integrated within the system to allow the realization of informed decisions based on structured and unstructured data.

References

Heinbach, C., Kammler, F., & Thomas, O. (2022). Exploring Design Requirements of Fleet Telematics Systems Supporting Road Freight Transportation: A Digital Service Side Perspective.

Phan, T. (2019). Amazon Echo and the aesthetics of whiteness. Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience, 5(1), 1-38.

Walker, J. D., & Chapra, S. C. (2014). A client-side web application for interactive environmental simulation modeling. Environmental Modelling & Software, 55, 49-60.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

---

Please download the attached template, which contains additional instructions (and make sure you follow all instructions in the template!). The template document is also formatted correctly for your essay, so you are encouraged to write directly in the attached document (replacing the paragraphs of instruction with your paragraphs addressing each section). Also note that the template is organized into the specific sections you are required to write about in your essay. Please leave all centered sub-headings in the essay, and do not change the wording of them — they are important for organizing your essay and facilitating grading by the rubric.

Please write only in your own words. You are encouraged to read various sources to learn more about your information system or about information systems in general, but due to the brief length of the essay, you are discouraged from directly quoting from your sources. Instead, explain in your own words what you learned from your research and what you know from your own experience with the system. List the references you consulted in your research at the bottom of your essay in APA format (minimum of 3 references).

In Analysis Essay #1, you will address the following: 1) introduction to your information system, 2) characteristics of the users of the information system, 3) server-side and client-side hardware and software of the system, 4) description of the features/functions of your information system, including the data inputs and information outputs associated with each feature and how each feature is used within your organization, and 5) conclusion. Specific details about what to include in each section can be found in the attached template.

Your essay will automatically be checked for plagiarism by TurnItIn. There must be no more than 15% similarity to sources to receive credit for this assignment.