Informatics

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Part A - 3 short answer questions.

Questions 1 to 3

Question 1: Why is training so important when implementing an ERP? What aspects of training and education are important?

Training is important when implementing an ERP. The training is important because the ERP implementation that is costly and on which the company places great hopes can easily get derailed if the implementation is not adequate. This can lead to several problems. The employee productivity instead of increasing can get decreased, there can be resistance from divisional heads and general managers, and there can refusals to use the new system.

The aspects of training that is so important when implementing an ERP are the initial steps of getting a normal transaction through. Next training should include the procedures for getting abnormal and yearly transactions through the system. Further, the training should provide an overview of the modules that the employees will have to use. Finally, the training and education should train the users to use the new and special features of the ERP that are relevant to them. (140 words)

Question 2: What is explicit knowledge and how can it be implemented in an ICT system?

Explicit knowledge is that which can be expressed, codified, and accumulated in some media. This knowledge apart from being stored can also be communicated. For instance, information in the form of articles or documents that is stored on DVDs and can be transmitted through the internet. Explicit knowledge can also be made accessible to through a website to authorized users. Technical know-how in the form of drawings and manuals is an important form of explicit knowledge.

An information and communications technology is a setup consisting of hardware, software, data and people who use them. The ICT system includes communication technologies. Now when explicit knowledge can be stored in the hardware (computer, server, etc), use software to access and use explicit knowledge and use internet to make explicit knowledge accessible to users all over the world. An example is that of an e-book stored on a server, available on a website and accessed by authorized users. (155 words)

Question 3: What are Expert Systems and what are their limitations?

An expert system is software that provides an answer to a problem where a person would have to be consulted. Usually, an expert system seeks to simulate the performance of an expert. This is done through the creation of a database. When compared to common programming methods, it provides flexibility from its ability to handle rules as data. It can allow firms to adapt more readily to changing needs.

The limitations of the expert systems are that rules may be of indifferent quality leading to poor results. Further, an individual has an applies common sense. This is missing in case of expert systems. In addition, human beings have creativity, learning experience, and sensory experience which are missing from an expert system. This imposes serious limitations. Finally, expert systems do not refuse answering questions that are outside their expertise. (139 ...