Alliance Supermarket and Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems

Alliance Supermarket and Poin" rel="nofollow">int-of-Sale (POS) Systems Order Description Alliance Supermarket and Poin" rel="nofollow">int-of-Sale (POS) Systems Read the “Alliance Supermarket” case study that is attached Alliance Supermarkets has been usin" rel="nofollow">ing a poin" rel="nofollow">int-of-sale (POS) system for some time to track its in" rel="nofollow">inventory. The system uses a laser scanner to read the universal product code (UPC) on each item at the checkout contain" rel="nofollow">iner. The UPC is a number that uniquely identifies the product on which it appears. Currently, Alliance is usin" rel="nofollow">ing the UPC in" rel="nofollow">information to update in" rel="nofollow">inventory records for each item. Although the system has greatly improved the company’s ability to replenish in" rel="nofollow">inventory promptly, the company still has some problems. For example, sudden changes in" rel="nofollow">in demand for a particular item can catch the company by surprise as it bases in" rel="nofollow">inventory replenishment on historical demand patterns. Further, demand patterns and preferences may vary from one store to another dependin" rel="nofollow">ing on the customers served by each, but the in" rel="nofollow">inventory system groups all demand in" rel="nofollow">information together and treats each store equally. Fin" rel="nofollow">inally, the manufacturers that make the products stocked by Alliance Supermarkets are always pressurin" rel="nofollow">ing Alliance to help them target appropriate customers for special promotions and sales. The chief in" rel="nofollow">information officer (CIO) of Alliance realizes that much more could probably be done with the data collected from its POS system. For example, the company could analyze the relationship between each product’s sales and weather patterns. It is even possible to analyze an in" rel="nofollow">individual customer’s buyin" rel="nofollow">ing habits and identify in" rel="nofollow">instances in" rel="nofollow">in which a customer may be persuaded to try a different brand of a certain" rel="nofollow">in product. For this assignment address the followin" rel="nofollow">ing poin" rel="nofollow">ints: • Study this situation and formulate new and in" rel="nofollow">innovative uses of the in" rel="nofollow">information from the POS system. Ideally, these ideas should help Alliance better serve its customers by ensurin" rel="nofollow">ing that adequate quantities of each item are available, that costs are kept low, and that customers are made aware of new products that may in" rel="nofollow">interest them. • Describe any in" rel="nofollow">information that may help Alliance reduce costs while providin" rel="nofollow">ing better service. • Propose a new approach that could be used by Alliance by usin" rel="nofollow">ing the purchase in" rel="nofollow">information that can be obtain" rel="nofollow">ined on in" rel="nofollow">individual customers. • Assess ethical and privacy considerations of in" rel="nofollow">information gathered from the POS system or purchased items. Paper should be in" rel="nofollow">in paragraph form (avoid the use of bullet poin" rel="nofollow">ints) and supported with the concepts outlin" rel="nofollow">ined in" rel="nofollow">in your text and additional scholarly sources. Paper should be three- to four-pages (not in" rel="nofollow">includin" rel="nofollow">ing the title and reference pages). Paper must be formatted accordin" rel="nofollow">ing to APA style and must cite at least three scholarly sources in" rel="nofollow">in addition to the textbook. Textbook: Vonderembse, M. A., & White, G. P. (2013). Operations management. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoin" rel="nofollow">int Education, Inc.