CASE STUDY: VIGNETTE REVISITED

NEW INFORMATION FOR THE CASE - PART 1

Q1: Identify some of the customer who would be logical members of the implementation

team and explain why?

Implementation project manager

The Project Manager is the person who directs the work and makes things happen. This person

must understand the details of the installation and configuration, understand the schedule, know

the other team members and their contributions, and work with the vendors.

Analysts (Power User)

The Analysts or power users can provide HR data which are needed for implementation. These

persons also can gather and review data required to measure the process, review the measures to

ensure valid results.

System administrator/database administrator

The system administrator sets up and configures hardware, installs operating systems and

supporting software. The database administrator maintains and backs up business data.

Depending on the size of our organization, the system administrator or another person (such as

someone in operations) might be assigned the database administrator role. When embarking on a

new system implementation, one should understand the need for overall technology

management. For example, if our organization is moving from a mainframe environment to a

client server environment for the first time, there typically is a learning curve involved for the

entire IT department.
Clerical Employees involve in Operations

The clerical employees are responsible for maintaining the system on a day-to-day basis. This

ensures good system health and failure recovery.

Q 2: Think through an HR process and sketch out what data are necessary to complete

your sample process well. How much history dose the organization need to convert to

continue functioning?

1. Employee

- Number of employees

- Skill

- Knowledge

- Qualification

- Position

- Abilities

- Salary (including: bonus, allowance, commission and more)

- Benefits

- more

2. Number of departments

- Interrelated Department

Q 3: Pick one area of the HR function (e.g., recruiting) and make a list of processes that

will need to be mapped and possibly reengineering during this implementation.

The Recruitment Process:

Step 1: Identify Vacancy and Evaluate Need

Step 2: Develop Position Description

Step 3: Develop Recruitment Plan

Step 4: Select Search Committee

Step 5: Post Position and Implement Recruitment Plan

Step 6: Review Applicants and Develop Short List

Step 7: Conduct Interviews

Step 8: Select Hire

Step 9: Finalize Recruitment

NEW INFORMATION FOR THE CASE - PART 2

Q 1: Make a list of question for each of the following individual: lead hardware technical

expert, network manager and chief software manager.

Lead Hardware Technical Expert:

a. Is he accountable for designing and developing the system solutions?

b. Does the person need to repair systems on site and provide phone support if there are any

problems that may occur?

c. Does he provide a robust and stable design with optimum resources in terms of the

memory and processor?

d. Does he handle multiple task and project?

e. Does he have an excellent communication skills and strong fundamental knowledge to be

called an expert?
 f. Is the person responsible to support and maintain the computer system and its

peripherals? Do they know how to install, configure, test, troubleshoot, and repair

hardware?

g. Is he committed and be able to respond quickly in case complex issues may arise in the

hardware?

Network Manager:

a. Is network manager accountable for setting access to files, email, and internet?

b. Is the network manager need to perform analysis of network needs and contributes to

design of network architecture, integration and installation?

c. Is he responsible for the security system in order to prevent the hackers from getting into

the system?

d. Can this person coordinate with other departments in order to understand and meet their

requirements?

e. In case of system failure, is the network manager responsible for recovery of the system?

Chief Software Manager:

a. Does the Chief Software manager have the capability to manage the architecture,

community and marketing, and web services?

b. Is the Chief Software Manager responsible for developing the plan to meet the future

need of the organization and the customer?

c. Is he accountable for monitoring individual employee’s performance and develop the

software to resolve the technical problem as well as the human resource issue?

Q 2: What configuration should the company use? Make a suggestion and support it!
Customizations should be done to provide an opportunity to the HR department to match their

functional processes with the software. Customizations provide scope for continuous

improvement and facilitates achievement of business goals through robust solutions.

Customizations involve continuous software upgradations and involves huge maintenance costs.

If the firm has a data warehouse, the new HRIS data will need to be mapped to it. If the data

model in the warehouse is based on the legacy of HR database, the two data models may not be

compatible. A lot of effort should be spent mapping the new HRIS to an existing data warehouse.

Or if the HRIS vendor has its own data warehouse application, the project team may use it, but

they will still have to contend with converting existing historical HR data into the new

warehouse. Either way, HRIS project teams should spend more effort than planned on the issue

as the details can get very tedious and time consuming.

NEW INFORMATION FOR THE CASE - PART 3

Q 1: Make a recommendation as to whether a BOB option should be chosen or a more

standardized option with simple interface between hardware and software should be

elected.

Since the CEO and the president have ordered that the major functions to immediately update

their information systems so that data sharing is possible. I think it would be best to choose a

more standardized option with simple interface between hardware and software.

A more standardized option aims to provide an end-to-end management of the whole employee

life cycle. All these functions work off a single database, a single system of record making for

easy sharing of information between function. The main points of this system include:
 It works out of the box. With best of breed modules, work is often needed to ensure

compatibility and seamless communication, requiring middleware and patches to transmit

and translate information between different software.

 A single vendor contact for all of your HRIS support needs means that if you have a

problem with the standard solution there’s only one company you need to contact.

 Logically, the standard solution means lower costs. A strategy of combining several best

of breed packages to meet HR tech needs can be more expensive than a single solution.

 The simpler implementation and maintenance reduce the burden on your IT team if you

have one (or your outsourced IT providers if you don’t). The technical challenges are

greatly reduced in standard solution.

 That said, the greater number of users usually associated with the standard solution

means implementation and initial staff training costs may appear higher but the single

interface means your users are not starting from scratch when learning about each

automated HR function having mastered navigating the system, users have the basic

foundation for using the full range of functions. When compared with the cost of

multiple best of breed implementations, the standard solution can still be better value

financially.

 The standard solution has little likelihood of problems around exporting or integrating

data. There are no compatibility or format issues between modules because the standard

solution works as a streamlined whole.

 Similarly, the single database means you eliminate the need for multiple data entry and

therefore greatly reduce the possibility of human error and inaccurate or inconsistent

data.
  A single point of access or single login for all your HR technology makes life simpler for

users.

 It’s far easier to generate reports using data in a single solution rather than drawing

(potentially incompatible) data from multiple modules like the BOB.

Q 2: Think about what is the best answer should be when you have to connect your system

with accounting and finance. Make a recommendation and support it.

HRIS and accounting have emerged as two critical components for improving the efficiency of

an organization’s human resources. These two components are inter-related and share a

complementary relationship. HRIS is the foundation with which accounting activities are carried

out. Without HRIS tools and applications, it would be difficult for HR leaders and professionals

to accurately measure human capital or carry out accounting activities.

HRIS provides support for administrative tasks or activities like attendance management and

payroll. The support for administrative tasks becomes the premise upon which HRIS supports

accounting activities. HRIS applications serve as the platform for the development of financial

accounting software for improved organizational financial performance.

HRIS plays a critical role in the collection, maintenance, and storage of complete human

resource information. However, information stored in HRIS applications is not complete without

the inclusion of accounting information. Accounting information should be integrated into HRIS

to help generate an accurate picture of the organization. By promoting the integration of

accounting/financial information into HR planning and function, accounting ensures HRIS

generate an accurate picture of an organization’s human resources. As HRIS is used in HRM

processes and activities, accurate, relevant, and timely information that reflects the organization’s

true picture is essential for strategic human resource management.

For example, Accounting Managers want managers to assess employee performance at least

annually because it is a management best practice. Human Resources want those assessments

because of their predictive values. Now, there may be moments when Financial Accounting

realizes the finance numbers do not promise enough future for those human performance

predictive analytics to materialize. But, barring such a particular bankrupting crisis, they should

appreciate that training, development, and succession-planning contribute to the return-on-

investment. With HRIS programs, it assures Finance executives that management is truly

leveraging human capital to its maximum.

NEW INFORMATION FOR THE CASE - PART 4

Q1: Develop the first few steps of the project plan.

Step 1: Project Goals

The project is considered successful when the needs of the stakeholders have been fulfilled.

Stakeholders are individuals who directly or indirectly be involved or affected by the project.

Step 2: Project Planning

Using information obtained from the first step, list the things that need to be done to ensure the

project goals.

Step 3: Project Schedule

Task list should be made to ensure that the planning of this project can be made as planned. Of

which is the timeliness or schedule plan.

Step 4: Supporting Plans

The final steps to consider are a plan that has been made in the planning process. Related matters

are human resource planning, communications planning and risk management.

Q2: Discuss the potential political necessities outlined as they are related to this type of

implementation.

The management need to be aware of the political structure within the organization, so that the

process of change can be steered through the matrix of entrenched self-interest. The political

structure may map directly on to the formal decision-making structure, with power and influence

controlled by the largest, the most productive or the most profitable departments. Sometimes the

survival of power is an old system: the original managers of the first form of the organization

retain influence, even though new parts of the business have long since outstripped them in

performance terms. This inevitably means addressing the issues of the size of organization and

its component elements. Empire building by one or two ambitious individuals can be a way of

promoting rapid growth, but it does not necessarily lead to better management or to the right

balance of activities.

Q3: Think about and create a list of steps that make sense for your organization.

1.Review and revise project objectives by examining reports and project documents.

2. Define purpose or scope of the monitoring and evaluation.

3. Select indicators and criteria.

4. Decide on data collection and analysis methods, and design or adapt existing tools and

instruments for use

5. Select locations, schedule logistics, and determine budget.

6. Collect data. In case of evaluation, pre-test instruments before embarking on data collection, if

project resources allow.

7. Analyze data and prepare reports.

8. Make decisions based on monitoring or evaluation findings and take appropriate actions.
9. Disseminate reports to all operational levels.

10. Prepare a work plan for follow-up actions.

Q4: Is the nine-month rapid-implementation time frame feasible? Or will it just lead to

failure.

The nine-month period implementation could be feasible if the organization plans it well. It is

essentially a planned and an integrated approach involving the top management, HR Managers

and a team of Technical Consultants and Specialists. A clarity of the objectives and the

organizational goals is very crucial before working upon the module implementation.

Planning is the basis for implementation on which the chance of implementation successfully

depends. It provides the framework for the choice of project manager or consultant, choosing

certain project experts, defining reports and management methods, a good implementation team,

operational areas, budgetary methods, analyzing and comparing existing and future processes,

hardware as well as software determination, customize modernized techniques, interaction of

user and software for acceptance.

References:

Kavanagh, M. J., Thite, M., Johnson, D. J., (2015). Human Resource Information Systems,

Thousand Oaks, CA; SAGE Publications, Inc.