Introduction
Riordan Manufacturing is a global plastic entirely owned by Riordan Manufacturing Industries. To facilitate its products process, the company headquarter is located in San Jose in California, and the company produces the plastics in its branch location at Pontiac. However, with the effect of its globalization policy, Riordan Manufacturing has expanded to China to produce plastic parts. Presently, Riordan Manufacturing has projected yearly revenue of approximately $46 million. Although the company employs approximately 550 employees to run its operation, however, the company lacks effective single Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS). The tracking of the company’s employees is presently being implemented by the different systems, and there is a lack of automation and consolidation to track employees’ activities in the organization. For the company to remain competitive in the contemporary business environment, Riordan Manufacturing needs to update its current Human Resources Information Systems in order to improve employee satisfaction and retain competent employees. It should be noted that effective human resources are the backbone of any organization. Thus, Riordan Manufacturing needs to take advantage of modern Information Technology to create a single HRIS to facilitate the effectiveness of human resources and create Human Resources (HR) efficiency. (Apollo Group, 2005, Riordan manufacturing, 2009).
The objective of this paper is to analyze the Human Resources of Riordan Manufacturing. The paper examines existing varieties of tools that be used in the integration of the company information systems.
Analysis of Human Resources system of Riordan Manufacturing
The analysis of the HRIS of Riordan Manufacturing reveals that the company company’s HRIS system has become outdated and its efficiency cannot compete with the modern HRIS that many companies have adopted today. The company’s existing Information system was installed in 1992, and the company IT systems also integrate financial systems package with employee information. Part of the information contained in the existing HRIS are as follows:
- Employee pay rate
- Employee personal information such as name, birth date, address, marital status, etc.
- Employment date.
- Vacation hours
- Seniority date
- Other information about employee
Meanwhile, the company HRIS system has become outdated because the payroll clerk is entering the information about the employees into the computer. Moreover, the training and development specialists are tasked to record employees’ training and development manually in the Excel worksheet.
Moreover, each branch of Riordan Manufacturing has different accounting and finance system, which is consolidated in the company’s headquarter in San Jose, in California. An overview of the existing company information systems reveals that there is a need for the integration of high performances information systems that have the capacity to document employee data in order to enhance cost-effectiveness as well as ensure the present and future needs of the company. (Apollo Group, Inc. 2006).
In addition, the company keeps resumes of the job applicants in the central company storage system, where the company also uses the Excel spreadsheet to track the status of the applications of applicants. Moreover, at Riordan Manufacturing, a third-party service provider keeps a record of the compensations on all employees, and the company individual manager keeps the file and records of all employees working under them. An individual manager is also responsible to keep requests for accommodation by the disables under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individual manager is also responsible to track the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) absence of workers. Finally, the compensation manager is responsible to keep record of salary survey, job analyses, and compensation decisions of each individual in an Excel spreadsheet. The grievances, complaints, and harassment are being tracked by the Employee relations specialists, and all the information are kept in a locked file.
Thus, analysis of the company human resources reveal that the company scatter the employ information system at different locations and the company lack effective single automated information systems to track all the employee record. (Just Answer, 2110).
Thus, to enhance the HRIS to make the company human resources to be more efficient, there is need to keep employees files and record in a single central database location in order to enhance efficiency of human resources department. Typically, the Riordan manufacturing requires automated Human resources information systems where all the employee record, employee total compensation, management of company talent, and intelligent integration of HR management will be managed.
The automated central database is an effective tool to maintain global HR data in order to manage a consolidated employee data as well as providing accurate information about the employee salary and benefits. (Memphis County, 2006, Aspetuck Systems Inc. 2007).
Thus, to integrate effective company HRIS, there is need to describe the information information-gathering techniques and design methods for the proposed project.
Description of the information-gathering techniques and design methods for the proposed project
The current Human Resources Information system was team of IT specialists that has analysed the present the company Human resources. The analysts revealed that Human Resources needs to take the advantage of the existing Information system technology to enhance the efficiency of human resources. Apart from this, the company ordered Human resources and accounting department to obtain information about the planning of the project. Typically, the management also gathers information from human resources department at corporate headquarter in order to determine the needs of the HR department. The company also gathers information from the accounting and finance department about the payroll of the employees for the tax purpose. In addition, several employees were interviewed to understand how the company would go about the implementation of integration of HRIS. The overall information gather together reveals that the company needs more sophisticated Information Technology to integrate human resources into single Integrated application.
It should be noted that the company provides contract of varying size to approximately 30 customers, which include defence department, and the rapid growth that the company is experiencing needs for more developed Human Resources Information Systems that will support the objective of the company.
Meanwhile there are factors required to ensure that the information gathered is successful for the project.
Identification of the factors to ensure that the information gathered is successful for the project
There are factors that showed that information gathered for the project is successful.
First, the management of the Riordan Manufacturing has looked into the need for the integration of HR system to become more sophisticated. Although, management is also considering the shortcoming of the current information systems being implemented for the company human resources. Thus, the analysis of the current information systems made the company management to call for meeting to redefine the company mission, scope, the process of implementation of documentation and communication standards for effective human resources information system. The management sees the importance of improving the existing HRIS in order to make it more sophisticated. Thus, to achieve this, the company has made decision to acquire the necessary resources to draft the project plan. The drafting of the project plan involves scope and feasibility of the project. This also involves the application architecture and process design.
Scope and feasibility of the project
The scope and feasibility of HRIS proposal of the Riordan Manufacturing will involve the integration of all company human resources in order to enhance competence among employees. In addition, the goal of HR Information System is to build a system that will eliminate manual processing for human resources information in order to eliminate error associated with user input. Thus, the project is expected to complete within 6 months and the budget necessary to be allotted for this project will be approximately $250,000 dollars. This money is essential to ensure successful implementation of the project. Typically, the money will build system that will have the ability to generate routine reports automatically. The money will also cover application architecture and process design, which is, required for the effective application of automation human resources Information systems.
The application architecture and process design
For the application architecture and process design for the human resources need, there is need to determine the database requirement that is needed for the application process. The Oracle Database 11g is the most appropriated for the company Human Resources Information System. The Oracle Database 11g is appropriate because of its ability to provide single integrated platform, which the company needs for its human resources efficiency. It should be noted that database security system is very essential to deter unauthorised access to company data. Thus, the Oracle Database 11g provides security and high performances scalable high efficient and popular technology. (Oracle 2009).
The application architecture and process design of Oracle Database 11g consists of operating system with certified 32-bit and 64-bit. The Oracle Database 11g support 32-bit Windows with x86-hardware standard. The operating system of Oracle Database 11g with 64-bit run on the Windows x64 standard. Typically, the 64-bit provides greater stability with higher performances than 32-bit systems. The most significant feature of Oracle Database 11g is its ability to process information in a single large process. Typically, this is an important feature that the Riordan Manufacturing needs for the implementation of Human resources. Thus, Oracle Database 11g provides the advantage to address the problem of reintegration of company HRIS during expansion period, which reveal that there is no need for the company to recreate the database because the 64-bit version update the data dictionary with 64-bit Oracle software. (Oracle, 2007).
While the paper proposes the Oracle Database 11g for the Riordan Manufacturing HRIS, the paper incorporates the transition from analysis to design.
Description of the application architecture and process design
As being discussed in the previous section, the paper proposed Oracle Database 11g because of its advantages to provide ability to enabling business technology with business innovation that the company require for its human resources integration. The Oracle Database 11g have the ability to create dynamic PL/SQL to implement the data storage procedure in the in the database. Typically, the essential importance of Oracle Database 11g is its ability to provide high performances leading database.
While Oracle Database 11g is desirable for the company integration database. The paper offers tools of systems analysis to describe the information systems in architecture in terms of data, processes, interfaces and network.
Application of the tools of systems analysis to describe the information system’s architecture in terms of data, processes, interfaces and network
The database interface of the proposed information system will be used to create the HIRS for the company. The HIRS will allow the flexibility, and modification of the HRIS application for the company human resources efficiency. Typically, the application of the proposed database will consists of the following features:
- Personnel
- Scheduling if Personnel
- Computation of Workers’ Tracking
- Employes’ Performance Appraisals
- Interviewing Employment process
- Attendance and Payroll System
- Control Position
- Classification of Position
- Affirmative if Action
- Automated Processing Increase.
- The Audio-Visual Systems
- Photo and ID System
- The Voice Recognition Systems
- Accounting
Budgeting and Pool Account:
- Preparation of Budget
- Salary Base
- Preparation of Budget Component
- Online Documents
Regulations/ Policies:
- Employee Handbooks
- Faculty Handbooks
- Job Descriptions
- Misc Documents
- Benefits Administration & Compensation
Administration of Traditional and Flexible Benefits:
- Compensation and Administration
- Salary Survey
- Regulations of Human resources
Company Policies:
- Company Regulations
- State & Federal Regulations
- Company Recruitment
Recruiters:
- Executive Search
- HR Job Opportunities
- On-Line Career
- HR Development &Training
Faculty Handbooks:
- Job Analysis and Descriptions
- Employee Testing
Corporate Directory & Organizational Charts
(See fig 1 for features of personnel proposed database).
The HRIS will employ systematic procedure to store, collect, validating and retrieving data that is needed for the company database. Typically, the information to be stored in the company database is to satisfy the stakeholders requirements that the company is keeping proper record of the company human. Typically, the HRIS will have the automated features that will reduce administrative costs. The fundamental advantage of the automation is that there will be reduction of administrative cost, and this will enhance the interactive web-based application systems. (Shelly, Cashman, & Rosenblatt,2003). (See fig 2 for features of personnel proposed database)
The only problem about the HRIS is the data security. The data security is very essential to protect unauthorized access to the database. Thus, there is need for the installation of firewall to protect the database from unauthorized access of data. In addition, there is need to install Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt data transmission in the HRIS. (Security Innovation Inc. 2007). The implementation plan is essential for the HRIS.
Incorporation the transition from design to implementation
For the HRIS implementation Plan, there is need to implement Oracle Database 11g to ensure that the employees receive the training about the handling of database system. Riordan Manufacturing will ensure that the six major implementation processes are affected. The company needs to code the system to ensure all proper execution of the computer system. The programmer will be able to use code to execute some program. Typically, before the installation of computer system, there is need to ensure that everything in the database works well. To ensure that the system performs as expected, there is need employ system test personnel to check the viability of the system. After satisfying the system is working as expected the company will start the installation of the new system. Typically, the documentation, and training are essential because without appropriate documentation and training all the effort of the company will become wasted. (Vliet, Pietron, 2006).
Typically, training is essential to build effective support team because training is part of implementation process.
Conclusion
The paper provides application of Riordan Manufacturing HRIS. Typically, the company does not have central integration database system for its Human resources because management of data file for the company HR are scattered at various location. Thus, the Riordan Manufacturing has considered integration central database in order to reduce time and cost. The proposal reveals that the company will benefit from the implementation new HRIS for enhancement decision support, which will assist the HR manager for effective HR decision.
Reference List
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Apollo Group, (2005). Riordan Manufacturing.
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Memphis County, (2006). “Information Technology Strategic Business Plan”, CMEM IT Strategy. Ver 1 1.doc. (Vol1 of 3). Version 1.1.
Oracle, (2007). “Oracle Database 11g Architecture on Windows”. USA., An Oracle Technical White Paper,
Oracle (2009). “Application Development with Oracle Database 11g Release 2”. USA. Oracle White Paper
Riordan manufacturing, (2009). Riordan Manufacturing. Web.
Apollo Group, Inc. (2006). Virtual Organization: Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. Web.
Security Innovation Inc. (2007). Solutions for sustainable security. Web.
Shelly, G.B. Cashman, T.J. & Rosenblatt, H.J. (2003). “Systems analysis and design.” Boston. MA: Thomson Course Technology.
Van, P.A. & Pietron, L.R. (2006). Information Systems Development Education in the Real World – A Project Methodology and Assessment. Journal of Information Systems Education. 17(3), 285-293. Web.