Order Description
This assignment is designed to assess learning outcomes 1 and 2 and accounts for 40% of the overall
module mark. The primary aim of the assignment is to enable you to better understand how ECommerce
can help companies gain better competitive advantage e.g. by achieving operational
excellence, creating new business and revenue models, and improving customer satisfaction.
Particularly, it will help to better understand the many types of Information Systems that enable the
implementation of a successful E-Commerce model.
Case Study – Toys4U Ltd
Toys4U Ltd is a small business, which sells children’s toys, clothing and furniture. The company has
been operating for three years, and the business increases significantly. Currently it has 5 different
shops located in the Coventry area. Toys4U employs 20 staff, 16 of these work in the 5 shops, 2 in
the company’s own warehouse, and 2 in a small head office that manages the business accounts and
enquiries of both customers and suppliers. The company has been very successful over the past two
years and expected to grow in future and therefore is planning to open 5 more shops next year in
Birmingham and Leicester. The future plan of the company is to expand to others large cities in the
UK. The owner of the company (Andrew Smith) has an active role in the business. He is responsible
for moving stock between the shops so that none of them run out. The company does use
Information Systems in some of its activities. For example, customers pay at electronic tills, and the
company has a basic website that lists the location of its shops. Some of the customers and suppliers
have tried to persuade the company owner to adopt E-Commerce and use Information Technology
more extensively. However, the company’s owner has resisted because he is unsure about how ECommerce
adoption can help his business.
The Task
As a consultant, you are asked to prepare a report of 2250 words (+/- 10%) on an E-Commerce
solution for Toys4U Ltd. Your aim is to persuade the company’s owner to adopt an E-Commerce
strategy and invest in Information Systems more extensively to automate its business
activities/processes. Your work should therefore address at least the following:
? The many ways that E-Commerce adoption can help Toys4U
? The many challenges and issues that might face Toys4U if decided to adopt E-Commerce
? The many types of Information Systems required for the implementation of a successful E-Commerce
solution for Toys4U
n order to secure a mark in this range, a candidate must submit an
outstanding answer that could hardly be bettered. In addition to the
criteria identified below for a mark between 70-85%, an answer scoring
a mark of 85-100% would show an excellent level of understanding and
critical/analytic skills and originality. For example, such an answer would
include new insights into E-commerce which are not drawn from the
literature but from the student’s own critical thinking, and which add
something to the existing literature.
An essay in this range will demonstrate a strong understanding of
theories, concepts and issues relating to E-commerce. There will be
evidence of wide-ranging reading from a variety of valid sources (as
described and presented in the marking criteria for 60-69%).
The assignment must be written in a clear, well-structured way with a
coherent and seamless flow and show evidence of independent, critical
thought. It must show extensive relevant reading on the subject and
intelligent use of the material to present a well-balanced and well-
Mark range Guidelines
argued assignment. For example, the student will have considered a
range of relevant issues and be able to assess the strength and
weaknesses of various approaches/arguments and put forward a
confident and articulate view of their own.