Mscc
MidSouth Chamber of Commerce Case Study
Sulaiman Al‐Rafee
MBA‐534
Signature: ……………………………………… Sunday, October 11, 2009
Introduction
Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (MSCC) was created to benefit of businesses within the Midsouth area. By the late 1980s, MSCC became the most powerful business advocacy organization within the area, with Jack Walingford as president. As they started using more and more computer technology, they recognized the need to use computer technology to harness the power of information they had. This case study outlines what MSCC went through when they acquired a new system to handle their operations.
Case summary
Computer operations at MSCC
MSCC had some computer systems that were not integrated, not documented, with little supports and maintenance at the time, and the systems was not Y2K compatible. Leon Lassiter had a vision of an integrated computer system that could further help the organization in its core business (marketing, handling conferences and seminars, pushing the Legislature for new laws). They started with hiring a full‐time computer programmer (Simon Kovecki), and started looking at software packages for the organization. While Lassiter was not in charge of computer operations (Jeff Hedges was put in charge of computer operations), Lassiter pushed the organization to purchase a new system from a company called UNITRAK. It seemed like Lassiter was the “champion” behind the software, there was little or no support from the people who were in charge. Employees where concerned that they were not consulted, and Kovecki (who was frustrated because he didn't get the promotion to be head of computer operations) raised concerns regarding the fact that employees had access to all of the data. Hedges (in charge of computer operations, but was mainly busy with other
Sulaiman Al‐Rafee
MBA‐534
Signature: ……………………………………… Sunday, October 11, 2009
Introduction
Midsouth Chamber of Commerce (MSCC) was created to benefit of businesses within the Midsouth area. By the late 1980s, MSCC became the most powerful business advocacy organization within the area, with Jack Walingford as president. As they started using more and more computer technology, they recognized the need to use computer technology to harness the power of information they had. This case study outlines what MSCC went through when they acquired a new system to handle their operations.
Case summary
Computer operations at MSCC
MSCC had some computer systems that were not integrated, not documented, with little supports and maintenance at the time, and the systems was not Y2K compatible. Leon Lassiter had a vision of an integrated computer system that could further help the organization in its core business (marketing, handling conferences and seminars, pushing the Legislature for new laws). They started with hiring a full‐time computer programmer (Simon Kovecki), and started looking at software packages for the organization. While Lassiter was not in charge of computer operations (Jeff Hedges was put in charge of computer operations), Lassiter pushed the organization to purchase a new system from a company called UNITRAK. It seemed like Lassiter was the “champion” behind the software, there was little or no support from the people who were in charge. Employees where concerned that they were not consulted, and Kovecki (who was frustrated because he didn't get the promotion to be head of computer operations) raised concerns regarding the fact that employees had access to all of the data. Hedges (in charge of computer operations, but was mainly busy with other