GREAT ZIMBABWE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF COMMERCE

DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING & INFORMATION SYSTEMS

MASTER OF COMMERCE IN ACCOUNTING/INFORMATION SYSTEMS: LEVEL 1.2

MAAC 515 APPLIED ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 2016

Question 1

(a) RTY plc is a UK retail company with retail outlets in the south-east and north-west of
England. In total the company has six retail outlets in the south-east and eight in the
north-west. The company currently employs 195 staff. The company has been trading
successfully for a number of years. For the year ending 31 December 2015 the
companys turnover was 4.8m and its net profit for the year was 1.1m.

As part of the companys information technology strategy, RTY plc is considering installing
an Electronic Point Of Sale (EPOS) system for use in all its retail outlets. The company is,
however, aware that the acquisition and development of an EPOS system would require
not only a substantial capital investment, but also a significant change in operating
procedures at each of the retail outlets possibly involving staff redundancies.

The management board of RTY plc have asked you, as their recently appointed Systems
Accountant, to prepare a report on EPOS systems for presentation to the companys
management board at its next meeting in June 2016.

Required
Prepare a report for the management board of RTY plc on the development and
implementation of an EPOS system. (15 marks)

(b) Learn-a-lot Ltd is a small but expanding Leeds-based retail company that provides
computer-based educational facilities and equipment for a range of public and private
sector colleges and universities specialising in post-graduate professional IT courses.
As a result of a recent increase in demand for the courses offered by universities and
colleges, the company is considering expanding its current retail facilities. The
company is seeking to establish a presence in both Masvingo and Chinhoyi in order to
benet from the high number of undergraduates studying IT and computer science-
related degrees at the local universities. The company is, however, aware that such an
expansion would require not only a substantial capital investment, but also a signicant
change in the companys accounting information systems procedures, especially those
concerned with the recording of sales income.
Required
As their recently appointed systems accountant, prepare a report for the
management of Learn-a-lot Ltd on the importance for a company like Learn-a-lot Ltd
to possessing a cohesive strategy for the development and implementation of
information and communication technologies within its accounting information
systems. (15 marks)

Due date: 15 March 2016