NCC Education

Postgraduate Diploma
in
Strategic Business IT

IT The Next Five Years / Principles of Enquiry

Candidate Name:
NCC Education Candidate NO:
Title: NBC
Examination Cycle: March 2007

Candidates attempting to gain an unfair advantage or colluding in any way

whatsoever (other than on joint assignments) are liable to be disqualified.
Plagiarism is an offence.

Exceeding the word count

You could lose marks if you exceed the recommended word count by more than
10%.

Reference your work correctly

Always reference your work correctly as it is a vital part of your assignment and
you may lose marks for incorrect referencing. Authors’ work which is used in your
assignment and not referenced, is plagiarism.

Expected candidate time allocation: 80 hours

Mark Moderated Final

Mark Mark

Marker's comment

Moderator's comment

IT The Next Five Years/Principles of Enquiry HW March 2007 08/09/2006 Final ©NCC Education 2007
Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Business IT IT The Next Five Years/Principles of Enquiry

Introduction
Over the last decade, information technology has been used by the banking sector to restructure and
develop their relationships with their customers. The technology literature has frequently
documented the competitive and financial advantages offered by new technological systems. At the
same time, many small banks are expected to take advantage of new technologies to compete with
large-scale multinational banks. Perhaps, the biggest incentive for banks to adopt new technologies
is driven by the changing requirements of their customers. It has been argued that many businesses
and professional people perceive the concept of visiting the high street bank as an outdated and
unnecessary requirement. Much of the current lT literature in the banking sector promotes the use
of technology in building relationships with customers. However, there are also studies that have
identified barriers to the use of technology. These barriers include lack of face-to-face interaction,
trust, problems of technology and security amongst others.

NBC is a local bank operating mainly within its confined region with just over 50 high street
branches employing around 1000 employees. The bank offers all the services expected of a typical
bank. In a bold move, the management of NBC Bank is proposing to close all its high street banks
and offer all its services via the Internet. It is anticipated the head office would be expanded to
accommodate a call centre and an IT office. The management have blamed external economical
and political pressures and changes in customer demands as the key drivers for this change.

As a consultant for the NBC Advisory Group, you have been asked to analyse the banking industry
and make recommendations for the proposed Internet system. Technical details of the system are
not required; however the focus needs to be on the initial phases of the systems design. You are
required to produce an executive report for the senior management of NBC covering the following
key issues (Tasks 1 to 5):

Task 1 – 25 Marks
Using one of the methods of enquiry (for example, analytic, deductive, inductive, deductive
systems thinking, consensual), provide a summary of the external environment the banking industry
is experiencing. The major focus of your research should be in changing customer requirements
(social and economic/political issues).

Guide: Use ‘quality’ reference sources and ensure all source material is acknowledged in the report
(including citations within the main body of the report).

Task 2 – 20 Marks
According to IT and business literature, the Internet is likely to go through major new
developments in the near future.

a) Appraise current uses of the Internet in the banking sector. Identify possible future Internet
innovations that will impact the banking sector.

b) From your findings identify how the Internet, in terms of relationships with customers, may
impact on IS planning for NBC. Consider the technical and ‘soft’ (human) issues.

IT The Next Five Years/Principles of Enquiry HW March 2007 08/09/2006 Final ©NCC Education 2007
Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Business IT IT The Next Five Years/Principles of Enquiry

Task 3 – 20 Marks
Using consequences analysis techniques, identify the likely impact of broadband Internet on NBC.
To answer this question you must use effect/probability/ action grid for 3-5 impacts of technology.

Guide: Complete effect/probability/action grids for 3-5 key issues and include these in the
appendices. Summarise the key points, drawn from effect/probability/action grids, in the main body
of the report.

Task 4 – 20 Marks
Using your findings from Task 2, provide an overview of key issues that the systems developers
need to consider in their design of the system. Your discussions should focus on the initial stages of
SSM (feasibility, analysis and design aspects of system development).

Guide: Technical requirements of the system are not required. Ensure your answer includes critical
analysis of each of the initial stages of the SSM. Ensure the key issues are related to NBC and the
banking sector. Avoid general discussions.

Task 5 – 15 marks
Provide a critique of your method of enquiry, highlighting the strengths, weakness and assumptions
you have made.

Guidance
Consult with your tutor if you are uncertain about any aspects of the assignment.

Submission Requirements
To pass the assignment candidates must:
• Complete all five Tasks above; all the five Tasks need to be presented in a business report
format.
• Submit their work in a single word-processed document of no more than 4000 words in length.
• Produce clear and specific reasoning and argument to justify answers.
• Make appropriate reference to relevant concepts, techniques and theories.
• Appropriately cite all information sources.

The document should be submitted both in paper form and in digital form on a disk.

Warning: All media must be virus free!

Media containing viruses, or media which cannot be run directly, will result in a FAIL grade being
awarded for this module.

All candidates must read and understand NCC Education’s policy on ‘Academic Dishonesty
and Plagiarism’ and complete the attached form ‘Statement and Confirmation of Own
Work’. You must attach the completed form to your assignment.

IT The Next Five Years/Principles of Enquiry HW March 2007 08/09/2006 Final ©NCC Education 2007
Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Business IT IT The Next Five Years/Principles of Enquiry

Statement and Confirmation of Own Work

Programme/Qualification name:

Each NCC Education assessed assignment submitted by students must have this
statement as the cover page or it will not be accepted for marking. Please ensure that this
statement is either firmly attached to the cover of the assignment or electronically inserted
into the front of the assignment.

Student declaration

I have read and understood NCC Education’s Policy on Academic

Dishonesty and Plagiarism.

I can confirm the following details:

Student ID/Registration number:

Name:

Centre Name:

Module Name:

Module Leader:

Number of words:

I confirm that this is my own work and that I have not plagiarised any part of
it. I have also noted the assessment criteria and pass mark for assignments.

Due Date:

Submitted Date:

IT The Next Five Years/Principles of Enquiry HW March 2007 08/09/2006 Final ©NCC Education 2007