1.

) How can the use of ERP systems/ software help Suthar Timber
Merchants improve their current business situation?

Explanation:
An Enterprise Resource Planning System has 4 main modules i.e.,
Manufacturing, Finance & Accounting, Sales & Marketing & Human Resources.
Every module implements the functions they’re designed for and brings the best practises in
terms of processes. The modules may perform their individual functions independently but
the central data base remains same.
As an ERP system will automatically implement all the major 4 aspects of the business under
its modules, the entire functioning of the business will get simplified and smooth.

Here’s how Suthar Timber Merchants can improve their situation by using ERP
system.
The Manufacturing Module will include:
Production Planning & Control: This will maintain data on all production related activities
like raw materials, sales forecasts and plans, production schedules, bills of materials for
different products, orders for repetitive manufacturing as well as costs of production data,
just in time production plans and so on.

Material Management: This will be responsible for managing the inventories of all the
consumable and non-consumable items in the firm. It will also manage purchases, billing,
storage in warehouses and confirming invoices.
Since all of the price lists, demand for orders, contacts, production schedules, inventory
details will be updated automatically by the system the sales representative will not be
required to constantly keep consulting the supplier for the updated price lists as the ERP
system will automatically tie up with the suppliers constantly changing price list.
This ERP implementation will in turn speed up the entire process for taking an order for the
enterprise as well as simplify the work for the sales representative and supplier both.
The Finance and Accounting Module will include:
All the ledger transactions of the company, Accounts payables and receivables of the
company, Track of company assets, Funds monitoring, Budget planning, Overhead cost
controlling, Business planning and budgeting, Cash & Credit Management.

Since the entire finance and accounting department will be under ERP scope of financial
mistakes and evasion will become very less. It will also help in getting detailed financial
reports and help the company to have a higher degree of control as it will be able to see
every decision thoroughly. The company will get to see complete transparency of all the
financial information, have the most efficient way to view the financial information, monitor
costs, measure revenues, and manage other aspects of your accounting process.

Sales and Marketing Module will include:

Sales Management: This will manage the entire sales force by managing data on sales
distribution, calls, sales contacts, sales data.
Marketing Management: This will help in planning for campaigns, cost of campaigns. It will
also help in keeping a track of product distribution centres, needs of warehouses and unmet
demand.
This will ensure better access to customer information, Faster response times, Improved on-
time delivery, Improved order accuracy. Keeping everything so updated will the company in
retaining its customers and ensuring best services to them.

Cons of implementing the ERP solution for Suthar Timber Merchant.

Cost: A major drawback of getting ERP is the upfront integration and ongoing subscription
and licensing costs associated with the software. The purchasing, implementing and
maintaining an ERP system will be a very heavy cost for the company.
The company will also need to factor in IT support and infrastructure costs, such as server
hardware.

Implementation challenges: It will take a lot of time, money and resources to get an ERP
system up and running.
The company will have to allocate internal employee resources to decide which ERP system
to purchase. That can be an in-depth process involving finance, operations, IT and
potentially sales, marketing and HR leaders.
If the company has disparate spreadsheets and even piles of paper files, there may be a
lengthy data migration process that may require hiring an integration specialist.
Training Required:
Implementing ERP requires thorough training for all the existing staff which can slow down
the current work and increase additional costs.

Solution for Suthar Timber Merchants to avoid a failure in the implementation

of ERP.

Selection of ERP: The company has to find out the right ERP by adopting four steps. Identify
their requirement, compare ERPs, shortlist ERPs and choose the best one.

Preparation for the change: The company must foresee the changes and prepare the
organization and employees for ERP use. They’ll have Identify a transition mode to make it
easier for the ERP users to adapt to the changes. They have to prepare the employees in
advance and sort out documents so that the migration to the new system will not affect the
workflow. This change may affect employees at different levels in a different way. They have
to prepare and train the employees overall to cope with this change.

Ensure proper training to employees: They have to train the employees on how to optimize
the use of ERP tool. Training them to handle the software, data management and data
sharing can speed up the growth of the business and prevent ERP implementation failure.
Training on enhancement and updating should be ensured to improve the effectiveness of
ERP.

Training of Employees: Employee training needs to cover all of the ERP system’s features.
The IT users need to be trained for the technical aspects of the ERP System. The directors
and senior management of the company should be highly involved in training its employees
to increase their morale. Some workers might resist this new change but they have to be
trained and explained the benefits of this new system for their acceptance.

If Suthar Timber is instituting a massive overhaul of any system they have to be ready for
the change at all of the affected levels. With a product like an ERP, every level is going to be
affected. Change management is a complicated process, but also guarantees success,
overall growth of the entire organization, improved productivity and sales as well as
optimum utilization of the entire resources.
2) What are the advantages of adopting cloud computing in hospitals? Can
introducing mobile devices for doctors in hospitals help? If so, how?

Explanation:
Cloud computing in healthcare describes the practice of implementing remote servers
accessed via the internet to store, manage and process healthcare-related data. This is in
contrast to establishing an on-site data centre with servers, or hosting the data on a
personal computer.
Cloud storage offers a flexible solution that allows healthcare professionals and hospitals to
leverage a network of remotely accessible servers where they can store large volumes of
data in a secure environment that is maintained by IT professionals.

Advantages of adopting cloud computing in hospitals:

• Efficient Electronic Medical Record-Keeping: Hospitals and healthcare facilities
can use of electronic medical records for storing information about patient
interactions. Cloud computing in medical field can improve the quality, safety and
efficiency of medical services, to better engage patients and family, improve the
coordination of care, and to maintain patient privacy and security. Today, the majority
of hospital and healthcare facilities have abandoned the practice of paper record-
keeping when it comes to health records and are turning to cloud storage in
healthcare. Electronic health records are stored in the cloud and updated
electronically by physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers.

• Collaborative Patient Care: Cloud storage makes it easier for doctors to

collaboratively view or share a patient’s medical records. Historically, a patient likely
had separate files of medical records at each doctor, specialist or hospital they visited.
This made it very difficult for physicians to collaborate on the patient’s care. The
widespread use of cloud storage in hospitals specifically as it relates to electronic
health records will make it easier for doctors to share information with each other,
see the results of interactions between other physicians and the patient and provide
care that wholly considers what the patient has experienced with other doctors in the
past. By storing Electronic Medical Records in the cloud, patients no longer need to
have separate medical records at each doctor they visit. Instead, doctors can share
information, see the results of previous interactions with other specialists and even
share information with each other. This not only saves time for both patients and their
doctors but also facilitates more accurate diagnosis and treatment without any delay.
• Improved medical research: Much in the way big data is making it possible for
doctors to treat their patients better, the cloud makes it possible via storing and
sharing data to speed up the research process. With the ability to gather outside data
from multiple fields, data analysts can use the cloud to pool this data and condense it
into better results, allowing the medical professionals to get a clearer and more
advanced image of the subjects they’re researching. These sorts of advances are the
kind that cure diseases and improve the kind of care being given.

• Cloud Computing in Hospitals Enhance Patient Safety: Cloud-based EMRs can

play a significant role in enhancing patient safety. For example, a mentally ill patient
in Mumbai visits various hospital emergency rooms and walk-in clinics hundreds of
times over the course of a year, each time submitting to tests and hoping to obtain
prescriptions for medication. Thanks to the adoption of cloud storage, healthcare
providers at each facility the patient visited could glean direct insight into interactions
between the patient and physicians at other facilities.
This can protect the patient from being over-prescribed medications that could have
caused her serious harm and saved the hospitals significant money, as they were able
to avoid subjecting the patient to testing that she had recently conducted at other
facilities.

• Improved Security: Cloud servers help increase the security of healthcare

providers. In the case of on-premises solutions, if the equipment fails, medical
institutions may lose all their data and applications. A potential breach that healthcare
institutions can't afford to risk. Cloud computing not only allows its users to access the
information remotely, as it includes automation of backups and disaster recovery
options but in the case of a breach, healthcare providers don't lose any data and can
minimize the downtime for their staff.
Introduction of Mobiles for Doctors.
Yes, Introduction of mobiles for doctors in hospitals will help a lot.
Mobile phones can offer the following benefits to doctors:

Real-Time Communication: With doctors and nurses using smartphones to provide

accurate prescriptions and instructions to facilitate faster recovery of patients, smartphones
allow them to communicate with the patient in real-time. Doctors can use the camera of the
smartphone to remotely examine the patient and provide on the spot advice which can help
boost the patient’s recovery. This is a huge benefit of mobile devices in healthcare. Experts
in different parts of the world can coordinate simultaneously to exchange valuable
information and consult each other. This can help the patients receive better treatment
from doctors.

Direct Patient Management: With multiple health accessories such as health bands,
wearable distance trackers, fitness apps available in the market, doctors can directly monitor
data of the patients through their Mobile phones and determine the recovery speed and
effectiveness of the patient’s lifestyle. Mobile devices can also be used to remotely contact
the patient in real-time and ask about their current whereabouts and treatments which give
the doctors better insights.

Customization: It is almost impossible for doctors to attend to all patients at once and
provide accurate prescriptions instantly. Mobile devices are helping doctors handle patients
more effectively by allowing them to create separate profiles for patients and customizing
them accordingly. This helps the doctors pinpoint the problem much more quickly and
provide the patients with an accurate prescription fast.

As seen above, there are a lot of benefits of mobile devices in healthcare. With mobile devices
and fitness accessories being used widely now, the communication between patients and
doctors has become easier and this has ultimately led to the provision of better services being
offered to the patients.
Also the application of cloud computing in hospitals can positively impact the industry in
numerous ways. From cutting down costs or reducing the time spent to offering organizations
much-needed flexibility, scalability, and empowering collaboration between healthcare
researchers.
3. a.) In order to meet the demand of a smart city project in a country like India,
with the help of any smart city project, describe some of the key elements for
such smart cities.

Explanation:
A smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to
collect data. Insights gained from that data are used to manage assets, resources and services
efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve the operations across the city. This includes
data collected from citizens, devices, buildings and assets that is then processed and analysed
to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems, power plants, utilities, water
supply networks, waste, crime detection, information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals,
and other community services. The smart city concept integrates information and
communication technology (ICT), and various physical devices connected to the IoT network
to optimize the efficiency of city operations and services and connect to citizens. The main
goal of a smart city is to improve policy efficiency, reduce waste and inconvenience, improve
social and economic quality, and maximize social inclusion.

The Smart City Project that I am selecting to study from is Pune, India.
The city wide ‘Network of Smart Elements’ is envisaged to accomplish the following broad
objectives:

• Undertake smart city initiatives to make Pune a better place to live in by increasing
safety, liveability of the people in the city.
• Improve the situational awareness for the city administrators and residents.
• Provide administrators, citizens, tourists and businesses real time and actionable
information to aid their day to day decision making.
Following are the key elements of Pune Smart City Project:
1) City Wi-fi: Wi-Fi services provides fast internet connectivity on the go to citizens of
Pune. The objective of City Wi-Fi element is to provide:
• Free City Wi-Fi (limited usage)
• Paid City Wi-Fi
The city will experience fast internet connectivity at 199 Wi-Fi hotspots which includes some
of the Gardens, Hospitals, Police Stations, Government offices, Bus-stops etc.

2) Emergency Call Box : Emergency Call Box helps in improving the safety and security
of citizens within the city where they can seek assistance from the Smart Cit
Operations Centre (Command & Control Centre) by pressing a button near them.
These systems are deployed across 136 locations in the city.

3) Smart Environmental Sensors: Smart Environmental Sensors records the

following parameters: Temperature, Humidity, Radiation, Noise levels, Air Quality
Index.
These sensors will be deployed across 50 locations in the city to measure the key
environmental parameters.

4) Flood Sensors: The water level sensors (used for flood detection on streets)
provides the ambient water levels to the citizens through display channels to
warn them of possible flooding in a locality. These sensors will be deployed across
30 locations in the city (in the vicinity of bridges and Nalas) to measure the city
water levels and provide information on it.

5) Variable Messaging Display: Variable messaging displays provides useful

information related to:

• Traffic congestion
• Ongoing Roadwork zones
• Speed limits
• Key notices or messages from PMC like information about any emergency or
disaster, etc.
These systems will be deployed across 161 locations across the city.
 3.b.) Mention the importance of smart cities and challenges in managing
smart cities.

Importance of Smart Cities

Indian cities are facing huge problems in the areas of waste management, sustainability,
water pollution, air pollution, traffic jams, and other issues like crime. These problems need
smarter solutions which is why smart cities will make our cities sustainable ad resilient enough
to face the needs of future generations.
Its objective is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of
life to citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and solutions like 24 hour electricity
supply, clean drinking water, better public transportation system, use of mobile technology
like GPS, to address the problems of the city.
The goal of building a smart city is to improve quality of life by using urban informatics and
technology to improve the efficiency of services and meet people’s needs.
In terms of health, air-quality sensors can identify pollution sources and provide action steps
to reduce emissions. Residents’ ability to consult with their doctor via video conference and
life-saving, timely messages regarding vaccinations or sanitation can also help community
health.
Smart cities will overall improve the life of the citizens and also help them in growing for the
country.
Challenges of Smart Cities

1. Financing: Smart cities project is not smartly privileged, unfortunately, when it comes to
funding. Financing is said to be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to the smart city
challenge.

2. Lack of Centre-State Co-ordination: Fruitful implementation of a project can be

done only if there is a co-ordination between various government bodies. There is a need of
proper regulation when it comes to planning for the development of smart cities. Both
horizontal and vertical co-ordination is the requisite right now.

3. Availability of Master Plan: Most cities in India do not have their master plans and
development plans in place. This is a tragic situation if we talk about developing them into
smart cities. The presence of both the requisites is the key to the implementation and
encapsulation of the smart city project as that is where the changes would be monitored
and there is no other way to make it simple, better and efficient. Unfortunately most cities
in India lack the presence of it.

4. No time figure attached to the plan: The entire smart city plan is a one big plan
which should get all the clearances if not before time then on time. Everything should be
online and timely which unfortunately is not happening in this case. The most important
step to be taken in this context would be setting up a single regulatory body which monitors
all the requisite approvals for the project. Doing this will address two major issues one of co-
ordination and one would be the timely execution. Also the body should be solely
responsible to cater to the financial requirements.

5. Corruption: This point probably was meant to be from the first as this is the root cause
for all above challenges. But if we talk about it solely this is also a major challenge. Both at
centre and state level corruption is responsible for all the co-ordination mismatch and time
lag happening. The financial constraint also somehow creeps in because of this issue.
Corruption in India is a challenge which has always been a reason for non-execution or
ineffective execution of most big projects in the country.