AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT - OLAYAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

INFO 200: Management Information Systems (Fall 2023)

Homework
Hassan Khanafer 202002994
Your Name and ID: _____________________________________________________

Problem 1:

Nutri Score Scan is the application to scan the barcode of a product to know the Nutri-Score,
NOVA classification and nutritional information.

The Nutri-score, also known as the 5-Colour Nutrition label or 5-CNL, is a nutrition label
that was selected by the French government in March 2017 to be displayed on food products
after it was compared against several labels proposed by industry or retailers.

The NOVA classification assigns a group to food products based on how much processing
they have been through.

The Eco-Score is an ecological score (ecoscore) from A to E which makes it easy to compare
the impact of food products on the environment. The NOVA classification assigns a group to
food products based on how much processing they have been through.
The Eco-Score is designed on a model like the Nutri-Score: it is a grade from A to E which
summarizes 15 environmental impacts. The Eco-Score score is materialized by a colored
leaf-shaped logo with a letter from A (very low impact) to E (very high impact).

The App extracts the data from its database and displays the product name and its photo,
along with one of the following options:

Some screenshots of the app:

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Users are encouraged to create entries for missing products for the benefit of the community
of users. To do so, the user must add a photo, the name of the product and the list of all
ingredients from the composition provided on the product packaging.

While using the App, the user may see eco-related adds.

The founder of the application explains: “The Nutri-Score is a handy indicator that allows
you to compare the nutritional values of products within the same assortment at a glance.
This makes it easier to make a conscious and balanced food choice.” We have developed this
app and will continue to improve it to fulfil our vision.

1. Define Business Model

2. What are the three pillars of a business model? Briefly define each. Extract from the
case one example for each pillar.
3. How did Information System (IS) help in the implementation of this business model?
Please answer while addressing all three pillars.

Problem 2:

1. Watch McDonald’s Video (on problem); then, write down 3-4 few bullets that
describe from the customer point of view what are problems with delivery of food
at the drive-up restaurants.
2. Watch McDonald’s Video (first experience with McDonald ); then, write down 3-
4 few bullets that describe from the restaurant point of view how problems with
delivery of food at the drive-up restaurants were solved by McDonald’s new
approach.
3. Watch McDonald’s Video (how problem was solved); Also study at images
Config-1, Config-2 and Config-3

Now focus on each image (config-1, -2, -3) physical map of different kitchen stations
(e.g., multi-mixer, bun finish, burger slide). Imagine the physical flow of goods (e.g.,
burgers, buns, soda soft drink) and also imagine the flow of information (burger
crossing).
4. Then pick an important change that was made between config-1 and config-2,
then write 3-4 bullets why you think change was made. Try to use movie
footage/config-images and then your own logic to develop your reasoning.
5. Then pick an important change that was made between config-2 and config-3,
then write 3-4 bullets why you think change was made. Try to use movie
footage/config-images and then your own logic to develop your reasoning.

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Problem 1:
1. A business model is a framework of how the business is organized, what is it doing, and how it will turn
into profit with a focus on value creation. It describes what value is the company creating, and how it is
delivering and capturing this value.
It identifies the products or services the business is providing the target market and the expenses.

2. The three pillars of a business model are:

◦ Value proposition: it focuses on the value of what the business is providing with respect to the
customers, it answer the question "what is offered?". Example: the app itself ( Nutri Score), the
knowledge of the environmental impact of a product and the experience of helping the community by
adding info.
◦ Value architecture: it is related to the activities, resources, partnerships and competencies used to
deliver the value proposition to the client, it answers the question "how it is offered?". Example: the
maintenance of the app, managing the database, protecting from false info, eco-related adds.
◦ Profit equation: it answers the question "how does it generate profit?" and it explains the gained
revenues and the costs employed. Example: although it is not explicit but the revenues are probably
from the adds, or from possible partnerships, the expenses are for app maintenance and database
management.

3. The IS is indispensable for the implementation of this business model. It contributes to the value
proposition by facilitating getting the nutritional information from the centralized database through scanning
the barcode. The interface is user-friendly with simple presentation of the data. The value architecture relies
on IS to maintain and organize the data base. The user can interact by getting and adding content. IS also
ensures security and privacy. It also plays role in generating adds and tailored to individual preferences, and it
can provide info to optimize the operations.
 Problem 2:
1. The problems with delivery of food at the drive-up restaurants:
◦ Long wait time, the customers have to wait for a long time sometimes.
◦ Order accuracy, we see that sometimes customers get their order wrong.
◦ Inconsistent quality, it is not the same quality everytime depending on peak time and production time.
◦ Limited menu options, menus differ from dine -in.
2. The new approach solved the problems by:
◦ Increase efficiency, designing the kitchen to optimize production and productivity and delivering
more orders with less time.
◦ Consistency in quality, by standardizing the procedure.
◦ Faster service, providing quicker service to customs.
3. We see the manager. Studying and analyzing the operation's place, the procedure, the movement of
employees and the placement of resources. They come up with different versions for designing the
kitchen and made the employees imitate the operation to gain insights on problems to address in the next
design. Chalking on a tennis court, they conducted a real-time study of the process.They found that in
order to prepare a meal in the current design their employees were bumping into each other, inefficient
and making mistakes. Via an iterative trial-and-error process, they come up with a system that achieves
satisfactory performance. Each employee now had a simple task that they could repeat quickly and
consistently with the end to end process delivering food and drinks to customers at speed. They build the
physical restaurant to the same specifications of the invented system.
4. The sliding burger was vertical to the right behind orange and root beer in config. 1, it got closer to the
counter in config. 2, then it was horizontal and bigger in config. 3. This change is due:
◦ The employees bumped into each other
◦ Longtime to walk from
◦ Avoid unnecessary wait
5. There is more processes in config. 3 than config. 2. These processes are not new, they were one process
before. This is to:
◦ Increase productivity
◦ Let employees focus on less tasks
◦ Standardize the production operation
◦ Decrease waiting tine