WAL-MART SHRINKS ELECTRONICS SPACE, ADDS ITEMS

By Lisa Baertlein | Reuters – Wed, Apr 13, 2011 6:09 AM MYT



Source: Reuters



LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores is cutting the size of its electronics department as popular gadgets shrink and making room to add back dropped items like fishing poles, fabric and full-figure fashions.

"It's still a vibrant category but much smaller items are being sold," Rosalind Brewer, president of Walmart East, said while speaking at the ISI Retail Summit on Tuesday.

Over the last couple of years, the world's biggest retailer expanded space for entertainment items by about 20 percent to push the sale of flat-panel televisions. Now, hot items for viewing digital content range from smart phones to tablet computers like Apple Inc's iPad.

Janney Capital Markets analyst David Strasser estimated that Wal-Mart would be moving about 2,000 square feet per store away from the category, "suggesting the company would effectively be eliminating 7.2 million (square feet)" in its electronics departments overall.

Consumer electronics chains in general have been feeling the pinch from online competitors, a weak economy and declining demand for televisions. Big box retailer Best Buy Co Inc, a bellwether in consumer electronics, has been hurt by U.S. shoppers showing little interest in items like 3-D and Internet-based televisions.

Wal-Mart has been adding back thousands of items to its U.S. stores in a reversal of its 2008 decision to cut less popular products and deeply discount favored merchandise.

Brewer, who oversees 1,600 stores from Maine to Puerto Rico, said her division was also seeing higher-income shoppers return to Wal-Mart's discount stores.

Wal-Mart's sales at stores open at least a year have fallen for seven consecutive quarters in contrast with the growth seen during most of the recession when shoppers flocked to its stores for lower-priced goods.

As the economy started recovering, Wal-Mart saw some higher income shoppers turn to competitors like Target Corp.

Soaring gasoline prices could force some shoppers to look for ways to save money, which may benefit Wal-Mart.

To that end, Brewer said her division was seeing customers return to making stock-up trips as gas prices rise.

Wal-Mart shares closed up 1.3 percent at $53.52 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein)

Microsoft made me a MILLIONAIRE..?

Wow....

 Microsoft just made me a millionaire ? I received a email purportedly from Microsoft, the mail claimed that I "WON £1,350,000.00 (ONE MILLIONTHREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND GREAT BRITAIN POUNDS)". For the past 2 years, I had been receiving a lot of nonsense "jackpot" emails, mostly originating from Africa with prize money ranging from USD500K to USD 10 Millions.

 I guess, I would have become a Billionaire by now by just collecting the prizes........... LOL.

====================================================

The email I received....

"....... CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

DEAR WINNER,

.......OUR SPECIAL THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO BILL GATES AND HIS ASSOCIATES.WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK AS YOU SPEND YOUR GOOD FORTUNE IN THIS SEASON.

.......... AS ONE OF THE 5 JACKPOT WINNERS IN THIS DRAW. YOU HAVE THEREFORE WON THE ENTIRE WINNING SUM OF £1,350,000.00 (ONE MILLIONTHREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND GREAT BRITAIN POUNDS)...................THESE DRAWS ARE COMMEMORATIVE AND AS SUCH SPECIAL.

......................TO FILE YOUR CLAIMS,YOU ARE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH YOUR DESIGNATED AGENT WHO SHALL BY DUTY GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS TO FACILITATE THE RELEASE OF YOUR PRIZE. TO FILE FOR YOUR CLAIM PLEASE CONTACT YOUR AFRICAN FUDICIARY AGENT IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH THE CONTACT INFORMATION BELOW: ..........

MRS. LINDA ROSE.

MICROSOFT PROMOTION TEAM

VICE PRESIDENT

MicrosoftMSN

......."

Chapter 2: E-Business and E-Commerce

Today we will seat for MIS Test 1. Dr said "alaa simple,kacang je" haha!well..we see.

But, before we start our test there is one presentation for Chapter 2. They start with:



Source: google.com/images



The statistic shows population at Asia is at the second ranking highest in the world internet usage after Africa. I can conclude this as Malaysia population also contribute to the highest internet usage. Me either, used the internet as for doing my transaction in online banking, paying a bills, buying a cloths online and etc. Now we continue with the introduction of E-Business..

What is E-Business?

• The E-Business term was first introduced by IBM in 1997 as the transformation of key business processes through the use of Internet technologies.
• Businesses run on the Internet, or utilizing Internet technologies to improve the productivity or profitability of a business.
• An e-business is able to reach a much wider consumer base.
• Also be conducted via:

1. Private networks, such as value-added networks (VANs, networks that add communication services to existing common carriers)
2. Local area networks (LANs)
3. Wide area networks (WANs)

What is E-Commerce?

• Electronic commerce or e-commerce refers to a wide range of online business activities for products and services. It also pertains to “any form of business transaction in which the parties interact electronically rather than by physical exchanges or direct physical contact.”
• Electronic commerce or e-commerce refers to a wide range of online business activities for products and services. It also pertains to “any form of business transaction in which the parties interact electronically rather than by physical exchanges or direct physical contact.”

Transaction Types

Business-to-business (B2B):On the Internet, B2B (business-to-business), also known as e-biz, is the exchange of products, services, or information between businesses rather than between businesses and consumers.

Example:

1. Company Web sites
2. Sometimes a company Web site serves as the entrance to an exclusive extranet available only to customers or registered site users. Some company Web sites sell directly from the site, effectively e-tailing to other businesses.

Business-to-consumers (B2C):

• Business-to-consumer e-commerce, or commerce between companies and consumers , involves customers gathering information; purchasing physical goods (i.e., tangibles such as books or consumer products) or information goods (or goods of electronic material or digitized content, such as software, or e-books); and, for information goods, receiving products over an electronic network

• Business-to-consumer e-commerce, or commerce between companies and consumers , involves customers gathering information; purchasing physical goods (i.e., tangibles such as books or consumer products) or information goods (or goods of electronic material or digitized content, such as software, or e-books); and, for information goods, receiving products over an electronic network

Government-to-citizens (G2C):

It refers to the use of the Internet for public procurement, licensing procedures, and other government-related operations. This kind of e-commerce has two features: first, the public sector assumes a pilot/leading role in establishing e-commerce; and second, it is assumed that the public sector has the greatest need for making its procurement system more effective.

Source: google.com/images

This chapter presented by our ladies...Kak Saf and Kak Maria



Kak Maria, Dr Zaidi and Kak Saf



Chapter 1: Information Technologies, Concept and Mgt

What I had learned about this chapter? well..

Definition: Any organized combination of people, hardware, software, communication networks, and data resources that collects, transform and disseminates information in an organization.

Importance:

• Businesses to be efficient in the global information and knowledge based society
• Achieve successful organization
• Highlight the importance of disseminating the information through out the organization efficiently

Transaction Processing System (TPS)

TPS is a type of information system that collects, stores, modifies and retrieves the data transactions of an enterprise. Data collected from this operation supports the MIS and DSS systems employed by Middle Management. Example of transactions include making a purchase at a store, withdrawing money from a checking account, making a payment to creditor, online booking for flight ticket (Air Asia)

(Source: http://www.airasia.com/my/en/home.html)

Decision Support System (DSS)

DSS are specifically designed to help management make decisions in situations where there is uncertainty about the possible outcomes of those decisions by using a combination of raw data, documents, personal knowledge or business models

DSS comprise tools and techniques to help gather relevant information and analyze the options and alternatives. Typical information that a decision support application might gather and present are:

• Inventories of information assets (including legacy and relational data sources, cubes, data warehouses and data marts
• Comparative sales figures between one period and the next projected revenue figures based on product sales assumptions

Managing Information Systems

Information Systems (IS) have enormous strategic value. When they are not working (even for a short time), an organization cannot function. Furthermore, the Life Cycle Costs (acquisition, operation, security and maintenance) of these systems are considerable. Therefore, it is essential to manage them properly. The planning, organizing, implementing, operating and controlling of the infrastructures and the organization`s portfolio of applications must be done with great skill.

MANAGEMENT ISSUE

How much infrastructure? Justifying IS application is not an easy job due to the intangible benefits and the rapid changes in technologies that often make systems obsolete. Justifying infrastructure is even more difficult since many users and applications share the infrastructure that will be used for several years in the future. This makes it almost impossible to quantify the benefits. Basic architecture is a necessity, but there are some options.

This chapter is presented by:

Nisa, Dr Zaidi, Linda and Ainaa



MIS class members

They are awesome!


MIS class for MBA 2A,UiTM Shah Alam




Subjects to catch

One of my subjects for this semester. Detail as follows:

Code: MIS 750
Course: Information Technology Management
Level: Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Credit Unit: 3
Contact Hour: 3
Lecturer: Associate Professor Dr Norzaidi Mohd Daud
E-mail: zaidiuitm2000@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.norzaidi.blogspot.com/

Dr Zaidi

My expectation for this subjects?
Hurmm..i hope to get an "A+" for this subject and gain as much input as i can during class session!what i needs is giving 100% of participation and focus in the class, consistent and dicipline =)