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Supervisor Namara Assiimwe Khadijah

This document is a research proposal for developing a web-based car sales and inventory management system for Trust Motors Ltd. It outlines the background, problem statement, objectives, scope and limitations of the study. The literature review covers topics like electronic commerce, automated inventory systems, car sales management systems and types of inventory control systems. The methodology section describes the research approaches, design, population, sampling, data collection tools, analysis methods, system design approaches and tools. It also identifies the software, hardware and budget requirements. The proposal was submitted to the University of Kisubi for a diploma in ICT.

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KATO MBALIRE
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
95 views25 pages

Supervisor Namara Assiimwe Khadijah

This document is a research proposal for developing a web-based car sales and inventory management system for Trust Motors Ltd. It outlines the background, problem statement, objectives, scope and limitations of the study. The literature review covers topics like electronic commerce, automated inventory systems, car sales management systems and types of inventory control systems. The methodology section describes the research approaches, design, population, sampling, data collection tools, analysis methods, system design approaches and tools. It also identifies the software, hardware and budget requirements. The proposal was submitted to the University of Kisubi for a diploma in ICT.

Uploaded by

KATO MBALIRE
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

A WEB-BASED CAR SALES AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

A CASE STUDY OF TRUST MOTORS LTD

BY

KATO MBALIRE MARTINE

17BIT034

SUPERVISOR

NAMARA ASSIIMWE KHADIJAH

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF BUSINESS


AND ICT FOR THE STUDY LEADING TO A PROJECT IN A PARTIAL
FULFFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DIPLOMA
IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

AT UNIVERSITY OF KISUBI

26th/ NOVEMBER/2020
SUPERVISOR’S APPROVAL
This is to satisfy that Kato Mbalire Martine’s proposal titled “A WEB-BASED CAR
SALES AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” has been under my
supervision and I confirm that it’s ready for submission.

Signature:………………………………….

Date:……………………………………….

University Of Kisubi.

i
Table of Content
SUPERVISOR’S APPROVAL....................................................................................................................i
LIST OF ACRONYMS..............................................................................................................................iv
CHAPTER ONE..........................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................1
Background of the study..........................................................................................................................1
Problem statement.......................................................................................................................................2
General objective of the study................................................................................................................2
Specific objectives...................................................................................................................................2
Research Questions.................................................................................................................................3
Scope of the study...................................................................................................................................3
Geographical scope..............................................................................................................................3
Content scope......................................................................................................................................3
Time scope..........................................................................................................................................3
Limitations of the study...........................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER TWO.............................................................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................................................................5
Electronic commerce (E-commerce).......................................................................................................5
Automated inventory control systems software.......................................................................................6
Car sales management and inventory systems.........................................................................................7
Types of management and inventory control systems.............................................................................7
Manual inventory management system....................................................................................................8
Barcode technology.................................................................................................................................8
Definition of basic concepts....................................................................................................................8
CHAPTER THREE...................................................................................................................................10
METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................................10
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................10
Research approaches..............................................................................................................................10
Research design.....................................................................................................................................10
Study population....................................................................................................................................10

ii
Sampling strategy..................................................................................................................................10
Data collection methods and instrunments............................................................................................11
Observation check list...........................................................................................................................11
Extensive interview guide......................................................................................................................11
Ethical considerations in data collection procedure...............................................................................11
Data analysis..........................................................................................................................................12
System design approaches and tools......................................................................................................12
Context Diagram...................................................................................................................................12
Data Flow Diagram (DFD)......................................................................................................................12
Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)......................................................................................................12
Software tools and languages................................................................................................................13
Hypertext markup language (HTML)................................................................................................13
JavaScript..........................................................................................................................................13
Cascading style sheet (CSS)..............................................................................................................13
Hardware tools......................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................15
APPENDICES...........................................................................................................................................17
INTERVIEW GUIDE QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................17
APPENDICIES 2......................................................................................................................................18
BUDGET...............................................................................................................................................18

iii
LIST OF ACRONYMS
UPC Universal Product Code

LTD Limited

ICT Information Communication Technology

TM Trust Motors

GVU Graphics, Visualization and Usability

DMS Dealership Management System

DFD Data Flow Diagram

ERD Entity Relationship Diagram

HTML Hyper Text Markup Language

JS JavaScript

CSS Cascading Style Sheet

GB Gigabyte

RAM Random Access Memory

GHZ Gigahertz

iv
CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
Background of the study.
According to Swapna, (2007), today’s world is computer age; Stone Age is replaced with
fabulous achievements in science. We are living in the computer age so humans are
trying to become automated in each and every field of his need. Basically automation is
useful because when there are machines in place of humans, then the probability of errors
is minimized.

E-commerce is fast gaining ground as an accepted and used business paradigm. More and
more business houses are implementing websites providing functionality for performing
commercial transactions over the web. The objective of this project is to develop a
general purpose e-commerce store where cars can be bought from the comfort of home
through the internet.

However, for implementation purposes, this paper will deal with an online book store. An
online store is a virtual store on the internet where customers can browse the catalogue
and select the products of interest. The selected items may be collected in a shopping cart
will be presented as an order. At that time, more information will be needed to complete
the transactions, Wiley, (1997).

To the above relationship, the researcher has chosen to concentrate on the car sales and
inventory management system so as to bridge the gap between car dealers and their
customers for a superfast purchase of cars online.

The word inventory according to Samanta, (2015), is commonly used to describe the
goods and materials that a business holds for the ultimate purpose of resale.

Furthermore, Data Qlick Apps, (2017), explains that people have been buying and selling
things for centuries. So naturally, that means that inventory management has always
existed in some form, at least. Obviously, there were no computers 300 years ago, and
certainly no bar code readers but people have simply always tried to simplify the trading
process, adapting new technologies along the way.

A forerunner of the modern bar-coding system was created in the late 1940s and early
1950, and it utilized ultraviolet light-sensitive ink and a reader. In the late 1960s, the

1
Universal Product Code (UPC) was created, which improved inventory management
systems. As the computer technology improved, so did the systems, and in the mid and
late 1990s, modern inventory management systems began to be used.

Problem statement.
In today’s society, it’s very difficult to be competitive without using technology available
in the market. After years of business, the data has grown much for TRUST MOTORS
LTD. It is becoming a challenge for the company to manage data in an effective way. To
be more productive in order processing, Trust Motors needs a solution which can
facilitate their current processes with use of technology. With increased amount of
orders, it will be difficult for Trust Motors to manage orders in an effective and efficient
manner. It will be very hard to go through all paper work and back tracking orders. If
there is any complain or review of any order, it takes large amount of effort and time to
backtrack and fix the problem. This results in loss of resources, increased time, and low
output. All orders are managed using different papers; all information regarding one
order is stored in one physical file. This file contains all the documents related to that
particular order. Once Trust Motors receive an order, they assign a unique number to that
order/file. Some of the financial details regarding orders are managed in an Excel sheet.
Currently in Trust Motors the work flow followed is not very efficient due to lack of
Software and digital media usage. Workflow from order quotes, order to invoice and
payments are today made manually without the help of a computerized management
system. This means a lot of manual work, which leads to the loss of control over
operations. Due to higher workloads and more errors, delay in the whole process is
experienced on daily basis. No database exists and thus poor ability to pick out statistics
on for example the existing order stock.

Justification of the Study

The car sales System is a java based application that can be accessed easily. It basically
provides a tool so as to simplify all the activities involved in cars details. This project
primarily focuses on the elimination of hassles and paperwork to maintain the cars
records. Generally, the proposed system can help provide users with efficient working
environment and more output can be generated through this This system provide the user
with friendly interface resulting in knowing each and every usability feature of the
system. The proposed system helps in tracking record so that past record can be verified
and one can make decision based on the past records. The system completes the work in a
very less time consumption and high level efficiency. The system is developed in such
way that even new users can also operate the system easily. The calculations are made
2
quickly and the records are directly saved into the database and can be maintain for
longer period of time. Each record can be retrieved and can be verified for future
transaction. Also the system provides high level of security of data so as to prevent
unauthorized access to the admin modules.

General objective of the study.


The aim of this research work was to develop a car sales management system for Trust
Motors LTD. This aided the management of Trust motors in tracking car sales and
control. The proposed car sales management system helped small scale dealers manage
their business with a generic accounting package and extended on software.

Specific objectives.
1. To gather requirements needed for developing an online web-based car sales
management and inventory system for Trust Motors LTD.

2. To design a user friendly integrated system for car sales and inventory
management system for improved service delivery between sellers and the
customers.

3. To expose Trust Motors to the usefulness of ICT to their business processes.

4. To help Trust Motors get introduced to formalized sales transactions procedures


into their business.

5. To implement, test and validate the designed online car sales management and
inventory system.

Research Questions.
1. What were the requirements for the web-based car sales management and
inventory system?

2. What were the technologies and the design styles implemented for the web-based
car sales management and inventory system?

3
3. Which development tools were appropriate for the designed web-based car sales
management and inventory system?

Scope of the study.


The scope of the study was divided into three sectors which included; geographical
scope, content scope and time scope respectively.

Geographical scope
The research was conducted in central Uganda, taking Trust Motors LTD as the case
study located Kampala in Kampala district at FB towers along Hoima road.

Content scope.
This study presented a method for development of car sales management and inventory
system which performed operations such as keeping truck of stock, system user details
and sales made. The car sales management system records, verify user inputs and keep
detail records of sales made.

Time scope.
In terms of time, the study was conducted from October to February 2021 so as to get
enough time for research in order to make a perfect research that is suitable for the
project, and to produce a project that is worth.

Limitations of the study.


This project was constrained by the following factors;

1. Financial Constraints. It was found difficult in making both ends meet, because of
the amount charged nowadays in travelling for the collection of data needed for
the project.

2. Time Constraints. Looking at the interval between the resumption and vacation of
the final semester for the project to be completed, the time given seemed to be
short for the collection of required information for better work to be done.

3. Non-Availability of Material During this project. It was noticed that the required
materials needed for the project are not documented. Those that were documented
lacked storage facilities where they can be reached.

4
CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION

A literature review is a "comprehensive study and interpretation of literature that


addresses a specific topic" (Aveyard, 2010). This chapter presents various sources of
evidence from other researchers.

This Chapter covers the overview of the types on inventory kept, inventory control
techniques, cost of keeping inventory and impact of inventory management on
organizational operations as well as significance for holding inventory in organizations.

Electronic commerce (E-commerce).


Electronic commerce applications support the interactions between different parties
participating in commerce transactions via the network, as well as the management of the
data involved in the process (Diwakar, 2000). The increasing importance of e-commerce
is apparently in the study conducted by researchers at the GVU (Graphics, Visualization,
and Usability) Centre. In their summary of the findings from the eighth survey, the
researchers report that “e-commerce is taking off both in terms of the number of users
shopping as well as the total amount people are spending via Internet based transactions”
(Diwakar, 2000). Over three quarters of the 10,000 respondents report having purchased
items online. The most cited reason for using the web for personal shopping was
convenience (65%), followed by availability of vendor information (60%), no pressure
from sales person (55%) and saving time (53%). Although the issue of security remains
the primary reason why more people do not purchase items online, the GVU survey also
indicates that faith in the security of ecommerce is increasing. As more people gain
confidence in current encryption technologies, more and more users can be expected to
frequently purchase items online (Wiley et al, 1997).

A good e-commerce site should present the following factors to the customers for better
usability (Wiley et al, 1997):

1. Knowing when an item was saved or not saved in the shopping cart.
2. Returning to different parts of the site after adding an item to the shopping
cart.
3. Easy scanning and selecting items in a list.
4. Effective categorical organization of products.

5
5. Simple navigation from home page to information and order links for
specific products.
6. Obvious shopping links or buttons.
7. Minimal and effective security notifications or messages.
8. Consistent layout of product information.

Another factor in the design of an e-commerce site is feedback (kubilus, 2000). The
interactive cycle between a user and the website is not complete until the website
responds to a command entered by the users.

According to (Norman, 1994), "feedback sending back to the user information about what
action has actually been done, what result has been accomplished is a well-known
concept in the science of control and information theory. Imagine trying to talk to
someone when you cannot even hear your own voice, or trying to draw a picture with a
pencil that leaves no mark: there would be no feedback". Web site feedback often
consists of a change in the visual or verbal information presented to the user. Simple
examples include highlighting a selection made by the user or filling a field on a form-
based on a user's selection from a pull down list. Another example is using the sound of a
cash register to confirm that a product has been added to an electronic shopping cart.
Completed orders should be acknowledged quickly. This may be done with an
acknowledgment or fulfillment page. The amount of time it takes to generate and
download this page, however, is a source of irritation for many e-commerce users. Users
are quick to attribute meaning to events. A blank page, or what a user perceives to be "a
long time" to receive an acknowledgment, may be interpreted as "there must be
something wrong with the order." If generating an acknowledgment may take longer than
what may be reasonably expected by the user, then the design should include
intermediate feedback to the user indicating the progress being made toward 8
acknowledgment or fulfillment (Norman, 1994). Finally, feedback should not distract the
user. Actions and reactions made by the web site should be meaningful. Feedback should
not draw the user's attention away from the important tasks of gathering information,
selecting products, and placing orders.

Automated inventory control systems software.


This is a computer based system for tracking product levels, orders, sales and deliveries. .
It can also be used in the manufacturing industry to create a work order, bill of materials
and other production related documents. Companies use inventory management software
to avoid product overstock and outages and also, as a tool for organizing inventory data
that was generally stored in hardcopy form (Bolton, 2001).

6
According to Bolton (2001), the software is made up of components working together to
create a cohesive inventory control system which include:

1. Asset tracking: This involves tracking products via its barcodes and other
tracking criteria such as serial number when they are in a warehouse or
store.
2. Order management: Once products reach a certain low level, a company’s
inventory control system can be programmed to tell managers to reorder
that product. This helps companies to avoid running out of products or
tying up too much capital in inventory.
3. Service management: Companies that are primarily service oriented rather
than product oriented can use this software to track the cost of the materials
they use to provide services. This way, they can attach prices to their
services that reflect the total cost of performing them.
4. Automated inventory control systems are efficient, effective and have
helped to improve the manufacturing industry thereby providing more
security to warehouses while improving customer service.

Car sales management and inventory systems.


According to Wikipedia, a car sale management or dealership management system
(DMS) is a bundled management information system created specifically for automotive
industry car dealerships or large equipment manufacturers, such as Caterpillar Inc. These
systems often contain software that caters to the needs of the finance, sales, parts, and
inventory and administration components of running the dealership. One of their
functions can be automating tax returns. A typical DMS installation includes a central
server which stores all data, allowing multi-user access for as many as 50 or more client
computers. Some installations may include thin clients.

Types of management and inventory control systems.


Properly managing inventory requires a system of some sort. It does not matter if the
system consists of writing inventory levels on the back of an envelope or using the most
sophisticated radio frequency identification system. As the old saying goes, “there are
many ways to skin a cat”, the different types of inventory control systems all have pros
and cons. choosing the right one boils down to which system holds the most value for the
company (Rubin, 2007).

7
Basically, there are types of inventory control systems:

1. Manual inventory management system.


2. Barcode technology.

Manual inventory management system.


According to (Lysons, 2001), many small business owners, especially if the business has
very few products, keep track of inventory manually using a spread sheet. Spread sheets
are set up to calculate when products need to be reordered. At the start of each week, the
owner manually counts products and materials that are on hand and enters the values in
the spread sheet and also enters expected usage based on existing orders. Using the
appropriate spread sheet formulas, the owner can determine if he has enough materials
for the week or if purchases should be made. Manual systems allow the small business
owner to manage inventory with very little investment in systems or training.

Barcode technology.
Barcodes consist of series of parallel vertical lines, or bars, used to assign a unique
identification code to an item. The major use of barcode identification system is to track
inventory automatically. A barcode combines several sequences to create a unique set of
numbers or characters that identifies the item (Encarta, 2009). All major retailers use
barcode technology as part of an overall inventory control system because it increases the
accuracy and efficiency of managing inventory. When a barcode is read at the point of
sale, inventory sales data is immediately read and sent to a broader system that maintains
usage statistics. Barcodes manage inventory at the warehouse level as it facilitates
movement of inventory within the confines of the warehouse. (Kenneth, 2002).

There are also various inventory control techniques and these include;

According to (Joseph L, 2014), he gave and explained the various inventory control
techniques used in a business.

Just-In-Time (JIT) Inventory Management Technique.

As the name implies, JIT is a model that attempts to fill up inventory for organizations
just when the inventory is required. It will be the preferred method for very expensive
inventory items, that is, items with relatively higher purchase price, holding costs or
ordering cost, but low levels of demand. The model attempts to avoid excess inventory

8
and its associated costs. As a result, organizations receive inventory only when the need
for more stock is approaching. For JIT approach to succeed, a crucial requirement is to
ensure timely delivery by the vendor. This is to avoid expensive and irreparable business
downtimes occasioned by any delay in inventory delivery, a major operational
management issue among many manufacturers (Takim, 2014). Just-in-time, as an
evolving area in scheduling, aims to improve return on investment by reducing in process
inventory and associated carrying costs. As a production scheduling strategy, JIT is
indicated in single and parallel machines environments while it is beginning to be
considered in the flow shop machine environment (Adamu et al, 2014).

Bulk purchasing
This is an age-old approach to managing inventories, the method relies on the principle
that if you purchase goods in bulk, you are able to procure them in much lower costs. The
method can only be employed if management is sure that the item in question is a fast
moving group of inventory management technique which can result in significant
savings. However, the flipside is that bulk purchasing could take much time, compared to
smaller lots that need less storage space and manufacturing / delivery time. More than50
percent of the current assets of a manufacturing enterprises and inventories usually form
a sizable portion of most organizations’ assets/ working capital. (Ranganathan, 2014).

Out-sourcing Inventory personnel.


Some organizations hire external inventory consultants to develop and manage internal
inventory systems. Such inventory management specialists are responsible for
maintaining accuracy, cycle counting, shipping, receiving and managing order-picking
operations. Dedicated inventory specialists can be partnered with to manage all inventory
items that are on hand and in transit. They can also perform adjustments, manage returns,
validate delivery and implement inventory reporting strategies. (Takim, 2014).

Lead-Time Analysis.
Another very helpful way to managing inventory is to establish lead-time reports to
understand how long it takes to fill-up your inventory. Lead time is the amount of time it
takes to re-order inventory. Suppliers are notorious for late delivery of inventories, such
vendors ought to be sanctioned or delisted for optimal inventory management and overall
cost-effectiveness. (Kothari, 2014).

Significance of holding an inventory in an organization.

Holding Inventory avoids loss of sales.


In case a firm maintains adequate inventory, it can execute the customers’ orders without
any delay and thus avoid any possibility of losing the patronage of customers and hence
sales.

9
Holding Inventory gains quantity discount.
If the firm places a large order of certain materials, the suppliers of the materials will give
generous quantity discounts by reducing the price. This quantity discount will reduce the
cost of goods of the firm and increase profits earned on sale.

Holding Inventory reduces order cost.


By ordering in large numbers, a firm can reduce the cost it incurs. Some of the cost
involved when making an order is forms that must be completed, approvals needed to be
obtained and the goods arrived must be accepted, inspected and counted. Then an invoice
must be issued and payment must be made.

The cost of receiving materials may vary according to the number of orders made. By
making bulk orders, the number of orders will reduce and minimize the cost involved.

Achieve efficient production runs by holding inventory.


Startup cost is incurred when a firm sets up its labour/man power and machines to
produce goods. The cost will then be absorbed when production begins. The cost will
come down when the process of production runs longer.

When the firm frequently sets up its production line, it will increase its startup cost.
Holding an inventory to make sure the production line will never run out of raw materials
will ensure longer run in production line, hence lower the startup cost.

Holding Inventory reduces risk of production shortages.


An inventory is needed to store large amount of raw materials and unprocessed
components. If one single component run out of stock, the-entire production line could be
halted.

To avoid the risk of shortage of essential components during a big production process,
the firm should maintain inventory management. This will prevent the shortage of vital
raw materials and components needed to produce goods. The system will manage and
notify any shortage before it is materialized.

The inventory management systems are suitable to maintaining large quantities of stocks
and always keep firm’s inventory on check.

10
Definition of basic concepts.
1. Automation: This is the use of technology or computers to control and process
data reducing the need for human intervention.
2. Software: A computer program or set of instructions that direct a computer to
perform a processing functions.
3. Information System: A collection of procedures, people, instruction and
equipment to produce information in a useful form.
4. Processing: This is dealing with something according to an established
procedure.
5. Database: This refers to a large store of related data on a computer that a user
can access and modify.
6. Password: This is a secret code that must be entered into a computer to enable
access to its applications. It is made up of numbers, letters, special characters
or a combination of any of the above categories.
7. Inventory Control System: A list of orders to be filled, and prompts workers to
pick the necessary items and provides them with packaging and shipping
information.
8. Computerization: This is the conversion of a manually operated system to a
controlled, organized and automated system.
9. Research: A careful study of a subject to discover facts, establish a theory or
develop a plan of action based on the facts discovered.
10. System: A set of computer components functioning together.
11. Technology: The study of techniques of mobilizing resources such as
information for accomplishing objectives that benefit man and his
environment.

11
CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, it focused on the research methodologies that the researcher used. It also
showed the research design, population of the study, sample size and sampling strategies,
data collection methods and tools used.

Research approaches
The researcher intended to use qualitative research approach because it encouraged deep
analysis of the data. (Denzin, 2000). According to Lincoln (2000), he defined qualitative
research as a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. It consists of a set of
interpretive, material practices that make the world visible They turn the world into a
series of representations, including field notes, interviews, conversations, photographs,
recordings, and memos. This means that qualitative researcher’s studies things in their
natural settings, attempting to make sense of or to interpret, phenomena in terms of the
meanings people bring to them. (Bryman and Bell, 2011).

Research design
The research design is the overall strategy that is adopted in the research study so as to
integrate the different parts of the study to ensure the objectives of the study are attained
(Lincoln, 2000). The research design that was considered aimed at obtaining additional
information or insights into a phenomenon that had been studied in the past.

Study population.
The population study was obtained from employees at TRUST MOTORS LTD in charge
of car sales and the customers who were purchasing cars. It consisted of 100 respondents’
altogether. With this study population, the researcher was able to get the necessary
information that he used during the collection of the requirements of the system.

Sampling strategy.
The sampling strategy used was stratified sampling so as to ensure that every employee
and customer had an equal chance of being selected to be a member of the sample. The
12
targeted sample size was grouped according to their distinct categories like; managers,
employees and customers.

Table 1

POPULATIO SAMPLE SAMPLE SAMPLING PERCENTAGE


N POPULATION SIZE STRATEGY
CAR 20 8 STRATIFIED 85%
DEALERS
EMPLOYEES 40 20 RANDOM 80%
CUSTOMERS 40 10 STRATIFIED 95%
TOTAL 100 38 9O%

Data collection methods and instruments.


The researcher used the primary research as his data collection method. It was called for,
because the researcher preferred the gathering and recording data from firsthand
information rather than using secondary data. For this study, data was generated from
observation and extensive interviewing.

Observation check list


The researcher used this instrument because it gave ample time to carry out observation
with limited interferes or interrupts with the Trust Motor’s management in their daily
routine and other activities.

Extensive interview guide.


This was another instrument which is best used in sampling technique to the researcher
and the selection of some respondents, interviewing was targeted. This was basically to
the customers. This aided in portraying conclusion positively.

13
Ethical considerations in data collection procedure
The researcher inquired permission through an introductory letter from the Dean Faculty
of Information Technology that was presented to the Human Resource Manager of Trust
Motors. After permission was granted, then the researcher was introduced to the staff of
Trust Motors. They assisted in the efficient choice of the respondents. Then the
researcher interviewed the respondents and to avoid losing data, the researcher kept on
noting down the relevant points made by the respondents during the interview.

Data analysis
The data collected from the field was analyzed using deep study and understanding of
study problem hence the researcher needed to edit the documented requirements.

System design approaches and tools


The researcher used the designs like context diagrams, data flow diagrams and entity
relationships to illustrate how the system was used to input, process and output data and
information.

Context Diagram
Context diagram is a diagram that defines the boundary between the system, or part of a
system and its environment, showing the entities that interact with it. The researcher used
the context diagram to show one process node that generalized the function of the entire
proposed system in relationship to external entities.

Data Flow Diagram (DFD)


A data flow diagram is a graphical representation of the flow of data through an
information system, modeling its process aspects. A DFD was used as a preliminary step
to create an overview of the system, which can be later elaborated. DFDs will also be
used for the visualization of the data processing (structured design). The researcher used

14
a DFD to show what kind of information was inputted to and outputted from the system,
where the data will come from and go to and where the data will be stored.

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)


Entity Relationship Diagram is a database design tool that provides graphical
representation of database tables and the columns in the relationships between the tables.
The researcher first identified data requirements for the proposed new system, entities,
relationships and key attributes, so as to normalize the data, resolve the relationships
among the entities and verify the design.

Software tools and languages


The languages included;

Hypertext markup language (HTML)


This is written in the form of HTML elements consisting of tags enclosed in angle
brackets. Hypertext is text displayed on a computer or other electronic devices with
references (hyperlinks) to other text which the reader can immediately access, or where
text can be revealed progressively at multiple levels of detail (also called stretch text).
The hypertext pages are interconnected by hyperlinks, typically activated by a mouse
click, key-press sequence or by touching the screen. Apart from text, hypertext is
sometimes used to describe tables, images and other presentational content forms with
hyperlinks.

JavaScript
JavaScript (JS) is a dynamic computer programming language. It is most commonly used
as part of web browsers, whose implementations allow client-side scripts to interact with
the user, control the browser, communicate asynchronously, and alter the document
content that is displayed. It is also being used in server-side network programming, game
development and the creation of desktop and mobile applications.

15
Cascading style sheet (CSS)
This is a style sheet language used for describing the look and formatting of a document
written in a markup language. CSS is designed primarily to enable the separation of
document content from document presentation, including elements such as the layout,
colors, and fonts. This separation can improve content accessibility, provide more
flexibility and control in the specification of presentation characteristics, enable multiple
pages to share formatting, and reduce complexity and repetition in the structural content.

Hardware tools.
1. HP laptop with 500 Gigabyte (GB) and hard drive of 8.00GB.
2. Random Access Memory (RAM) and 2.40 Gigahertz (GHz) 64-bits processor
speed.
3. Core i5 Intel processor and a server machine having 500GB.
4. Ethernet card with an internet and internet zone.

CONCLUSION
Generally, the finding of this study implies that enhanced competitive advantage and
increased business performance could have improved the levels of sales and inventory
management practice. The increased competitiveness of a firm may enable a firm to
implement higher level of sales and inventory management practice due to the need to
outperform its competitors constantly and keep its competitive position. On the other
hand, enhanced business performance provides a firm increased capital to implement
various scientific inventory management techniques. To this end, this study provides
empirical evidence to support the literature regarding the impact of inventory
management practices.

16
REFERENCES
Bolton, D.J. (2001). Applying Automated Inventory Control Systems in Manufacturing
Industries. London: D.P Publications Ltd.

Donald B (2003). UML basics: An Introduction to the Unified Modelling Language.


IBM Global Services Retrieved 2015-06-26
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Diwakar, H., Marathe, M. (2000). The Architecture of a One-stop Web-window shop.


December, ACM SIGecom Exchanges, Volume 2 Issue 1.

Hamlet, J. (2006). Cultivating Alliances with Customers. International Journal of


Organizational Management, New York. Vol. 7. Issue 3, pp. 255-287.

Kubilus, N. J. (2000). Designing an e-commerce Site for users. September 2000,


Crossroads, Volume 7 Issue 1.

Kenneth. D.C. (2002). Contemporary Inventory Management Systems. New York:


McGraw Go Spot.

Lysons, M.C. (2001). Systematic Planning for Change. Palo Alto, California: Mayfield
Publishing Company.

Rubin, K. (2007). Computer Applications for Inventory Control Systems. Boston:


McGraw Hill.

Norman, D.A. (1994). The Design of Everyday Things. Doubleday, New York.

Sande, O.F. (2003). Automated Warehouse Management Systems. Journal of


Information Technology, Massachusetts. Vol. 2, pp. 35-43. 37

Swapna K. (2007), The Design And Implementation Of An E-Commerce Site For


Online Book Sales. Master of Science Thesis, Department of Computer and Information
Sciences Indiana University South Bend.

Aveyard, H. (2010). Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical


guide (2nd ed.). Berkshire, Great Britain: Open University Press.

BRYMAN, A. and BELL, E. (2011) Business Research Methods. 3rd ed. Oxford et al.:
Oxford University Press.

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DENZIN, N. K. and LINCOLN, Y. S. (2000) Introduction: The discipline and practice of
qualitative research. In DENZIN, N. K. and LINCOLN, Y. S. (eds.) Handbook of
qualitative research. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage, pp. 1─28.

Dobler & Burt (2000) production and inventory control hand book,3rd edition Pitman
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School Press,

Gerald Hobson (2003), Beyond Partnership: Strategies for Innovation and Lean Supply, 1
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Pitman, London.

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Morrison & Jessop (2000), inventory management, 2 nd edition Irwin

Saxena. (2003), "Inventory control: models and problems", European Journal of


Operational Research, Vol. 14 pp. 1-12.

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McGrawHill/Irwin.

18
APPENDICES

INTERVIEW GUIDE QUESTIONS.

Dear Sir/Madam, I am Kato Mbalire Martine 17DIT034 a student at university of kisubi


located along, Kampala, Entebbe road. I am working on my final project. My topic is “A
WEB-BASED CAR SALES AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” a case
study of TRUST MOTORS.

Your responses are very important towards my research work.

1. How long have you been at Trust Motors?

2. What are the existing systems used for car sales inventory and management
system?

3. How do you keep records at Trust Motors?

4. Do you find that system effective?

5. What challenges do you face using the current system?

THANK YOU

19
APPENDICIES 2

BUDGET
The following is the proposed budget for the researcher’s project.

Activity Item Description Quantity Unit Cost Total


amount
Proposal Photocopyin Booklets 4 copies 7000 28000
g
Transport 50000 50000
Binding Booklets 4 copies 2500 10000
Airtime Airtel 50000 50000
System Personal 1 1500000 1500000
Deployment computer
Total 1,638,000

20

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