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Nowadays, we are in a highly dynamic and competitive business

Looking into the business processes implementation of Tesco one of the leading food retail companies in the UK which has gone from strength to strength in the food retail and established it is presence in Europe, US and Asia and analyse Enterprise Resource Planning implementation in one of the leading food retailers operating in 14 countries around the world and how these operations are run and analyse the challenges faced and lessons learnt.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES:

1. Identify five critical business processes

2. Plot the process map of the organization

3. Analyze the type of BPR implementation in the company

4. Analyze the ERP implementation in the company and the challenges

5. Business benefits and learnings

Company Background

We have selected to study the food retail giant Tesco PLC the largest food retailer in the UK employing over 470,000 people with revenue of over £54 billion in 2009. There are about 4,331 Tesco stores in fourteen countries worldwide. This famous food retailer was founded in 1919 and in 1929 opened its first ever food retail store in Edgware, London. It has rapidly evolved over the years and has established itself a prominent position among the food retails giants in UK. Tesco’s Core Business is based in the UK and has operations mainly in USA, Europe and Asia.

Fig 1: Tesco Operations around the world

With its expansion to other countries Tesco had to standardize the IT systems and business processes to sustain the overseas business which has facilitated a unique and homogenized way of working in 3,263 stores in all 14 countries.This project involved standardising the business processes and IT systems used to dealing with customers and day to day running of stores, financial and in-store systems warehousing, payroll and distribution systems. This execution of business process was initiated a couple of years after Tesco-in-a-Box system to even out an enterprise resource planning system Oracle in each region of business operation.

Tesco carries out and provides services via online retail websites tesco.com and Tesco Direct and offers financial services through Tesco Personal Finance and broadband internet connections services.

Fig 2: UK Food Retailers by Market share

Tesco products fall under the category of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and (Non-FMCG) or durable consumer goods.

Sourcing and Procurement

TIS Tesco International Sourcing Hong Kong does the procurement, commercial design, management, quality control, production and deals with all the 50,000 product lines customs documents. The operation is of a phenomenal scale. This station deals with 800 suppliers in more than 1200 factories.

International Sourcing manages the end-to-end procurement process

TIS Tesco International Sourcing Hong Kong does the procurement, commercial design, management, quality control, production and deals with all the 50,000 product lines customs documents. The operation is of a phenomenal scale. This station deals with 800 suppliers in more than 1200 factories.

Hong Kong-based global supply and sourcing operations was founded in 1970.It supplies 12 countries, supplies 60% of UK clothing, durable goods 41% UK, 44 countries from 50,000 sku, 58 seaports, 72.000 containers, 533 employees and No. 1 retailer in the UK buying office

Six new regional purchasing offices will be soon opened by Tesco to boost local sourcing from close by supplier and farmers.

Tesco procurement includes the following processes for acquiring goods:

Procurement planning: identifying and determining which product or products need to be acquired, the quantity, quality and Product description

Searching Suppliers: Having identified the products and product specifications, the search for suppliers and sources begins

Tendering: Receiving quotes, offers, and negotiation with potential suppliers begins

Supplier Selection: the bids, offers and proposal are assessed in order to choose the right one

Formal Agreement: making certain that supplier will meet the expected requirements of the business and terms and conditions

Signing the Contract: formal legally binding agreement is signed based on the mutually agreed business terms

Purchasing Non-Food: Costs and Logistics

Centralized procurement system is used by Tesco in its growing business. The procurement system is Oracle retail that supports Tesco’s centralized buying of non-food items in bulk and the centralized purchasing system facilitates order generation through which supply chain and procurement are controlled centrally.

Buying Power: bulk buying discounts; critical mass drives down costs.

Direct Sourcing: (65% UK clothing) eliminates intermediary agent mark-up: captures greater percentage of gross margins.

International Purchasing: low cost factors of textile production (labour, materials) in Asia (India, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia).

Distribution: Initially utilized existing purchasing and distribution channels. Subsequent development of efficient dedicated N-F infrastructure: warehouses, logistics and specialized management systems.

Inventory control

All products of Tesco PLC have different shelf life and one of the key performance indicators accepted by Tesco PLC is the right products at the right time in the right condition Indexes of the products delivered by them to the consumer. Inventory control allows Tesco PLC to achieve low inventory levels thereby reducing costs and achieve greater value index. Inventory control however, does not aim to specifically reduce inventory, a sufficient inventory levels must be maintained to have a service level at the Depot of 95% RAD. It also helps to reduce distribution runs thereby saving transportation and logistics costs.

Human Resource and Finance

Human resources management is a pivotal element of any successful business company; the information received through this area should be continuously monitored and correct evaluation for professional development and social protection of workers. Nonetheless, owing to the fact that large amount of information which is processed in this area, the job gets harder day by day. ERP is depicted as a useful tool to assist and guide users to focus their work in direct relationship with staff, and to relate personal skills and aspirations of staff related to the company’s goals and objectives.

The crucial application and system of cash management helps manage your account which includes credit cards, banks and saving institutions and all these required functions are simply based in one place. The cash management applications offer making deposits, printing checks, cost of funds transfer and reconciliation of cash accounts facilities to accounting staff.

Logistics and Distribution

Logistics management deals with the activities related to the physical flow of goods and products, raw materials and the obtaining of materials from sales to the customers which include distribution of products and goods, storage and production. Logistics environment integration is achieved by bringing together all and every activity constituting it.

Tesco distribution centres are responsible for ensuring that the goods are delivered to the stores on time. Tesco has primary and secondary distribution areas. Primary distribution has the duty of delivering the products and goods from suppliers to the Tesco depots. Secondary distribution has the job of getting products and goods from depots to Tesco stores. The team and channel of distribution is very important for Tesco operations who should try to make operations simple, cheaper and better and Tesco stores should get the right products at the right time in the right condition. Distributions are also fundamental in strategic decision making around opening new depots, and supporting the operators throughout the whole process from business case concept, through to build and opening.

Level 1 business processes

Tesco Retail Buying

CENTRAL HEAD OFFICE

Marketing

Logistics

Human

Resource

Management

International

Operations

Non-Store

Operations

Property

Finance

Buying

& M

Stores

Suppliers

Distribution

Centre

International

= Flow of products

= Flow of information

Stores

Customers

Level 2 Business Processes

Phase one of RPM Process:

Understanding the needs of retail Customer

Realization of requirements of new product

Existing customers’ requirements tracking

Available Information sources:

Information obtained from internal sales data

Information from consumer publications and suppliers

Market research and Competitor analysis

Phase two of RPM process:

Requirements and design of product to satisfy customer needs

Turning the realised need into product opportunity

Mixing a few attributes to benefits customer

Prescribed specifications of product qualities

Phase three of RPM process

Look out for a suitable Supplier

Look and find a supplier that can provide, make and deliver the right product

Evaluate and assess suppliers for suitability on the basis of value such as product quality, short lead time and price

RPM PROCESS STAGES 4 and 5:

Award the contract or Spell out order

Stage 4: Place Order

Detailed quantity such as packaging, size, variety,

How, where and when the goods to delivered

Stage 5: Assess the performance of

Product for example, the sales and profits of product etc

Assess supplier for on time and accurate delivery

Including qualitative measures such as customer feedback

Planning

Logistics

Warehouse capacity

Location planning

Scheduling

Dispatching

Provision of Human Resource Support

Developing Human Resources information and facilities

Making sure that the site is safe

Supervision and management of Team Relations

Administering and Planning benefits and compensation

Provision of Financial Support

Complete the Receivable Accounts

Complete the Payable Accounts

Give Financial Accounting and Controlling Support

Perform Budgeting and Planning

Capital Assets Planning

Complete Cash Management

Supervising and managing External Relations

Type of BPR implementation

Customer, competition and change are the three driving forces behind the ever-changing business world. Hence, companies are constantly seeking novel solutions for the problems in their businesses as of late, some established business and corporations have turned to the great solution of business process reengineering. Reengineering is critical and fundamental redesign of business processes in order to radically improve vital business measures such as speed, quality, cost, service and overall performance. BPR is not about small scale changes it is rather about radical rethinking and innovation, so BPR is not for companies desiring a 10% improvement, but for corporations and companies that expect and desire 1o fold improvement and increase.

Business processes reengineering aims at the business processes and endeavours to radically redesign the strategic processes of added value which lies at the heart of business. When a company rethink what processes need to carried out in what way, then it decides up on how best that can be achieved. Reengineering targets the business processes of an organization such as the procedures and steps and resources used to make products and customer services rules which are applied to meet particular customers’ needs and demands. Analysis, identification, and redesign of an organization’s core business processes are done by reengineering in order to obtain big improvements such as speed, quality, cost, service and overall business performance.

The main motive behind BPR is the continuous implementation and development of advanced networks and information systems. Big companies are using more and more forms of technology to back up novel processes of business instead of sticking to their normal ways of carrying out work. BPR is one way of redesigning how an organization’s work should be done in order to back up the organizations reduce costs and mission.

BPR is not just a centralized storage system. It helps organizations pave the way for the automation of business processes based on the rules pre-defined. Business processes automation saves time, reduces costs and manual process handling time. Processes automation help eliminate human errors related to date entry for example in Excel and most manual work.

ERP IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY

To meet the challenges of the modern business demands and run its business economically and efficiently Tesco PLC implemented the ERP in five fundamental stages:

Phase 1: The Planning Phase

Tesco established the necessary information and need for the implementation of ERP systems and successful implementation and redesign phases and laid the ground work.

Phase 2: The Redesign Phase

During the redesign stage training was given to the BPR team was trained and followed by the method of transforming the chosen processes and applying the solutions which were recommended

Phase 3: The Implementation Phase

Implementation phase turned the recommendations by the team to reality by realizing the redesign goals which involved planning for, prioritizing and implementing project to realize the redesign

Phase 4: The Finalization Phase

Finalized training program, end-user training, readiness assessment, production system prep, finalize cutover plan, communicate cutover plan, Inform external partners as necessary

Phase5: Production master data conversion, Execute cutover plan, Monitor process & system usage, On-site support, Issue resolution, Communicate on-going support process

Tesco applied a gradual plan to implement ERP systems by adopting the step by step approach in the organization. The well-planned methodology resulted in low cost of integration in the state of careful and meticulous implementation. The chosen approach of implementation of ERP added hugely successful rate of implementing ERP.

ERP systems fundamentally play the same role in the vast range of Tesco’s products. These ERP systems offer functionality to company’ internal all complex economic processing matters and providing realistic and up-to-date and accurate picture of the economic management of the company. On the basis of an intricate and current approach for managing the flow of information in the enterprise, today ERP systems are modular, open and controlled by parameters to be easily customized to the needs of the customer.

One of the ERP systems keeping the latest development and functionality standards is ORASHEI – a large system supporting company internal economic management in complexity. The system allows for keeping tally of and processing all economic agendas as management of assets, material supplies, invoicing, tax documents, business trips, buildings and facilities, and financial flows. ORASHEI facilitates operative management of organizational units, planning, budgeting and evaluating economic data, especially in relation to MIS.

ERP implementation benefits to Tesco

The implementation of ERP in Tesco since it is first days has been nothing but a story of success giving the business full edge of service quality, efficiency, customer satisfaction and value for money products and massive savings across all business functional areas some of which are as follows:

Productivity boost through using a common and homogenized sales applications and finance and human resources systems in all operations worldwide

The applications and systems are centrally managed from the Bangalore IT service centre instead of each business in every country having separate applications

The entire network is using uniformly Oracle financials both in core business and in global operations and finance applications and processes are centralized and consolidated globally across the Tesco group

All systems and applications including Oracle financial which is used for e-invoicing and HR software PeopleSoft and measuring budgeting targets application Terradata are centralized

Isotrak is a great hosted service which provides real time vehicle tracking and precise high service levels world class data centres

Providing all the 26 UK distribution centres of Tesco a single transport fleet and transport management perspective

Improving driver security through the provision of a key fob panic alarm that operates in or out of the vehicle, plus the ability, through vehicle tracking, to guide a swift security response

Tesco distribution system has improved quantity of products dispatched per litre of fuel used by 8 percent by using Isotrak systems, outperforming its target of a 2.5 percent increase which amounts to saving over 54,000 deliveries per annum.

A common platform of technology and business processes and technology together with a standardized business processes contributes to the Tesco group to be competitive and also maintain the overseas expansion and using purchasing centralised systems and processes makes the other country productive too.

Supply chain efficiency has improved with Ortec’s cutting edge supply chain optimization software, there is on going improvement and making certain the supply chain works effectively and efficiently, the operations cots are cut down

Learning and recommendations from Tesco Implementation

Even though the implementation is top driven, it is vital to clearly communicate the need and benefits of the implementation with the employees so that they understand the worth and need and give their support

It is extremely important to generate energy within the team members and creating ownership in the organization. It is important to have a top-driven implementation especially for a company that is focusing on a growth of 20-30%.

It really important to gauge and decide whether to buy ERP or develop customized systems within organization and set time frame for the implementation.

There has to be clear setting up of accountability and ownership in the implementation stage and a special team has to be set up for regular monitoring and control

Starting the integration with the finance module has been a time tested and proven implementation strategy that works almost every time

Proper training has to be given to the employees during the implementation stage and monitoring has to take place to make sure the implementation has given desired results and that the user acceptance is ensured because of the ease of access and simplicity of the process

Decide on the right implementation method of the systems to avoid failure assessing the needs and requirements and business demand and size. Trial runs are very important.

There has to be a proper reporting and documentation system in any organization. This can be achieved by the implementation of ERP because it automates the reporting and documentation is available in electronic media.

It is important to know the total cost of ownership and identify if the implementation will produce results. ERP most of all gives a transparency in a system that facilitates overall growth and empowers the people and motivates them as they know what’s happening in the organization

Conclusion

ERP Implementation and IT system introduction and innovation have been a steady on going process at Tesco and always lies at the heart of business processes improvement and has been a story of success and achievement whether it is been partially Tesco developed system or collaboration. ERP/BRP and IT have not only contributed to core business growth, automation and efficiency of processes in business functional areas but also saving time, money, improving quality, safety and global growth and expansion and brand name in Tesco’s leadership drive.

 

globe. Hencea key person or top management of any organization tries to earn a larger share of the existing market. In such an environment, Information Technology (referred to henceforth as IT) and Information Systems (referred to henceforth as IS) would sharpen the business process and smooth the functions of the day-to-day operations. Although there are number of software or ISs are available in an organization, Human Resources Information System (referred to henceforth as HRIS) is the only system which takes care of human capital of the organization. Therefore, it is very important to have an effective and efficient HRIS and it should be maintained properly. Especially, infrastructure of the telecommunication organizations should be consisted with innovative technologies to cater quality service through their satisfied staff. Human Resources (referred to henceforth as HR) Department should pay more attention to achieve the desires of internal customers such as employees, middle managers and senior managers.

According to the pilot survey, nearly all the employees in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC are using HIRS which has been implemented island wide. Existing users are facinga lot of system issues such as outdated, incorrect, inconsistent data, less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and most importantly poor contribution in making decisions. Theseissues mightheavily affectthe company’s HR functions.

The main objectives of this study are to assess the effectiveness of existing HRIS implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and identify its implications, advantages of introducing Online Performance Appraisal System (referred to henceforth as OPAS) to support the Strategic Human Resource Management (referred to henceforth as SHRM) in same organization context. To achieve the above objectives, the researcher has to address different aspects and various categories of employees and all managerial and technical difficulties in using the system, user trainings, inaccuracy of data, and use of web base sub sets of HRIS, etc.

Conceptual Background

Main focus of this section is to describe the main concepts which would be used in the entire research study.

What isHuman Resource Information Systems?

Tannenbaum(1990, p. 27) defines that ‘Human Resource Information System is the system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze, retrieve and distribute related information regarding an organization’s human resources’.Nowadays, HRIS functionality includes corporate communication, recruitment, selection, training, employee opinion survey, compensation, payroll services and employee verification as well as general information (Ngai&Wat 2006). Same time HRIS assists HR professionals to focus on human capital analysis, but simply having more information does not automatically lead to a better analysis (Roehling et al. 2005).

HRIS is an important tool for many businesses. Even the small office needs to realize the benefits of using HRIS to be more efficient. Normally,HR system should provide the capability to plan, control and manage HR costs more effectively; achieve improved efficiency and quality in HR decision making; and improve employee and managerial productivity and effectiveness. They also provide centralized location for company policies, announcements, and links to external URL’s, reliable communication processes and save paper by providing an easy-access.

There are two types of IS for HR Professional. The software available as web-based and desktop based.

More popular some HRIS modules are:

Recruitment

Attendance and Leave

Organization charts

Employee self-service (Employees can update personal information and view benefits selections, absence transactions and payroll information)

Automatic alerts

Benefits Administration (Save paper and postage, take weeks off the benefits open enrollment period, reduce administration time, and improve data accuracy)

Training and developments

What is Human Resources management?

Human Resources management is the process of managing human capital in organizations in a systematic and structured manner. This covers the job analyses, planning, recruiting the right people for the job in right time, managing wages and salaries, providing benefits and incentives, training and development, performance evaluation, resolving disputes, and communicating with all employees within the organization.

What is the Performance Appraisal System?

The Performance Appraisal System (referred to henceforth as PAS) is a software program which provides the facility to evaluate an individual employee’s performance and productivity link with objectives of the organization and pre-defined criteria in systematic way. Generally, performance appraisal interview is conducted once a year. Some companies have implemented mid-year review to monitor the progress of achieving individual targets. In the process of PA interviewing supervisor provides feed back to the employees, recommend trainings, and discuss compensation, disciplinary decisions, or job status. Performance management systems would align and manage organization’s resources in order to achieve corporate goals through highest possible performance.

What is the Strategic Human Resource Management?

The strategic human resource management is relationship of strategic goals and objectives of the organization, with human resources in order to increase productivity, flexibility, to develop organizational culture and competitive advantage. HSRM involves as a strategic SHRM partner to achieve corporate goals through human resources functions such as employee selection, recruitment, carrier development, benefit management, etc.

Main features of SHRM:

There is a precise relationship with overall organizational strategic goals and HR policies and practices.

HR management delegates much of their responsibilities down the line.

There are some organizing schemas linking individual HR interventions mutually supportive.

Contextual Background

This section covers the current context of the research study in brief.

A pilot survey was conducted to identify the contextual background of the Sri Lanka Telecom’s (referred to henceforth as SLT) HRIS and used a semi-structured interview guide line to interview six senior managers who are attached to the HR group and other user group who are involving implementation and currently using the HRIS. Through the pilot survey the researcher has identified the problems of the context. Furthermore, SLT Annual reports were referred to in order to identify their policies and practices and also Telecom Management Information System (hereinafter referred as TMIS) documents such as user guides, architecture, diagrams were referred.

At present,Sri Lanka Telecom is the leading Telecommunications Service Provider in Sri Lanka. For the first time SLT introduced a HRIS in year 2000 through a local company. It included very basic HR functions and facilitated simple operations. However in year 2005 the system was upgraded and currently using new version which has many automated HR processes keeping up-to- date employee records such as payroll, Attendance, personal information, training and development, benefit management, etc.

Chief Officer Human Resource (referred to henceforth as CHRO) of Sri Lanka Telecom stated that SLT had spent around 30 Million LKR for Telecom Management Information System to upgrade the entire HR system in 2005. Although, SLT is paying approximately 1.5 million LKR for the annual maintenance of HRIS there are some technical and managerial issues available. Most of the users who are using existing system face lot of -issues such as out dated, incorrect, inconsistent, information less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and especially poor contribution in decision making.

Human Recourse activities are very important for any organization to carry out their day to day business activities. As displaying in Figure 1.1, there are twenty sub modules are available in TMIS and it starts from employee recruitment to termination.HR processes include HR planning, exam& assessment information, recruitment, Employee Information Manager, transfers, promotions, payroll, bonus, training & development, attendance & leave, disciplinary, welfare & benefit management (e.g. loan, housing loan, medical reimbursement, circuit bungalow reservations, quarters allocation).

Module Overview of the Telecom Management Information System

C:UsersSLTUSERDesktopTMIS Diagrams.jpg

Figure 1.1.HRM Enterprise – Module Overview.Reprinted from TMISV2 System Architecture Document (p.11), by Hsenid Business Solutions,2005. Reprinted with permission.

Research Issue

Although, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC has been using the existing Human Resources Information System for the last decade, there is no sufficient improvement in human resource management and it does not support the strategic decision making. Furthermore, manual performance appraisal stem is not contributed to the strategic human resource management effectively and efficiently.

Purpose of the research

The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of existing Human Resource Information System implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom Public Listed Company (referred to henceforth as PLC)and to understand weather existing sub systems and web-based applications are supported to the strategic human resource management adequately. Especially HRIS should be contributed to the decision making in human resource management.

Outcome of this research would contribute to the body of knowledge by filling existing gap in strategic human resource management of HRIS at SLT studies by analyzing senior HR mangers, middle HR mangers and senior officers of other user groups who are engaged in human resources group as well as Human resources information system. This study would determine the advantages of online performance appraisal system further for strategic human resource management at Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.

Significance of the Study

All employees are using SLT HIRS in their day-to-day activities to fulfill various individual, operational and managerial requirements. Currently, SLT has implemented the HR system island wide (All groups, divisions in head office and regional offices). Most of the users who are using existing system face lot of issues such as out dated, incorrect, inconsistent data, less reliability and user-friendliness, low performance, insufficient user training and most importantly poor contribution in making decisions. which might affect the operations relating to the HR matters such as salary, overtime (OT) and Bata payments, maintaining employee master records, attendance, leave and benefit management (Issuing loan, medical reimbursement, etc..)etc.

Therefore, it is necessary to have an assessment of all subject modules in existing HRIS and identify the advantages of automating the performance appraisal system (referred to henceforth as PAS). We have to gather ideas from different aspects, and various categories of employees including senior managers. All managerial and technical difficulties in using HRIS, training requirements, inaccuracy of data, barriers to maintain up to date records, use of web base sub system, etc., need to be addressed.

It is also necessary to assess existing HRIS and its relevance to the strategic human resource management in line with the organizational HR goals.

Objectives and Research Questions

Table 1.1

Objectives and Research Questions of the Study.

Objectives

Research Questions

To identify the features of HRIS

What is HRIS?

What are the features of HRIS at SLT?

To evaluate the existing HRIS for Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM)

How existing system is supported to strategic human resource management?

How web-based applications are useful to strategic human resource management at SLT?

To identify the advantages of Online Performance Appraisal System (OPAS) for Strategic Human Resources Management(SHRM) at SLT

What is performance appraisal system?

What are the advantages of online performance appraisal system for strategic human resource management at SLT?

Note. Researcher’s work

Research Method and Design

Research approach

The researcher uses deductive approach since general quantitative data would be moving to the particular situations of organizations.

Time horizon

Researcher gathered data one time interviewing from senior managers in a pilot survey and through e-mailing the research questionnaire to the sample group within the SLT. Therefore, time horizon is cross sectional.

Population, Sample & Sample Techniques

All employees in SLT have been considered as population.

Sampling process of the research is based on the stratified random sampling technique.

Data collection methods and procedures

1. Semi-structured interviews

Six interviews were conducted with senior managers in SLT based on semi-structured interview guide line.

2. Questionnaire

Research questionnaire was designed using the liker scale method and e-mailed to the sample group.

3. Journal articles and work papers

Journal articles and work papers were used to find out more information on previous research work relevant to HRIS, HRM, PAS and SHRM.

4. SLT annual reports and TMIS documents

Annual reports and TMIS documents were referred.

Internet / web sites

Refer online journal articles, text books, etc.

Scope of the study / Delimitations

Existing HRIS contains twenty separate modules to provide HR practices such as Human Resource Planning, Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Time and Attendance, Disciplinary, Payroll, Welfare and Performance Appraisal, etc.

SLT HRIS is same as traditional HR services which provided conventional HR systems in other organizations. Four out of twenty modules (Recruitment, HR Planning, Exam Assessment and Disciplinary) are not being using and Performance Appraisal module is not yet implemented.

In this study, researcher hopes to evaluate the existing HRIS and its usefulness for strategic human resource management and identifies the advantages of sophisticated On-line Performance Appraisal System which will improve the strategic human resources management at SLT.

Organization of this dissertation

Chapter 1: Introduction -This chapter contains the background of this study, research issue, significance of the study and its objectives.

Literature survey would be discussed under chapter 2 which include spats studies and their findings. It also highlights the existing gaps in body of knowledge and discovers the potential contribution of the current research to fill the gap.

Mainly, chapter 3 explains the Research Methodology of the study which includes research philosophy, approach, strategy and conceptual framework of this research. Conceptual framework is developed identifying context of the study. Furthermore, select the suitable statistical methods to analyze the data.

The researcher elaborate the results and present using appropriate graphs, charts and tables using statistical software packages would be consider in Chapter 4 called Data Analysis.

Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations – Point out the observations, findings of this study and highlights the future researches for the potential researchers.

Chapter Conclusion

This section briefs the facts of the entire research study.

Present business world is very competitive and running with the state-of-the-art technology. Many organizations use Information Systems in four levels (strategic level, management level, knowledge level and operational level) in their day-to-day operations. HR Department uses HRIS for the workforce management.

However Human Resource Information System implemented in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC has lot of issues, such as insufficient user training and less supportive for the decision making at each organizational level. Therefore, main objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of existing Human Resource Information System in SLT and its usefulness for Strategic Human Resource Management to identify the advantages of Online Performance Appraisal System which will advance the Strategic Human Resources Management at SLT.

Outcome of this research would contribute to the body of knowledge by filling existing gap in strategic human resource management of HRIS at Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.