Introduction

    The use of Management Information Systems is a critical factor in the success of operating a business. In this report, we explore how the Kean University Bookstore, Kean Spirit BN College, utilizes information systems to enhance operational efficiency; such as inventory management and the processing of transactions, and how it enhances the overall customer experience. Through the examination of real-world applications, this report seeks to uncover the benefits and challenges associated with adopting innovative technologies. The ultimate goal is to provide actionable insights that guide the bookstore in strategically leveraging technology to optimize its supply chain performance, improve customer satisfaction, and maintain a competitive edge in the evolving educational retail landscape.

    The Kean University Bookstore is located on the Kean University campus in Union, New Jersey. It acts as a standalone bookstore for the university and its students, but operates under a bigger company: Barnes and Noble College, which has over 1,400 physical and digital bookstores across the United States. The bookstore can be found in the Green Lane Academic Building, where students can study, socialize, buy Kean merchandise, and most importantly, buy and rent textbooks for their college courses. Staffing at The Kean Bookstore varies depending on the busiest seasons, with about fifteen to twenty employees during rush periods, such as the start of Fall and Spring semesters. These employees are then distributed amongst three key areas of the bookstore: textbooks, general merchandise, and cafe, with the primary focus on the first two. They serve over 17,000 students, faculty, and alumni of the university, as well as regular shoppers who are looking for books for personal use. 

    Since the bookstore serves such a large target audience, they have several critical processes that involve management information systems. The first is managing textbooks; this includes making sure textbooks are ordered and available on time for the start of each semester. Also, the bookstore is responsible for handling the different types of textbooks, including rentals, digital books, and buybacks. The textbook processes are managed through the application Text-Aid 2, or TA2. For general merchandise, such as school supplies, clothes, and trade books, the bookstore uses the Oracle system for ordering and inventory adjustments. For the purpose of this project, we will focus on the sales operations of the KU Bookstore, as it still incorporates several MIS procedures but is less complex compared to other areas, such as textbook management.

    One of Team A’s members, Kayla, works at the bookstore and was able to connect us with the store manager, Tina Hart. Tina has been working with Barnes and Noble College for twenty years, and has been at the Kean University bookstore for about four years. The manager was able to provide a unique insight on the management information systems used, and we were able to learn much more about the bookstore and their procedures to run a successful business. With this information, we uncovered the Kean Bookstore’s business strategy, structured and dynamic processes, as well as suggest our own recommendations that may benefit the company. For any additional information, please feel free to contact the bookstore or look at their page here: KU Bookstore.

The Team A - Gantt Chart summarizes the start date, duration, and completion date of our tasks for our research of the management information systems of the Kean University Bookstore. Listed is our tasks, the date of which we began each task, the number of days in which it took to complete the task, and the final completion due date. Here is the final Gantt Chart of Team A's research project.