CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION

Before the advent of computer in Nigeria manufacturing firms, just like other areas of the society were used to manual method operation. This is to say, the operation which involves the production, transaction, customer registration stock system and balancing of account were carried out manually. And without any doubt this manual method of operation is very slow unreliable of operation is very and prone to error and mistakes.
In view of this, several attempt and efforts have been made by various organization as well as higher institution of learning on developing or more formidable in every day application of new technology in over day to day activities.

In March, 1995 a student of secretariat administration of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin carried out a research project on the “ DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR A MANUFACTURING FIRM ”. A project which deal elaborately on the application of machines such as photocopier, typewriter etc. the effective running of an organization.

In December 2000 a student of accounting at the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, carried out research project on a “DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR A MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY”. Project work covers aspect such as production sectors, sales and accounting sector of the organization, but using a manual approach and decision making for a manufacturing industry.

In view of this, therefore, I declared to build it at and improve the previous attempt made by others in the application of technology and a decision, support through application on a specific computer programming language in “ DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR A MANUFACTURING SYSTEM ” A case study of International Tobacco Company Plc Ilorin.

1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The fact that the exiting system holds a great deal of stock and balance of account that no one including the management wents. And most of the mistakes is stock system customer registration and balance of account cannot be corrected within a year of it eventually postponed this delays some certain decision to be taken by the management of the company.

Thus, there is need for reform in the decision support system used by the company. Decision Support System is an interactive system that Support Decision Making Increase sales and can be used in solving users problems.
The overall objectives of the decision support system is to support decision making and giving a correct customer registration and stock system so that combined lost, cost of holding stock and stock put cost are at a minimum level.

This is done by establishing the following factors how to prepare how the customer registration and stock system report, how to record credit sales how to give total turn over allowance and withdraws of goods from stocks and to when release goods. It becomes tedious and complex when it is done manually. This is a reason why it is felt the present system should by analyze either feasible considered.

The project will be carried out in a way to have up to one objective which are listed below, so that it acts as guidance for the project work.

1. To describe the exiting system and to find a formidable solution to their various problem envisage in the system.

2. Go as much as possible eradicable various manual processes
that are reparative.

3. To improve the updating modification and presentation of the
various report needed.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Decision reports system is the operation of continuous decision, making is giving out to the customer so that the stock system are adequate to support the current role of demands with due regards to the economy.

Generally, since the advent to computer in the world the general awareness of its potential capacity as a useful tools, has grown steadily, this development has manifested itself in several ways and different forms. Today, computer turn up almost every where and eventually there is no human activity which is not found useful.

Since most business are faced with large volume of data to process and most of these data used to be processed, quickly and accurately in order to give useful information to the officer concern and which will be used in decision making for instance, if a supervisor officers needs to know how money have been received, how much is spent on salaries and at the same time, how many goods are in stocks.

Computer performs operation with high speed processed information with accurate efficiency and reduces the paper work and sitting cost. And this facts goes a long way in increasing the patronage, profit and reduces the losses and the production.

1.4 METHODOLOGY

Before collection of any data at all, its is very important to know exact what the collection is all about. One must therefore establish whether data would be collected from the whole population of part of the phenomena above which the information can be collected.

In this project, however the sample where the information is supposed to be collected is International Tobacco Company Plc Ilorin, However, looking at the number of the location company throughout the entire nation, one would discover that it would difficult for a researcher to collect information from the manufacturing location to get accurate information. Therefore, the sampling technique is employed and as sample is selected on the basis of rational thinking.

From the purpose of this study, the Head of Office of International Tobacco Company Plc Ilorin is taken into consideration.
The concerned officers of the Company were interviewed and conclusion through these interviewed and observation, the researcher arrived at the sub segment conclusion.

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION

The day to day decision made by the stock system of account controller determines in a very directory way the investment in stocks and services offered to customer.

Thus the scope of the study focuses its attention on the customer registration and stock system department of the company. The department which have a great impact in decision making and the system involves the following process:

1. Assessing the number of goods to be supplied to customer.
2. Deciding the extent of goods be held in stock daily.
3. Regulating the number of goods produced in one factory/
4. Regulating the issue of stock from the store.

Although this project work is done under the thorough supervision and proper research to achieve the aims of easing the problems of data entry processing of customer order in International Tobacco Company Plc, Ilorin. It is only limited to the Head Office alone, however it can be further developed enter for networking system, though it caters for relate calculation but this varies depending on the rate. However, it can still be expended on further improvement.

1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT

The study which is on decision support system for a manufacturing firm covers a vital aspect. Apart from the certification, dedication, acknowledgment, abstract the project work consist of five broad chapters.

The first chapter is the introduction, which covers areas such as aims and objective significance of the study methodology, scope and limitation and organization current state of the act of the company.

The second chapter is on literature review, which deal elaborately on the case study historical background company technical terms and computerization current state of the art of the company.

The third chapter of study deals explicitly on the analysis of the existing system, description of current procedure, problems of existing system, description of proposed system and advantages of the proposed system of the company.

The fourth chapter focuses on the explanation of design of the system implementation on the system and documentation on the system.

The last chapter of the study is the summary and conclusion and it also covers areas such as recommendation experience gained and reference for the efficiency of the research work. Besides the appendix system flowchart program flowchart sources program listings and computer outputs were also designed at the end of the project work.

1. Management: Is the groups of individuals who make decision about how a business is a run.
2. Support: Is the act of holding in position so as to perform your duties or to bear the weight.
3. Hardware: Is the physical component of a computer that feel and touched e.g. keyboard, monitor etc.
4. Software: is the collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instruction to accomplish a goal or achieve an aim.
5. Computer: Can be defined as an electronic machine/device that performs task such as calculations or electronic communication, under the control of set of instruction called a program.
6. Decision: Is a choice made between alternative course of action in a situation of uncertainty or it a selection between possible actions.
7. System: Is a set of detailed methods, procedures, and routines established or formulated to carry out a task
8. Manufacturing: Is the use of machines, tools and labour to produce goods for use or sale.
9.  Scope: Is the extent or range of view, outlooks, application, operation, effectiveness, etc an investigation of wide scope.
10. Limitation: Is the act of allowing only a specific quantity of something or is the act of limiting or the state of being limited.