CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY

1.0 INTRODUCTION

CMS is a web based Courier Management System which supports the high availability of courier

services to the business and to the customer. The system is being used for day to day activities

such as booking a courier, maintain hub details, and maintain company details, process data of

companies and many other things. CMS is programmed using Php technologies. CMS can be

customized to fit your business and can either be used as a complete system or as separate

modules.

The system will be used for day to day activities like out return, company details, hub rates,

booking, and non-delivery and pickup centers. Actually it is not easy to do this process manually

because it would become very hectic. Hence it is recommended to automate the process by

developing the relevant software as the world is moving from manual working to information and

technology era where computerization becomes important in all part of life.

Courier Management System (CMS) is a modular full business software framework for an

enterprise which possess operations in domestic and international courier services. CMS performs

a variety of activities pertaining to the processes in the logistic context of a courier business. CMS

solution handles the end to end process staring from initiating a courier order, driver pickup and

delivery of a courier business. CMS covers all the controls and processes involved in International

Courier Import Services, International Courier Export Services and Domestic Pickup & Delivery.

1
Though technology has replaced many traditional uses of the courier service, there still exists a

constant need to transport physical goods and documents over both short and long distances as

quickly as possible.

1.1 FIELD AND SUBJECT AREA OF STUDY

The field of study is Information Technology and the subject area being Courier Management
System.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study objectives are grouped into two:

1.2.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE

efficiency and effectiveness. Also, the system will improve the working methods by replacing

the existing manual system with the computer-based system.

1.2.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

To achieve the general objectives, the research work will concentrate on delivering the following
specific objectives:
 To develop a system that will provide a graphical user interface for a kinds of users.

 To develop a system that will automatically generate a tracking code for goods.

 To develop a system that will enable online data capture and modifications.

 To develop a system that will generate report of the daily transactions or operation

carried out on the system.

 To develop a platform that will enable user determine the location of a goods using

the tracking code

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1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Keeping record of parcels in a courier service company and their delivery information is carried

out manually. A lot of files are opened for daily record of parcels received or delivered. This

litters the office with much paper documents. Most often records are misplaced and when a client

comes to collect his parcel, he\she spend some hours waiting for confirmation of the parcel.

Hence delay is bound to occur while delivering parcel to customers. Also, customers must visit

the post office before they can purchase stamps or any other item.

1.4 RESEARCH METHODLOGY

Rapid application development (RAD) is a method that offers organizations the ability to

develop and deploy strategically important systems more quickly while simultaneously

maintaining quality and reducing development costs (George M, 2006).

The RAD process also directly integrates the end-users in the development of the application.

Iterative prototyping mandates that the development teams concentrate on delivering a series of

fully functional prototypes to designated user experts. Each prototype is tested by those users and

returned to the development team for reworking, at which point the cycle repeats. The series of

prototypes thus evolves into the final product, giving the users the opportunity to fine-tune the

requirements and review the resulting software implementation.

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Interviews and Observation will be used for few fact- findings techniques that will be used

to gather the requirements if the Recruitment Administration System will be much feasible to be

implemented in an organization.

This information gathering materials also helps developers to learn about the terminology,

problems, opportunities, constraints, requirements, and priorities of the organization and the

users of the system.

To graphically illustrate the system concepts and design, the Object Oriented Analysis &Design

(OOAD) using the Unified Modeling language (UML) will be used including the various

diagrams such as the use case, activity and sequence diagrams.

1.5 BACKGROUND STUDY

documents or information. Courier services usually boast faster delivery times than any

alternative method of transporting documents, and many services in the modern world rely on it.

The idea of couriers and a courier service has been around almost as long as civilization, with

rulers in antiquity using couriers as a means to make new laws and edicts known throughout their

lands. In the modern age of international business, the courier service has become a keystone of

enterprise, even as emerging technologies such as the fax machine and Internet have rendered

them less useful in some areas.

The largest courier service in the world is the United Parcel Service (UPS), which delivers more

than 12 million packages globally each day. UPS had its roots as a courier service in the

beginning of the 20th century, when it was known as the American Messenger Company. UPS

survived the depression and the World Wars, and went on to thrive in the global age. Throughout

4
the years it acquired other courier services, including the Motorcycle Messengers and a number

of smaller European companies. Federal Express (FedEx) and Dalsey Hillblom Lynn, now

Deutsche post AG (DHL) are other well-known global examples of the courier service, both with

their roots in the early 1970s. Though not nearly as large as UPS, each company controls sizable

portions of the 2 market. FedEx is particularly well-respected for its overnight courier service,

the first of its kind. DHL originally focused exclusively on the route between Honolulu and San

Francisco in the United States, but grew to encompass the Pacific Rim and spread to Europe and

the Middle East.

Smaller courier services abound, particularly in cities. This type of courier service finds its niche

in smaller packages and documents which need to be transported from one location in a city to

another as quickly as possible. Couriers in these companies often ride bicycles or motorcycles in

order to achieve the shortest turnaround times from pickup to delivery. Indeed, the bicycle

messenger, whizzing through crowded traffic at unbelievable speeds with a satchel over one

shoulder, has become a symbol of the youthful daredevilry of city life. In recent years, with the

emergence of more sophisticated communications technologies and harsh price competitiveness,

the number of bicycle couriers in most cities has decreased significantly, but the market remains

strong for those who continue to work.

There is also a type of courier service which utilizes the extra baggage allotment of airline

passengers to transport documents quickly and easily, with less hassle, through the Customs

office of a country. These courier services offer greatly discounted fares on commercial tickets to

foreign locations in exchange for the use of the passenger's baggage space. The passenger is then

given all the requisite paperwork, which they simply deliver to the Customs agent at the

receiving end.

5
Though technology has replaced many traditional uses of the courier service, there still exists a

constant need to transport physical goods and documents over both short and long distances as

quickly as possible.

1.6 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

increase sales and decrease costs. A firm can use e-commerce to reach narrow market segments

that are widely scattered geographically. The internet and the web are particularly useful in

creating virtual communities that become ideal target markets. A virtual community is a

gathering of people who share a common interest, but, instead of this gathering occurring in the

physical world; it takes place on the internet. So the e-post management system developed will

assist courier Service Companies to:

 Increase sales opportunities for the seller, thereby increasing purchasing opportunities for

the buyer.

 Provide buyers with a wider range of choices than traditional commerce, because they

can consider many different products and services from a wider variety of sellers.

 The benefits of e-commerce also extend to the general welfare of society. Electronic

payments for goods cost less to issue and arrive securely and quickly when transmitted

via the Internet.

 Furthermore, electronic payments can be easier to audit and monitor than payments made

by check, which can help protect against fraud and theft.

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  E-Commerce platform can make products and services available in remote areas.

1.7 EXPECTED RESULT OF THE STUDY AND POSSIBLE USAGE

The expected result is to design a courier management system. The System after its

implementation will meet the following demands;

 A platform where users can easily track their goods online.

 A platform that enable administrators capture data online in order to eliminate the

manual process of capturing data.

 Provide a platform where users can register with the system in order to obtain a

tracking code.

 A system that will efficiently generate updated report for fast and reliable decision

making.

 A system that will also encourage the increase in the practice of e-commerce among

individuals.

1.8 PRESENTATION OF THESIS

This Thesis is organized into five chapters:

Chapter 1:

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Focuses on the General Introduction & Summary,

Chapter 2:

Literature Review which focuses on history and the outlook of the existing system.

Chapter 3:

Methodology; in this chapter, the proposed system is analyzed into details and its importance

discussed including the adopted software approach. AL context level diagrams, dataflow

diagrams, flowcharts will be used to explain the proposed system further.

Chapter 4:

Detailed Design of Proposed System; After the Analysis stage, the study carries on with the

design of the system. This chapter will encompass HIPO Charts, IPO Charts, database modeling,

class modeling, use case modeling and the relationship diagram of the proposed system.

Chapter 5:

Testing and Implementation; Implementation of the computer software goes on after the design.

The system will be tested and reviewed to reveal errors. In this chapter also, the conclusion and

recommendation is made. Observations are identified and the necessary improvement which

could be added to the system is made.

1.9 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

Part one would occupy the preliminary investigation, system analysis and design and is expected
to be completed by August, 2016

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 GANTT CHART FOR PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Part 1 (YEAR 2015)

Month JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

Event

Chap. 1

Chap. 2

Chap. 3

Part 2 (YEAR 2016)

Chap. 4

Chap. 5

1.10 CONCLUSION

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 In conclusion, this project work will exposed a lot of information relating to courier service

information management. Also it has been observed that with the trend in technology, most

businesses are computerized and with the computerization of the process for parcel delivery

record, the courier service company can easily track purchases and online product ordering

records.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter will discuss and review relevant literature in connection with the research on

tertiary outsourcing management system. Critical analysis on various segments of a published

body of knowledge will be carried out through summary, classification, comparison of prior

research studies and articles and observation and findings about their advantages, limitations and

recommendations.

For the purpose of this study, literature review is focused on functionalities, processes and

components of the reviewed systems. Technology used and the functionalities provided by the

system are the main focus when selecting system for system review and comparison among the

selected systems.

The purpose of this literature review is to study the requirement specification, weakness and

strengths of selected systems. After these systems are reviewed, ideas can be gained and

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implemented on the proposed system to overcome the weakness of this kind of technology.

Besides this, functions which are commonly used among the selected systems could be selected

as functions of the proposed system as well. Technology used by the selected systems is also

studied to further enhance the proposed system.

2.2 DEFINITION AND DESCRIPTION OF TERMS

2.2.1 Courier

An individual responsible for the exchange of items between two or more parties. Couriers are

usually employed by a company that charges a flat rate to the party using the courier service.

Federal Express, UPS, DHL, and the United States Post Office all employ couriers to deliver

mail and packages. Couriers are extremely important in busy cities because they are able to use

other modes of transportation such as bicycles and motorcycles to maneuver around heavy

traffic.

2.2.2 Courier Service

A courier service is a company that offers special deliveries of packages, money, documents or

information. These services usually boast faster delivery times than any alternative method of

transporting documents, and many businesses rely on them. The idea of couriers has been around

almost as long as civilization, with rulers in antiquity using them as a means to make new laws

and edicts known throughout their lands. In the modern age of international business, this type of

11
service has become a keystone of enterprise, even as emerging technologies such as the fax

machine and Internet have rendered them less useful in some areas.

A courier service was developed to offer a faster and more secure alternative to the usual mail

service that had been the only delivery service for so long. Traditional mail services are known

for having slow delivery times and can incur expenses if items are large or heavy; couriers

seemed to be the perfect alternative and despite it being slightly more expensive than normal

postage it is beneficial for certain deliveries.

Courier services became increasingly popular with the arrival of Internet shopping. Being able to

order large and multiple items from online sellers required specialist delivery services that would

enable customers to not only receive their items but also enable online sellers to offer things such

as next day delivery. Something that is only possible with a courier service.

2.2.3 Systems

A system can be defined as a set of interrelated components working together to achieve a

particular goal. A system can be broadly defined as an integrated set of elements that accomplish

a defined objective. (INCOSE Sys Eng Handbook, 2000).

2.2.4 Database

A systematically arranged collection of computer data, structured so that it can be automatically

retrieved or manipulated. It is also called databank.

2.2.5 File Transfer

Any kind of computer file can be sent via the Internet from one Internet user to another. Table of

accounts on spreadsheets, design by a graphic artists, music sound files etc., can all be

exchanged in this way.

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2.3 Cargo Ship

According to Systematics (1998), cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries

cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's

seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usually

specially designed for the task, often being equipped with cranes and other mechanisms

to load and unload, and come in all sizes. Today, they are almost always built of welded steel,

and with some exceptions generally have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years before being

scrapped Cargo ships/freighters can be divided into four groups, according to the type of cargo

they carry.

These groups are:

1. General Cargo Vessels

2. Tankers

3. Dry-bulk Carriers

4. Multipurpose Vessels

General Cargo Vessels carry packaged items like chemicals, foods, furniture, machinery, motor

vehicles, footwear, garments, etc. Tankers carry petroleum products or other liquid cargo. Dry

Bulk Carriers carry coal, grain, ore and other similar products in loose form. Multi-purpose

Vessels, as the name suggests, carry different classes of cargo e.g. liquid and general cargo at the

same time. Specialized types of cargo vessels include container ships and bulk carriers

(technically tankers of all sizes are cargo ships, although they are routinely thought of as a

separate category). Cargo ships fall into two further categories that reflect the services they offer

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to industry: liner and tramp services. Those on a fixed published schedule and fixed tariff rates

are cargo liners.

Tramp ships do not have fixed schedules. Users charter them to haul loads. Generally, the

smaller shipping companies and private individuals operate tramp ships. Cargo liners run on

fixed schedules published by the shipping companies. Each trip a liner takes is called a voyage.

Liners mostly carry general cargo. However, some cargo liners may carry passengers also. A

cargo liner that carries 12 or more passengers is called a combination or passenger-cum-cargo

line.

The earliest records of waterborne activity mention the carriage of items for trade; the evidence

of history and archaeology shows the practice to be widespread by the beginning of the 1st

millennium BC. The desire to operate trade routes over longer distances and at more seasons of

the year motivated improvements in ship design during the middle Ages.

Before the middle of the 19th century, the incidence of piracy resulted in most cargo ships being

armed, sometimes quite heavily, as in the case of the Manila galleons and East Indiamen. This

sometimes resulted in the ships being escorted. The words cargo and freight have become

interchangeable in casual usage. Technically, "cargo" refers to the goods carried aboard the ship

for hire, while "freight" refers to the compensation the ship or charterer receives for carrying

the cargo.

Generally, the modern ocean shipping business is divided into two classes:

1. Liner business: typically (but not exclusively) container vessels (whereas "general cargo"

is carried in 20 or 40-foot "boxes"), operating as "common carriers", calling a regularly

published schedule of ports. A common carrier refers to a regulated service where any

14
 member of the public may book cargo for shipment, according to long-established and

internationally agreed rules.

2. Tramp-tanker business: generally this is private business arranged between the shipper

and receiver and facilitated by the vessel owners or operators, who offer their vessels for

hire to carry bulk (dry or liquid) or break bulk (cargoes with individually handled pieces)

to any suitable port(s) in the world, according to a specifically drawn contract, called a

charter party. Larger cargo ships are generally operated by shipping lines: companies that

specialize in the handling of cargo in general. Smaller vessels, such as coasters, are often

owned by their operators.

2.4 Courier Service Company

According to Nick Mathiason (2007), a courier is a person or company employed to deliver

messages, packages and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features

such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of services, and

committed delivery times, which are optional for most everyday mail services. As a premium

service, couriers are usually more expensive than usual mail services, and their use is typically

restricted to packages where one or more of these features are considered important enough to

warrant the cost. Different courier services operate on all scales, from within specific towns or

cities, to regional, national and global services. The world's largest courier companies are

Aramex,

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DHL, FedEx, TNT N.V. and UPS. These offer services worldwide, typically via a hub and spoke

model.

In ancient times runners and homing pigeons were used to deliver timely messages. When the

horse became domesticated, its use was rapidly adopted by couriers. Before there were

mechanized courier services, foot messengers physically ran miles to their destinations. To this

day there are marathons directly related to actual historical messenger routes. In cities, there are

often bicycle couriers or motorcycle couriers but for consignments requiring delivery over greater

distance networks, this may often include trucks, railways and aircraft. Many companies who

operate under a Just-In-Time or "JIT" inventory method often utilize on-board couriers. On-board

couriers are individuals who can travel at a moment's notice anywhere in the world, usually via

commercial airlines. While this type of service is the second costliest - general aviation charters

are far more expensive - companies analyze the cost of service to engage an on-board courier

versus the "cost" the company will realize should the product not arrive by a specified time (i.e.

an assembly line stopping, untimely court filing, lost sales from product or components missing a

delivery

deadline, organ transplants).

Over time, demand for a new type of representative courier has emerged. With the increase in fuel

prices and productivity goals monitored closely by companies, this new type of all-in-one courier

has been developed to "take care of business". Workers in companies have more work and less

time to be out of the office. Operating largely using independent contractors that have gone

through a screening process and background checks have found a niche in the courier industry.

Research, in transit pet care, complex paperwork filing, and a host of other services are now

offered in this new category of courier service. The genus of the UK same-day courier market

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stems from the London Taxi companies but soon expanded into dedicated motorcycle dispatch

riders with

the taxi companies setting up separate arms to their companies to cover the courier work. During

the late 1970s small provincial and regional companies were popping up throughout the country.

Today, there are many large companies offering next-day courier services, including City Link

Ltd. and UK divisions of worldwide couriers such as APC Overnight, FedEx, DHL, UPS and

TNT.

There are many 'specialist' couriers usually for the transportation of items such as freight/palettes,

sensitive documents and liquids. The 'Man & Van'/Freelance courier business model is highly

popular in the United Kingdom, with thousands upon thousands of independent couriers and

localized companies, offering next-day and same-day services. This is likely to be so popular

because of the low business requirements (a vehicle) and the lucrative number of items sent

within the UK every day. Since the turn of the millennium there has been a noticeable increase in

owner drivers, self-employed couriers, operating mainly from home with a sole vehicle.

Advantages of this rather than working for an established same-day courier firm are that they are

able to offer far better rates to their customers. Self-employed couriers come from varied

employment backgrounds; from non-skilled through to highly qualified trades people.

Motorbike couriers still exist, but mainly in and around London (and other large cities), where

there is often congestion, as they are much cheaper to run in heavy traffic. Large companies such

as APC Overnight, Interlink Express, Citylink and FedEx all now provide P.O.Ds online. Lots of

the smaller companies and freelance 'Man & Vans' are unable to provide this, but this is changing

with forever

lowering costs of technology. Royal Mail was up until recently a reasonable competitor of most

17
of the large couriers; offering next day and special delivery services. This has however changed,

with higher costs, strike action and a lowering public perception of the company. With companies

like Royal Mail & the DX (who offer a private courier 'box network'), it can be difficult to draw a

clear cut line between postal services and couriers. Some UK couriers offer next-day services to

other European countries. FedEx and Interlink Express both offer next-day air delivery to many

EU countries.

Cheaper 'By-Road' options are also available, varying from 2 days delivery time (e.g. France), up

to a week (e.g. Former USSR countries). Large couriers often require an account to be held (and

this can include daily schedule collections). Senders are therefore primarily in the

commercial/industrial sector (and not the general public); some couriers such as

DHL do however allow public sending (at higher cost than regular senders). The courier industry

has long held an important place in United States commerce and been involved in pivotal

moments in the nation's history such as westward migration and the gold rush. Wells Fargo was

founded in and rapidly became the preeminent package delivery company. The company

specialized in shipping gold, packages and newspapers throughout the West, making a Wells

Fargo office in every camp and settlement a necessity for commerce and connections to home.

Shortly afterward, the Pony Express was established to move packages more quickly than the

traditional method, which

followed the stagecoach routes. It also illustrated the demand for timely deliveries across the

nation, a concept that continued to evolve with the railroads, automobiles and interstate highways

and which has emerged into today’s courier industry. The Courier industry in the United States is

a $59 billion industry, with 86% of the business shared by only four companies, including DHL,

FedEx and UPS. The remaining 14% shared among almost 11,900 other small businesses ranging

18
in size from 1 employee to over 600. These businesses comprise of mostly same day deliveries

and are strong offline businesses like Diamond Express and strong online businesses like

Naparex.

According to Fincham, Ben (2004), Same-day couriers deliver in less than 24 hours and are an

integral part of any modern economy. There are roughly seven thousand courier companies in the

United States that make up this multi-billion dollar sector. The business model for the courier

industry is particularly dependent on independent contractors. It is estimated that 50-65% of U.S.

courier companies use independent contractors to make deliveries in addition to

their own dedicated employee resources. The nature of the industry, with its on demand, often

unscheduled delivery model, requires a varying number of courier drivers on any given day and

time of day to complete a set service. Experts in this method of network delivery maintain

hundreds of standby couriers in a "ready to move" status as devised by Mark Kent, professor of

Logistics at the University of Ghent. However, this business model is under threat from IRS

Reclassification where IC's are being re-categorized as W-2 employees. This reclassification

typically results in fines being imposed on the offending courier company. In December 2007, the

Internal Revenue Service of the US 'tentatively decided' that FedEx Ground Division might be

facing a tax liability of $319 million for 2002, due to misclassification of its operatives as

independent contractors. Reversing a 1994 decision which allowed FedEx to classify its

operatives that own their own vehicles, the IRS is auditing the years 2003 to 2006, with a view to

assessing whether similar misclassification of operatives has taken place. FedEx denies that any

irregularities in classification have taken place, but is facing legal action from operatives claiming

benefits that would have accrued had they been classified as employees. Many expedited courier

companies are regional; small businesses which can also provide additional services such as

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logistics management, archive warehousing, messenger centers, outsourced mailroom services

and coordinated

airfreight forwarding delivery services. In the UK, most of the couriers or dispatch riders were

motorcyclists when the same-day delivery business started to show up in London. These tended to

evolved from taxi companies but soon regional courier companies were popping up throughout

the country. Starting in the mid-1980s, bicycle couriers, who were more economical for shorter

distance deliveries, began to supplant motorcycle couriers in the larger cities. Rising costs,

including insurance premiums and petrol, made motorcycle couriers less competitive. Except for

the metropolitan areas most of the same-day couriers throughout the country now use small vans

to do deliveries. Under the current financial climate the trend has seen corporate businesses

evaluate courier costs and steer away from same-day couriers and tend to sway towards the

cheaper next day delivery solution. These couriers specialize in delivering important or sensitive

packages that need to be received in the local area; and/or because of time and temperature

concerns, such as organs for transplant or key equipment or parts that are necessary for day to day

operations. While most companies use courier services, certain industries depend on couriers on a

daily basis. Biomedical labs need samples for testing and evaluation, manufacturing industries

require parts to keep their plants operating smoothly, financial institutions transfer multiple

documents every day between branches and processing centers, law firms must deliver

confidential signature documents on very strict deadlines for court filings and pharmaceutical

distributors use couriers to transport medications to hospitals and nursing homes. Even two-day

delivery services use courier firms. When a mistake has been discovered, courier firms fill in the

gaps and ensure packages are delivered on time. One of the leading UK next day couriers, APC

Overnight, ensure that any timed delivery mis-sorted parcels are urgently collected and run to

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their destination on same-day delivery vehicles to ensure that the customer still receives the

service that they paid for. Courier firms specializing in same-day delivery provide an invaluable

service because the "big five" (Aramex, DHL, FedEx, TNT N.V., and UPS) in the delivery

business simply do not provide same-day delivery services uniquely designed to meet specific

individual customer needs. Expedited delivery firms

also prevent the big five from having a complete monopoly on deliveries that must be completed

in a short period of time. This competition, both among couriers and with the big five, has greatly

increased the quality and professionalism of the industry, while also ensuring reasonable rates for

customers. These 7,000 plus small businesses also help to keep the pricing competitive and the

big five honest. Additionally, the courier industry consists almost entirely of small, locally owned

and operated businesses, ensuring that revenue is retained within the community served, rather

than siphoned off by amulti-national Corporation. Ron Da Parma (2007). The conditions of

employment of couriers vary from country to country, city to city and even company to company.

Contracts governing the relationship between individual courier and company are subject to

customary practice, as local ordinance. In some places, couriers are independent contractors paid

on commission and do not receive benefits such as health insurance. In other places, they are

regular employees of the courier company enjoying all the benefits thereof.

In the US, the Obama-Durbin Independent Contractor Proper Classification Act of 2007 was

introduced to deal with the problem of workers 'misclassified' as independent contractors. It is not

clear what effect this legislation, if enacted, will have on the U.S. courier market. But if, as is the

Act's intention, courier companies are forced to treat those workers that they previously declared

independent contractors, as employees, with all the benefits thereof, then there is no doubt that

costs will rise.

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2.5 E-Commerce

Too many people, the term electronic commerce (sometimes shortened to ecommerce) (Kalakota

& Whinston 1999) means shopping in the part of the internet called the World Wide Web.

However, e-commerce has a much broader scope and encompasses many more business activities

other than just web shopping. Some people and businesses use the term electronic business (or e-

business) when they are talking about e-commerce in this broader sense. In this paper, we will use

the term e-commerce in its broadest definition. Although the web has made online shopping

possible for many businesses and individuals, in a broader sense, e-commerce has existed for

many years. For decades, banks have been using electronic funds transfers (EFTs) (Schneider &

Perry 2001),

which are electronic transmissions of account exchange information over private communications

networks. Businesses also have been engaging in a form of e-commerce, known as electronic data

interchange (EDI), for many years. EDI occurs when one business transmits computer readable

data in standard format to another business. In the 1960s, businesses realized that many of the

documents they exchanged related to the shipping of goods – such as invoices, purchase orders,

and bills of lading – and included the same set of information for almost every transaction. They

also realized that they were spending a good deal of time and money entering these data into their

computers, printing paper forms, and then re-entering the data on the other side of the transaction.

Although the purchase order, invoice, and bill of lading for each transaction contained much of

the same information, each paper form had its own unique format for presenting that information.

By creating a set of standard formats for transmitting that information electronically, businesses

were able to reduce errors, avoid printing and mailing costs, and eliminate the need to re-enter

22
data. Businesses that engage in EDI with each other are called trading partners. The standard

formats used in EDI contain the same information that businesses have always included in their

standard paper

invoices, purchase orders, and shipping documents.

A good definition of e-commerce would mention the use of electronic data transmission to

implement or enhance any business process. Some people use the term “internet commerce” to

mean e-commerce that specifically uses the internet or the web as its data transmission medium.

IBM has defined electronic business to be “the transformation of key business processes through

the use of Internet technologies”.

Several technologies are needed for e-commerce to exist. The most obvious one

is the internet. Beyond that system of interconnected networks, many other sophisticated software

and hardware components are needed to provide the required support structure: database software,

network switches and hubs, encryption hardware and software, multimedia support, and the

World Wide Web. Methods of connecting all the software and hardware elements in just the right

way to support electronic commerce are changing and evolving every day. The rate of change is

rapid for all elements that support electronic commerce. Any business that engages in e-

commerce and hopes to compete in the future must adapt to new internet technologies as they

become available. The

anticipated e-commerce overload requires companies to find faster and more efficient ways to

deal with the ever-increasing rush of online shoppers and the increasing traffic between

businesses.

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2.5.1 Characteristics of E-Commerce Technologies

Ease of automated processing: A payer can now easily automate the generation and processing

of multiple payments with minimal effort and cost. Previously, the dependency upon banks to

handle most payments and the lack of a cheap, ubiquitous communications technology made

automation of payment processes expensive and difficult to establish.

Immediacy of result: Payment immediacy occurs because of automation and the ability of the

intermediate systems and providers to process payments in real-time. In manual, paper based

systems there exists a time delay due to the requirement of human intervention in the process.

Openness and accessibility: The availability of cheap computing and communications

technology, and appropriate software enables small enterprises and individuals to access or

provide a range of payment services that were previously only available to large organizations via

dedicated networks or the transactional processing units of banks.

Loss of collateral information: The new technology dispenses with, or alters, collateral

information accompanying transactions. This information has traditionally been part of the

transaction, and has been relied upon by the transacting parties to validate individual payments.

Globalization: Globalization, or the minimization of geographical factors in making payments, is

an obvious aspect of the new payments systems. Its effect is upon areas such as size of the

payments marketplace, uncertainty as to legal jurisdiction in the event of disputes, location and

availability of transaction trails, and the ability of a payment scheme to rapidly adapt to regulatory

regimes imposed by one country by moving to another.

New business models: New business models are being developed to exploit the new payment

technologies, in particular to address or take advantage of the disintermediation of customers from

24
traditional payment providers such as banks. Disintermediation is where the technology enables a

third party to intervene between the customer and the banking system, effectively transferring

the customer’s trusted relationship with the bank to the new party.

2.6 Postal Services

The Post Office provides information on services and accepts postal items and payment on

behalf of the two collection and delivery divisions of the Royal Mail group, Royal Mail and

Parcel force. These include a variety of ordinary and guaranteed services both for delivery within

the United Kingdom and to international destinations. Postage stamps (including

commemorative stamps

and other philatelic items), air letters and international reply coupons are sold, while applications

for redirection of mail are accepted on behalf of Royal Mail. Post Office Local Collect is a

scheme whereby undelivered mail can be redirected at customer request to a post office for

convenient collection.

Personal banking services are offered on behalf of a number of "partner banks" that the Post

Office has agreements with. Although different services are available on behalf of different

institutions, these may include cash withdrawals, paying in cash and cheques, balance enquiries

and cheque encashment. Some post offices also have cash machines, mainly provided by Bank of

Ireland. The

Post Office Card Account is a basic bank account allowing customers to collect benefit

payments. Most other basic accounts can also be accessed through post offices. The Card

Account cannot be accessed anywhere other than a Post Office Counter or ATM at a Post Office.

These accounts are limited to Department of Work & Pensions deposits of benefit payments and

25
HMRC Tax

Credits/Child Benefit. Housing Benefit from the local Council for example, must be paid

elsewhere. If the account remains dormant for one year, it is closed. These bank accounts are run

by J.P. Morgan Europe Ltd on behalf of the Post Office. To open an account, you must be in

receipt of benefits and a referral is made via the Job center Plus. Business banking services are

also offered, mainly through Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank (the successor to the Post

Office Girobank).

2.7 Saving Products

The Post Office has long been an agent for National Savings and Investments, which was

originally the Post Office Savings Bank but is now a wholly separate institution. Information is

available for most NS&I products, including Premium Bonds, and numerous transactions can be

carried out in post offices. In recent years the Post Office has launched its own range of branded

savings

products, which are sometimes in competition with those offered by NS & I. The most recently

introduced, in September 2008, is a Post Office ISA. Also on offer is an instant access account

(Instant Saver), while issues of two fixed term investments (Five Year Saver and Growth Bond)

are periodically available. The Post Office is also a provider for the Child Trust Fund.

The Post Office operates as a provider of a home landline telephone service (branded as Post

Office Home Phone) and has recently added broadband internet to its portfolio. Mobile phone E

Top-up is available on behalf of most networks. Post Office branded prepay phone cards are

available, offering potential savings particularly on international call rates. The Post Office is

now seeking to establish itself as a financial service provider and provides a number of branded

26
insurance products including for cars, vans and motorbikes; home insurance (buildings and/or

contents); pet insurance and travel insurance. Life insurance, over 50s life cover and lifestyle

protection

insurance are also available. The Post Office is now offering itself as a mortgage lender and also

offers personal loans, although the latter are now marketed purely through the company's website

and not through the branch network.

A number of bill payments can be accepted on behalf of a variety of organizations including

utilities, local authorities and others. These can be in the form of automated payments (bar coded

bills, swipe cards, key charging) or manual transactions through the Alliance & Leicester

Transcash system. The name Transcash was formerly used by Girobank. The Transcash service

is not advertised and a search for "Transcash" on the Post Office website returns no results.

However, Transcash forms (still marked "Girobank") were still available at Post Office counters

in October 2010. Check and send services are available for applications made to several

government institutions, including Her Majesty's Passport Office (for British passport

applications), DVLA (for driving licenses and the Department of Health (for the European

Health Insurance Card). Fishing licenses are issued on behalf of the Environment Agency from

branches in England and Wales. Selected branches issue international driving permits. Post

Office savings stamps were first introduced by Henry Fawcett in the 1880s but were phased out

in the 1960s. They were re-introduced in August 2004 because of consumer demand. In 2010

saving stamps were withdrawn and replaced by the Budget Card. In 2011 it was announced that

Post Office saving stamps would have to be redeemed by 28th February 2011, although any

customers who miss the deadline can post their saving stamps to a central Post Office location

where the stamps will be validated.

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2.8 Importance of courier service for global business

The world is moving with a high speed in terms of businesses. For the growth and prosperity

every business required their products and packages send more quickly to their target destination.

Gone are the days when consumer had to wait for long days to receive their products and

packages. Today’s companies are being reliable on courier service providers in order to

outsource their consignment delivery as soon as possible.

The demand of receiving products and packages by customers, within a day or two is now

normal from most of the globalized country of the world. Therefore the role of courier service

companies is quite essential for smooth functioning of business. No matters how quickly you

manufactured a product, if it is not delivering at right time, rest of the efforts would be wasteful.

Courier companies give values to their customers, as they are providing the online tracking

facilities, so that the package does not reach the wrong hands. They also facilitate identification

codes so that the customers stay assured that the product would safely reach the target

destination.

Another benefit for customers is the safety actions from courier companies, to ensure that the

parcel would deliver to the right person. Courier service representative would ask for the contact

details of the recipients from the sender to ensure that the product does not reach the wrong

destination.

Businesses all over the globe are taking advantages from price discount offer by companies like

DHL courier. This enables business to cut down their overall cost of product, this is why the

product worth cheaper for customers. 

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Companies like DHL courier would insure damages that may occur during transport or shipment.

Moreover they keep record of all information about the package that is to be delivered to

customer, in order to provide the information if asked by the respected customer. There are

plenty of online booking centers available, who are getting heavy discounts from many

international courier companies like DHL, TNT, and FedEx etc.…this why the businesses are

showing interested in making corporate relations with these online service providers in order to

get the maximum benefit.

2.9 Benefits of Courier Services

Saves time and money

If you want to send your parcel to a specific location within a specific time frame, you can opt

for parcel delivery services. These services ensure the safe and timely delivery of your parcel.

Speed

The second reason addresses the amount of time needed for the package to reach its destination.

With national companies, the package travels and sits in a warehouse floor somewhere until a

predetermined time that alerts a worker to find it. Not knowing where the package is when

arrival time is critical is stressful. With couriers, there are no worries. Local couriers offer same-

day delivery within their region and sometimes beyond. This is critical for medical, business, and

the occasional last minute gift.

Reliability

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Most parcel delivery services are known to be reliable. However, it is important to ensure that

the parcel delivery service you opt for is certified and recognized. Always ask for certification

when you opt for a parcel delivery service.

There are many reasons why packages are shipped, but the only thing that matters to the sender

and the recipient is that it arrives undamaged. Compared to traditional shipping companies,

couriers service a small and familiar customer base. This cultivates a personal delivery service.

Local couriers manage every aspect of parcel delivery with personal accountability ensuring safe

delivery of goods. Couriers rarely lose or damage packages.

Pricing

Most courier services charge according to the size and weight of the parcel. Research the market

carefully and opt for a deal that is best suited to your budget.

Also, sending sensitive materials quickly through traditional methods is exorbitant. Not with

couriers; they ship without usual package regulations and additional fees. Most couriers use a

per-mile or flat-rate payment option that keeps prices low. The friendly staff at any Omaha

Courier Service work hard to ensure your important package reaches its destination on time and

undamaged.

Global Presence

Parcel delivery services can either be local, regional or international. If you plan to send your

parcel to a local area, it would be advisable to opt for a local parcel delivery service. This will

help you save time and money. Courier services are a great way to ensure the fast and reliable

30
delivery of your parcels. Opt for a parcel delivery service that meets your needs and

requirements.

2.9.1 Challenges of Courier Services

i. Messaging service: There exists a general uncertainty about whether a document is delivered/

collected on time every time. Most delivery companies maintain their records in

delivery books or files. This manual system of managing deliveries often results to poor

coordination of deliveries and collections. Manual systems, apart from wasting a lot of time, lead

to weak audit trails for deliveries.

Senders of parcels need to be notified of the status of their parcels. Recipients also should be

notified when their parcels are due for delivery too. Lack of delivery notifications creates

uncertainty among clients regarding your services. They are likely to seek services from other

companies they can trust.

ii. Administration headaches: Most companies find it very hard to effectively monitor the tasks

of their messengers. It is practically impossible to monitor the messengers time because of the

variables involved- traffic jams, parking, identifying delivery points, waiting time for collections,

vehicle breakdowns etc. The other administration headache that most managers in the parcel

delivery industry face include finding replacement messengers when routine messengers are on

leave, off sick etc. This can greatly slow down service delivery and put off customers.

Maintaining personnel records for the messengers; pay, leave, overtime can also be challenging

for new firms in the industry. Managers need to find better systems to help manage the

companies’ records.

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iii. Escalating overheads: There exists both direct and indirect overheads relating to document

collections and deliveries are quite phenomenal. Some of those costs include: Salaries for

messengers and drivers used in document collection and deliveries, direct transport costs for

motor vehicles, fuel, insurance, repairs, taxis, postage costs for posting of letters within Nairobi.

Other overhead costs include the costs for messengers running personal errands for employees

delivering mail, payment for utilities, delivery and collection of personal items, time costs for

messengers waiting to collect documents or submit documents especially at government offices,

embassies (for visas), etc. Overtime costs for deliveries after office hours.

2.10 Review of some courier management system

2.10.1 DHL Courier Systems

Corporate Responsibility is an integral part of our corporate strategy. With “Living

Responsibility” as our motto, we focus on environmental protection (GoGreen), disaster

management (GoHelp) and education (GoTeach) and support employee volunteerism (Global

Volunteer Day, Living Responsibility Fund).

Some Key features of DHL Courier Systems

 Express Service

 Parcel and E-commerce

 Freight Transportation

 Supply Chain Solutions

 Warehousing and Distribution

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2.10.2 FedX Courier Systems

When we connect people and possibilities around the world, communities flourish and the world

becomes a better place. And with FedEx Cares, our new global giving platform, we’re applying

our expertise where it can make the most impact.

Some Key features of DHL Courier Systems

 FedEx Express or FedEx Ground

 Update My Profile

 View/Pay Bills

 Run Reports

 Submit Claims

 Access Address Book

 Go to FedEx Global Trade Manager

 Access FedEx Return Manager

 FedEx Freight

 Obtain Proof of Delivery

 Obtain Bill of Lading

 Request Reports

 Review Open Invoices

 Request Billing Adjustments

 Claims Resolution

 Access Address Book

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  FedEx Freight

 Obtain Proof of Delivery

 Obtain Bill of Lading

 Request Reports

 Review Open Invoices

 Request Billing Adjustments

 Claims Resolution

 Access Address Book

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

No research work is easy but it can only be easier when an appropriate and functional research

design is adopted by the researcher for data collection. For the avoidance of doubt, the survey

research method was employed in this research. Alozie (2010:68) observe that the survey

research method is a research technique by which oral or written responses or information can be

elicited from subjects usually sampled on statistical principles either through focused questions

or imparted stimuli.

This chapter takes into consideration the various findings made in review of the existing system.

Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study. It

comprises of a collection of procedures, techniques, tools and documentation aid, which will

help system development in effort to implement a new system.

34
System analysis and design will be performed to determine if the proposed system is feasible to

design and implement and will meet user requirement in ways that eliminate the weakness of the

existing system.

3.2 System Analysis and Design Materials to be used

3.2.1 System Information Gathering Techniques

In order to determine the requirements of courier management system, information must be

gathered from the users.  Ideally, the information obtained will enable a well-defined, accurate,

and complete description of how tourism functions as well as the people, functions and data

involved.  Interviews, observation and prototyping will be used too few fact- findings techniques

that will be used to gather the requirements if the online communication system will be much

feasible to be implemented.

Interview

Interview is one of the important methods to gain better understanding about the current situation

in an organization.

Whitten et al. (1998) defined an interview as a fact- finding technique applied by system

analysts to collect information.

Adopted Question Type of Interview

Open-ended question type will be used for the interview. Open-ended questions include those

such as “What do you think about microcomputers for managers?” and “Please explain how you

35
make a scheduling decision.” Consider the word open-ended. “Open” actually describes the

interviewee’s options for responding. They are open. The response can be two words or two

paragraphs.

The benefits of using open-ended questions are numerous and include;

 Putting the interviewee at ease.

 Allowing the interviewer to pick up on the interviewee’s vocabulary, this reflects his or

her education, values, attitudes, and beliefs.

 Providing richness of detail.

 Revealing avenues of further questioning that may have gone untapped.

 Making it more interesting for the interviewee.

 Allowing more spontaneity.

 Making phrasing easier for the interviewer.

 Using them in a pinch if the interviewer is caught unprepared.

Observation

According to Bennett et al. (2002), watching people about their work in their natural setting can

provide the analyst with a better understanding of the job than interviews. Whitten et al. (1998)

stated that observation invokes looking at what people do, what are the actions or a process

without interfering with what is happening.

Prototyping

Prototyping is a relatively modern technique for gathering requirements. In this approach, you

gather preliminary requirements that you use to build an initial version of the system. You show
36
this to the client, who then gives you additional requirements. You change the application and

cycle around with the client again. This repetitive process continues until all requirements are

gathered.

3.2.2 Obtaining Information from Tourist

In other to acquire adequate information to develop a system for an online communication,

information are collected from various quarters of the audience because everyone will be using

the system.

3.3 System Structural Design Materials to be used

SommervilIe. (2001). stated that the requirements analysis is an important process; the

acceptability of the system after it has been delivered depends on how well it meets the customer

needs and supports the work to be automated. System Modeling and prototyping approaches

will be used to validate the requirements.

3.3.1 System Modeling

System modeling is used to model the requirements. According to Tim Weilkiens. (2008).

System modeling is the interdisciplinary study of the use of models to conceptualize and

construct systems in business and IT development. System modeling assisted the researchers in

presenting ideas on the new system and determine either the requirements meet the users’ needs

or otherwise. In this research, Unified Modeling Language (UML) will be used as a tool in order

to create a requirements model for an Android Based Tourism Search Application.

3.3.2 Unified Modeling Language (UML)

37
Boochet al (1998) have agreed with the statement about the definition of UML, where UML is a

visual modeling language that is used to specify and to document models of software systems,

including their structure and design in the way that meets all of these requirements.

In this project, Diagrams which involved Context Diagram, Data-Flow Diagram, Use Case

Diagram, Class diagram for data and function specifications, Activity diagram, Sequence

diagram and Collaboration diagram are chosen in the architectural design phases. UML notations

will be used to model the users’ requirements and were chosen because UML is a standardized

notation and it is easy to use and to understand.

 Use Case Diagram

Dennis et al. (2005) stated that the use case diagrams are a graphical view, which allows the

researcher to identify the functionality provided by the system, the actors who interact with

system and the association between the users and the functionality of the system.

 Class Diagram

Class diagrams identify the class structure of a system, including the properties and methods of

each class. Also depicted are the various relationships that can exist between classes, such as

inheritance relationships.

 Sequence Diagram

According to Schmuller. (2002). a sequence diagram shows the time- based dynamics of the

interaction and it consists of objects represented in the usual way, as named rectangles, messages

and time. A sequence diagram is a diagram that details of how operations are carried out, what

are the messages and it is organized depending on time.

38
 Context Diagram

A Context Diagram is a single picture that has the system of interest at the center, with no details

of its interior structure or function, surrounded by those elements in its environment with which

it interacts. (Stuart, 2011).

 Data Flow Diagram

The process of identifying, modeling and documenting how data moves around an information

system. Data Flow Modeling examines processes (activities that transform data from one form to

another), data stores (the holding areas for data), external entities (what sends data into a system

or receives data from a system), and data flows (routes by which data can flow).

 E-R Diagram

Entity Relationship Diagrams are a major data modeling tool and will help organize the data in

your project into entities and define the relationships between the entities

According to Natasha Alechina. (2014). Entity-Relationship model making possibility to

describe a database in which in a table data can be the point to data in other tables - for instance,

your entry in the database could point to several entries.

3.4 System Building Method

The adopted methodology is Rapid Application Development (RAD). Rapid application

development (RAD) according to George M. (2006) is a methodology that promises

organizations the ability to develop and deploy strategically important systems more quickly

while simultaneously maintaining quality and reducing development cost .

39
The researchers used the Rapid Application Development because it directly integrates the end-

users in the development of the application. Iterative prototyping mandates that the development

teams concentrate on delivering a series of fully functional prototypes to designated user experts.

Each prototype is tested by those users and returned to the development team for reworking, at

which point the cycle repeats. The series of prototypes thus evolves into the final product, giving

the users the opportunity to fine-tune the requirements and review the resulting software

implementation.

3.4.1 Advantages of the Construction Method.

 Faster Delivery Time

The primary advantage of RAD is a faster development life cycle, and a better turnaround

time of the software product. This is achieved by rapid prototyping, and by using automated

tools like Computer Aided Software Engineering or CASE tools, that enable the developers

to re-use previously generated codes, thus saving the time needed for manual coding. Greater

Customer Satisfaction

 Time Boxing

RAD uses a process called time boxing, which offers a method of controlling the features to

be released in the current, as well as the future versions of a software product. This helps in

releasing the product version in a shorter frame of time, by including only the essential

features in the current version. It aims at dividing the project into sub-modules called time

boxes, and allocating fixed deadlines and budgets for each time module.

 Lower Cost

40
 Customers are willing to pay more for a good quality product delivered in a short time frame.

RAD involves the use of existing reusable components, leading to a lower cost of production.

Automation results into a lesser number of resources being required for the development of

the software.

 Reduced Risk

Due to the iterative approach and prototyping, testing and integration of end user feedback

happens at each stage of product development. Hence, the end product has lesser number of

changes and defects, thereby minimizing the risks involved in the project. There is little or no

testing effort involved.

3.4.2 Weakness of the Construction Method

 Developers and customers must be committed to rapid-fire activities in an

abbreviated time frame and hard to use with legacy systems.

 This model doesn’t work well in a situations where alteration can occur once the

process has started according to plan. As compared to the prototype approach which

alterations can be done while developing the system

3.5 System Implementation Approach

The structure of the RAD lifecycle is thus designed to ensure that developers build the systems

that the users really need. This lifecycle, through the following four stages, includes all of the

activities and tasks required to scope and define business requirements and design, develop, and

implement the application system that supports those requirements.

3.5.1 Requirements Planning Phase

41
The Requirements Planning stage (also known as the Concept Definition Stage) combines

elements of the system planning and systems analysis phases of the Systems Development Life

Cycle (SDLC). Users, managers, and IT staff members discuss and agree on business needs,

project scope, constraints, and system requirements. The meetings will focus on both developing

a high level list of initial requirements as well as setting the project scope. The Requirements

Planning stage ought to result in a list of entities as well as action diagrams that define the

interactions between processes and data elements. This phase ends when the team agrees on the

key issues and obtains management authorization to continue.

3.5.2 User Design Phase

At the User Design Phase (also known as the Functional Design Stage) the analysis team will

meet with end users in Joint Application Development (JAD) Workshops. During the workshops

the analysis team flushes out the requirements in more detail, develops the entities developed in

the Requirements Planning into a data model (Entity Relationship Diagram), formalizes business

rules, develops test plans, and creates screen flows and layouts for essential parts of the system.

3.5.3 Construction Phase

This phase focuses on program and application development task similar to the SDLC. In RAD,

however, users continue to participate and can still suggest changes or improvements as actual

screens or reports are developed. Its tasks are programming and application development,

coding, unit-integration and system testing.

3.5.4 Implementation Phase

42
Also known as the Deployment Stage, this stage includes final user testing and training, data

conversion, and the implementation of the application system. Original Construction Teams of

two to four people will be established and their members will be thoroughly trained in the use of

the tools and techniques.

3.6 Adopted System Testing Procedures

Testing is needed to show completeness, it improve the quality of the software and to provide the

maintenance aid.

The following testing techniques were used for the proposed system.

a. White-box Testing: The researcher used white-box testing for close examination of

procedural detail. Logical paths through the software are tested by providing test cases

that exercise specific sets of conditions and/or loops.

b. Black-box Testing: Black-box testing, also called behavioral testing, is a testing

technique the researchers used because it focuses on the testing of the functional

requirements of software. This testing method enables the software engineer to derive the

input conditions that will fully apply all requirements for a program. Black-box testing

attempts to find the errors such as:

 Incorrect or missing functions

 Interface errors

 Errors in data structures or external database access

 Behavior or performance errors

 Initialization and termination errors

43
 In Black-box testing software is exercised over a full range of inputs and outputs are

observed for correctness.

3.7 Software Testing Strategies

Testing strategies used by the researchers are:

 Unit testing

The first level of test to be completed is unit testing. The purpose of unit testing is to

ensure that each program is fully tested.

 Integration testing

The second step is integration testing. In this individual program units or programs will

be integrated and tested as a complete system to ensure that the software requirements are

met.

 Performance testing

Performance testing will be completed to determine how a system performs in terms of

responsiveness and stability under a particular workload. It can also serve to investigate

measure, validate or verify other quality attributes of the system, such as scalability,

reliability and resource usage.

 Acceptance testing

Acceptance Testing involves planning and the execution of various types of tests in order

to demonstrate that the implemented software system satisfies the requirements

3.8 System Security

44
The system security problem is divided into four related issues: security, integrity, privacy and

confidentiality. They determine the file structure, data structure and access procedures as stated

above in the data rationale.

 System security refers to the technical improvements and procedures applied to the

hardware and operating systems to protect against deliberate or accidental damage

from a defined threat. In contrast, data security is the protection of data from loss,

disclosure, modifications and destruction. The application automatically picks the

device number (IMEI number) and then sends to the API database.

 System integrity refers to the proper functioning of programs, appropriate physical

security and safety against external threats such as eavesdropping and wiretapping. In

comparison, data integrity makes sure that do not differ from original from others and

how the organization can be protected against unwelcome, unfair or excessive

dissemination of information about it.

 The term confidentiality is a special status given to sensitive information in a

database to minimize the possible invasion of privacy. It is an attribute of information

that characterizes its need for protection. System security is the technical means of

providing such protection. In contrast privacy is largely a procedural matter of how

information is used.

3.9 Conclusion

Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied in developing a

software. RAD methodology have been chosen as the adopted methodology for this project

because of the nature of the project and the advantages attached to RAD methodology with

45
respect to the project. Various information gathering and system analysis and design techniques

are considered so as to come up with an accurate system. This chapter also outlined the testing

and security techniques that are considered for the success of the project.

46