An Online Tax Management System for Taxis in Kampala
Chapter One
Project Objectives
General Objective
To develop a tax management information system, for taxis in Kampala
Specific Objectives
- To study the existing tax management system in Kampala identifying its weaknesses and strengths
- To design an online tax management system for taxis
- To implement a tax management system for KCCA
- To test and validate the tax management information system
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Sophistication of modern database technology is a result of a decades- long evolution in data processing and information management. Data access technology has developed from the primitive methods of the fifties to the powerful integrated systems of today. Early data processing system performed clerical tasks that reduced paper handling. More recent systems have expanded to production and management of information, which has come to be viewed as a vital customer resource. New technology such as object- oriented databases and client / server platforms address new problems and are more powerful systems and as every business take to the web to promote their business idea so is KCCA
A management information system (MIS) provides information that is needed to manage organizations efficiently and effectively. Management information systems involve three primary resources: people, technology, and information or decision making. Management information systems are distinct from other information systems in that they are used to analyze operational activities in the organization. Academically, the term is commonly used to refer to the group of information management methods tied to the automation or support of human decision making for example decision support systems, expert systems, and executive information(Wikipedia, 2012)
Management information system(MIS) refers broadly to a computer-based system that provides managers with the tools for organizing, evaluating and efficiently running their departments. In order to provide past, present and prediction information, an MIS can include software that helps in decision making, data resources such as databases, the hardware resources of a system, decision support systems, people management and project management applications, and any computerized processes that enable the department to run efficiently.
Hardware
O’Brien (2001) defines hardware as individual physical devices and material used in information processing. Specifically, it includes not only machines like computers but also data media i.e. all tangible objects on which data are recorded from sheets of paper to magnetic disks. Others include keyboards, mouse, printers, scanners etc.
Software
Rochester et al., (1996) assert that software includes all sets of information processing instructions and it comprises of different types of programs that enable the hard ware to carryout different tasks. Soft wares are further categorized software into system software and Applications software.
System software is concerned with keeping the computer system working while Application software is the general purpose or written for a specific task like stock control. It may be written using a programming language or more general purpose piece of software such as database.
Data
Rochester et al., (1996) defines data as all raw and unprocessed facts that can readily be used. Cleary no database system can exist without data. The basic factor upon an organization’s processing and information needs are founded. Data elements and relationships must be precisely defined and the definitions must be accurately recorded in the data dictionary.
People
According to O’Brien (2001), these are required for the operation of all information systems. They include end-users and information system specialists. End-users are people who use an Information System. The information system specialists help in the development and operation of information system. They include system analysts, programmers, computer operators and others.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The methodology describes the procedures, tools, techniques that were employed to achieve the specific objectives of the Tax management information system. It involved requirement determination, requirement analysis, system design, implementation, testing and validation. This approach below describes the following sequence of these steps.
System study
This was carried out on the existing system. It helped to identify the weaknesses and the strengths of the existing system. To achieve this, the researcher used a number of data collection methods and among them were;
Questionnaire
The researcher used this method to gather views about the existing system from the users of the system. Questionnaires were distributed to taxi drivers who are the current beneficiary of the manual system in place. The questionnaire were later picked from them and analyzed. This helped the researcher to get an insight about the existing manual system from the user’s perspective.
Advantages of this method were;
- It resulted into a wide range of views from different users about the system in use and this better helped the researcher to fully understand the current manual
- This method provided clear mind facts about the current system and this helped the researcher in understanding fully the weaknesses and strength of the system inuse
However this method had its disadvantages and these were;
- Some handwriting were unreadable
- Some views deviated from the question
Because of these disadvantages the researcher used a second method in order to better understand the current system.
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
Overview
This chapter focused on the strategies that were used to design the system and how the system was actually implemented for testing purposes.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Discussion
In an ever-evolving industry, public sector revenue authorities are faced with unprecedented demands to increase efficiency and effectiveness. At the same time, the ups and downs of a global economy have decreased revenue collections and stretched their resources to the limit. Revenue authorities are pressed to continually manage the impact of policy changes, generate revenue, reduce fraud and non-compliance, and maintain a high level of service.
To meet these challenges, industries be it government or private must wake to face the realities of modern society, the designed Tax management information for KCCA offers a comprehensive revenue management solution specifically designed for revenue authorities worldwide, this tax management information system is a powerful, flexible, commercial off-the-shelf software solution that optimizes all aspects of tax collection process and streamlines the management of complex, rapidly changing laws and policies
Better tax collection and better tax management is an indication of better governance of any country or organization. The common wish of every taxpayer is that such taxing times should never come again. But the fact of the matter is that we are in a worst taxing times of our life. Everybody’s time is taxed and nobody’s time is relaxed. When it comes to our taxes there are only two choices: either we save our taxes or pay our taxes. Everything on the earth is taxed today except the tax itself. Taxing times are here to stay forever.
Conclusion
The traditional approach, positions tax as wholly dependent on those who have direct access to the systems or who are the system owners such as controllers, accountants and finance personnel. In many instances, data collection requires tax personnel to place periodic requests for reports. This is typically a very inefficient process. It results in delays while waiting for a reply and then
both validating it and manipulating the data (typically in a spreadsheet) so that it is in a useable format to support a tax computation or help produce tax figures for the accounts. Today In comparison to counterparts in the overall finance function, tax has been woefully neglected when it comes to investment in technology during the last two decades. The current and increasing sophistication of technologies can make a powerful difference to the ability of the tax function to produce its deliverables within the appropriate timescales and risk parameters
To start with, a definition is needed to clarify what is meant by e-tax technology: what are the components and functionality and how do the separate components work together to deliver efficiencies, improve quality and manage risk. Once e-tax technology is defined, the value you should expect to derive from deploying some or all of these components can be explored.
Recommendation
The researcher recommends the following about the system:-
User Training
After the successful system implementation, training of the user (administrator) is one of the most important subtasks of the developer. For this purpose user manuals will be prepared and handled over to the user to operate the developed system. Thus the user is trained to operate the developed system. Both the hardware and software securities are made to run the developed systems successfully in future. In order to put new application system into use, the following activities were taken care of:
- Preparation of user and system documentation
- Conducting user training with demo and hands on
- Test run for some period to ensure smooth switching into the system
- More research on this system is required to fully identify and eliminate some of the weaknesses.
- There is need for the system upgrade as user’s requirements increase. User requirements differ with time, therefore, it is of great help for the system to be flexible enough.
- Other researchers can use this project report as a basis during future study of e-tax management information systems and probably implement it in other
- The system can support any network basis architecture, which is for both the client server and peer to peer
REFERENCES
- Arturo Jacobs, (2004).Standards for Integrated Tax Information Systems in Tax Administrations of DevelopingCountries
- Finance (2012 ) http://finance.toolbox.com/wiki/index.php/Tax_management_systemretrieved on 31.May .2012
- Wikipedia (2012), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_information_systemretrieved on June.2012
- http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/MIS.html
- Infosystem (2012)http://vceit.com/systems/infosystemtypes.htm retrieved on 2nd June2012
- Cronholm S &Goldkuhl G (2002) “Actable Information Systems – Quality Ideals Put into Practice”, presented at the Eleventh Conference on Information Systems (ISD 2002). 12-14 September, Riga,
- Hirschheim R & Smithson S (1988) “A Critical Analysis of Information Systems Evaluation”, in IS Assessment: Issues and Changes (eds N Bjorn- Andersen & G B Davis), North-Holland,Amsterdam
- Seddon P (2001) “IT Evaluation Revisted: Plus ςa Change”, proceedings of Eight European Conference on Information Technology (ECITE), Oxford, UnitedKingdom
- Remenyi D & Sherwood-Smith M (1999) “Maximise Information Systems Value by Continuous Participative Evaluation”, Logistics Information Management, Vol 12 No1/2
- James a. O’Brien (2001). Management informationsystem
- Rochester, Jack B. (1996). “Tools for Knowledge Workers” I Using Computers in Indianapolis, IN: Que Education andTraining.
