1.1 Introduction
Computerized goods transport system is a software permits a customer to send products from one location to another electronically. Computer plays a vital role is the development of any company, it also solves some of its complex problem faced by man and processed voluminous data within a short period of time or at a fantastic speed. Recent emphasis on information and data processing in most of our business and shipping industries has grown vastly as in the case of super manifest shipping company Lagos that an alternative method has to be mechanical handling of data, preparing of freight, manifest etc. Super maritime shipping company is a company which handle the clearing and forwarding of goods, importation of goods and undertakes the clearing of shipping documents and goods within the vessel leaves, the port for a designated ware house as the clients of the company wishes computer technology has come to be accepted as an indispensable innovation in shipping system.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The transportation community has experienced the beginnings of a cultural shift toward embedding transportation system management and operation into our culture, work ethic Manufacturers, distributors, and third-party logistics companies all have specific business needs and processes concerning the movement of goods and product from sourcing locations to factories to distribution warehouses and retail or customer locations. The movement of product between locations is frequently controlled by software applications referred to as automated transportation system. To support improved efficiencies in the transportation process, companies will look for an automated transportation system that fits their current and planned operational needs and that can be integrated smoothly with existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) or corporate financial systems.
It is an all purpose machine that accepts data as input and process it using a set of information given out result as output which can be retrieved for future use. And its revolution has been evident in shipping in order to eliminate most hardship encountered in most of air shipping industries, the need for the computerization with the design and implementation of a computerized goods transportation management information system and its advantage to the shipping industries in needed.
The study is based on design and implementation of a computerized goods transportation management information system. The study helps one to understand the origin of goods transportation and of the same time some loop holes occurs in the management of goods and its solutions.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
Investigation revealed that the management of goods in Nigeria has over the years attracted poor patronage as a result of errors that loss of customers goods is now the order of the day, the reason are not for fetched due to the manual procedure involved, chat have no other option than to be at the mercy of this error prime procedures and the storage of information such as files and other important documents can easily be last hereby attracting distrust of the firm by its client/customer as a result of eagerness would prefer their goods to be cleared on time but since there are so many activities involved there will be delay in processing and this does not portray the image of the company in a good way.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to design and implement a Computerized Goods Transportation System using Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to develop an application software that will:
- Accurately compute transportation bills and obtain reports of goods transportation records;
- Automate goods transportation and record transportation activities to database;
- Provide an to date information relevant to company and their clients; and
- Ensure a fast and more efficient services to the customer based on quick access of data and accurate information.
1.5 Significance of Study
The new system will create for a faster and efficient means if transacting business between the shipping company and their customers, there will be a networked and direct of communication between shipping companies both in and outside the country process like billing daily report generation customer registration will be for formed with speed, efficiently existing loots incurred. The information pertaining to the customer and his goods will be secured as they are contained in the computer and there will be case to store and retrieve information to and fro from the computer.
This study will be helpful to other scholars who want to undertake a research on the same subject matter or take the scope of this research to another state. It will provide additional materials for researchers to make use of for reference purposes.
1.6 Scope of Study
The scope of this research is focuses on the Design and Implementation of a Computerized Goods Transportation System using Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) as a case study.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.8 Definition of Terms
Travel: To be on a journey, often for pleasure or business, and with luggage; to go from one place to another.
Rate: To assign or to be assigned a particular rank or level.
Ticket: A piece paper or card holder that gives right to admission to a place or event or travel on public transport.
