IS Analysis
1)
Hardware Explanation and Ralph Lauren’s Hardware
Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer or information system the parts you can physically see and touch. In a retail setting like Ralph Lauren, hardware is essential for supporting the sales process, completing customer transactions, managing inventory, and creating an efficient in-store experience. Ralph Lauren uses a combination of traditional and modern retail hardware to support its operations. Their stores rely on touchscreen POS terminals for checkout, chip-and-PIN card readers such as Verifone devices for secure payments, and barcode or RFID scanners to quickly identify merchandise. Receipt printers, cash drawers, and back-office computers help support day-to-day store operations. Many Ralph Lauren stores also use SpacePole mounting systems to keep checkout areas ergonomic and visually clean, which supports the brand’s luxury aesthetic. In addition, associates often carry iPads or other mobile devices to check inventory, help customers find sizes or colors, and even complete transactions on the sales floor.
Overall, Ralph Lauren’s hardware is effective because it supports fast checkout, accurate inventory tracking, and a premium brand atmosphere. The POS terminals and scanners contribute to smooth customer service, while mobile devices allow associates to offer more personalized attention. However, the system could still be improved by expanding mobile POS capabilities, especially during busy seasons, and by updating RFID technology across all stores to make inventory counts faster and more precise.
2)
Software Explanation and Ralph Lauren’s Software / Operating Systems
Software refers to the programs and applications that run on computer hardware and control how the system functions. In Ralph Lauren’s retail operations, software plays an important role in managing sales transactions, tracking inventory, connecting with customer data, and supporting the company’s global retail strategy. Ralph Lauren uses several types of operating systems depending on the device. Windows OS is commonly used on back-office computers and some POS terminals, while iOS runs on iPads used by associates for mobile checkout and clienteling. Android is often used on warehouse scanning devices, and macOS supports creative, marketing, and corporate teams.
For its retail stores, Ralph Lauren uses Oracle Retail Xstore POS, a powerful industry-standard point-of-sale system used by many luxury and global brands. Xstore supports in-store checkouts, returns, exchanges, loyalty information, gift cards, and real-time inventory lookups across stores. It also integrates with SAP Retail / SAP ERP, which Ralph Lauren uses to manage inventory, supply chain operations, finance, and global merchandise planning. Together, these software systems ensure that every transaction is processed accurately, inventory levels remain up to date, and customer data is accessible to associates so they can deliver a personalized shopping experience. These systems are effective because they allow Ralph Lauren to operate smoothly across hundreds of stores worldwide, although improvements could be made by increasing mobile checkout integration and speeding up data syncing between in-store and online systems.
3)
Application Software Overview
Application software consists of programs designed to help users perform specific tasks, such as communication, data analysis, design, or business operations. For a global fashion and retail company like Ralph Lauren, application software plays a core role in supporting product design, supply chain operations, inventory management, marketing, and customer relationship management.
Horizontal Applications Used by Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren utilizes multiple horizontal systems to support collaboration, communication, and organizational functions. Microsoft 365 provides productivity tools such as Outlook, Teams, and Excel. Adobe Creative Cloud supports the development of creative marketing content through tools like Photoshop and Illustrator. Salesforce Customer Relationship Management (CRM) helps manage customer interactions and omnichannel data. Additionally, Workday is used to manage human resources, payroll, and workforce operations. These systems are not industry-specific but are essential for daily business operations.
Vertical Applications Used by Ralph Lauren
Vertical applications are industry-specific programs tailored to retail, apparel, and supply chain processes. Ralph Lauren uses Centric Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software to support product design, material tracking, and development workflows. The company also uses Manhattan Associates Warehouse Management System (WMS) to optimize inventory flow and distribution center operations. SAP Retail, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, manages merchandising, pricing, logistics, and financial functions. These systems address the specialized needs of fashion production and global retail distribution.
Customized Applications at Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren has invested in customized technology solutions to enhance efficiency and maintain brand identity. The company uses a custom Inventory Optimization Platform that forecasts product demand across regions. Ralph Lauren also developed a Digital Showroom System to support wholesale buyers through virtual product presentations. Additionally, its in-store teams use a customized mobile point-of-sale (POS) system that enables faster checkout and personalized customer service. These applications give the company a competitive advantage by aligning technology with brand-driven operations.
A mock screenshot of a PLM dashboard was created to demonstrate what a typical product sample page might look like.
Effectiveness of Ralph Lauren’s Software Systems
The combination of horizontal, vertical, and customized applications used by Ralph Lauren is highly effective in supporting the company’s global operations. PLM and ERP systems streamline the product lifecycle, reduce lead times, and enhance supply chain visibility. Salesforce and the mobile POS system improve customer engagement and retail performance. Digital showroom technology reduces production costs and supports sustainability efforts by limiting physical samples. Together, these information systems provide integrated data insights and strengthen decision-making across departments.
New Technologies that Ralph Lauren Uses
Ralph Lauren relies on a range of state-of-the-art technologies to facilitate its international retail business activities (online and off). They use Internet of Things (IoT) tools like Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) tags and digital tracking systems to trace products across its supply chain and stores. Based on the textbook, the Internet of Things (IoT) is the idea that objects are being connected to the Internet so they can interact with other devices, applications, or services. RFID is an automatic identification technology that uses wireless radio signals to read product information without requiring physical contact or line-of-sight scanning. RFID is one of the tools that Ralph Lauren uses to track the inventory and product information. Its QR code tracking mechanism follows each garment from the point of manufacture, through shipping, and distribution, which increases information visibility and coordination.
Additionally, Ralph Lauren also deploys artificial intelligence (AI) powered e-commerce and CRM systems where the data also includes analysis of customer history at retail marketing, provides recommended products and services, and analysis of marketing recommendations.
Further, brands also offer AR virtual fitting capabilities on select digital channels for customers, allowing them to sample outfit previews on their mobile phones. Augmented reality (AR) is the altering of reality by overlaying digital information on real-world objects.
These technologies support Ralph Lauren in enhancing the accuracy, precision, efficiency and customer interaction in operation at Ralph Lauren.
5) Files, Fields, and Metadata in Ralph Lauren’s Information System
File is a group of similar rows or records. In a database, sometimes called a table. Fields are groups of bytes in a database table. A database table has multiple columns that represent the attributes of an entity. Metadata is the data that describes data.
Ralph Lauren’s sales, inventory, and marketing systems rely on structured databases that organize operational data into interconnected files and fields. Within the sales process, the POS maintains files such as Sales Transactions, Customer. In the Sales Transactions, file includes Transaction_Time, Store_ID, Customer_ID, Quantity, and Payment_Method, which are the fields within the file. To describe these fields, metadata is used to provide “data about data”. It defines data’s characteristics such as each data’s type, format, and size. For example, metadata for Transaction_Time may define it as a Date field that records the precise timestamp of each purchase.
6-7)
A Database Management System (DBMS) is software used to create, store, organize, retrieve, and manage data. It allows organizations to control large amounts of information, ensure accuracy, support business processes, and enable secure access to users.
Which DBMS Does Ralph Lauren Use?
Ralph Lauren is known to use SAP HANA, a high-performance, in-memory database system that integrates with the SAP ERP and SAP Retail systems.
8)
Types of technologies Ralph Lauren uses for databases
New database technologies include cloud databases such as AWS, Azure SQL, and NoSQL databases. MongoDB and Cassandra, in memory databases like SAP HANA, graph databases like Neo4j and AI-driven analytical databases like snowflake and google big query. These systems support faster processing, flexible data storage, and advanced analytics. Ralph Lauren can and already use some of these technologies. Since they are a global retail and fashion company with e-commerce, supply chain, and customer relationship management needs, they use:
· Cloud databases: to manage global customer data and scale during high traffic retail seasons,
· NoSQL databases: Due to the large and diverse nature of data they have, which includes marketing content, online activity and product information, Ralph uses NoSQL for flexible data. These databases are optimized for high availability and handling unstructured or semi-structured data.
· Graph Databases: These could be used as a model for complex relationships, like those between customers, social media, and products for specific marketing or supply chain analysis.
9)
What is LAN? How Ralph Lauren uses LAN
LAN (Local Area Network) is a network that connects computers and devices within a limited area, for example office buildings, stores, or warehouses. Basic components of LAN include:
· Switches: which connect devices within the network.
· Network cables/ Wi-Fi access points
· Servers: file servers, application servers, and so on.
· Routers, which connect the LAN to outside networks.
· Workstations: Computers, POS systems, and scanners.
Ralph Lauren does have and use LAN, every store, office, distribution center, and design studio uses a LAN. They all support the following: Point of scale transactions, inventory scanning, employee communication, internal servers, security systems, and back-office operations.
10)
What is the Internet? How does Ralph Lauren connect to it and what is its domain name?
The internet is a global network of computers that allows organizations and individuals to share information, access online services, and communicate worldwide. Ralph Lauren connects to the internet through a secure high-speed connection provided by telecom vendors. They use firewalls, VPNs, and cybersecurity systems to protect their data and manage their employees' access. Their domain name is https://www.ralphlauren.com. this used for its global e-commerce website, brand information, and their online customer services.
11)
The cloud is a computing resource as it is a network of remote servers hosted on the internet through the use of WAN. The cloud can run applications and manage data. The cloud is a lot cheaper when compared to the cost of setting up, staffing, and maintaining a data center to run the same applications and manage the same data. Cloud enables the company to expand global operations and remote work. The cloud also enhances security as the data centers are professionally maintained by experts in the field.
12)
Yes, Ralph Lauren uses cloud-based services such as,
SaaS (Software as a service): mainly use SAP for CRM and Workday for H.R. Management
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): AWS and Microsoft Azure for storage of data and e commerce management
PaaS (Platform as a Service): Cloud platform for app development, analytics, and demand forecasting
Ralph Lauren uses all three types, but SaaS and IaaS are the ones most crucial to its operations and fulfilling orders as online sales are a large percentage of total sales.
13)
The potential issues of using the company network would be the increase in latency as it would have to sync global inventory and the time zones would make that tricky as all workdays would be coming to an end at different times. Network strain during fourth quarter e commerce spikes. Integrating the cloud services to the legacy systems already in place may be difficult and costly. The company could add cloud autoscaling to handle when the traffic spikes on special days such as black Friday to avoid the website crashing. The company can also expand its list of SaaS tools to lessen the load on on-site IT.