National Investment Information Management System (NIIMS)

For the past centuries the advancement of information in the social and economical development was so slow and gradual till the mid 1960's when scientific discoveries in the fields of electronics and mathematics led to the introduction of the first computer. Since then, the rapid evolution of computer started to bring a dramatic gap in development between countries. Evidentially, the world is classified into two major groups, the developed and the developing countries. From the experiences of the developed and advanced developing countries like China, it is possible to see and understand their progress in the proper application and usage of information technology in both governmental and nongovernmental sectors. Whether they are small or big, most of the sectors fully incorporate the use of modem day automated information system in their day to day activities. As the result, where ever you go in such countries there is an easy, fast and secure information access and dissemination, which pays a considerable account in supporting the officials and executives in planning and decision making process.To realize and develop such a system, this thesis discusses and utilizes vital principles, concepts and methodologies comprised within two major computer science disciplines, Systems Analysis & Design and Database Management System. The thesis includes the proper investigation and determination of the information system requirements through a detailed analysis of the problem domain of the business under study. Based on the resolved business requirements, the thesis formulates a working system design which includes the database, system architecture, security, as well as GUI (Graphical User Interface), in order to establish an efficient, cost effective, and last longing information system, in which this case is the National Investment Information Management System (NIIMS).The thesis reveals different frameworks for understanding and doing requirement determination within a fountain (or iterative) system development life cycle (SDLC), among which the Requirement Determination Sub-ractivities (RDSa) technique is found more suitable and used to define the current business problem of the Harari National Regional State Investment Office. The well defined business requirement encompasses functional, user interface, system, and security requirement specifications. These specifications serve as a ground base for business modeling using the DFD diagram, database design and modeling using the E-R diagram and Relational model, as well as choosing the appropriate on-the-shelf software products for the information system development and implementation, such products are the Microsoft SQL 2000 Server for the backend database development, and Delphi for the front-end user interface application development. Further more, the determined system and security specifications point toward the implementation of the more advanced and advantageous system architecture well known as the Multi-tier client/server system architecture, and a three level general security mechanism - operating system level, user interface level, and database level, at this particular stage of the research.Therefore the theme of this thesis is to get the advantages in the modern day information technology and indicate how to use it in the national investment information activities in general, and create an automated investment information and database management system for one of the national regional state of Ethiopia in particular - Harari National Regional State, through proper and detailed systems analysis to database design and application with the appropriate user interface and system architecture (multi-tier).