CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction
Across the past twenty years, technology has changed methods and
procedures of individuals within business and organizations. Information and
communication technology has essentially become part of entities in all aspects
of life. With the world moving rapidly into digital media and information, the role of
ICT is becoming more and more important and this importance will continue to
grow and develop in the 21st century.
The innovations of technologies in organizations influence its workers in
performing the task they set out to do. And in this world where change is
inevitable, people have no choice but to adapt and be part of the trend. People
need to be flexible enough as technologies made its alterations. In the past, it
took a long time for information to be relayed. With the internet, messages can
now be sent electronically and efficiently to anyone. Any information can travel in
an instant with the capability of bandwidth, and connection speed on the internet.
Internet offers fast information retrieval, interactivity, accessibility and versatility. It
saves time and is cost-efficient.
Over the past five years, the world has witnessed an actual Internet
explosion. The most recent authoritative data, released in 2014, shows "that
Internet use continues to grow steadily, at 6.6% globally in 2014 (3.3% in
developed countries, 8.7% in the developing world); the number of Internet users

in developing countries has doubled in five years (2009-2014), with two thirds of
all people online now living in the developing world" (Library Learning Space,
2015). ICT is always present, with over three billion people having access to the
Internet (ITU, 2014). Approximately 8 out of 10 Internet users own a smartphone,
and information and data are increasing fast (ARC, 2015). This rapid growth,
especially in developing countries, has led ICT to become a necessity of
everyday life, in which life without technology gives most of work and routine task
dysfunctional. ICTs have become within a very short time, one of the basic
building blocks of modern society. Many countries now regard understanding ICT
and mastering the basic skills and concepts of ICT as part of the core of
education, alongside reading, writing and numeracy (Daniels, 2002).
Many entities and establishments are partaking in the advancement of
technology. Organizations are beginning to re-evaluate their current processes
and identify new types of tools to improve it (Handfield, 2003). Some people
perceived automation as somewhat difficult to adopt and worry that it would put
an end to their job because there is now a danger that workers with IT skills will
demand and get well-paid jobs, whereas those without IT skills may find it difficult
to gain employment (Sharman, 2014). Developments being made today are very
strong and pervasive in the business environment which leaves them no choice
but to adapt with the current living standards. This could have implications for
future governments. The motivation behind this study is the modern world
phenomenon of ICT innovations replacing paper-based information systems. ICT
has created the term paperless environment. This term means information can be

stored and retrieved through the digital medium instead of paper. Online
communication via emails, online chat and instant messaging also helps in
creating the paperless environment. The focus of this study is to shed some light
on this phenomenon by making the BAC Office of Bicol University College of
Education as a subject for this research.
Bicol University College of Education is an institution that upholds the
culture of Scholarship, Leadership, Character and Service. This is true to all the
departments and offices within the college. The BAC Office provides service that
are highly equitable to continuously develop a productive workforce in the college
and to establish a good relationship with suppliers in order to create a favorable
business climate in both sides with integrity and professionalism.
The need to keep track of records have become significantly important
today particularly in institutions of higher learning. The existing requisition
process of the Supply Office in Bicol University College of Education is still
manually done through filing of papers or forms. Reports are manually encoded
using the Microsoft applications and print it out for storage of data. Sometimes,
the office encounter discrepancies in the reports which is very troublesome.
During a BAC meeting, a staff uses paper with checklist to monitor if the suppliers
comply all the needed requirements. Locating files is one of the greatest
problems in the office. Time is wasted in archiving or searching files, energy is
wasted chasing misplaced files, deadlines are missed and sometimes files are
lost. The two offices greatly rely on printed copies of documents for their record
storage and retrieval of information.

Record Management System is the perfect solution for the problems

arising in the office. It refers to the professional practice of managing the records
of an organization. This includes identifying, classifying, storing, securing,
retrieving, tracking and preserving records. Improving of the system in the office
is a key that facilitates effective communications between buyer and suppliers
whilst also providing opportunities for making the system more flexible and
efficient. It enhances the selection of products, and makes the information more
effortlessly accessible.
The Researchers propose to develop a Web-based Requisition and BAC
Record Management System for Bicol University College of Education. It was
proposed to enable the production of correct reports, fast retrieval of correct data,
reduce the amount of paper used, and to store large amount of data and
information occupying a small office. Some benefits of the system are to provide
an enhanced computer-based information system with more feature for the
current file system, to lessen the manual processes, to improve the system, and
to make the system store and generate efficient report.
With such findings, the Researchers believe that a well-managed
Requisition and Record Management System can improve the processes of
BUCE. This study aims to improve the offices transactions for a faster and
efficient service. Furthermore, the system will be designed to meet clients
expectations through eliminating most problems that the office faces.

Statement of the Objectives

General Objectives
This study aims to develop a Web-based Requisition and BAC Record
Management System for fast and easy retrieval of information.

Specific Objectives
1. To create a requisition management that will facilitate the request of
supplies and materials from every entity.
2. To develop price listing database of all the items for easy canvassing.
3. To create a monitoring system for all the registered suppliers.
4. To create a record management for the BAC Office.
5. To evaluate the developed system using ISO/IEC 9126-1 using the
following quality characteristics:
1 Functionality
2 Reliability
3 Usability
4 Efficiency
5 Maintainability
6 Portability

Scope and Delimitation

The scope of this project is to plan, analyze, design, develop, implement,
test and commission an effective and systematic Web-based Requisition and
BAC Record Management System for Bicol University College of Education.
The proposal aims to develop a system that will facilitate requisition
processes of goods and services. All the staff in the Bicol University College of
Education Integrated Learning School (BUCEILS) Elementary Department and
High School Department, and Bicol University College of Education can submit
their request online considering they have acquired their account in the office.
Approval of the Dean and the Budget Officer will be made via electronic
procedure. The system will be able to generate printable and graphical reports
such as the most requested item or the faculty with the most request.
While the faculty in the BUCE can acquire their account in the office,
suppliers can freely create their account online considering that they have
complied all the necessary documents. Suppliers can post their price listing of
their products and the Supply Officer can easily compare it to others. for a costefficient way of canvassing of products. Overpricing suppliers can be easily
monitored. If by any chance, it is proven that a supplier is not authentic the supply
officer can be able to block the user account.

The project aims to lessen the work of the authorized personnel by

generating documents per request transaction (if unavailable in stock) such as
the Purchase Request, BAC Resolution Alternative, BAC Request for Quotation,
Abstract of Award, BAC Resolution LCRB, Notice of Award, Purchase Order,
Inspection and Acceptance Report, and Requisition and Issue Slip. The system
can also be able to monitor if the suppliers bring all the required documents
during a BAC meeting.
However, the proposed system will only be focusing on the keeping and
tracking of bid documents but will not include the bidding process and the
managing of inventory of supplies.

Significance of the Research

Manual processing of the records held in the Supply Office, and Bids and
Awards Committee (BAC) Office of Bicol University College of Education requires
more time and effort. For this reason, the development of the system will deem
beneficial to the following:
Bicol University. One of the four-fold functions of a university or any
academic institution is research. This study will be another contribution to the
research achievements of the university.
College of Education. This study will greatly help those in the college for
a faster transaction and cost-efficient environment.
Supply Office. This will minimize manual labor on filing and record
keeping of paper-based records of all the purchase requests. Thus, this will result

in an increased productivity of the personnel and making generation of reports

faster.
BAC Office. This system will help the BAC officers for making their job
efficient and easier by improving the current record management in the office.
Faculty or Departments. The system will benefit the personnel on filing
purchase request online. With the functionalities of the said system, this will
provide them with fast and efficient operation using requisition system that will
minimize the burden of going to the Supply Office.
Students. This study will serve as an educational and reference material
for their future studies and undertakings. This may also give an idea on making
their own versions of the existing system, thus presenting their own modifications.
Researchers. This study will provide stimulated learning for the
researchers by giving the ability to learn in a hands-on environment and
empowered them to develop critical thinking skills as well as their designing and
programming aptitude. This will also train the researchers to become more
prepared and molded with their skills in the field of information technology.
Future Researchers. This study will serve as a reference material for their
research relevant to the study. Future Researchers would be provided with
valuable data or information for the success of their study related to the nature of
this research.

Definition of Terms
The following terms related to our research were defined theoretically for a
better understanding:
Web-based system. In this study, this refers to any information system
that is coded in a browser-supported language such as JavaScript, combined
with a browser-rendered mark-up language like HTML, and reliant on a common
web browser to render the functionality of the system.
Requisition. A formal written demand that something should be performed
or put into operation.
BAC. Refers to the Bids and Awards committee whos responsible on the
procurement process.
Record. Represents proof of existence and that can be used to retrieve
and recreate or prove state of existence. A record is either created or received by
the office in pursuance of or in compliance with legal obligations, or in the
transaction of business.
Management. A systematic method in organizing record.
Record Management. Professional practice of managing the records of
an organization. This includes identifying, classifying, storing, securing, retrieving,
and tracking.
Price Listing. List of prices of products of every registered supplier.
Goods and Services. A type of request. Goods are items that
are tangible, such as books, pens, and folders. Services are activities provided by
other people, such as doctors, lawn care workers, dentists, barbers, waiters, or
online servers.
9

Cost-efficient. Productive.
Purchase Request. A form filled-out by the end-users with the item they
were requesting.
BAC Resolution Alternative. A resolution declaring alternative mode of
procurement.
BAC Request for Quotation. Procurement solicitation in which an
organization asks outside vendors to offer a quote for the completion of a specific
task or project.
Abstract of Award. Summary of the acceptance of a bid or proposal for
a contract.
BAC Resolution Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bid (LCRB). A
resolution declaring lowest calculated responsive bid and recommending
approval.
Notice of Award. Written confirmation of an award of a contract by
a customer to a successful bidder, stating the amount of the award, the award
date, and when the contract will be signed. It may also contain a notice to
proceed, and it is sometimes also used in lieu of a purchase order to a vendor.
Also called award letter or notice of award.
Purchase Order. A buyer-generated document that authorizes a purchase
transaction. When accepted by the seller, it becomes a contract binding on both
parties. A purchase order sets forth the descriptions, quantities, prices, discounts,
10

payment terms, date of performance or shipment, other associated terms and

conditions, and identifies a specific seller.
Inspection and Acceptance Report. The examination (including testing)
of supplies and services (including raw materials and component) to determine
whether the supplies and services conform to contract requirement which include
all applicable drawings, specifications and purchase description.
Requisition and Issue Slip. A buyer-generated document that authorizes
a purchase transaction. When accepted by the seller, it becomes a contract
binding on both parties. A purchase order sets forth the descriptions, quantities,
prices, discounts, payment terms, date of performance or shipment, other
associated terms and conditions, and identifies a specific seller. Also called order.

11

Notes
ARC. (2015). Survey: 1 In 6 Internet Users Own a Smartwatch or Fitness
Tracker. Retrieved from http://arc.applause.com/2015/01/12/survey-1-6-peoplesmartwatch-fitness-tracker.
Daniels, J.S. (2002). Foreword in Information and Communication
Technology in EducationA Curriculum for Schools and Programme for Teacher
Development. Paris: UNESCO.
Handfield, R. (2003, October 22). E-procurement and the Purchasing
Process. Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Resource Cooperative,
Poole College of Management, North Carolina State University. Retrieved July
30, 2016, from https://scm.ncsu.edu/scm-articles/article/e-procurement-and-thepurchasing-process. (30 July, 2016).
ITU. (2014). ITU releases annual global ICT Development Index country
rankings.
Retrieved
July
30,
2016
from
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2014/68.
Library Learning Space (2015). ITU releases annual global ICT data and
ICT Development Index country rankings. Retrieved September 01, 2015, from
http://librarylearningspace.com/itu-releases-annual-global-ict-data-ictdevelopment-index-country-rankings.
Sharman, R. (2014, September 05). What is E Procurement? Claritum
Article. Retrieved July 29, 2016, from http://www.claritum.com/what-is-eprocurement.

12

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
In this chapter, the Researchers describe the relevant literature
surrounding the problem discussion, which takes part as foundation of this study.
Review of literature identifies many advantages and opportunities from the field of
Procurement System. This chapter presents a review of foreign and local related
literature and studies from various libraries, text, internet sources, articles, and
publications which were found to be direct and indirectly relevant to the present
study.

Related Literatures
Web-based is not actually new. They are just another term for websites,
which were developed based on web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, and
CSS.
ISO standard 15489: (2001), defines Records Management (RM) as the
field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the
creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including the
processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about
business activities and transactions in the form of records.
In the book Good Records Management Practices, the author defined
record management as the whole range of activities which an organization
should perform to properly manage its records. The key activities include setting
records

management

policy, assigning
13

responsibilities,

establishing

and

promulgating procedures and guidelines, as well as designing, implementing and

administering recordkeeping systems.
In the course of doing business, records are created through a variety of
government activities such as vehicle registration, professional licensing,
procurement contract transactions, general correspondence, and other external
and internal business processes within state and local government offices
(NECCC Analysis of State Records Laws Work Group, 2004)
According to Cavoukian (2003), an electronic records and document
management system (ERDMS) is a tool that enables an organization to efficiently
manage all records and documents that are created and maintained in both
electronic and hardcopy format. An ERDMS can serve as a tool for building the
infrastructure required for e-government. A key component of e-government is edemocracy, which focusses on the use of technology to enhance the
engagement of citizens with democratic institutions. In particular, the use of
technology can enhance public access to government-held information and
promote transparency, accountability and open government.
An Electronic Records Management (ERM) System is a computer program
or set of programs designed to track and store records. The software can be used
to manage the creation and maintenance of records within classification
schemes, apply retention and disposal schedules, and control access and use
(NAS, 2013).

14

According to the R.A. 9184, Section 5, BAC refers to the Bids and Awards
Committee established in accordance with Article 5 of this Act. The main function
of the office is for procurement for each procurement entity. Many documents are
submitted in the office in compliance with the requirements for the transactions
and for eligibility and technicality (Government Procurement Policy Board, 2012).
"Records management" refers to the managerial activities involved with
respect to records creation, records maintenance and use, transmission,
retention and records disposition in order to achieve adequate and proper
documentation of policies and transactions of government for its efficient,
effective and economical operation (R.A. 9470, 2007).
According to Paperless Trail Inc. (2016). Record Management is an important
practice in any organization which more often than not are treated as a minor task
that requires little focus or attention. Often handled by Human Resources (HR) or
the finance/accounting department, Record Management ensures that any and
all information and documents of a company is up to date, accurate and is
compliant to all laws and regulations of the Philippines.
Paper and

electronic documents are

used

by information

workers

interchangeably. Each of the two mediums has its own advantages. Electronic
documents are easy to revise, store, and retrieve. Paper documents, on the other
hand, are light, flexible, portable, and easier to read. Paperless trade involves
conducting trade transactions on the basis of an electronic exchange of traderelated data and documents, in contrast to the conventional way of exchanging
trade information using paper documents (Ha and Lim, 2014).
15

The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) have adopted and

implemented a document management system that aims to enhance the
operational efficiency of the corporation. It enables the corporation to better serve
the public through an organized and systematic information system. The
electronic filing, archiving and retrieval system have preserved PDICs
organizational knowledge by capturing and storing paper documents into a
secure digital repository, managing stored documents through an organized index
system for fast search and retrieval of records, and allowing a secured sharing of
electronic documents within and outside the office (PhilStar Global Business,
2010).
Related Studies
Emmanuel (2009) emphasized that automation plays an important role in
the global economy and in daily experience. Engineers strive to combine
automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex
systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications. In the study of Emmanuel,
Patient Information Management System (PIMS), it mainly provides the
Administration and Staff, with information in real-time to make their work more
interesting and less stressing.
According to the study of Krasniqi (2013), File Tracking System, there are
several benefits in making the file system electronic: 1. solution for effective and
efficient management of files; 2. easy file tracking; 3. online fast and secure file
management; 4. staff improvement; 5. organizational efficiency improvement; 6.

16

paper cost reduce; 7. less energy used; 8. time spent reduce; 9. eliminates
duplication of files and; 10. reduces possibility of mistakes.
In fact, Ataullah (2009) stated that the problem of records retention is
often viewed as simply deleting records when they have outlived their purpose.
However, in the world of relational databases there is no standardized notion of a
business record and its retention obligations. Unlike physical documents such as
forms and reports, information in databases is organized such that one item of
data may be part of various legal records and consequently subject to several
(and possibly conflicting) retention policies.
However, there are challenges in making the records management electronic.
Some of which are: 1. the documents and records we now create are dependent
upon technology to interpret them, and more often than not, they are dependent
upon specific hardware and software system combinations; 2. there are a lack of
institutional policies and guidelines addressing the management of electronic
records; 3. there are a lack of affordable tools to appropriately and effectively
manage electronic records; 4. without effective tools and/or institutional polices
and guidelines for filing and managing records, the usability, and accessibility to
the records may be compromised; 5. there is a greater risk for potential security
breaches and damage via virus attacks; 6. there are significant risks of records
loss or damage due to instability of storage media; 7. the unmanaged
proliferation of copies, even in paper, that while they provide redundancy from a
backup point of view, they can ultimately wreak havoc with completing a final
disposition process (Library OSU, 2015).

17

The e-DoX: DEPED Student Grade Records Management System with

Implementation of Advanced Encryption Standard and PKI Infrastructure by
Rommel Dy (2013), was developed to; improved the process of managing forms
on report on promotions submitted to Department of Education in the province of
Cavite; create a model of student grade records management system that can be
implemented to other DEPED branches and schools; create an electronic
submission of student grade records (Report on Promotion) for school to DEPED
using the Internet; apply a robust security algorithm using Advanced Encryption
Standard and PKI Infrastructure to secure and properly send to centralized
repositories preventing unauthorized access to student grade records and;
provide fast and easy retrieval of student grade records. This study considers that
the system depends on human entry; human error sometimes makes information
inaccurate; any disturbance or interruption during the process of inputting
information would not be recovered by the system; the system response depends
on the speed of internet connection.
A study on the Online Document Management System in Ateneo de Manila
University was conducted by Noel, J. C. G. (2011). The system provides a web
interface for the accessing of files and folders. It also provides cross-platform
benefits where the only requirement to access the file system is a capable
browser.
A recent study conducted at De La Salle University Research Congress,
was about CollaborateIT: A CCS IT Thesis Portal with Electronic Document
Management System (Del Rosario E., Del Rosario, J., Nieva, Tan, Tangkeko,
18

2016). The system covers the entire thesis process as well as the document
management of the different thesis documents. The main objective of the system
is to provide a portal that can help track and accomplish the thesis cycle.
The researchers also found a study that is related to the current study. It
was also a web-based system that was developed by Fajardo and Mediario in
2016. Its general objective is to develop a Web-based Human Resource
Management and Payroll System for Department of Labor and Employment
Regional Office V or DOLE ROV that will lessen the manual processes and
generate timely and efficient documents that are significant to their day to day
tasks.
Almarez in 2013 developed a system entitled Automated Office Supplies
Requisition and Inventory Systems Development:

Step towards Institutional

Progress to improve the manual processing of office supplies requisition and

inventory at the Property Office of LPU-Batangas and to be used by the different
offices and colleges involved in the request of office supplies. It includes security
features to its users wherein the different offices and colleges served as the
requesting departments and the property clerk as the administrator who has the
full access to the functionalities of the entire system. Through the development of
this system, the difficulties during requisition of supplies and too many forms to
be handled will be eliminated. But Dacuycuy-Pacio (2013) says that one of the
changes that came about web-based applications are making the accessing of
records centralized.

19

According to Ambre and Trinidad, Jr. (2016), paper is still one of the major
media of communication extensively used in most office environments. There
were expert analyses and predictions that paper use will be eliminated or will be
limited in the near future. Electronic documents are expected to replace physical
documents. However, the use of paper documents is unexpectedly increasing
even with the claim of paperless systems. Most people still feel more convenient
with paper for reading, annotating, and record keeping purposes.
Synthesis of the State-of-the-Art
This related literature and studies have significant relationship with the
present study in the sense that both are discussing about the benefits of having
an electronic system that could replace the old method used by the office.
Likewise,

the

accessibility

of

the

Requisition

and

BAC

Record

Management System will be implemented by making it a web-based system.

Gap-bridged by the Study
The Researchers review of Related Literature and Studies has been
made, it was observed that the current study focused on making the documents
easy to generate and the records faster to access. While the focal point of the
previous studies was to make the transactions automated. Though in some point,
there are rules and regulations that must be considered from Republic Act No.
9184 to avoid illegal acts.
This system is used in many different establishments today as a tool to
make sure that ones businesses are going to succeed.

It will promote the

function by ensuring accuracy of records by having a database. Web-based

20

Requisition and BAC Record Management System will also allow employees to
finish their works on time. It will also help the office to have a proper way of
managing requests. The proposed system will provide the necessary reports to
access information.

Notes
Almarez, N. (2013). Automated Office Supplies Requisition and Inventory
Systems Development: A Step towards Institutional Progress. (Undergraduate
Thesis). Lyceum of the Philippines University, Batangas.
Ambre, J. A. and Trinidad, J. T. An Online Document Tracking System for a
State
College.
Retrieved
May
16,
2016,
from
http://iamure.com/publication/index.php.
Ataullah A. (2008). A Framework for Records Management in Relational
Database Systems. (Unpublished Masters Thesis). University of Waterloo,
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Cavoukian, A. (2003). Electronic Records and Document Management
Systems: A New Tool for Enhancing the Publics Right to Access GovernmentHeld
Information?
p.
1.
Retrieve
August
10,
2016,
from
https://www.ipc.on.ca/images/resources/up-erdms_e.pdf.
Dacuycuy-Pacio R. (2013). Online Student Information System of Benguet
State University (OSIS-BSU), Philippines. (An Undergraduate Thesis). Benguet
State University. Print.
Del Rosario, E., Del Rosario J., Nieva, M., Tan, T., and Tangkeko, M.
(2016). CollaborateIT: A CCS IT Thesis Portal with Electronic Document
Management System. DLSU Research Congress 2016, Vol: 4. Retrieved August
8,
2016,
from
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/conferences/dlsu_research_congress/2016.asp.
Dy, R. B. (2013). e-DoX: DEPED Student Grade Records Management
System with Implementation of Advanced Encryption Standard and PKI
Infrastructure. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research,
Vol: 11, Issue: 1, pp 112-158.
Fajardo, D. M., and Mediario, S. T. (2016). Web-based Human Resource
Management and Payroll System for Department of Labor and Employment
21

Regional Office V. (An Undergraduate Thesis). Bicol University, Department of

Computer Science and Information Technology, Legazpi City. Print.
Good Records Management Practices. (2011). Retrieved August 8, 2016
from http://www.grs.gov.hk/ws/english/engimages/grmp_e.pdf.
Ha, S. H., and Lim, S. W. (2014). The Progress of Paperless Trade in Asia
and the Pacific: Enabling International Supply Chain Integration. ASIAN
DEVELOPMENT BANK, No. 137.
Government Procurement Policy Board. (2012). Handbook on Philippine
Government Procurement (6th ed.).
ISO. (2001). ISO 15489-1:2001 Information and documentation -- Records
management, Part 1: General. Retrieved August 8, 2016, from
http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=31908.
Library, OSU. (2015). Electronic Records Management Challenges.
Retrieved August 11, 2016, from https://library.osu.edu/projects-initiatives/osurecords-management/electronic-records/electronic-records-managementchallenges/.
National Archives of Scotland. (2013). Electronic Records Management
Systems.
Retrieved
August
10,
2016,
from
http://www.nas.gov.uk/recordKeeping/ERGuidance/ERMSystems.asp.
NECCC Analysis of State Records Laws Work Group. (2004). Challenges
in Managing Records in the 21st Century: Introduction. p. 1.
Noel, J. C. G. (2011). Online Document Management System.
(Unpublished Thesis). Ateneo de Manila University, Department of Information
Systems and Computer Sciences.
Paperlesstrail Inc. (2016). Better Decisions with Accessible Information.
http://www.paperlesstrail.net/blog/record-and-document-keeping-for-companiesin-the-philippines/.
PhilStar Global Business. (2010). PDIC to adopt document management
system.
Retrieved
August
11,
2016,
from
http://www.philstar.com/business/557703/pdic-adopt-document-managementsystem.

22

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology and procedure employed in the

development of the study. Sources of data, instruments used and data gathering
procedure are likewise given. This section lists and discusses specific steps and
activities executed by the Researchers to accomplish the project.

Research Design
Project planning is a critical activity for system development. Good
planning helps the team work together to achieve a set of defined goals in a
defined period of time. The Researchers embark on the process of planning for a
system development project, and describes a practical approach to project
planning. Data and information from existing systems and other related studies
were coherently and cohesively collected for the development of this study.
The Researchers gathered data from the undergraduate thesis at the Bicol
University College of Science, Information Technology and Computer Science
Department and more information were gathered through thorough research from
the internet, books, related articles, documents and published and unpublished
thesis writings that were available during the development of this study.

23

Research Methodology
Rational Unified Process is the best suited method in developing the
system. RUP is based on a set building blocks and content elements, describing
what is to be produced, the necessary skills required and the step-by-step
explanation describing how specific development goals are to be achieved
(Kruchten, 2004). It provides a disciplined approach to assigning tasks and
responsibilities within a development organization. Its goal is to ensure the
production of high-quality software that meets the needs of its end-users, within a
predictable schedule and budget.

The RUP has determined a project life-cycle consisting of four phases:

Phase 1: Inception Phase
The Inception phase is where the researchers get familiarity with the
project goal and scope. It helps determine the project feasibility, what customer
wants, and how the researchers will get into more resource consumable phase.
The Researchers first conducted an interview with the Supply Officer and
other concerned personnel of the BUCE Supply Office to identify and analyze
their needs, considering all the present problems encountered by the Office. The
Researchers suggested a suitable solution to the current problems and found the
suitable aspects of information systems applications that could help the office
reach its objective. The Office uses computer and manually type information
using the Excel application which is not really efficient. The office use computers

24

in processing important documents but keeps records in paper base format and
puts them on folders or boxes that are then put on shelves.
The Researchers initially planned to create an eBidding System for the
BUCE BAC Office for the reason that Researchers believe that this would greatly
many entities. It would somehow serve as a model in improving the current
PhilGEPS which is used nationally. However, after several discussions, the
Researchers then decided to switch into a new system due to technical issues.
The new study is about a Web-based Requisition and BAC Record Management
System. The system not only involves the Supply Office but also the BAC Office.

Phase 2: Elaboration Phase

The primary objective is to mitigate the key risk items identified by analysis
up to the end of this phase. The elaboration phase is where the project starts to
take shape. In this phase the problem domain analysis is made and the
architecture of the project gets its basic form.
To attain the needed solution to the problems, a deeper understanding of
the requirements is needed. During the interview, the Researchers discussed the
overview of the system, the flowcharts and forms about programs and services
for thorough study and analysis.
The secondary sources of data were gathered from books, journals,
undergraduate thesis and online websites. The sample forms provided by the
Office also served as the secondary sources. These provided the needed
information regarding to the flow of transactions that helped the researchers.

25

At the end of this phase, the Researchers had had a better understanding
on the requirements needed in the system being developed in relation to how the
Office functions.

Phase 3: Construction Phase

The Construction Phase is about cost-efficient development of a complete
product and operational version of the system that can be deployed in the user
community. It is where the researchers develop a complete product that is ready
for transition to its community.
Using all the gathered information, the Researchers made a design fit for
the features of the System. The researchers gathered all the data needed for the
database making and the outer appearance of the pages.
The researchers created the database design so that the process of
producing a detailed data model of a database will be clear. The logical data
model contains all the needed logical and physical design choices and physical
storage parameters needed to generate a design in a data definition language,
which can then be used to create a database.
In developing the software, the Researchers found Hypertext PreProcessor (PHP) easy to use for the programming language that was designed
for creating dynamic websites. PHP language is flexible and fairly forgiving,
making it easy to learn.
PHP is a general purpose scripting language that is especially suited for
web development. It generally runs on a web-server, taking PHP code as its input

26

and creating web pages as output. It can be deployed on most web-servers,

many operating systems and platforms, and can be used with many relational
database management systems. It is available free of charge, and the PHP
Groups provide a complete source code for users to build, customize and extend
for their own use (My Php.net, n.d.).
The languages used in designing the system were the Hypertext Mark Up
language (HTML) and the Cascading Style Sheet (CSS). The Researchers made
a design fit for the features of the needed outputs of the office.
The HTML was used in creating web pages. It described the structure of a
website semantically along with the cues of presentation. HTML elements form
the building blocks of the website, and it allowed the images and other objects to
be embedded (World Wide Web Consortium, 2010).
The Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) was used in describing the look and
formatting of the document written in markup language. It is designed to enable
separation of document content presentation, including elements such as colors
and fonts. The separation improved the organization of the codes of the System
and also provided more flexibility and control in the specification of presentation
characteristics (Mozilla Developer Network, 2015).
The data were collected in software like MySQL. Instead of reinventing the
wheel and implementing a system storing and retrieving data, MySQL uses the
specialized database programs. MySQL database is the worlds most popular
open source database because of its high performance, high reliability, ease of
use and dramatic cost savings. Structured Query Language (SQL) is a database

27

sublanguage used in querying, updating and managing relational database. It is

also used to communicate with database Management System (DBMS). SQL is a
database computer language design for the retrieval and management of data in
relational database management systems (RDMS), database schema creation
and modification, and database object access control management (Microsoft,
2009).
The Apache HTTP Server was also used. It supports a variety of features,
many implemented as compiled modules which extend the core functionality.

Table 1
Hardware and Software Requirements
Disk Space Requirement
Memory Requirement
Processor

Minimum of 40 GB
At least 256 MB of RAM
Intel or AMD Processor

Browser
Other Software

At least 1.06 GHz

Mozilla, Google Chrome
Apache, Php, MySQL

Every computer system has requirements in terms of Software and

Hardware used for better implementation. In this case, the Researchers listed in
the table above the required software and hardware to be used in the proposed
system.

Phase 4: Transition Phase

28

The purpose of the transition phase is to transition the software product to

the user community. In this phase the Researchers validate the new system
against user expectations.

Figure 1
Rational Unified Process (RUP)
The Researchers used the Rational Unified Process as research
methodology in developing the System. It is a sequential process wherein there
are series of tasks to be completed.

29

Notes
Kruchten, Philippe (2004). The
Introduction. Addison-Wesley. p.33.

Rational

Unified

Process:

An

Microsoft. (2009). Structured Query Language. Microsoft Student 2009

[DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.
Mozilla Developer Network. (2015). CSS Developer Guide. Retrieved May
16, 2016, from https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/CSS.
My Php.net. (n.d.). History of PHP. Retrieved July 13, 2016, from
http://php.net/manual/en/history/php.php.
World Wide Web Consortium. (2010). HTML5 Differences from HTML4.
Retrieved May 16, 2016 from http://www.w3.org/TR/html5-diff.

30