Web information system, or web-based information system, is an information system that

uses Internet web technologies to deliver information and services, to users or other information
systems/applications.

Background
Fairfax oilfield Services Ltd is an indigenous Ghanaian company incorporated in
Ghana in 2014. The company has its objects as Provision of Petroleum Geoscience,

Engineering, Operational and Commercial advisory services to the growing oil and gas industry
in Ghana and West Africa as a whole. It additionally undertakes such tasks as
immigration services, logistics, among others. It is a Ghanaian company with
hundred (100) percent Ghanaian shareholding. It has two directors and about 20
employees. The directors have a great deal of expertise in the oil and gas industry
for over ten (10) years. The aim of the company is to be the number one (1) service
provider in Ghana and beyond.
It has different departments such as Geology, Engineering, Human resources,
Finance, logistics, and IT. Each of these departments is led by a head of department.
There are other workers supporting the heads of department to discharge their
duties.
The IT department comprises only one person designated as IT specialist. He
reports to the chief operations officer.

Application of Web-based information systems

Some terms need to be understood so as to put things in perspective. The meaning of the terms
used are defined below:
Web information system, or web-based information system, is an information system that
uses Internet web technologies to deliver information and services, to users or other information
systems/applications (Wikipedia)
Web: a hypertext system that operates over the Internet.
Information system (IS) refers to formal, socio-technical, organizational systems designed to
collect, process, store, and distribute information.
In todays business environment, web based information system is critical that an organization that
does not see the need for it has to rethink before it is swallowed by competition.
Being much aware of this, Fairfax Oilfield Services Ltd has been using web base information system
in its operations. Every employee is entitled to a company assigned computer. These computers are
configured to recognize only the particular person it was assigned to. All users use passwords to
open their computers. Passwords are unique and are changed every month by the system
prompting the used to change the password when due for change. Internet is available in the form of
wifi or cable. The internet access is only possible one is in the office.
Fairfax Oilfield Services ltd has acquired software for the various departments such as finance,
geology, and engineering. All these departments use their respective software in isolation. These
software have not been integrated. This is because the various software are different and used for
completely different purposes. Whiles finance uses a software called Factura, engineering uses one

call petrel. Petrel is used in engineering services, reservoir engineering among others. The geology
department uses russel for operations. Finance department uses Factura. This software is
integrated for inventory and accounts. It can be used for human resources but this function is not
enabled because it does not come with the package. The human resource package is separately
purchased.
These software are all web-based since one needs to be connected to the internet before one can
gain access to them. Access to the software is protected by user passwords. The software cannot be
accessed out of the office. This because it is only the company internet that can be used to access
the software.
The company uses email to ease communication. Every employee has an email address which is
used for quick communication. A third party provides the platform for which a quarterly charge is paid
by Fairfax Oilfield Services Ltd. Unlike the software, the emails are available on smart phones
everywhere as well accessible on the computer with any internet connection.
Fairfax oilfield services ltd also created a shared drive where common items and data are put for use
by all who have access to the shared drive. Every unit or department has its own shared drive and
members of the unit can only access their department shared drive. For example, the finance shared
drive is only accessible to the finance department. Other employees likewise have access rights only
to their respective department shared drive. There is however a common shared drive which is
accessible to all employees without respect to which department they belong to.
The being an oil and gas support company does not deal with many customers hence information
needed is limited to financial information hence the finance department is critical. The accounting
software enables us produce such reports as income statement, balance sheet as well as cash flow.
The other software are for training of employees of our clients.
Thinking about integration, there is no single software that can be used to carry out all the functions
of the company. The functions are completely different that even the best of breed may not work.
Malware may need to be explored.
All these software are hosted by Google hence Fairfax Oilfield Services did not buy IT equipment.
Fairfax oilfield Services appears not to see IS as strategic tool since the designation of the IT person
is IT specialist. He reports to the head of finance.

Benefits derived from the use of Web-based information systems

Web based information no doubt brings about many benefits. Some of the benefits include:
Ease of access, well organized data, better communication, security of data,
With the email system, every employee is reachable on need. This is because the company has
provided smart phones for all employees which smart phones have been configured to receive
emails. It also allows us to tract communication because it leaves a communication trail. It has
reduced the use of paper eliminate writing and printing of memos.
Before the acquisition and installation of the accounting system (Factura), the company financial
information was recorded in Microsoft excel. This made it extremely difficult to organize and produce
reports for management decision making. With the purchase and implementation of the accounting
system, financial information was being capture as the transaction was being done. The system is

has made it easy to organize the data in different forms as required. Some reports are only a click
away. We are able to process more data in real time in more volumes and at a faster rate than
before. This has led to efficiency and effectiveness
The accounting system further gives the bank balance on the dash board so as to prompt on
whether we are running into overdraft or not. Other things like showing the vendors due for payment
as well as overdue trade receivables. All these make monitoring easy for the finance manager and
top management.
The russel as used in geology department enables the principal geologist to analyze geological and
geophysical data to determine the presence or otherwise of hydrocarbons. Without the software, the
analysis of the geological and geophysical information would have been carried out by a third party
at a charge far higher than the cost involved in acquiring the software. Confidential data pertaining to
our operations could be made available to third parties in so doing.

Enablers and constraints of Web-based information systems

Recommendations for improvement