The British Columbia Muslim Association (BCMA) is a largely volunteer organization that operates a central Web site with links to Islamic resources in the BC community. The Web site is currently undergoing a significant redesign, and although the Web site is possibly the most visible of the organization's activities, it is the coordination with the various BC Muslim groups that forms the core activity of the organization. Having an effective and efficient database is critical to the organization's success, but at this point, the organization is not making the most of its database capabilities. This research considers how the organization might improve its database use and thus its organizational effectiveness.
At this point, the BCMA uses Excel for its database needs, and recognizes that this is a short-term solution. This solution came about as the organization grew and volunteers were familiar with Excel. While Excel provides some database utility, it is not a comprehensive database and falls short of many of the applications from which the organization could benefit. When the organization was initially formed, its database needs consisted primarily of tracking names and addresses of those who wished to be on the organization's mailing list. While this continues to be one of the functions that the database must perform, today's database must also track the many Muslim organization with which the BCMA keeps in contact, the various functions and services that they provide, lists of individuals (employees, volunteers and donors), and many other functions. It is important that the database be able to provide searches and queries, and that it interface with the organization's Web site in order to provide limited access to Internet visitors, as well ("Home," 2005).
The organization is considering a new database structure, and is evaluating Oracle and mySAP as possible a
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