Information Systems: Concepts and Definitions
w Data Item. Elementary description of things, events, activities and transactions that are recorded, classified and stored but are not organized to convey any specific meaning.
w Information. Data organized so that they have meaning and value to the recipient.
w Example: 3.0 à Data ; Ahmed GPA is 3.0 àInformation
w Knowledge. Data and/or information organized and processed to convey understanding, experience, accumulated learning and expertise as they apply to a current problem or activity.
w Information Technology Architecture. A high-level map or plan of the information assets in an organization, which guides current operations and is a blueprint for future directions.
w Information Technology Infrastructure. The physical facilities, IT components, IT services and IT management that support an entire organization.
Information Systems
w Information System (IS). Collects, processes, stores, analyzes and disseminates information for a specific purpose.
w Computer-based Information System (CBIS). An information system that uses computer technology to perform some or all of its intended tasks.
Basic Components of Information Systems
w Hardware is a device such as a processor, monitor, keyboard or printer
w Software is a program or collection of programs that enable hardware to process data.
w Database is a collection of related files or tables containing data.
w Network is a connecting system (wireline or wireless) that permits different computers to share resources.
w Procedures are the set of instructions about how to combine the above components in order to process information and generate the desired output.
w People are those individuals who use the hardware and software, interface with it, or uses its output.
Application Programs
w Application program is a computer program designed to support a specific task , a business process or another application program.
Types of Information Systems
w Information Systems that support specific functional areas and operations include:
n Functional Area Information System
n Transaction Processing System (TPS)
n Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System
n Interorganizational Information System
n Electronic Commerce Systems
w Functional area information systems or departmental information systems
n Function: Support the activities within specific functional areas.
n Example: System for processing payroll.
w Transaction processing system (TPS)
n Function: Process transaction data from business events.
n Example: Walmart checkout point-of-sale terminal.
w Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP)
n Function: Integrate all functional areas of the organization.
n Example: Oracle, SAP
w Interorganizational information systems (IOS) are information systems that connect two or more organizations and support interorganizational operations such as supply chain management.
n Function: Manage flows of products, services and information among organizations.
n Example: Walmart Retail Link System connecting suppliers to Walmart.
n Supply chain describes the flow of materials, information, money and services from raw material suppliers through factories and warehouses to the end customers.
w Electronic Commerce Systems
n Function: Enable transactions among organizations and between organizations and customers.
n Business-to-Business (B2B)
n Business-to-Consumer (B2C)
Support for Organizational Employees
w Knowledge workers are professional employees such as financial and marketing analysts, engineers, lawyers and accountants.
n They create information and knowledge about a specific subject area and integrate it into an organization.
n Act as advisors to middle managers and executives.
w Office Automation System (OAS)
n Function: Support daily work activities of individuals and groups.
n Example: Microsoft Office
n Support: Clerical staff, lower and middle managers and knowledge workers.
w Management Information System (MIS)
n Function: Produce reports summarized from transaction data, usually in one functional area.
n Example: Report on total sales of each customer.
n Supports: Primarily for middle managers, sometimes for lower level managers as well.
w Decision Support System (DSS)
n Function: Provide access to data and analysis tools.
n Example: “What if” analysis of changes in a budget.
n Supports: Primarily for Middle managers and knowledge workers
w Expert System (ES)
n Function: Mimic human expert in a particular area and make a decision.
n Example: Credit card approval analysis.
n Supports: Knowledge workers
w Executive Information System (EIS)
n Function: Present structured, summarized information about aspects of business important to executives.
n Example: Status of production by product.
n Supports: Top managers of the organization.
New (Consultative) IS Functions
w Initiating and designing specific strategic IS.
w Incorporating the Internet and e-commerce into the business.
w Managing system integration including the Internet, intranets and extranets.
w Educating the non-IS managers about IT
w Educating the IS staff about the business
w Supporting end user computing.
w Partnering with the executives.
w Managing outsourcing.
w Proactively using business and technical knowledge to “seed” innovative ideas about IT.
w Creating business alliances with vendors and IS departments in other organizations.
IT Offers Career Opportunities
w The demand for traditional IT staff – such as programmers, business analysts, systems analysts and designers – is substantial.
w In addition, well-paid jobs in Internet and e-commerce, mobile commerce, network, security, object-oriented programming, telecommunications and multimedia design are available too.
No comments:
Post a Comment