Transcript Midterm1 Overview Feb. 26, 2004

Midterm1 Overview
Feb. 26, 2004
• Appendix A – IS Hardware
• Appendix B – IS Software
• Appendix C – Computer Networking
Chapter 1 Objectives
• Understand the term information systems (IS)
• Understand IS components:
– Technology, people, organizations
• Understand IS career opportunities
• Understand types of information systems
• Understand IS and organizational success or
failure
• Understand the future of IS management
Information Systems Defined
Combinations of hardware, software, and
telecommunications networks that people build
and use to collect, create, and distribute useful
data in organizations
Key Elements of Information
Systems
Knowledge as a Business Resource
• Knowledge Worker
– A well-educated professional who creates, modifies, or
synthesizes knowledge in one’s profession
• Information-literate knowledge workers
– Can define what information they need
– Know how and where to obtain that information
– Understand the information once they receive it
– Can act appropriately based on the information
• Knowledge Society
– Also called digital society, new economy
– Working with brains instead of hands
– The importance of education
– Digital divide
Data
• Data: raw material, unformatted information
• Information: processed data (meaningful)
• Knowledge: understanding relationships
between pieces of information
• Wisdom: knowledge accumulated and applied
Technology and Information
Systems
• Computer-Based Information Systems
– One type of technology
– Technology – any mechanical and/or electrical means
to supplement, extend, or replace human activity
– Information Technology (IT) – machine technology
controlled by or using information
• The goal of IS is to provide useful data to users
– IS can be local or global, organizational or enterprisewide
Goals of Information technology
• Increase employee productivity: reducing the time, errors, and
costs associated with processing (OLTP, TPS, CIS)
• Enhance decision making: generate alternatives, recommend
solutions, drill down through information (OLTP, DSS, GIS,
EIS, AI, Data warehouses)
• Improve team collaboration: by sharing info (Collaboration
System, Groupware)
• Create business partnerships: helping work together to provide
better and more timely products and services (IOS, EDI)
• Enable global reach: marketing your product all over the world,
take advantage of a cheaper/larger workforce (Internet,
Translation phones)
• Facilitate organizational transformation: responding to the
ever-changing needs of today’s marketplace.
Careers in IS
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Systems Analyst
Systems Programmer
Systems Consultant
Database Administrator
Webmaster
IS Director
Chief Information Officer
Professor
Government scientist
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
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Responsible for organization’s IS
Executive level
Became prominent in 1980s
Challenges
– Tightening budgets
– Expectation management
• Subordinates
– Mid-level managers
– IS directors
– Project managers
IS Managerial Personnel
1. CIO
2. IS director
3. Account Executive
4. Info Center Manager
5. Development Manager
6. Project Manager
7. Maintenance Manager
8. Systems Manager
9. IS planning Manager
10. Operations Manager
11. Programming Manager
12. Systems Programming
Manager
13. Manager of Emerging
Technologies
14. Telecommunications Manager
15. Network Manager
16. Database Administrator
17. Auditing or Computer
Security Manager
18. Quality Assurance Manager
19. Webmaster
The High Value of IS Personnel
• Supply and demand
– Aggressive recruiting
– High salaries
– Broad demand
• Large and small companies
• Urban and rural
Integrating Skills and
Knowledge
• Technology
– hardware, software, networking
• Business
– business, management, social, communications
• Systems
– Integration, development methods, critical
thinking, problem solving
Hot Skills in IS Workers
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Office / E-mail
Languages
Applications
RDBS Administration
Development Tools
Internetworking
Operating Systems
NOS LAN Administration
Networking
The Organizational Side of IS
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Transaction Processing System
Management Information System
Executive Information System
Decision Support System
Expert System
Functional Area Information System
Office Automation System (a.k.a. Personal
Productivity Software)
Collaboration System
Customer Relationship Management System
Electronic Commerce System
Enterprise Resource Planning System
Disaster Plans for IS
• That IS is crucial to corporate success is
illustrated by the need for disaster planning
• September 11
• Are companies prepared now?
– What’s at stake
– The consequences of failing to plan
The Dual Nature of IS
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Systems can dictate success or failure
Case 1: Denver International Airport
Case 2: Federal Express
Factors affecting success/failure:
– Size and complexity of project
– Size and nature of organization
IS for Competitive Advantage
• Strategic Systems to help gain or sustain some
competitive advantage: whether the
organization is large or small, every
organization can find a way to use information
technology to beat its rivals
• Competition: doing things faster, better,
cheaper
• How can systems gain one’s organization a
competitive advantage?
International Outsourcing
• United States executives are becoming increasingly
comfortable with outsourcing projects to companies
that do the work in remote locations at lower prices
than can be found domestically.
– Increase productivity
– Cost savings: goal is 25% cost savings on outsourcing
• India has been a prime source of offshore
programmers and project managers for information
systems projects within companies in the United
States.
IS Within the Firm
• Traditionally a love/hate relationship
– “Techies” vs. mere “users” (us vs. them)
– Poor service, lousy attitudes
• Now: progress toward better customer service
– Better relationships within the company
– Cooperation, not rivalry
Staying Current with IS News
• Great sources for IS current info:
– informationweek.com
– computerworld.com
– cio.com
The Spread of Technology in
Organizations
• Technology infiltrates business units
• Dual role for IS workers:
– Work with IS technical group
– Work with business unit (marketing, finance, etc.)