Chapter 11
Information Systems
Management
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
This Could Happen to You
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Dee wants to restrict access to blog
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Easiest way is to put it on Emerson’s server
Needed permission and help of IT department
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Exposed Emerson to enormous security risk
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Consultant could have misused system
Dee didn’t understand the problems
Different approach could have elicited more supportive
response
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11-2
Used manager to force submission
Interact in a more effective way
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Study Questions
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11-3
Why do you need to know about the IT department?
What are the responsibilities of the IT department?
How is the IT department organized?
What IS-related job positions exist?
How do organizations decide how much to spend on
IT?
What are your rights and responsibilities?
How does knowledge from this chapter help you at
Emerson or DSI?
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Why Do You Need to Know about
the IT Department?
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Need to understand the responsibilities and duties of
the IT department
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Need to know about functions of IT department to be
IS-savvy
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11-4
More effective consumer
Obtain services, equipment, and systems needed
Better understand how to integrate disparate companies or
offices
Can raise IT issues early in merger or acquisition
Better understand needs of IT department in supporting new
initiatives
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What Are the Responsibilities of
the IT Department?
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11-5
Plan for information systems and IT
infrastructure
Develop and adapt information systems and
IT infrastructure
Maintain information systems and operate
and maintain IT infrastructure
Protect infrastructure and data
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Plan for Information Systems
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Further organization’s competitive strategy
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Assess new technologies to determine
possible applications
Agile enterprise
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11-6
Align activities with primary goals and objectives
of organization
Adapt infrastructure and systems to new goals
Organizations that can adapt quickly to changes
in external factors
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Develop and Adapt Information
Systems
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IT department must create, develop, and adapt
information systems
Create and adapt infrastructure
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Create systems infrastructures
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11-7
Computer networks, servers, data centers, data
warehouses, data marts
E-mail, VPN, instant messaging, blogs, net meetings
Specify standard computer systems
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Maintain Information Systems and
Infrastructures
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Operate and maintain infrastructure
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11-8
Networks and servers must be monitored, tuned,
and repaired
System outages are expensive
Respond to threats to infrastructure
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Protect Infrastructure and Data
from Threats
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Threats to infrastructure and data from:
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IT department helps organizations manage risk
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11-9
Human error and mistakes
Malicious human activity
Natural events and disasters
Identify potential threats
Estimate financial and other risks
Specify safeguards
Determine which level of risk to assume
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Is the IT Department
Organized?
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Chief Information Officer (CIO)
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Technology office
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Head: Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Investigates new information systems technologies for
possible application at organization
Operations
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11-10
Principal manager
Reports to CEO, COO, or CFO
Manages computing infrastructure
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Is the IT Department
Organized?, continued
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Development
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Outsourcing relations
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Handles affairs with outsourced systems
Data administration staff functions
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11-11
Manages process of creating new information
systems
Maintains existing system
Establishes data standards and data
management practices and policies
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What IS-Related Job Positions
Exist?
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11-12
Systems analyst
Programmer
PQA test engineer
Technical writer
User support
representative
Computer technician
Network administrator
Consultant
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Sales
Small-scale project
manager
Large-scale project
manager
Database administrator
CIO
CTO
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Position Requirements
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Most positions require business knowledge
Many require university degrees
Most require good verbal and writing skills
Think dual majors with IS!
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11-13
Accounting
Marketing
Management
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Guide: Jumping Aboard the
Bulldozer
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Recent media reports blame overseas outsourcing
on US job loss
Real culprit is increased productivity because of
information technology
Creative destruction
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Be a business professional
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11-14
Unneeded jobs removed
No new hiring
Use technology and information systems to help the
organization
Define yourself more generally
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Do Organizations Decide How
Much to Spend on IT?
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Analyze costs and benefits of system
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Estimate dollar costs
Value tangible benefits
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Value intangible benefits
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Value of email system
Compute costs and tangible benefits to see if project is
justified
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11-15
Lifetime value of customers lost by not having support system
Anticipated customer support cost savings
If not, then compute intangibles
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What Are Your Rights?
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Rights include:
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11-16
Having resources to perform work proficiently
Having reliable network and Internet services
Secure computing environment
Participating in requirements meeting for applications
Reliable systems development and maintenance
Prompt attention to problems, concerns and complaints
Effective training
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What Are Your Responsibilities?
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Responsibilities include:
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11-17
Learning basic computer skills and techniques
Following security and backup procedures
Using computer resources in a manner consistent with
employer’s policies
Making no unauthorized hardware modifications
Installing only authorized programs
Installing computer patches and fixes
Treating informational systems workers professionally
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Ethics Guide: Using the Corporate
Computer
Computers, e-mail, and the Internet are to be used primarily for official
company business. Small amounts of personal email can be exchanged with
friends and family, and occasional usage of the Internet is permitted, but such
usage should be limited and never interfere with your work
You are a manager at a company with the above policy. You find out that
an employee has been:
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11-18
Playing computer games
during work hours
Playing computer games
before and after work
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Responding to e-mails from an
ill parent
Watching DVDs during lunch
and breaks
Sending e-mails to plan a party
that mostly involves people
from work
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Ethics Guide: Using the Corporate
Computer, continued
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11-19
Sending e-mails to plan a party
that mostly involves no one
from work
Searching the Web for a new
car
Reading the news on
CNN.com
Checking the stock market
over the Internet
Bidding on items for
personal use on eBay
Selling personal items on
eBay
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Paying personal bills online
Paying personal bills online
when traveling on company
business
Buying an airplane ticket for
an ill parent over the Internet
Changing the content of a
personal Web site
Changing the content of a
personal business Web site
Buying an airplane ticket for
a personal vacation over the
Internet
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Does Knowledge from This
Chapter Help You at Emerson or DSI?
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How does this knowledge help you at Emerson:
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Puzzling situation at DSI:
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11-20
Understand the need to protect network infrastructure
Suggest alternatives
Hire bonded consultant
Sole IT person can not perform all jobs
Users are performing some of the work
Some jobs are not getting done
No one seems to be thinking strategically about IS
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Active Review
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11-21
Why do you need to know about the IT department?
What are the responsibilities of the IT department?
How is the IT department organized?
What IS-related job positions exist?
How do organizations decide how much to spend on
IT?
What are your rights and responsibilities?
How does knowledge from this chapter help you at
Emerson or DSI?
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke