Management
Information Systems,
10/e
Raymond McLeod Jr. and George P. Schell
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
1
Chapter 4
System Users and Developers
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
2
Learning Objectives
► Know
that the organizational content for systems
development and use is changing from a physical
to a virtual structure.
► Know who the information specialists are and how
they can be integrated into an information services
organization.
► Be alert to new directions that the information
services organization may take.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
3
Learning Objectives (Cont’d)
► Understand
what is meant by “end-user
computing” and why it came about.
► Appreciate that users, especially those with
an end-user computing capability, are a
valuable information resource.
► Know the benefits and risks of end-user
computing.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
4
Learning Objectives (Cont’d)
► Be
aware of the types of knowledge and skill that
are important to systems development.
► Appreciate the value of managing the knowledge
held by information specialists and users.
► Recognize the benefits and risks of the virtual
office and the virtual organization.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
5
Figure 4.1 Information Systems Are
Developed to Support Organizational
Levels and Areas
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
6
Information Services (IS)
Organization
► Information
resources
► Information specialists






System analysts
Database administrators
Webmasters
Network specialists
Programmers
Operators
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
7
The Informational Services
Organizational Structure
► Trend
from centralized to decentralized
structure.
 Divisional information officer (DIO)
► Innovative
 Partner model
 Platform model
 Scalable model
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
8
Figure 4.3 A Network Model of
Information Services Organization
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
9
Network Model (Cont’d)
► Visioning
network enables the CIO to
work with top management in strategic
planning for information resources.
► Innovation network is used by the CIO to
interface with business areas so that
innovations can be developed.
► Sourcing network is utilized to interface
with vendor for acquiring information
resources.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
10
End-user Computing
► End-user
computing (EUC) is the
development by users of all or parts of their
information systems.
► EUC has 4 main influences:




The impact of computer education.
The information services backlog.
Low-cost hardware.
Prewritten software.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
11
Benefits of EUC
► Match
capabilities and challenges.
► Reduce the communication gap.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
12
Risks of EUC
► Poorly
targeted systems.
► Poorly designed and documented systems.
► Inefficient use of information resources.
► Loss of data integrity.
► Loss of security.
► Loss of control.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
13
Education Criteria, Knowledge, and Skills
Needed for Careers in Information
Systems
► Systems
development knowledge
Computer literacy
Information literacy
Business fundamentals
Systems theory
Systems development process
Systems life cycle (SLC) and Systems development life
cycle (SDLC)
 Systems modeling






© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
14
Table 4.1 Knowledge Requirements
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
15
Education Criteria, …(Cont’d)
► Systems




development skills
Communications skills
Analytical ability
Creativity
Leadership
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
16
Table 4.2 Skill Requirements
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Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
17
Managing the Knowledge Represented
by the Firm’s Information Resources
► Office
automation includes all of the
formal and informal electronic systems
primarily concerned with the communication
of information to and from persons both
inside and outside the firm.
► Shift from clerical to managerial problem
solving.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
18
The Virtual Office
► Telecommuting
describes how employees
could electronically “commute” to work.
► Hoteling is when the firm provides a
central facility that can be shared by
employees as the need for office space and
support arises.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
19
The Virtual Office (Cont’d)
► Advantages




Reduced facility cost.
Reduced equipment cost.
Reduced work stoppages.
Social contribution.
► Disadvantages
 Low morale.
 Fear of security risks.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
20
The Virtual Organization
► Three
I Economy is those industries that
are most attracted to the concept of the
virtual office and the virtual organization
and those that add value in the form of
information, ideas, and intelligence.
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
21
The Human Element
► Most
important ingredient in the
development and use of information
systems.
► Main players
 Users
 Information specialists
© 2007 by Prentice Hall
Management Information Systems, 10/e
Raymond McLeod and George Schell
22