Introduction to IS & Fundamental Concepts Infsy 540 Dr. R. Ocker Chapter Chapter1: 1: Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction to to Information Information Systems and Their Capabilities Introduction Information Systems Systems and to Their Capabilities and Their Capabilities 1- 1 Chapter 2: Fundamental Concepts of IS First First Edition Edition Foundations of Information Systems Vladimir Vladimir Zwass Zwass Irwin/McGraw-Hill Irwin/McGraw-Hill © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998 ©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998 What are some characteristics of today’s business environment? Characteristics of today’s business environment: globalization global marketplace global competition global work groups global information systems Characteristics of today’s business environment: transformation of industrial economies knowledge and information-based economies productivity innovation time-based competition shorter product life turbulent environment Characteristics of today’s business environment: transformation of the organization flatter decentralized flexible collaborative work and teamwork empowered workforce lower operating costs Transformation of the Business Enterprise traditional business firm hierarchical centralized standard operating procedures for mass production new style of business firm flatter decentralized flexible arrangement of generalists and specialists Transformation of the Business Enterprise similar to a symphony consist of knowledge workers college educated members of profession (e.g., engineers, doctors, lawyers, scientists, etc.) jobs consist primarily of creating new information and knowledge IT has evolved to enable and support new form of organization What is an information system (IS)? interrelated components working together to – collect, process, store, disseminate information to support – decision making, coordination, control, analysis, and visualization in an organization Components of an IS Hardware software databases telecommunications (networks) human resources (system professionals and end users) procedures (specifications for the use, operation, & maintenance of IS) 3 activities in an IS produce information 1. input - capture of raw data 2. processing - conversion, manipulation, and analysis of raw input 3. output - distribution of processed information CBIS - computer-based information system - our focus in this course Information vs. Data information technology = IS + telecommunications information - data that have been shaped into a form that is meaningful and useful to humans data - raw facts before they have been organized and arranged into a form useful to people Information is a corporate resource... Attributes of Quality Information Timely complete concise relevant accurate precise appropriate form Business perspective on IS an IS is an organizational and management solution, based on IT, to solve a business problem to use IS effectively, must understand organization - e.g. culture knowledge workers - users of technology management - diff. levels require diff. types of systems role of IT within the organization Sociotechnical Perspective We will take a sociotechnical perspective on IT - the technology and the organization must mutually adjust to one another to achieve satisfactory fit task technology people structure Different kinds of systems Organizations and info. systems can be divided into four levels: – operational-level – knowledge-level – management-level – strategic-level Organizational information systems provide: knowledge-work support support knowledge and data workers in an organization; help workers design products, distribute information, and cope with paperwork; fastest growing applications operational support monitor low-level activities and transactions of the organization Organizational information systems provide: management-level support support management activities of monitoring, controlling, decision-making, and administrative activities of middle managers executive-level support support long-range planning activities of senior management 1- 4 Information Information Systems Systems Executive Info. Systems Decision Support Systems Management Support Mgmt. Reporting Systems Transaction Processing Systems Organizational Support Support of Knowledge Work Professional Support Systems Office Info. Systems Interorganizational Systems Irwin/McGraw-Hill ©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998 Six Major types of Systems TPS MRS DSS EIS PSS OIS transaction processing systems management reporting systems decision support systems executive information systems professional support systems office information systems 1. TPS transaction processing systems operational level perform and record daily routine transactions necessary to conduct the business 2. MRS management reporting systems Used by managers responsible for specific functions or processes in a firm provide routine summary and exception reports managers use these reports to help control their area of responsibility 3. DSS decision support systems Designed to support individual and collective decision making often use information from external sources more analytical power than other types of systems 4. EIS executive information systems strategic level of the organization support long-term, strategic view used by senior executives easy access to summarized company data incorporate external information on industry and economy 5. PSS professional support systems Support performance of tasks specific to a given profession For example lawyers doing legal research architects designing buildings designers modeling a new automobile 6. OAS office information systems support and help coordinate knowledge work in an office environment emphasis on increased productivity systems include e-mail, scheduling systems, word processing 7. Expert Systems (ES) Branch of Artificial Intelligence suggest a decision based on a knowledge base (rather than a data base) incorporate heuristics – informal “rules of thumb” ES can be incorporated into all types of IS or can be used as stand-alone system Information Architecture particular form that IT takes in an organization to achieve goals computer systems base HW, SW, data, telecommunications operated by technical people Information Architecture Managers design an organization’s information architecture decide how to arrange and coordinate the various computer technologies and business system applications to meet the information needs of each level of the organization – operational, knowledge, management, strategic more details next lecture 10 Principal capabilities of IS 1. Fast and accurate data processing with large-capacity storage and rapid communication between sites 2. Instantaneous access to information 3. Means of coordination 4. Boundary spanning 5. Support for decision making 10 Principal capabilities of IS 6. Supporting organizational memory and learning 7. Routinizing organizational practice 8. Differentiation of products and services 9. Modeling 10. automation Key Key Terms Terms in in Chapter Chapter 11 & & 22 Information Information Systems Systems Information Information Systems Systems Literacy Literacy Knowledge Knowledge Work Work Transaction Transaction Processing Processing System System Management Management Reporting Reporting System System Decision Decision Support Support System System Executive Executive Information Information System System Professional Professional Support Support System System Office Office Information Information System System Expert Expert System System Interorganizational Interorganizational System System Irwin/McGraw-Hill Computer Computer Software Software Hardware Hardware Telecommunications Telecommunications Computer Computer Network Network Internet Internet World World Wide Wide Web Web Coordination Coordination Boundary-Spanning Boundary-Spanning Organizational Organizational Memory Memory Model Model Automation Automation Business Business Process Process Business Business Process Process Redesign Redesign Sociotechnical Sociotechnical Perspective Perspective 1- 9 Planning Planning Controlling Controlling Leading Leading Organizing Organizing Information Information Systems Systems Architecture Architecture ©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998