INFORMATION SYSTEMS: AN OVERVIEW

1. MIS CHAPTER 1 INFORMATION SYSTEMS: AN OVERVIEW Hossein BIDGOLI

2. Chapter 1 Information Systems: An Overview l e a r n i n g o u t c o m e s LO1Discuss common applications of computers and information systems. LO2Explain the differences between computer literacy and information literacy. LO3Define transaction processing systems. LO4Define management information systems. LO5Describe the four major components of an information system. LO6Discuss the differences between data and information.

3. Chapter 1 Information Systems: An Overview l e a r n i n g o u t c o m e s (cont’d.) LO7Explain the importance and applications of information systems in functional areas of a business. LO8Discuss how information technologies are used to gain a competitive advantage. LO9Explain the Five Forces Model and strategies for gaining a competitive advantage. L1O Review the IT job market. L11Summarize the future outlook of information systems.

4. Computers and Information Systems in Daily Life • Computers and information systems are all around you • Online classes • Grading • Grocery and retail • PDA and smartphones • Internet • “Information systems” versus “information technology”: Used interchangeably

5. Computer Literacy and Information Literacy • Computer literacy • Having skills in using productivity software • Information literacy • Understanding the role of information in generating and using business intelligence • Business intelligence (BI) • Provides historical, current, and predictive views of business operations and environments • Gives organizations a competitive advantage in the marketplace

6. The Beginning: Transaction Processing Systems • Transaction processing systems (TPSs) • Focus on data collection and processing, • Cost reduction • Operations repetitive • Human involvement minimal

7. Management Information Systems • Management information system (MIS) • Organized integration of hardware and software technologies, data, processes, and human elements • Designed to produce timely, integrated, relevant, accurate, and useful information • For decision-making purposes • Include: • Hardware components • MIS software • Processes

8. Management Information Systems (cont’d.) • Designing an MIS • Define objectives • Collect and analyze data • Provide information in useful format • Used in both the private and public sectors • Many organizations use information systems to gain a competitive advantage

9. Major Components of an Information System • Data • Database • Process • Information

10. Exhibit 1.3 Major components of an information system

11. Data • Data • Input to the system • Sources of data • External • Internal • Time orientation • Can be collected in different forms • Aggregated • Disaggregated

12. Database • Database • Heart of an information system • Collection of all relevant data organized in a series of integrated files • Essential for the success of any information system • Managed with database management system (DBMS): e.g., Oracle • Reduces personnel time needed to gather, process, and interpret data manually

13. Process • Process • Generates the most useful type of information for decision making • Generally includes transaction-processing reports and models for decision analysis • Includes a wide range of models to support all levels of decision making

14. Information • Information • Output of an information system • Facts that have been analyzed by the process component • Quality of information • Timeliness • Integration with other data and information • Consistency and accuracy • Relevance

15. Information (cont’d.) • User interface • Must be flexible and easy to use • Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) • Ultimate goal of an information system • Generate business intelligence (BI)

16. Examples of Information Systems • Example 1: A university • State university stores all student data in a database • Built-in query capability • Other types of analysis can be done • Example 2: Teletech • International textile company • Database stores data on products, suppliers, sales personnel, costs • Process components • Forecasting models

17. Using Information Systems and Information Technologies • Information technologies • Achieve goals of information systems • Examples • Internet • Databases • POS Systems • RFID tags

18. Information Technologies at The Home Depot • POS system • Fast customer service • Improved inventory management • Wireless network • Efficient in-store communication • Web site • Communicate with customers • Increase sales with online orders • RFID tags • Better manage inventory

19. The Importance of Information Systems • Information • Second most important resource in any organization • Four Ms of resources: • Manpower • Machinery • Materials • Money

20. The Importance of Information Systems (cont’d.) • Personnel information system (PIS) or human resource information system (HRIS) • Designed to provide information that helps decision makers in personnel carry out their tasks more effectively • Use Web technologies • Main difference between an intranet and the Internet • Intranets are private / Internet is public

21. The Importance of Information Systems (cont’d.) • Logistics information system (LIS) • Designed to reduce the cost of transporting materials • Maintains safe and reliable delivery • Manufacturing information system (MFIS) • Manages manufacturing resources • Companies can reduce manufacturing costs, increase product quality, and improve inventory decisions

22. Information Technologies at UPS • UPS Delivery Intercept • Web-based service that allows customers to intercept and reroute packages before they are delivered • Package Flow Technology

23. The Importance of Information Systems (cont’d.) • Financial information system (FIS) • Provides information to financial executives in a timely manner • Marketing information system (MKIS) • Improve marketing decisions • Provide timely, accurate, and integrated information about the marketing mix

24. Using Information Technologies for a Competitive Advantage • Michael Porter • Professor at Harvard Business School • Identified three strategies for competing in the marketplace successfully • Overall cost leadership • Differentiation • Focus

25. Using Information Technologies for a Competitive Advantage (cont’d.) • Information systems • Help organizations reduce the cost of products and services • Assist with differentiation and focus strategies • Can help bottom-line and top-line strategies • Enterprise systems • Supply chain management (SCM) • Customer relationship management (CRM) • Enterprise resource planning (ERP) • Collaboration software

26. Information Technologies at Walmart • Walmart Satellite Network • Largest private satellite communication system in the United States • Links branch stores with the home office in Bentonville, Arkansas • POS systems • RetailLink • Electronic data interchange • RFID technologies

27. Using Information Technologies for a Competitive Advantage (cont'd.) • Differentiation strategies • Make products and services different from competitors • Examples: Apple, Amazon.com

28. Using Information Technologies for a Competitive Advantage (cont'd.) • Focus strategies • Concentrate on a specific market segment • Attempt to achieve a cost or differentiation advantage • Examples: Apple, Abercrombie & Fitch, Nordstrom

29. Porter’s Five Forces Model: Understanding the Business Environment • Five Forces Model • Michael Porter • For analyzing an organization, its position in the marketplace, and how information systems could be used to make it more competitive • Buyer power • Supplier power • Threat of substitute products or services • Threat of new entrants • Rivalry among existing competitors

30. Exhibit 1.4 The Five Forces Model

31. Porter’s Five Forces Model: Understanding the Business Environment (cont'd.) • Buyer power • High when customers have many choices • Low when they have few choices • Limit buyers’ choices by offering services that make it difficult for customers to switch • Supplier power • High when customers have fewer options • Low when customers have more options • Use information systems to make their products and services cheaper

32. Porter’s Five Forces Model: Understanding the Business Environment (cont'd.) • Threat of substitute products or services • High when many alternatives for an organization’s products or services available • Add services to make organization more distinct • Add fees to discourage customers from switching • Threat of new entrants • Low when duplicating a company’s product or service is difficult • Use focus strategies to ensure that this threat remains low

33. Porter’s Five Forces Model: Understanding the Business Environment (cont'd.) • Rivalry among existing competitors • High when many competitors occupy the same marketplace position • Low when there are few competitors

34. The IT Job Market • One of the fastest growing segments in the economy • Categories • Operations and help desk • Programming • Systems design • Web design and Web hosting • Network design and maintenance • Database design and maintenance • Robotics and artificial intelligence

35. CTO/CIO • Top information systems job belongs to the chief technology officer (CTO) / chief information officer (CIO) • Oversees long-range planning • Keeps an eye on new developments that can affect a company’s success • Also chief privacy officer (CPO) • Responsibility for managing risks and business impacts of privacy laws and policies

36. Manager of Information Systems Services • Responsible for managing: • Hardware • Software • Personnel within the information systems department

37. Systems Analyst • Responsible for: • Design and implementation of information systems • Requires: • Computer knowledge • Information systems background • Thorough understanding of business systems and functional areas within a business organization

38. Outlook for the Future • Hardware and software costs continue to decline • Processing information less expensive in the future • Artificial intelligence and related technologies will continue to improve and expand • Computer literacy will improve • Networking technology will improve • Personal computers will continue to improve in power and quality

39. Outlook for the Future (cont'd.) • Internet growth will continue • Computer criminals will become more sophisticated • Protecting personal identity information will become more difficult

40. Summary • Examples of uses for computers and information systems • Difference between computer literacy and information literacy • Management information system (MIS) • Data, database, process, and information • Porter • Three competitive strategies • Five Forces Model

41. MIS COMPUTERS: THE MACHINES BEHIND COMPUTING CHAPTER 2 Hossein BIDGOLI

42. Chapter 2 Computers: The Machines Behind Computing l e a r n i n g o u t c o m e s LO1Define a computer system and describe its components. LO2Discuss the history of computer hardware and software. LO3Explain the factors distinguishing computing power of computers. LO4Summarize computer operations. LO5 Discuss the types of input, output, and memory devices.

43. Chapter 2 Computers: The Machines Behind Computing l e a r n i n g o u t c o m e s (cont’d.) LO6Explain how computers are classified. LO7Describe the two major types of software. LO8List the generations of computer languages.

44. Defining a Computer • Computer • Machine that accepts data as input • Processes data without human intervention using stored instructions • Outputs information • “Program” • Step-by-step directions for performing a specific task • Written in a language the computer can understand • GIGO • Garbage in, garbage out

45. Components of a Computer System • Hardware components • Physical devices, such as keyboards, monitors, and processing units • Software • Programs written in computer languages • Central processing unit (CPU) • Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) • Control unit • Single or multiprocessor

46. Exhibit 2.1 The Building Blocks of a Computer

47. Components of a Computer System (cont'd.) • Bus • Link between devices connected to the computer • Computer performance factors • Processor • Bus • Operating system • Disk drive • CPU case • Motherboard • Main circuit board

48. Exhibit 2.2 Components of a Computer System

49. Table 2.1 Hardware Generators The History of Computer Hardware and Software

50. The History of Computer Hardware and Software (cont’d.) Computer Language Trends Table 2.2