Functions of Information Systems - Assignment Example

1. What is the difference between information technology and information systems? Describe some of the functions of information systems. (Ch The core differential that exists between information technology and information systems has to do with the fact that information systems is oftentimes more business oriented and places the primary focus upon the applications of computing within the business realm. By means of contrast and comparison, information technology is not necessarily focus upon a single aspect of operations; instead, it is all encompassing and can impact not only upon business development but also upon more focused, as well as broad reaching, organizational goals. Furthermore, information systems can be understood as those business skills that are required for strategic decision-making and planning. By means of contrast, information technology is most effectively concerned with the infrastructural development of the way in which databases are administered, networks are organized, and information is shared. Through the information that is thus far been promoted, it can clearly be understood that the level of comparison and contrast that exists between information technology and information systems is somewhat less stark and distinct than one might otherwise assume. Ultimately, the interrelationship between these terms has a profound impact with regards the way in which both of these effective job tasks are conducted. The way in which a company operates would be severely impaired if both of these elements were not heavily leveraged by a particular entity. As such, the luxury of choosing which one of these approaches will be used is not a luxury that a successful firm can engage in; rather, they must choose to exercise them both concurrently so that different goals, strategies, and expect can be felt throughout the business entity. 2. You work at the business headquarters for a chain of movie theaters. Describe this firms information value chain. (Ch. 1) And information value chain for a group of movie theaters could engender a great many things. However, one of the most logical explanations for how such information value chain could be represented is with regards to the group of theaters actively seeking out information with respect to the clients that integrate with their service. For instance, age, race, and other demographic factors could be gathered and utilized as a means of seeking to engage further profitability with respect to the service that is offered. Similarly, information with regards to the overall seat availability, pink ticket times, peak sale prices, and particular types of movies that provide the greatest profitability can and should also be gathered as a means of time all of this marketing information back into the information value chain that defines the branch of movie theaters in question. Much of the information that has thus far been discussed might not be readily available with regards to populating or creating an information value chain. As such, seeking to engage the stakeholders, perform analysis, and actively participate in survey distribution, collection, and analysis will be required in order for the aforementioned metrics to be affected in an actionable format. Unfortunately, due to the complexity, cost, and difficulty that many of these aspects have, many entities choose to forgo them in the hopes that general market trends and best practices of other business entities will lead them further towards the past of profitability. 3. What is the connection between organizations, information systems, and business processes? (Ch. 2) The connection that exist between organizations, information systems, and business processes has to do with the fact that each one of these is interdependent upon the other; if any level of change is to be noted. What is meant by this has to do with the fact that the organization must first engage in a level of introspection and understanding with regards to where they are and where they would like to be. Invariably, these changes will involve the applications and use of information systems as a means of affecting these changes upon business processes (Laudon, 2013). Finally, once this has been done and the process itself is able to be affected, the firm is only been able to experience a level of change and growth in the direction that they might wish to proceed. As can clearly be noted, a desire for change and the ability to affect this change requires the engagement of information systems as a means of acting upon business processes. Far too many individuals within the business world are of the opinion that a professional organization can be organized from executive order alone. However, the sheer size and complexity of the changes that must be impacted in order for business growth and development take place necessarily requires key stages in steps that must be affected in their correct order, and utilizing the right tools, in order for positive directional growth to be affected. The interrelationship between the organization, the information systems, the business processes, and a final change is proof that a symbiotic level of cooperation must exist in order for an idea to ultimately have a positive impact with regards to the way in which a given business entity operates. 4. Identify and discuss the major types of information systems that serve the main management groups within a business. What are the relationships among these systems? (Ch. 2) There are of course several different types of information systems that serve the main functions of any particular business. Firstly, management information systems are specifically involved in utilizing data that is collected as a means of providing solutions to common management decisions that must be made. Oftentimes, ad hoc reports are generated as a means of leveraging this type of data is leveraged as a function of facilitating leadership stakeholders in choosing a particular course of action. Similarly, expert systems and neutral networks are leveraged as a means of analyzing existing data and promoting a particular approach or recommendation based upon a diagnostic analysis. The ability of these particular types of information systems to run concurrent to business processes and continue to gather information even during times in which media action or decision-making is not required helps to set them apart many of the other information systems that are used within the business realm. Further, decision support systems allow decision-makers to utilize key data points as a means of generating statistical projections and data models that can facilitate a further understanding of the business environment. Finally, transaction processing systems, as the name implies, are utilized as a means of collecting and processing, storing, displaying, modifying, and otherwise canceling the requests and transactions that take place during normal business process. Of all of the information systems that have thus far been discussed, it is the transaction processing information systems that are perhaps the ones that are transformed the business environment the most over the past several decades. 5. Differentiate between the technical and behavioral definitions of an organization. Ch. 3 Behavioral organization is ultimately responsible for performance, budgeting, and planning. Technical organization, by means of contrast in comparison, is able to choose or to expand approaches as a means of making them functionally applicable to a particular managerial environment. The difference that exists between technical and behavioral definitions has to do with the way in which work duties and performance themselves differentiate. For instance, a technical definition of an organization is one that places a great deal of emphasis with regards the actual product or process that the stakeholders engage in as a means of bringing the final service or product to fruition. By means of contrast in comparison, a behavioral definition of an organization is one that places a supreme level of emphasis with regards to the actions, motives, thought processes, and designs that give rise to the way in which an organization operates. Although these differentials may seem inconsequential, they are essential for stakeholders to determine functional ability, responsibility, and the effectiveness of certain approaches that might be engaged. 6. You are advising the owner of Smalltown Computer, a new, local computer repair store that also builds custom computers to order. What competitive strategies could Smalltown Computer exert? Which ones will it have difficulty exercising? Ch. 3 Ultimately, there are four distinct types of competitive strategies that can be employed by the firm in question. These approaches are: cost leadership, differentiation, low cost focus, and differentiation focus. Cost leadership is a strategy that a particular firm in question will have a great difficulty employing. The ultimate reason behind this has to do with the fact that cost leadership is almost invariably only engaged by very large firms that are able to leverage economies of scale as a means of presenting a large number of products to the market at a relatively low price. Furthermore, a differentiation strategy will also be difficult for this small business to employ. The underlying rationale behind this has to do with the fact that in order to offer a product that is significantly different from all the other products in the market, the firm will need to invest a large amount of money on research and development; leveraging assets and investments that small firms are not likely to have upon startup. By means of comparison and contrast, a low-cost focus is one that attempts to provide cost leadership within a specific niche market. As can readily be seen, the niche market in question is perfectly suited for this particular approach for the small electronics firm. Furthermore, the firm can also leverage differentiation focus as it seeks to provide a slightly different product to the niche market in question by making it unique; at least in some way. Although the firm does not have the resources, time, or personnel to devote to a robust research and development program, attempting to engage the market with such a strategy can ultimately be beneficial with regards to the bottom line of the company is able to enjoy in time. 7. Explain why standards are so important in information technology. What standards have been important for the growth of Internet technologies? Ch. 5 The underlying importance of maintaining standards with regards to information technology has to do with the fact that a level of synergy always exists within the realm of information technology. What is meant by this is the fact that innovation and development often occur as the result of prior innovation and development. As a direct result of this, to keep a streamlined level of development that adheres to core strategy and standard is an essential component of flying the Internet, and by extension information technology, has been able to grow in such an exponential rate over the past several years. Utilizing a key example of this, one might begin to understand the level of standardized nation that exists with regards to Wi-Fi. In its earliest stages, Wi-Fi was quite unusable; representing the transmission of data only over a few meters. However, as time went on and new developers and researchers began to leverage this technology in different ways, the standardized nation of approach and format allowed for an exponential growth with regards to the range capability/speed of Wi-Fi networks. By much the same token, standards and JavaScript, HTML, and XML have enabled programmers and coders the world over to create phenomenal programs and websites; due to the fact that a level of standardization exist between all members within the community. 8. What makes data mining an important business tool? What types of information does data mining produce? In what type of circumstance would you advise a company to use data mining? Ch. 6 Firstly, in seeking to answer what makes data mining an important business tool, the researcher should consider the fact that prior to the development of information technology, to the extent that it is evidenced today, data mining was a laborious process required extensive employee hours and time as a means of collecting any form of relevant/pertinent information. However, with the advent of information technology, data mining, as a business, has come to be something that is almost cost free. As such, data mining can be used as an effective marketing technique; specifically denoting those individuals that are most likely to integrate with the product or service; or re-presenting the product or service to those individuals who have used it once before. Yet, beyond merely marketing applications, data mining can and should also be used as a means of improving upon processes within the business itself. For instance, one of the aspects of continual business improvement is predicated upon reviewing existing systems and processes and comparing them with their route goal and whether or not they are affecting the positive change they were initially intended to. In this way, rather than convening a formal audit and reviewing subsystems/groups, data mining can be ineffective measurement tool that helps to ameliorate cost in providing metrics that determine the overall utility of core processes/programs. 9. Blogs, wikis, and social networking sites were designed for individuals to communicate with each other. What uses do businesses have for these tools? Give specific examples. Ch. 7 Many individuals might be of the opinion that blogs, wikis, and social networking sites could be of little use for a business with regards to a communication tool. However, the runaway success of sites such as LinkedIn, and a litany of others, has proven this particular understanding to be fundamentally flawed. Many of the larger firms within the current environment have encouraged the use of blogs, wikis, and internal social as a means of maximizing workflow. Understanding that synergy is able to be affected within a situation in which multiple individuals are seeking to affect similar, if not the same goals, the level and extent to which these applications are being included within medium and large enterprises is rapidly increasing. Although there is most certainly a use and appropriate method of interaction with regards to blogs, wikis, and social networking within the professional world, as a means of maximizing communication, there is a fundamental threat that exists as well. This fear of these tools being used as a means of leaking trade secrets, creating issues of legal concern, and falsely representing the views or approach that the entire corporate structure might take has caused many businesses to limit their use within the professional environment. Sadly, this is one example of a particular technology that has been constrained due to the fact that individuals within positions of power feel that it might ultimately take away from the potential for profitability. 10. Identify and describe the two types of customer relationship management applications. Ch. 9 Ultimately, there are two types of customer relations management applications. The first of these is referred to as operational customer relationship management whereas the second is referred to as analytical customer relationship management. Firstly, operational customer relationship management includes the use of specific types of customer knowledge within the operations process. The knowledge is in turn used as a means of providing functional inference with regards to key consumer groups and approaches that can help to strengthen the brand/corporate engagement with these individuals. Contrastingly, analytical customer relationship management focuses upon a systematic level of evaluation with regards to consumer data. The ultimate aim of this particular approach is to seek to understand the causal factors that actually derive consumer knowledge. Evidence of this can be seen with regards the way in which analytical consumer relations management seeks to draw inference upon trends as a means of rapidly engaging with the consumer and utilizing a particular approach as a means of integrating a given good or service with them. An example of this can of course be seen with regards to the way in which analytical customer relationship management is used to evaluate and determine buying habits of the consumer. Based upon this level of inference, the given business entity can then fabricate a particular marketing campaign that seeks to target these individuals based upon their buying habits. 11. Describe the balanced scorecard model and its role in ESS. Ch. 9 The balanced scorecard model is utilized as a strategy of performance management. As with many measurements of performance, the balanced scorecard utilizes a structured report; rigidly defined by methodology as a means of allowing decision-makers to track and control decisions and consequences that arise from those decisions that had been previously made and entered into the balanced scorecard matrix. As a result of the runaway level of success that this particular approach has been able to engender, many different companies within the current era have begun to leverage it more than any other performance management tactic. As with any performance measurement tool, the balanced scorecard model is only as useful as the metrics and measurement that it tracks. As a direct function of this, the overall importance with regards to whether or not this particular performance management assessment can be effective or not this whether or not the individuals who are responsible for determining the metrics that should be engaged have done their due diligence and accurately represented the information presented to them. With respect to ESS, the balanced scorecard method is especially useful in helping the Enterprise Storage Serve to tabulate and track the core determinants that the stakeholders wish to be informed of. As with nearly all of the questions that this assignment has sought to answer, the role and efficiency of utilizing information technology as a means of affecting the core competencies that have been defined represents a drastic increase in overall utility. Reference Laudon, K. (2013). Management Information Systems. Irvine: Prentice Hall. Read More