Information Management Systems at Google Plus - Case Study Example

?  Information Management Systems – Google Plus Word count: 2003 words TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary……………………………………………………………3 Introduction………………………………………………………………........3 Conceptual Framework………………………………………………………...4 Findings/Analysis……………………………………………………………...4 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….9 Recommendations…………………………………………………………….9 Graphs……………………………………………………………………… ..11 Works Cited………………………………………………………….............12 Information Management System – Google Plus Executive summary The advancements that have been made in technology over the years have led to a change in the ways that organizations conduct their business activities, with new methods and practices having been introduced in this neo modern era as a result. Whereas many functions were mostly handled manually or at least supervised thus in the past, the progress that has been made in the software and hardware industry have allowed for more mechanized responsibility to take over. This has proved to be more efficient and accurate in terms of capability and companies are beginning to realize the importance of inducting their organizations to this technological revolution. Among the various advancements that have been made in this era is the creation of Information Management Systems. These are one of the more popular inventions to enter the various industries and have proved to be a great success in the various fields in which they have been applied. A thorough study of the various models available to an organization serves to educate the company on the best strategy to implement according to their particular needs. Introduction Information management systems can be described as a collection of both hardware and software combined with the ability to receive and filter raw data and then process and use it to create new data relevant to certain organization.. The ability of Information Systems (IS) to perform these tasks has made life a whole lot easier for organizations operating on the basis of large amounts of different types of information flowing within and without the company in order for it to function efficiently. What previously took a lot of man power and hard labor can now be done in a span of minutes as the Information Systems are able to calculate needed equations at a considerably faster rate than man. As a result, these Information Systems have now occupied a strategic role in contemporary business   organizations that now use them to build sustainable competitive advantages over their rivals as they try to maintain an edge above the rest of their peers in the industry. Conceptual framework Google is one such company that can be used as an example of the importance of Information Systems in the new age business (Google). As this organization started out as a search engine, it can be said that information was the forte that it dealt with and this is something that is still needed to date not only in their original business, but in their in-house activities as well. The organizational strategy of the company can thus said to be the future expansion of its influence on the social network market through the introduction of new and unique services within Google Plus to attract new clientele. Before one studies the various Information Systems that are used by the company and the various advantages that they bring to the table however, it is essential to first try and understand the strategy that they have undertaken within the market to ensure that they maintain their competitive edge and are not usurped by their rivals (McKeen & Smith 89). This can be done using the Michael Porter’s models to determine the main issues that the company deals with in the industry. These include the generic strategies, the 5 Forces Model, and Value Chain Model that help establish a theoretical perspective of the organization’s mode of operation when dealing with the various issues that face them in the quest to stay afloat and profitable. Findings / Analysis Generic Strategies – This is a scheme that advocates for the implementation of three main types of strategies in order to maintain a competitive edge. These include, cost leadership, differentiation and market segmentation (Stair & Chesney 91). By using one of these strategies one is able to ensure a competitive advantage over the rivals. The strategy is chosen according to what best suits the company, which is determined by its structure and nature of business. In the case of Google, the organization has mainly focused on cost leadership strategy through its offer of free services, such as email, the Google search engine and its social network Google Plus. The 5 forces model – This model bases itself on a framework of 5 factors (referred to as forces) that determine the level of attractiveness in a market via gauging the intensity of the competition that already exists within it. Through examining these 5 factors, an organization is able to measure their chances of success should they decide to enter it as well as the difficulty levels they will expect to face whilst starting up. These 5 forces consist of three that are based externally while the other two can be found within the organization itself (Li & Bernoff 124). They include, the threat of established rivals, the threat of new entrants, threat of alternate products, bargaining power of customers and finally the bargaining power of suppliers. All these five factors have to be considered when an organization is considering entering a market and once they are in it as well. In terms of Google, this will mean that the organization will have to study the on-line industry as well as the various organizations dealing in services such as social networking and the target market involved in order to identify the various forces that have been mentioned above. By doing this, they are able to evaluate the current scenario and come up with new business models to compete. The Value Chain Model – This model refers to a chain of activities which an organization involves itself in, in order to come up with the valuable service/product that they will present to the market (McAfee 59). The main basis of this model is that products are passed through a series of activities in a certain order (referred to as a chain of activities) and at each stage, the activity that they undergo increases their value in nature. This model states that, the chain of activities that the product or service undergoes results in giving it more added value than the sum value of the independent activities themselves. In reference to Google, this chain of activities can include stages such as the customization of the various products available as well as the addition of extra features. By doing this, Google is able to add more value to the product and thus maintain a competitive advantage over their rivals. These three models have gone a long way in assisting companies such as Google in coming up with new business models that they are able to apply via the use of the various Information Systems that are available to them in order to remain competitive in an industry where complacency can result in the death of a company (Laudon & Laudon 213). In order to understand how an organization is able to use Information Systems towards this endeavor, it is essential to understand the different kinds of systems that are available and the role they play in the organization. There are a number of new Systems that have been introduced recently and due to the nonstop nature of development within the ICT sector, even newer systems are set to be continually introduced to the market but the main types of Information Systems that are used by most organizations include: Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) – These systems focus on the work that needs to be done by an organization and divides them into solo operations that are no longer divisible known as transactions. The computer then proceeds to perform these transactions according to how it may have been programmed either by the operator or the software developer (Sprague & McNurlin 65) . These transactions may include activities such as accounting for the goods produced in relation to the cost, accounting for the goods/services sold and those remaining in stock or other issues that may need a great deal of calculation (Chaffey & White 156). Companies such as Google are able to come up with new competitive business models via the help of this Information System by studying the various transactions and their results to determine an area that may have a weakness and thus figure out a way of eliminating it as well. A new business model does not always have to consist of a new way of doing things but can also include improving the old method and practices so that they are more effective than before (Obrien & Marakas 127). The transaction processing systems provide the data that an organization may need. It gives a competitive edge over other rival companies that may have the same problem but have not recognized or tried to fix it yet. Management Information System (MIS) – This can be considered to be one of the most popular information systems that are utilized by almost every organization especially those that are large in size. This system provides a company with all the information that they may require in order for the organization to function in an effective as well as efficient manner (Benkler 114). It collects all the data available on the company from the various departments and processes it into relevant information which the company uses to make decisions with. The system allows seeing various activities taking place within an organization and is also the source of initialization for a number of transactions which can be set to default mode by its operators (Brynjolfsson & Saunders 203). Information system management can be referred to as the all Seeing Eye that watches over the company and its activities in a bid to ensure that everything is being run smoothly and according to plan. Google is able to use this system in the formation of new business models scrutinizing various sectors of its management so as to find ways in which it can improve efficiency (Google). This may mean having certain activities done at a faster rate or at a cheaper cost in order to boost productivity of other implementations with help of the system. The main point of information system management is to use data that the organization collects to upgrade in terms of in-house activities. Decision Support System (DSS) – This can be considered to be the most important information system when it comes to developing new business models that will enable an organization to maintain a competitive edge. The DSS is a system that as the name suggests, supports the various decision making processes that take place within an organization having to do with business directly or otherwise. The system is able to do so by collecting the needed data from the various sources that is required to come up with sufficient information in order to make a knowledge based decision on the matter that may be up for discussion (Beynon-Davies 98). The DSS ensures that there is no room for doubt over certain areas thus decreasing the chance of making a wrong decision due to a lack of adequate or erroneous information. This can be quite useful when it comes to developing new business models for an organization as it will enable those involved in the decision making over the model chosen to have all the data they may need at their finger tips in order to make a properly informed choice (Mulholland, Pyke & Fingar 76). Since the system is computer-based, it will also mean that those involved in the decision making are able to get the answer to any inquiries they might make in the shortest period of time possible. Executive Information System (EIS) can be considered to be similar to the decision support system in some ways as it is also used in certain decision making needs but deals with information based on the upper echelons of the organization (that is, senior executive data) and is used when dealing with issues that need to be handled by the executive members of the organization. As such, this system is usually only accessible to those on the higher levels of the organization’s hierarchy as data contained within such a system may be of a sensitive nature and, thus, vulnerable to exposure (Boddy, Boonstra & Kennedy 56). The EIS can also be used in the development of new business models that will be used by the organization and may be used to determine serious issues such as whether the organization should conduct a series of lay offs or not. The use of these models can be considered to be the It strategy that is utilized by company. Conclusion In conclusion, Information Support Systems have become essential to every large organization and have lessened the burden of information seeking and data compilation through its various abilities ensuring that companies are able to function more efficiently as a result.  Recommendations The best strategy for Google plus would be the application of the Generic Strategy that focuses on three factors affecting a business (cost leadership, differentiation and market segmentation). This strategy is considered to be the best one, when all three factors are taken into consideration, and will ensure the success of the company. The strategy is also simplistic in nature and, thus, will not involve any complicated procedures during implementation. GRAPHSS   Works Cited Benkler, Yochai. The Wealth of Networks. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. Print. Beynon-Davies, P. Business Information Systems. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2009. Print.   Boddy David., Boonstra Albert & Kennedy Graham. Managing Information Systems, an Organisational Perspective. New York: FT Prentice Hall, 2005. Print. Brynjolfsson Erik and Saunders, Adam. Wired for Innovation: How Information Technology is Reshaping the Economy. Cambridge, Mass; London, UK: The MIT Press, 2010. Print. Chaffey Dave & White, Gareth. Business Information Management. 2nd edition. New York : Prentice Hall, 2010. Print. "Google Corporate Information". n.d Google, Inc. Web. Google.com/corporate 5th Feb 2013. Laudon, Kenneth, & Laudon, J. Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm, 12th edition, Global Edition. New Jersey: Pearson, 2012. Print. Li Charlene. & Bernoff Josh. Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies. Boston: Harvard Business Press, 2008. Print.   McAfee, Andrew. Enterprise 2.0: New Collaborative Tools for Your Organization's Toughest Challenges. Cambridge, Mass.: HBS Press Book, 2009. Print. McKeen, James and Smith, Heather A. Making IT Happen: Critical Issues in IT Management. Wiley Series in Information Systems, 2003. Print. Mulholland Andy, Pyke, Jon & Fingar, Peter. Enterprise Cloud Computing: A Strategy Guide for Business and Technology Leaders. Tampa, Florida: Meghan-Kiffer Press, 2010. Print. O'Brien, James. & Marakas George. Management Information Systems: Managing Information Technology in the Business Enterprise, 8th edition. New York: McGraw Hill, 2008. Print. Sprague Ralph H. & McNurlin Barbara. Information Systems Management and Practice, 7th edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall International, 2005. Print. Stair, R., Reynolds, G. & Chesney, T. Principles of Business Information Systems, 1st Edition. Thomson Course Technology, 2008.   Wellman, Barry. Networked: The New Social Operating System. New York: MIT, 2012. Print. Read More