Information Sources Analysis - Essay Example

Information Sources Analysis Table Of Contents Introduction Human Resource Management and Information system Strategy Support Data Processing Structure Marketing and Information system Components of a marketing information system Internal reporting systems: Marketing research systems Marketing intelligence systems Marketing models Conclusion Introduction Today's scenario is full of competition and every organization keen to look at the top. But this can be only possible if an organization has efficient employee because the success and fiasco of the organization depends mostly onto it. HR Department is the foundation of every organization. No organization can survive for a long time and be remain in competition without effectual and cooperation of employees. It is a well-known phrase "organization is for the employees, by the employees and to the employees." So organization revolves round the employees. Employees can take organization to the mountains of success and can even lead down like a desert and plain area. The main challenge in front of the organizations is to make potential employees aware of their company as a good place to work and to bring best applicants successfully through the recruitment and hiring process, retain them, commitment to them, provide the working environment and the structures to motivate them to give of their best. A Human Resources Information System is a system that lets you keep track of all your employees and information about them. It is usually done in a database or, more often, in a series of inter-related databases. An Information System (IS) is the system of persons, data records and activities that process the data and information in a given organization, including manual processes or automated processes. The computer-based information systems are the field of study for Information technologies (IT); however these should be treated as a part of them because they are always involved in. It is the term given to the discipline focused on the integration of computer systems with the aims and objectives on an organization. Development tools and Management tools assists executives and the general workforce in performing any tasks related to the processing of information. These systems are especially useful in the collation of business data and the production of reports to be used as tools for decision-making. Hence they are used as the effective decision making tools. With computers being as ubiquitous as they are today, there's hardly any business that does not rely extensively on there IT systems. However, there are several specific fields in which it has become invaluable. The role of information technology in the various fields of human resource management and marketing are discussed below. Strategy Support Information system and human resource are the two core departments of any organization. The benefits that an organization can get from their existence and mutual cooperation are enormous. While computers cannot create business strategies by themselves they can assist human resources in understanding the effects of their strategies, and help enable effective decision-making. These systems can be used to transform data into information useful for decision-making. Computers with the help of employees can provide financial statements and performance reports to assist in the planning, monitoring and implementation of strategy. These systems provide a valuable function in that they can collate into coherent reports and unmanageable volumes of data that would otherwise be broadly useless to decision makers. By studying these reports decision-makers can identify patterns and trends currently in the market. Thus information system help in creating value based strategically policies through the appropriate placing and implemented the HR policies. The use of modern technology like biometrics in which figure prints of an employee can be stored and converted into useful biometric data which can be used as a security measure. It also ensures the fast, accurate and minimizes the chances of frauds. Thus this technology can be used by organizations to maintain the specific information about the employee and also helps in calculating his attendance automatically and finally assist in calculating their salary. This is one of the very good examples of use of information technology in human resource management. Data Processing Not only do these systems allow for the collation of vast amounts of business data, but they also provide a valuable time saving benefit to the workforce. Where in the past business information had to be manually processed for filing and analysis it can now be entered quickly and easily onto a computer by a data processor, allowing for faster decision making and quicker reflexes for the enterprise as a whole. In computer security, an information system is described by three objects. Various advance tools and technologies are available that fasten the process of analyzing million od data in just a fraction of seconds. Through the use of those advance technologies like OLAP (Online Analytical Processing Server) servers and Data Warehousing and Data Mining are the tools provided by Microsoft to ease the task of analyzing and help immensly in making decisions and drawing conclusions. Structure Repositories, which hold data permanent or temporarily, such as buffers, RAM, hard disks, cache, etc. Interfaces, which exchange information with the non-digital world, such as keyboards, speakers, scanners, printers, etc. Channels, which connect repositories, such as buses, cables, wireless links, etc. A Network is a set of logical or physical channels. Behavior Services, which provide value to users or to other services via messages interchange. Messages, which carries a meaning to users or services. Information technology act as hub of connection in which data or information can be trnsferred from one of world to another cornet through the innovations in the field of web technologies. The concept of virtual office act as a control room for top managers where they are not required to present in the office physically. They can manage the whole office from any part of the world. Marketing and Information system: - Henry Fayol principle' models or the classical model identifies planning, Organizing, Coordination, Decision Taking and controlling as the major functions of the managers Behavioral models are based on empirical evidence showing that managers are less systematic, less reflective, more reactive and less well organized than the classical model projects managers to be. For instance, behavioral models describe following managerial characteristics: High volume, high speed works Variety, fragmentation, and brevity Issue preference current. Complex web of interactions, contacts Strong preference for verbal media Such behavioral models stress that manager's work at an unrelenting pace and at a high level of intensity. This is just as true for managers operating in the developing world as in the developed world. The nature of the pressures may be different but there is no evidence that they are any less intense. The model also emphasizes that the activities of managers is characterized by variety, fragmentation and brevity. There is simply not enough time for managers to get deeply involved in a wide range of issues. The attention of managers increases rapidly from one issue to another, with very little pattern. A problem occurs and all other matters must be dropped until it is solved. Research suggests that a manager's day is characterized by a large number of tasks with only small periods of time devoted to each individual task. Components of a marketing information system A marketing information system (MIS) is intended to bring together disparate items of data into a coherent body of information. An MIS is, as will shortly be seen, more than raw data or information suitable for the purposes of decision-making. An MIS also provides methods for interpreting the information the MIS provides. Moreover, as Kotler's definition says, an MIS is more than a system of data collection or a set of information technologies: "A marketing information system is a continuing and interacting structure of people, equipment and procedures to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate, and distribute pertinent, timely and accurate information for use by marketing decision makers to improve their marketing planning, implementation, and control". MIS begins with a description of each of its four main constituent parts: the internal reporting systems, marketing research system, marketing intelligence system and marketing models. It is suggested that whilst the MIS varies in its degree of sophistication - with many in the industrialized countries being computerized and few in the developing countries being so - a fully fledged MIS should have these components, the methods (and technologies) of collection, storing, retrieving and processing data notwithstanding. Internal reporting systems: All enterprises, which have been in operation for any period of time, have a wealth of information. However, this information often remains under-utilized because it is compartmentalized, either in the form of an individual entrepreneur or in the functional departments of larger businesses. Information is usually categorized according to its nature. Often the entrepreneur or various personnel working in the functional departments hold these pieces of data. The internal records that are of immediate value to marketing decisions are: orders received, stockholdings and sales invoices. By comparing orders received with invoices an enterprise can establish the extent to which it is providing an acceptable level of customer service. In the same way, comparing stockholding records with orders received helps an enterprise ascertain whether its stocks are in line with current demand patterns. Marketing research systems: Marketing research has been the prime subject of the discussion and only a little more needs to be added here. Marketing research is a proactive search for information. That is, the enterprise that commissions these studies does so to solve a perceived marketing problem. In many cases, data is collected in a purposeful way to address a well-defined problem (or a problem which can be defined and solved within the course of the study). The other form of marketing research centers not on a specific marketing problem but is an attempt to continuously monitor the marketing environment. These monitoring or tracking exercises are continuous marketing research studies, often involving panels of farmers, consumers or distributors from which the same data is collected at regular intervals. The study and continuous marketing research differs in the orientation, yet they are both proactive. Marketing intelligence systems: A marketing intelligence system is a set of procedures and data sources used by marketing managers to shift information from the environment that they can use in their decision-making. It is the province of entrepreneurs and senior managers within an agribusiness. It involves them in scanning newspaper trade magazines, business journals and reports, economic forecasts and other media.. Nonetheless, it is a largely informal process of observing and conversing. Marketing models: Within the MIS there has to be the means of interpreting information in order to give direction to decision. These models may be computerized or may not. Typical tools are: Time series sales modes, Brand switching models, linear programming, Elasticity models (price, incomes, demand, supply, etc.), Regression and correlation model, and Sensitivity analysis. Conclusion So in summary the use of information technology in the era of human resources or marketing are enormous. From recruitment to retirement, retaining to appraisal, leadership to motivation all strategies can be formulated and implemented effectively using the information tools and techniques. It is not only HR Department but all the other departments also can avail the benefits of the innovation in emerging techniques of computer world. Whether there is question of marketing or finance, it is all there to help the organizations immensely. From the field of marketing research to marketing communication the developments of technologies removes the barriers of geographical boundaries. Internet makes it possible for the small and poor trader also to trade in international market. The boom of information is there all the organization is to do is to pick right tool at right time. References:- Kaplan, Robert S., and David P. Norton. "The Balanced Scorecard - Measures that Drive Performance." 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