8/9/2015 1 Course Introduction INFSY540.1 Information Resources in Management Chapter 1 & 2 An Introduction to Information Systems and Personal Productivity.

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Course Introduction

INFSY540.1

Information Resources in Management

Chapter 1 & 2

An Introduction to Information Systems and Personal Productivity

Lesson #1

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Today’s Agenda

• Introductions• Course Overview• Course Administration: • “Intro to Information Systems”• Personal Productivity• Next Time• Questions

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Course Description

Focuses on what the manager personally does with Information Technology.

Exposes students to the range of management issues that challenge the organizational world in the wake of the digital revolution.

Explores the way information technology is used to support business operations and decision-making processes of managers at all levels of organizations.

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Course Objectives

To increase student knowledge of the capabilities and benefits as well as the limitations and burdens of information technology and information systems.

• To equip students with the basic skills and concepts they must apply to leverage the benefits and minimize the burdens of using information technology.

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Student Goals

• What are your goals for this course?

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Potential Goals of This Class

• Understand the technology.

• Analyze business problems.

• An introduction to systems analysis.

• Identify types of problems that MIS can help solve through cases.

• Ability to classify problems.

• Know when to call for help.

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Some Suggested Student Goals

For students to be able to personally use the computer more efficiently in order to become a more effective manager.

For students to understand the development, use and maintenance of information systems in past, current and future organizations.

To get at least a B in the course.

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TextsRequired: • Management Information Systems: Solving

Business Problems with IT by Gerald Post and David Anderson, 2000, ISBN 0-07-229756-5

• Harvard Business Cases

Recommended: • Management Information Systems: Managing IT

in the E-Business Enterprise by James A. O’Brien,

2002, ISBN 0-07-244078-3

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Course Administration# Date Topic Assignments

Complete Before Class Begins1 Aug 22 Introduction & Personal Productivity

"What should managers know about IT?"Read Chapters 1 and 2

2 Aug 29 Solving Problems & Web Lab Read Chapter 3 and Web Tutorial3 Sep 5 Information and Organizations Read Chapters 4 & 74 Sep 12 Organizational Decision Making Read Chapters 8 & 9 and Case 15 Sep 19 Systems Development Read Chapter 12 and IT Technology

Interaction Model http://equity.stern.nyu.edu/~msilver/ mbacore/itimhdo.htm

6 Sep 26 Database Management Read Chapter 5 and Case 27 Oct 3 Database Design and Access Lab Read Access Tutorial8 Oct 10 Networks & Telecommunications Read Chapter 6 and Case 39 Oct 17 AI: Intro & Expert Systems and CASE 1 Read Chapter 10 and Case 110 Oct 24 AI: ANN & GA and CASE 2 Read AI web sites and Case 211 Oct 31 Ecommerce and CASE 3 Read Ecommerce sites and Case 312 Nov 7 Strategic Analysis and CASE 4 Read Chapter 11 and Case 413 Nov 14 Organizing IS Resources and CASE 5 Read Chapter 13 and Case 5

All Written Case Reports Due14 Nov 28 IT Ethical and Societal Issues Read Chapter 1415 Dec 12 Comprehensive Final Exam Review Course Material

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Any questions about the course?

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Some Basic Questions

• What is a system?

• What is information?

• What is an information system?

• Why should managers know about information systems?

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Some Basic Questions

• What is a system?

• What is information?

• What is an information system?

• Why should managers know about information systems?

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What is a system?• A set of elements or components that interact to

accomplish goals. • Examples: Solar System, Penn State University • Systems:

– Typically have inputs, outputs and processes for changing inputs to outputs.

– have life cycles. – have boundaries and typically have sub-systems and super-

systems.– interconnections cause feedback (2nd/3rd order) effects.

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System Classifications and Primary Characteristics

Simple Complex

Open Closed

Stable Dynamic

Adaptive Nonadaptive

Permanent Temporary

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System Performance Standards

• Efficiency– A measure of what is produced divided by what

is consumed.

• Effectiveness– A measure of the extent to which a system

achieves its goals.

• Performance Standard– A specific objective of the system.

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Modeling a System

• Model– An abstraction or an approximation that is used

to represent reality

• Model Types– Narratives - words– Physical - tangible– Schematic - graphical– Mathematical - arithmetic

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Some Basic Questions

• What is a system?

• What is information?

• What is an information system?

• Why should managers know about information systems?

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Information

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

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What do we sometimes use as

synonyms for information? • Data: raw facts. (page 4)

• Information: collection of facts organized in such a way that they have value beyond the facts themselves. (page 4)

• Knowledge: an awareness and understanding of a set of information and ways that information can be made useful to support a specific task or reach a decision. (page 6)

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Information Concepts

Knowledge

Information

Data Raw facts

A collection of facts organized in such a way that they have additional value beyond the value of the facts themselves.

An awareness and understanding of a set of information and ways that information can be made useful to support a specific task or reach a decision

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Wisdom

Knowledge

Information

Data Context+

Vision+Experience+

An Hierarchical Model of Intelligence

See page 7

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Types of Data

Data Represented by

Alphanumeric Data Numbers, letters, and other charactersImage Data Graphic images or picturesAudio Data Sound, noise or tonesVideo Data Moving images or pictures

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Characteristics of Valuable Information

•Accurate•Complete•Economical•Flexible•Reliable•Relevant

•Simple•Timely•Verifiable•Accessible•Secure

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Some Basic Questions

• What is a system?

• What is information?

• What is an information system?

• Why should managers know about information systems?

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Information System (IS)

• Information System– A set of interrelated elements or components

that collect (input) data , manipulate (process) it to become information , and disseminate (output) information and knowledge to meet objectives.

– Examples: ATMs; airline reservation systems; course reservation systems

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What is a computer-based information system

A collection of hardware, software, people, procedures and data. (Page 6)

What is a management information system

A combination of computers and people that is used to provide information to aid in making decisions and managing a firm.

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What is an information system?An information system is an arrangement of hardware, software, people, procedures and data

that interact for the purposes of:

supporting and improving day-to-day business operations or

supporting the problem solving and decision making needs of management.

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Some Basic Questions

• What is a system?

• What is information?

• What is an information system?

• Why should managers know about information systems?

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Why is MIS Important?

• MIS affects all areas of business– Manufacturing– Accounting & Finance– Human resources– Marketing– Top management

• Performance evaluations—expectations

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Business Trends• Changing business environment

– Specialization– Management by Methodology and Franchises– Object Orientation– Decentralization and Small Business– Temporary Workers– Internationalization– Service-Oriented Business– Re-engineering

• Need for faster responses and flexibility

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What do Managers do?• It has been said that managers do things right but

leaders do the right things.

• It has also been said that managers focus on things but leaders focus on people.

• So what do managers do, that an MIS might help?– Make decisions

• about operations

• about organization

– Communicate

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12 3

Making Decisions• Methodology vs Ad Hoc Decisions

• Decision Process– Collect Data– Identify Problems & Opportunities– Make Choices

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Levels of Decision Making

Business Operations

TacticalManagement

Strategic

Mgt.

EIS

ESD

SSTr

ansa

ctio

n

Proc

ess

Con

trol

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Examples of Information Systems

E-Commerce

• Business-to-business

• Business-to-consumer

• Business-to-government

• Government-to-consumer

Transaction Processing Systems

• Process business exchanges

• Maintain records about the exchanges

• Handle routine, yet critical, tasks

• Perform simple calculations

Workflow Systems

• Provide routing, tracking & imaging capabilities to improve business processes

• Improve productivity

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

• Integrated programs that can manage a company’s entire set of business operations

• Often coordinate planning, inventory control, production and ordering

Management Information Systems (MIS)

• Routine information for routine decisions

• Operational efficiency

• Use transaction data as main input

• Databases integrate MIS in different functional areas

MIS Outputs

• Scheduled reports

• Demand reports

• Exception reports

Decision Support Systems (DSS)

• Interactive support for non-routine decisions or problems

• End-users are more involved in creating a DSS than an MIS

Special Purpose Information Systems

• Artificial intelligence (AI) systems

• Virtual reality systems

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

• Groupware

Information Systems Development

• Investigation

• Analysis

• Design

• Implementation

• Maintenance

Also known as a Systems Analysis and Design process

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Some Basic Questions

• What is a system?• What is information?• What is an information system?• Why is knowledge of information systems important for

managers? • What should managers know about information systems? • Over the break, talk about these last two questions in

groups of 3 or 4. Be prepared to discuss it when we come back.

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Take a 10 minute break.

• Be back by …...

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What is IS?

What is IT?

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What is IS?An information system is an arrangement of hardware, software, people, procedures and data

that interact for the purposes of:

supporting and improving day-to-day business operations or

supporting the problem solving and decision making needs of management.

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What is IT?

• Information Technology: the combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with telecommunications technology (data, image and voice networks).

• Information Technology is a practical way of providing useful facts.

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Some Basic Questions

• What is a system?• What is information?• What is an information system?• Why is knowledge of information systems important for

managers? • What should managers know about information systems? • Over the break, talk about these last two questions in

groups of 3 or 4. Be prepared to discuss it when we come back.

Why IS?• Value of information rests on how it helps decision

makers achieve the organizations goals.• IS make it possible for organizations to improve the

way they do business.• Knowing the potential impact of IS and having the

ability to put the knowledge to work can result in a successful personal career, organizations that reach their goals and a better society.

• System users, business managers and IS professionals must work together in order to build and maintain successful IS.

• IS is an essential business function as is marketing, accounting, operations, …

• IS and IT can help businesses gain strategic competitive advantage.

• There are things about IS and IT that managers need to personally: – do in order to provide good example as a leader of people who use

technology. What are these things?– know in order to interact effectively with other managers,

developers, providers and end users of IT. What are these things?

•

Why is knowledge of information systems important for managers?

What a manager needs to know about IS (according to James A. O’Brien)

• Management Resources and Strategies

• Development Solutions to Business Problems

• Applications To Operations, Management, and Strategic Advantage

• Technology Hardware, Software, Networks , and Data Management

• Foundational Concepts Fundamental Behavioral and Technical Concepts

What a manager needs to know about IS (according to Bob Kilmer)

• Know when to call.– Know when it’s time to stop trying.

• Know who to call.– 1st, 2nd, 3rd lines of defense.

• How to ask for help.– Be clear and concise.

– Provide relevant details of problem.

• How to say thanks.

What a manager needs to be able to personally do with IS and IT

• Have a positive attitude about IS and IT• Practice safe computing: Virus Check• Properly Save, Store and Find Files • Communicate: Email & WWW• Word Processing• Presentations• Spreadsheets• Databases

Computer Life In Cubicle Land

Typical IS Titles & Functions• Chief Information Officer (CIO)• Network administrators• Internet careers

– Strategists– Programmers– Website operators– Chief Internet Officer

• Consulting firms

Roles, Functions, and Careers in the IS Department

• Operations

• Systems Development

• Support

• Liaisons (information service units)

Information Center

• Provides users with assistance, training, application development, documentation, equipment selection and setup, standards, technical assistance, and troubleshooting.

Information Service Unit

• Attached to a functional area of the business.

• Acts as a local information support organization within a functional area.

• Performs the critical role of liaison between the functional area and IS.

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

• Chief Information Officer (CIO)– A manager at the vice-president level

responsible for IS planning, policy, and standards. The CIO is focused on supporting corporate goals.

Other IS Roles• Database Administrator

• Computer Programmer

• Network Administrator

• Network Specialist

• Systems Analyst

• Webmaster

• User Support

• HelpDesk

• Trainer

Organizational change

• Fig 2.7

IS Principles

• Use of IS to add value is strongly influenced by organizational structure, culture and change.

• IS changes must lower costs, increase profits, improve service or achieve a competitive advantage.

• IS change usually is resisted.

• IS personnel are key elements in successful IS change.

How does our brain work?

• How do we see? • How do we hear?• How do we feel?• How does our brain filter out noise?• How does our brain process data to

obtain information and make decisions?Today many people describe our brain by using the example of the CPU in the computer. How does the computer work. You should read Chapter 2 and be prepared to ask questions about hardware and software next time. Most of that material should have been covered in the prerequisite Microcomputer Applications course.

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Check Out

• Student CD– Powerpoint slides – Exercise Data

• Course Web site– http://www.mhhe.com/business/mis/post

• Hardware/Software - Chapter 2 slides

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Next Weeks Assignment• In addition to reading chapters 1 & 2 for lesson 1, read

Chapter 3 and the following Web Tutorial for lesson 2.

• Professor Yaverbaum’s homepage for this course. http://www.personal.psu.edu/gjy1/infsy540/infsy540-main00.html

• Web Tutorialhttp://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/index.shtml

• Web Project 1 and Web Project 2: will begin working during lesson 2.

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Any questions?