Chapter 11 Information Systems Management © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Jan 11, 2016
Chapter 11
Information Systems Management
© 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
11-2 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
This Could Happen to You
Dee wants to restrict access to blog– Easiest way is to put it on Emerson’s server– Needed permission and help of IT department
Used manager to force submission
– Exposed Emerson to enormous security risk Consultant could have misused system
– Dee didn’t understand the problems– Different approach could have elicited more supportive
response Interact in a more effective way
11-3 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Study Questions
Why do you need to know about the IT department? What are the responsibilities of the IT department? How is the IT department organized? What IS-related job positions exist? How do organizations decide how much to spend on
IT? What are your rights and responsibilities? How does knowledge from this chapter help you at
Emerson or DSI?
11-4 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Why Do You Need to Know about the IT Department?
Need to understand the responsibilities and duties of the IT department
– More effective consumer– Obtain services, equipment, and systems needed
Need to know about functions of IT department to be IS-savvy
– Better understand how to integrate disparate companies or offices
– Can raise IT issues early in merger or acquisition– Better understand needs of IT department in supporting
new initiatives
11-5 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What Are the Responsibilities of the IT Department?
Plan for information systems and IT infrastructure
Develop and adapt information systems and IT infrastructure
Maintain information systems and operate and maintain IT infrastructure
Protect infrastructure and data
11-6 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Plan for Information Systems
Further organization’s competitive strategy– Align activities with primary goals and objectives
of organization– Adapt infrastructure and systems to new goals
Assess new technologies to determine possible applications
Agile enterprise– Organizations that can adapt quickly to changes
in external factors
11-7 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Develop and Adapt Information Systems
IT department must create, develop, and adapt information systems
Create and adapt infrastructure– Computer networks, servers, data centers, data
warehouses, data marts
Create systems infrastructures– E-mail, VPN, instant messaging, blogs, net meetings
Specify standard computer systems
11-8 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Maintain Information Systems and Infrastructures
Operate and maintain infrastructure– Networks and servers must be monitored, tuned,
and repaired– System outages are expensive
Respond to threats to infrastructure
11-9 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Protect Infrastructure and Data from Threats
Threats to infrastructure and data from:– Human error and mistakes– Malicious human activity– Natural events and disasters
IT department helps organizations manage risk– Identify potential threats– Estimate financial and other risks– Specify safeguards– Determine which level of risk to assume
11-10 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Is the IT Department Organized?
Chief Information Officer (CIO)– Principal manager– Reports to CEO, COO, or CFO
Technology office– Head: Chief Technology Officer (CTO)– Investigates new information systems technologies for
possible application at organization
Operations– Manages computing infrastructure
11-11 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Is the IT Department Organized?, continued
Development– Manages process of creating new information
systems– Maintains existing system
Outsourcing relations– Handles affairs with outsourced systems
Data administration staff functions– Establishes data standards and data
management practices and policies
11-12 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What IS-Related Job Positions Exist?
Systems analyst Programmer PQA test engineer Technical writer User support
representative Computer technician Network administrator Consultant
Sales Small-scale project
manager Large-scale project
manager Database administrator CIO CTO
11-13 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Position Requirements
Most positions require business knowledge Many require university degrees Most require good verbal and writing skills Think dual majors with IS!
– Accounting– Marketing– Management
11-14 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Guide: Jumping Aboard the Bulldozer
Recent media reports blame overseas outsourcing on US job loss
Real culprit is increased productivity because of information technology
Creative destruction– Unneeded jobs removed– No new hiring
Be a business professional– Use technology and information systems to help the
organization– Define yourself more generally
11-15 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Do Organizations Decide How Much to Spend on IT?
Analyze costs and benefits of system– Estimate dollar costs – Value tangible benefits
Lifetime value of customers lost by not having support system Anticipated customer support cost savings
– Value intangible benefits Value of email system
– Compute costs and tangible benefits to see if project is justified
If not, then compute intangibles
11-16 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What Are Your Rights?
Rights include:– Having resources to perform work proficiently– Having reliable network and Internet services– Secure computing environment– Participating in requirements meeting for applications– Reliable systems development and maintenance– Prompt attention to problems, concerns and complaints– Effective training
11-17 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
What Are Your Responsibilities?
Responsibilities include:– Learning basic computer skills and techniques– Following security and backup procedures– Using computer resources in a manner consistent with
employer’s policies– Making no unauthorized hardware modifications– Installing only authorized programs– Installing computer patches and fixes– Treating informational systems workers professionally
11-18 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Ethics Guide: Using the Corporate Computer
Playing computer games during work hours
Playing computer games before and after work
Responding to e-mails from an ill parent
Watching DVDs during lunch and breaks
Sending e-mails to plan a party that mostly involves people from work
Computers, e-mail, and the Internet are to be used primarily for official company business. Small amounts of personal email can be exchanged with friends and family, and occasional usage of the Internet is permitted, but such usage should be limited and never interfere with your work
You are a manager at a company with the above policy. You find out that an employee has been:
11-19 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Ethics Guide: Using the Corporate Computer, continued
Sending e-mails to plan a party that mostly involves no one from work
Searching the Web for a new car
Reading the news on CNN.com
Checking the stock market over the Internet
Bidding on items for personal use on eBay
Selling personal items on eBay
Paying personal bills online Paying personal bills online
when traveling on company business
Buying an airplane ticket for an ill parent over the Internet
Changing the content of a personal Web site
Changing the content of a personal business Web site
Buying an airplane ticket for a personal vacation over the Internet
11-20 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
How Does Knowledge from This Chapter Help You at Emerson or DSI?
How does this knowledge help you at Emerson:– Understand the need to protect network infrastructure– Suggest alternatives– Hire bonded consultant
Puzzling situation at DSI:– Sole IT person can not perform all jobs– Users are performing some of the work– Some jobs are not getting done– No one seems to be thinking strategically about IS
11-21 © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke
Active Review
Why do you need to know about the IT department? What are the responsibilities of the IT department? How is the IT department organized? What IS-related job positions exist? How do organizations decide how much to spend on
IT? What are your rights and responsibilities? How does knowledge from this chapter help you at
Emerson or DSI?