Week-1

Introduction to Information
Systems

1
 What are Information Systems?

- A combination of technical components

- Built and used by people to collect, create, and
distribute useful data
- Used typically in organizational settings but are
evolving for personal use
Information Systems Today 1-2 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Information Society Evolution: Periods of Change

Agricultural Industrial Informational

(Prior to 1890’s) (1890’s to 1960’s) (1960’s to Present)

Information Systems Today 1-3 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Information Society Evolution: Terms and Issues

Information Society
1960 2000

Knowledge Worker (Peter Drucker 1959)

• A term invented to describe a future trend in the workforce
• These will be professionals that create, modify and/or
synthesize information as a fundamental part of their job
• They will require higher education levels and received higher
compensation than workers in agriculture or manufacturing
• The term is still generally accepted today (Drucker was right!)

Information Systems Today 1-4 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Information Society Evolution: Terms and Issues

Information Society
1960 2000

Knowledge Society (Drucker - 1959)

• Term invented to describe the next evolution of society
• This evolution would be a result of the rise in the numbers
and importance of knowledge workers in society
• Education was described as the cornerstone of the
knowledge society as it is core to the knowledge worker
• Drucker was right again!

Information Systems Today 1-5 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Information Society Evolution: Terms and Issues

Information Society
1960 2000

New Economy (Wired Magazine - Late 1990s)

• Similar to “knowledge society” but more descriptive
• Describes a society where people use their brains more
than their hands in their work and personal lives
• Where communications technology and other IT systems
will create global competition for all products and services
• Other names: Digital Economy, Network Era, Internet Era

Information Systems Today 1-6 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Forms of Technology
Technology – any mechanical and/or electrical means to
supplement, extend, or replace human manual operations
Examples: building heating/cooling systems, car brakes, etc.

Information Technology – any

machine technology that is controlled
by or uses information for operation
Example: a programmable industrial
robot receiving instructions from a
computer-based database

Computer- based Information Systems – any computer-

based technology that provides information for use by
persons or machines to make decisions or control processes
Example: Software that controls CD burning hardware
Information Systems Today 1-7 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Information Systems: Turn Data into Information

Data Information
• Raw material • Processed material
• Unformatted information • Formatted information
• Generally has no context • Data given context

Individual time cards for Examples Department Labor Report,

factory workers entered Project Status Report,
into the payroll system Employee Payroll Checks

Information Systems Today 1-8 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Typical Careers in Information Systems

Careers in information systems require high

technical competence and generally pay well

Information Systems Today 1-9 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Executive Roles in Information Technology

• Manages External
Stakeholder Relationships
• Sets Strategic Direction CEO
• Defines High Level IT Chief Executive
Needs for the Future Officer

COO CFO CIO

Chief Operations Chief Financial Chief Information
Officer Officer Officer

• Manages Operations • Manages Accounting & Finance

• Allocates Resources • Forecasts Needs and Secures
• Primary Consumer of IT Financial Resources
within the Organization • Allocates Budget for IT Expenditures
Information Systems Today 1-10 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Executive Roles in Information Technology

CEO
Chief Executive
Officer

COO CFO CIO

Chief Operations Chief Financial Chief Information
Officer Officer Officer

• Manages IT Organization and Operations

• Forecasts IT Needs from Business Strategy
• Sets Direction for IT Architecture and Organization
• Plans, Designs and Delivers IT throughout the firm

Information Systems Today 1-11 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 The Future of Information Systems: Trends

Ownership and Control (Old School IS)

• Large back logs of user requests…very poor service
• Arrogance and feeling of ownership and control of IT
• Can’t do attitude…told users why they couldn’t do things
• Resulted in a very poor relationship with users

T • Business managers became technology savy

H • Systems evolved and became easier to develop
E • Business organizations developed their own systems
N

Consulting and Service Mentality (New School IS)

• IS is taking on an IT consulting role
• “Service Mentality”…users are customers to be served
• Proactively support and problem solve for their customers
• Fundamentally believe that customers own the technology
Information Systems Today 1-12 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 IS Role in Change: Trends and Terms

Downsizing (Sometimes called Rightsizing)

• Reducing organizational headcount to meet the
financial goals of the organization
• IT is viewed as the lever to provide the systems
necessary to increase productivity

Outsourcing
• Transferring business functions outside the organization
to increase service levels and/or reduce operating cost
• IT is not immune to this trend. Certain commodity IT
technical jobs will be increasingly transferred overseas
• IT must find better methods to manage offshore work

Information Systems Today 1-13 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 The Future for IS

IS needs will continue to grow as technology

developments advance

Although outsourcing will continue, there

will be strong demand for IS professionals

There is a need for personnel that can speak

the language of technology and business and
the skills to manage projects and people

Characteristics for success include: continuous

learning and growth, finding new ways to add
value, flexibility, and developing unique skills
Information Systems Today 1-14 (©2006 Prentice Hall)