Chapter 1 - Information Systems in Global Business Today

1.New information systems are modernizing businesses.

Breakthroughs in technology such as the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, etc. have pushed businesses even further into the future of technology.  The business community uses these new forms of technology so frequently that many businesses depend on their benefits in order to be successful.  Organizations are constantly striving to be more competitive and efficient and by digitally enabling their primary work processes; this gives them the opportunity to touch more customers and operate on a global scale.  The new trends in information systems include online software as a service, cloud computing and emerging mobile digital platform.

2. Information systems are essential for running and managing a business today.


The survival of your business in some industries is grim without a heavy reliance on information technology.  There are six major objectives of business operational excellence, new products, services, and business models: customer/supplier intimacy; improved decision making: competitive advantage and day to day survival.


3.  Defining what an information system is in terms of technical and business perspectives.

From a technical standpoint, an information system collects, stores and disseminates information from an organizations environment and internal operations to support organizational functions and decision making, communication, control, analysis, and visualization.  In the business world information systems provide a solution to a problem or challenge facing a firm and represent a combination of management, organization and technology elements.


4.  Defining what complementary assets are and how they're used in business.


In order to get meaningful value from information systems, organizations must support their technology investments with appropriate complementary investments in organizations and management.  The complementary investments/assets include new business model and business processes, supportive organizational culture and management behavior, appropriate technology standards, regulations and laws.


5.  Academic disciplines used in information systems.


Computer science, management science and operations research are the disciplines that contribute to the technical aspect of information systems.  The disciplines contributing to the behavioral approach focusing on the design, implementation, management and business impact of systems are psychology, sociology and economics.