Contents
Management Information Systems
Rationale
Management Information Systems (MIS) is a general name for the academic discipline covering the application of people, technologies, and procedures — collectively called information systems — to solve business problems. MIS are distinct from regular information systems in that they are used to analyze other information systems applied in operational activities in the organisation.[1] Academically, the term is commonly used to refer to the group of information management methods tied to the automation or support of human decision making, e.g. Decision Support Systems, Expert systems, and Executive information systems.[1]
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This course provides the student with an understanding of how computer hardware and software are combined to develop and manage efficient and effective information systems for business professionals. The course takes a user's orientation toward the use of the application tools, how to develop applications without programming, how users can build decision support systems, how to use the structured system development life cycle, how to control information systems and life cycle, and how personal computers can be interfaced with other systems.
The primary goal of this course is to help you develop information literacy. Information literacy is the ability to gather, evaluate, and make decisions based on information from a variety of sources - including computers and the Internet. You will also gain an understanding of computing concepts and hands-on experience with current technologies, including important application programs and the World Wide Web.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge
After completion of the course, the student will
- be able to understand the opportunities to create business value from IT
- be able to understand the concept of managing the information technology portfolio
- be able to understand why some firms are better able to convert their IT investments into business value
- be able to understand the strategic opportunities and threats of e-Business
- have insight into the viable e-Business models
- have experience in analyzing the potential impacts and opportunities of e-Business in a firm or industry
- have gained insight into the way e-Business influences business strategy and changes the basis for competition
- contribute to the information technology planning process
- evaluate the evidence regarding the impact of information technology on firm performance
- contribute to establishing the firm's IT architecture
Skills
After completion of the course, the student will be able to
- perform a business analysis to determine where information technology can provide business value
- design and evaluate a firm's IT governance
- prepare an information technology investment proposal
- contribute to establishing the firm's IT architecture
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Teaching and Learning Resources
Introduction
- Introduction to MIS
- Introduction to Information Systems
- Information Systems in the Enterprise
- E- Commerce Business Models
- E-Commerce Business Plans
Electronic business, commonly referred to as "eBusiness" or "e-business", may be defined as the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in support of all the activities of business. Commerce constitutes the exchange of products and services between businesses, groups and individuals and can be seen as one of the essential activities of any business. Electronic commerce focuses on the use of ICT to enable the external activities and relationships of the business with individuals, groups and other businesses [1].
Louis Gerstner, the former CEO of IBM, in his book, Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? attributes the term "e-Business" to IBM's marketing and Internet teams in 1996.
Electronic business methods enable companies to link their internal and external data processing systems more efficiently and flexibly, to work more closely with suppliers and partners, and to better satisfy the needs and expectations of their customers.
In practice, e-business is more than just e-commerce. While e-business refers to more strategic focus with an emphasis on the functions that occur using electronic capabilities, e-commerce is a subset of an overall e-business strategy. E-commerce seeks to add revenue streams using the World Wide Web or the Internet to build and enhance relationships with clients and partners and to improve efficiency using the Empty Vessel strategy. Often, e-commerce involves the application of knowledge management systems.
E-business involves business processes spanning the entire value chain: electronic purchasing and supply chain management, processing orders electronically, handling customer service, and cooperating with business partners. Special technical standards for e-business facilitate the exchange of data between companies. E-business software solutions allow the integration of intra and inter firm business processes. E-business can be conducted using the Web, the Internet, intranets, extranets, or some combination of these.
Basically, electronic commerce (EC) is the process of buying, transferring, or exchanging products, services, and/or information via computer networks, including the internet. EC can also be benifited from many perspective including business process, service, learning, collaborative, community. EC is often confused with e-business.
Information Technology Foundations
Lectures and Tutorials
- Information Technology Foundations
- Information Systems, Organizations, Management, and Strategy
- Introduction to Information Systems
- Hardware and Software in the Enterprise
- Personal Productivity
Readings
Information Systems (IS) is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study.[4][5][6][7] An information systems discipline therefore is supported by the theoretical foundations of information and computations such that learned scholars have unique opportunities to explore the academics of various business models as well as related algorithmic processes within a computer science discipline.[8][9][10] Typically, information systems or the more common legacy information systems include people, procedures, data, software, and hardware (by degree) that are used to gather and analyze digital information.[11][12] Specifically computer-based information systems are complementary networks of hardware/software that people and organizations use to collect, filter, process, create, & distribute data (computing).[13] Computer Information System(s) (CIS) is often a track within the computer science field studying computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their software & hardware designs, their applications, and their impact on society.[14][15][16] Overall, an IS discipline emphasizes functionality over design.[17]
As illustrated by the Venn Diagram on the right, the history of information systems coincides with the history of computer science that began long before the modern discipline of computer science emerged in the twentieth century.[18] Regarding the circulation of information and ideas, numerous legacy information systems still exist today that are continuously updated to promote ethnographic approaches, to ensure data integrity, and to improve the social effectiveness & efficiency of the whole process.[19] In general, information systems are focused upon processing information within organizations, especially within business enterprises, and sharing the benefits with modern society.[20]
- Overview
- Definition
- The Discipline of Information Systems
- The Impact on Economic Models
- Differentiating IS from Related Disciplines
- Types of information systems
- Information systems career pathways
- Information systems development
- Information systems research
- Association for Information Systems (AIS)
- Center for Information Systems Research - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- European Research Center for Information Systems
- Index of Information Systems Journals
- Information Systems Department, The George Washington University
- Information Systems Department, UMBC
- Information Systems and Innovation Group, Department of Management , London School of Economics
- Information Systems Network a research network from the Social Science Research Network
- School of Information Systems, Deakin University
- Department of Information Systems, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
- Managing Knowledge in the Digital Firm
- Information as a tool for management decision making: a case study of Singapore
- Types of Information Systems
- Introduction to ICT
- The Data and Information
- Sources of Data and Information
- Methods of Data Storage
- Information Systems Planning
Networks and Telecommunications
Lectures and Tutorials
- Telecommunications, Networks, and Wireless Computing
- Networks and Telecommunications
- Networks and Telecommunications
- Solving Problems
Readings
A telecommunications network is a collection of terminals, links and nodes which connect together to enable telecommunication between users of the terminals. Networks may use circuit switching or message switching. Each terminal in the network must have a unique address so messages or connections can be routed to the correct recipients. The collection of addresses in the network is called the address space.
The links connect the nodes together and are themselves built upon an underlying transmission network which physically pushes the message across the link.
Examples of telecommunications networks are:
- Computer network
- the Internet Network
- the telephone network
- the global Telex network
- the aeronautical ACARS network
- Messages and protocols
- Telecommunication Network Components
- Network Structure
- Example of a Telecommunication Network: the TCP/IP data network
External links
- How Internet Infrastructure Works?
- How does satellite Internet operate?
- Managing Telecommunications
- Distributed Systems: The Overall Architecture
- Combining ethnographic and clickstream data to identify user Web browsing strategies
- References
Security, Privacy, and Anonymity
Lectures and Tutorials
- Information System Security and Control
- Security, Privacy, Anonymity
- Security, Privacy, and Anonymity
- Operations and Transactions
Readings
Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction.[1]
The terms information security, computer security and information assurance are frequently incorrectly used interchangeably. These fields are interrelated often and share the common goals of protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information; however, there are some subtle differences between them.
These differences lie primarily in the approach to the subject, the methodologies used, and the areas of concentration. Information security is concerned with the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data regardless of the form the data may take: electronic, print, or other forms.
Computer security can focus on ensuring the availability and correct operation of a computer system without concern for the information stored or processed by the computer.
Governments, military, corporations, financial institutions, hospitals, and private businesses amass a great deal of confidential information about their employees, customers, products, research, and financial status. Most of this information is now collected, processed and stored on electronic computers and transmitted across networks to other computers.
Should confidential information about a business' customers or finances or new product line fall into the hands of a competitor, such a breach of security could lead to lost business, law suits or even bankruptcy of the business. Protecting confidential information is a business requirement, and in many cases also an ethical and legal requirement.
For the individual, information security has a significant effect on privacy, which is viewed very differently in different cultures.
The field of information security has grown and evolved significantly in recent years. As a career choice there are many ways of gaining entry into the field. It offers many areas for specialization including: securing network(s) and allied infrastructure, securing applications and databases, security testing, information systems auditing, business continuity planning and digital forensics science, to name a few, which are carried out by Information Security Consultants
This article presents a general overview of information security and its core concepts.
- History
- Basic principles
- Process
- Business continuity
- Laws and regulations
- Sources of standards
- Professionalism
- Conclusion
Transactions and Electronic Commerce
Lectures and Tutorials
- The Digital Firm: Electronic Business and Electronic Commerce
- Operations and Transactions
- Transactions and Electronic Commerce
- Database Management
Readings
Database Management
Lectures and Tutorials
Readings
A Database Management System (DBMS) is a set of computer programs that controls the creation, maintenance, and the use of a database. It allows organizations to place control of database development in the hands of database administrators (DBAs) and other specialists. A DBMS is a system software package that helps the use of integrated collection of data records and files known as databases. It allows different user application programs to easily access the same database. DBMSs may use any of a variety of database models, such as the network model or relational model. In large systems, a DBMS allows users and other software to store and retrieve data in a structured way. Instead of having to write computer programs to extract information, user can ask simple questions in a query language. Thus, many DBMS packages provide Fourth-generation programming language (4GLs) and other application development features. It helps to specify the logical organization for a database and access and use the information within a database. It provides facilities for controlling data access, enforcing data integrity, managing concurrency, and restoring the database from backups. A DBMS also provides the ability to logically present database information to users.
Concepts of Database Management
- Introduction to Database Management
- The Relational Model 1: Introduction, QBE, and the Relational Algebra
- The Relational Model 2: SQL
- The Relational Model 3: Advanced Topics
- Database Design 1: Normalization
- Database Design 2: Design Methodology
- Functions of a Database Management System
- Database Administration
- Database Management Approaches
- Relational Databases
- How does a Database Work?
- Creating a Database Query
- How to Create A Database On Your Site?
Integration of Information
Lectures and Tutorials
- Enterprise Applications and Business Process Integration
- Integration of Information
- Integration of Information
- Integration of Information: Model Integration
- Integration of Information
Readings
Information integration (II) (also called information fusion, deduplication and referential integrity) is the merging of information from disparate sources with differing conceptual, contextual and typographical representations. It is used in data mining and consolidation of data from unstructured or semi-structured resources. Typically, information integration refers to textual representations of knowledge but is sometimes applied to rich media content.
Among the technologies available to integrate information are string metrics that allow detection of similar text in different data sources by fuzzy matching.
- Data fusion (is a subset of Information fusion)
- Data integration
- Data deduplication
- Dataspaces
- Referential integrity
Enterprise Information Integration or EII, is a process of information integration, using data abstraction to provide a single interface (known as uniform data access) for viewing all the data within an organization, and a single set of structures and naming conventions (known as uniform information representation) to represent this data; the goal of EII is to get a large set of heterogeneous data sources to appear to a user or system as a single, homogeneous data source.
- Business Intelligence 2.0 (BI 2.0)
- Data access
- Data integration
- Data Warehouse
- Enterprise Application Integration
- Enterprise integration
- Federated database system
- Information as a Service
- Semantic integration
- Semantic Web
- Web 2.0
- Web services
- Web integration
- Vendors
- References
- Integrated Information Infrastructure Reference Model (III-RM) - Basic Concepts
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems Course Page: Portal
Models and Decision Support
Lectures and Tutorials
- Enhancing Management Decision Making for the Digital Firm
- Models and Decision Support
- Models and Decision Support
- Models and Decision Support
Readings
Decision support systems constitute a class of computer-based information systems including knowledge-based systems that support decision-making activities.
DSSs serve the management level of the organisation and help to take decisions, which may be rapidly changing and not easily specified in advance.
- Decision theory
- Predictive analytics
- Land Allocation Decision Support System
- Online deliberation
- Self service software
- Spatial Decision Support System
- Morphological Analysis
- Clinical decision support system
- Decision engineering
- References
- Further reading
Complex Decisions and Expert Systems
Lectures and Tutorials
- Complex Decisions and Artificial Intelligence
- Complex Decisions and Expert Systems
- Decisions
in Business Areas
Readings
Activity
Strategic Analysis
Lectures and Tutorials
Readings
- Customer Analysis
- Voices of Customers (VoC) and Market Research
- Customers Experience Management (CEM) and User Experience Management (UEM)
- Marketing Channel Management
- Switching barriers
Electronic Business and Entrepreneurship
Lectures and Tutorials
Readings
Case Study
Systems Development
Lectures and Tutorials
Readings
Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is a software development methodology originally based upon the Rapid Application Development methodology. DSDM is an iterative and incremental approach that emphasizes continuous user involvement.
Its goal is to deliver software systems on time and on budget while adjusting for changing requirements along the development process. DSDM is one of a number of Agile methods for developing software, and it forms a part of the Agile Alliance.
- Overview
- The DSDM approach
- DSDM Project Life-cycle
- DSDM Functional Model Iteration
- Further DSDM topics
- Critical Success Factors of DSDM
- Comparison to other IS Development Methods
- References
- Further reading
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Systems_Development_MethodExternal links
Organizing Information System Resources
Lectures and Tutorials
- Managing Data Resources
- Organizing the MIS Resources
- Organizing MIS Resources
- Organizing Information Systems Resources
Readings
Guide to freely available international data resources
This guide is intended to be used as a resource discovery tool for additional internationally available data and information resources. It is split into six sections:
Selected Sources of freely available international data: This section has a list of web sites which provide freely available international data.
National data archives and sources of international micro data : These links provide access to the web sites of a number of national data archives via clickable maps and links to other sources of international micro data.
National statistics institutes : A comprehensive list of national statistics office web sites in alphabetical country order. These sites are most useful for individual country information for example on the economy, population and society at national and local level.
International organisations: Links to the web sites of major International Organisations such as the United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Regional organisations : This section provides a list of region specific information and data resource web sites for the following areas: Africa, Americas, Asia, Oceania, Europe, European Union.
Resources on methodology, standards and good practice in international data: Web sites containing information on statistical, data dissemination and good practice standards are listed in this section.
Information Management and Society
Lectures and Tutorials
- MIS Impact on Society
- Information Management
- Information Management and Society
- Ethical and Social Issues in the Digital Firm
Readings
Media proliferation (Mp) is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information. Management means the organization of and control over the structure, processing and delivery of information.
Throughout the 1970s this was largely limited to files, file maintenance, and the life cycle management of paper-based files, other media and records. With the proliferation of information technology starting in the 1970s, the job of information management took on a new light, and also began to include the field of Data maintenance. No longer was information management a simple job that could be performed by almost anyone. An understanding of the technology involved, and the theory behind it became necessary. As information storage shifted to electronic means, this became more and more difficult. By the late 1990s when information was regularly disseminated across computer networks and by other electronic means, network managers, in a sense, became information managers. Those individuals found themselves tasked with increasingly complex tasks, hardware and software. With the latest tools available, information management has become a powerful resource and a large expense for many organizations.
In short, information management entails organizing, retrieving, acquiring and maintaining information. It is closely related to and overlapping with the practice of Data Management.
- Information Management Paper
- "Information Management Body of Knowledge" (Offers a 170pp freely-distributable broadly-based examination of IM issues)
- Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel
Recommended Texts
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Management
Information Systems: Solving Business Problems with
Information Technology, 3/e Check the availability and buy your books from our Bookshop
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Essentials
of Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital
Firm and Student Multimedia Edition Package,
6/E Kenneth C. Laudon, New York University Jane P. Laudon, Azimuth Information Systems
Check the availability and buy your books from our Bookshop |
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Management
Information Systems, Fourth Edition Check the availability and buy your books from our Bookshop |
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Database
System Concepts,
5/e
Check the availability and buy your books from our Bookshop
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Concepts
of Database Management,
Fifth Edition
Philip J. Pratt, Joseph J. Adamski Check the availability and buy your books from our Bookshop |
Resources