Elements of a System The important elements of a system are; Output and Inputs Processor(s) Control Feedback Environment Boundaries and Interface Outputs and Inputs A major objective of a system is to produce an output that has value to its user. Whatever the nature of the output, it must be within the line with the explanations of the intended user. Inputs are the elements that enter the system for processing. Output is the outcome of processing. A system feeds on input to produce output in much the same way that a business brings in human financial, and material resources to produce goods and services. It is important to point out here that determining the output is a first step in Continue reading
Systems Management
The Concept of Systems
Scholars in various disciplines who are concerned about the tendency toward the fragmentation of knowledge and the increasing complexity of phenomena have sought a unifying approach to knowledge. Luduring von Bertalanlfy, a biologist, developed a general systems thereby that applied to any arrangement of elements such as cells, people, societies or even planets. Norbert Wiener, a mathematician observed that information and communications provides connecting links for unifying fragments or elements, His systems concept of information theory, which shows the parallel between the functioning of human beings and electronic systems, laid the foundation for today’s computer systems. Herbert A. Simon, a political scientist, related the systems concept to the study of organizations by viewing an ongoing system as a processor of Continue reading
Strategic Information Systems
A Strategic Information System (SIS) is a system to manage information and assist in strategic decision making. A strategic information system has been defined as, “The information system to support or change enterprise’s strategy.” Simply says, a Strategic Information System is a type of Information System that is aligned with business strategy and structure. The alignment increases the capability to respond faster to environmental changes and thus creates a competitive advantage. An early example was the favorable position afforded American and United Airlines by their reservation systems, Sabre and Apollo. (American Airlines worked with IBM to develop an improved booking/reservation system, and the Airline Reservation Systems (ARS) and the Semi-Automatic Business Research System (SABRE) launched thereafter in 1960. The network Continue reading
Case Study on MIS: Information System in Restaurant
Case Summary: A waiter takes an order at a table, and then enters it online via one of the six terminals located in the restaurant dining room. The order is routed to a printer in the appropriate preparation area: the cold item printer if it is a salad, the hot-item printer if it is a hot sandwich or the bar printer if it is a drink. A customer’s meal check-listing (bill) the items ordered and the respective prices are automatically generated. This ordering system eliminates the old three-carbon-copy guest check system as well as any problems caused by a waiter’s handwriting. When the kitchen runs out of a food item, the cooks send out an ‘out of stock’ message, which Continue reading
E-Business Models
The term E-business (electronic business) is similar to terms like e-mail, e-commerce, helping not only in buying, selling but also in servicing customers and collaborating with business partners. Today, major corporations are rethinking their businesses in terms of the internet and its new culture and capabilities. Companies are using web to buy parts and supplies from other companies, to collaborate on sales promotions, and to do joint research. Exploiting the convenience, availability, and world-wide reach of the Internet, many companies, have discovered how to use the Internet in a better way. After the first wave of e-business, ‘bricks and clicks’ businesses — those with both a traditional and e-commerce approach — find that, while they already have sound financial resources, Continue reading
Different Categories of E-Business
Introduction to E-business: E-business is an all-encompassing concept that refers to the numerous ways in which companies are taking advantage of the universal connectivity offered by the Internet and other computer networks. Traditional Information Systems courses also discuss how businesses use computers, but focus in addition on technical issues of hardware, software, databases, networks, and management of all of these components. This course focuses on the ideas and processes involved in starting an e-business or in adding e-business functions to an existing business. E-business enables a customer to conduct business anytime, anywhere and from any place via a distribution channel. It helps to get a continuous dialogue between you and your customer, just as if you both were talking face Continue reading