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ISYS 2006 Introduction. Week 1 Lecture 1. Course structure. This course will provide a n introduction to some of the critical aspects and dimensions of information systems in contemporary organisations. The content will be presented in three modules:.
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ISYS 2006 Introduction Week 1 Lecture 1
Course structure This course will provide an introduction to some of the critical aspects and dimensions of information systems in contemporary organisations. The content will be presented in three modules: • Basic concepts in Information Systems • The technology of Information Systems • Some managerial aspects of Information Systems
Administration • Lecturers – • Hugh Springford • Room: G82A • Email address: hugh@it.usyd.edu.au • Consultation hours: Friday 12:00 to 1:00pm • Dr Liaquat Hossain • Room: G82C • Email address: lhossain@it.usyd.edu.au • Consultation hours: tba • Course assistant - • Trevor Simpson • Email address: tasnmeg@bigpond.net.au
Assessment • Final exam worth 60% of the total mark (you must attain a minimum of 40%) • Two individual assignments, each worth 15% of the final mark • Two group tutorial presentations, each worth 5% of the final mark.
School policies • All students must read and understand the School’s policy on academic honesty in the printed or on-line handbook at: • http://www.it.usyd.edu.au/current_ugrad/handbook2004/policies.html#acadhonesty • The important issue is to acknowledge the source you are quoting, whether that be a book or a web page • You should also read the policy regarding Special consideration due to illness or misadventure
Text Book Management Information Systems Managing the Digital firm Kenneth C. Laudon Jane P Laudon Eighth edition 2004 Pearson/Prentice Hall
Other course resources • Course Web page • Course outline • Lecture slides • Tutorial questions • Readings • URLs for relevant information • Message board
What you should learn this week • The nature of organisations, and the challenges that face organisations today • The difference between data, information and knowledge • The definition of an Information System and its use within an organisation
The nature of organisations, and the challenges that face organisations today
What is an organisation? • Identifiable body or institution • With a defined purpose • Having resources of land, capital, labour and information/knowledge • Usually having a defined legal structure • Sometimes being a part of a larger organisation
Examples of organisations • University of Sydney • School of Information Technologies • Commonwealth Bank of Australia • PricewaterhouseCoopers • IBM • Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney • NSW Department of Environment & Conservation • NSW Government • Catholic Church • RPA Hospital • Drummoyne Rowing Club
Can you suggest another common characteristics of organisations?
A complex but standardised method of operating.They are systematic, orThey have systems, or perhaps They are a system!
An organisation is bounded, and exists within an environment. Owners Staff Capital Systems to achieve a Purpose Information/Knowledge Legal structure Customers Suppliers Government
Organisations • OPERATING PROCEDURES: Standard Business Processes, organisational routines and rules for action • POLITICS: Factions and interest groups and the struggle for power and authority occasionally involving conflict. • CULTURE: Fundamental assumptions and beliefs about most aspects of the org. – typically taken for granted and rarely discussed.
Characteristics of organisations • PEOPLE: Managers, knowledge workers, data workers, production or service workers • FORMAL STRUCTURE: Organization chart, distribution of work, authority and responsibility, grouping of specialists, reward systems, products, geography
Four major changes that challenge the business environment • Globilisation • Transformation of industrial economies • Transformation of enterprises • Emergence of the digital firm
Globilisation • Globilisation is the the free movement of • Capital • Trade goods & services • People • Implications • Management in a global marketplace • Global competition • Global work groups • Global delivery systems
Transformation of Industrial economies • Information based – white collar workers in the USA constitute 60% of the workforce (sales, insurance, office, law, healthcare, financial services etc) • Knowledge is a strategic asset • Time based competition • Shorter product life
Transformation of the enterprise • Flattening of the management structure • Decentralisation • Location independent • Collaborative workgroups – virtual teams
Emergence of the Digital firm • Digital relationship with customers, suppliers and employees • E-Commerce • Core business processes accomplished via networks • Knowledge management • The system extends beyond organisational boundaries
Knowledge Information Data
Knowledge Information Your speedometer shows you are driving at 90kph. Data
Knowledge You are driving at 90kph, and You are in a 50kph speed zone. Information Your speedometer shows you are driving at 90kph. Data
You know you should slow down, because you are exceeding the speed limit by 40kph, with a probability that you will be caught and fined $230 and lose 6 points off your licence Knowledge You are driving at 90kph, and You are in a 50kph speed zone. Information Data Your speedometer shows you are driving at 90kph.
Data • Gives us one or more pieces of data • By themselves, do not tell us anything particularly useful. • Examples: • Invoice 12345 is for $9,000 • ISYS2006 is a course code • The salary is $40,000
Information • Two or more bits of related data • Where the relationship tells us more than the sum of the parts • Or it has been summarised or filtered in some process • Examples • Invoice 12345 is from IBM, for 3 new computers and the total is $9,000 • The average starting salary at Accenture for an IS graduate is $40,000 • There were 100 IS graduates from Sydney University in 2003
Knowledge • Two or more pieces of information • That have been obtained from unrelated sources • And related using judgement or experience • Giving a new insight or understanding • That may have a degree of uncertainty • That could guide decisions or actions
The definition of an Information System and its use within an organisation
What is an Information System? • An information system (IS) is a pre-established set of inter-related components that collect, process, store, and distribute information, to support decision making and control in an organisation.Laudon & Laudon • Our primary interest in this course is on computer-based IS. • An IS is almost always a component in a broader system.
Information Technologies (IT) Information System (IS) • Information Technologies (IT) or Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) is an umbrella term used for a wide range of computer hardware, software, and telecommunications technologies, • Information Systems (IS) refers to specific systems that use one or more of those information technologies • IT provides the platform for an Information System
Information systems can be: • Operational – • part of the day to day business • often part of a larger system that has physical elements – eg a wholesalers delivery system that includes the movement of goods • Managerial – • A feedback system for managing the business • A system to support strategic and technical decisions • A repository of the organisation’s knowledge
Our delivery system Customer Our office Purchase order Invoice Picking slip Cash Goods & Delivery note Our warehouse Bank
Information system components are: • Defined business processes, that are • Manual, or • Imbedded in application software • Staff trained in the use of the system • Application software that implements • Some of the business processes • The interface between the staff & the computer system • The technical platform, consisting of • Workstations and servers • Middleware & system software • Data storage devices and database management systems • Networks • Computer rooms
The role of an IS within an organisation • Operational – humans invented writing numbers to manage trade • Efficiency of operations • Feedback to management • Enabling the enterprise to meet the challenges of the new environment • Enabling the enterprise to create a new business model
Course content • Today introduced some key concepts • General systems theory • Types of Information systems • The Digital firm • A case study of Dell as a digital firm • Hardware & The machine room • Application software, middleware and systems software • Networks, The Internet & The Web
Course content (cont.) • A case study on developing a major system for US security • IS design and implementation • The business value of IT – measuring productivity • IS ethics and social impacts • Data warehousing, decision support and knowledge management