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{{Expert-subject|Systems|date=February 2009}} |
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The term ''information systems'' is used to refer to at least three things: an academic field, an area of professional work or as the plural of the term [[information system]]. |
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In a broad sense, the term '''Information Systems''' (IS) refers to the interaction between processes, and technology. This interaction can occur within or across organizational boundaries. An information system is not only the technology an organization uses, but also the way in which the organizations interact with the technology and the way in which the technology works with the organization’s business processes. Information systems are distinct from information technology in that an information system has an information technology component that interacts with the processes components. |
In a broad sense, the term '''Information Systems''' (IS) refers to the interaction between processes, and technology. This interaction can occur within or across organizational boundaries. An information system is not only the technology an organization uses, but also the way in which the organizations interact with the technology and the way in which the technology works with the organization’s business processes. Information systems are distinct from information technology in that an information system has an information technology component that interacts with the processes components. |
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Revision as of 10:48, 28 October 2009
This article needs attention from an expert in Systems. Please add a reason or a talk parameter to this template to explain the issue with the article.(February 2009) |
The term information systems is used to refer to at least three things: an academic field, an area of professional work or as the plural of the term information system.
In a broad sense, the term Information Systems (IS) refers to the interaction between processes, and technology. This interaction can occur within or across organizational boundaries. An information system is not only the technology an organization uses, but also the way in which the organizations interact with the technology and the way in which the technology works with the organization’s business processes. Information systems are distinct from information technology in that an information system has an information technology component that interacts with the processes components.
Overview
The Information System consists of four parts which include: procedures, software, hardware, and information or data, which are essentially the same. There are various types of information systems, for example: transaction processing systems, office systems, decision support systems, knowledge management systems, database management systems, and office information systems. Critical to most information systems are information technologies, which are typically designed to enable humans to perform tasks for which the human brain is not well suited, such as: handling large amounts of information, performing complex calculations, and controlling many simultaneous processes.
Information technologies are a very important and malleable resource available to executives.[1] Many companies have created a position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) that sits on the executive board with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technical Officer (CTO).The CTO may also serve as CIO, and vice versa. The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), who focuses on information security within an organization, normally reports to the CIO.
In computer security, an information system is described by the following components [2]:
- Repositories, which hold data permanently or temporarily, such as buffers, RAM, hard disks, cache, etc. Often data stored in repositories is managed through a database management system.
- Interfaces, which support the interaction between humans and computers, such as keyboards, speakers, scanners, printers, etc.
- Channels, which connect repositories, such as routers, cables, etc..
Types of information systems
The 'classic' view of Information systems found in the textbooks[3] of the 1980s was of a pyramid of systems that reflected the hierarchy of the organization, usually Transaction processing systems at the bottom of the pyramid, followed by Management information systems, Decision support systems and ending with Executive information systems at the top.
However, as new information technologies have been developed, new categories of information systems have emerged, some of which no longer fit easily into the original pyramid model. Some examples of such systems are:
- Data warehouses
- Enterprise resource planning
- Enterprise systems
- Expert systems
- Global information system
- Office Automation
Information systems careers
Information Systems have a number of different areas of work:
- Information systems strategy
- Information systems management
- Information systems development
- Information systems security
- Information systems iteration
There are a wide variety of career paths in the information systems discipline. "Workers with specialized technical knowledge and strong communications skills will have the best prospects. With management skills and an understanding of business practices and principles will have excellent opportunities, as companies are increasingly looking to technology to drive their revenue." [4]
Information systems development
Information technology departments in larger organizations tend to strongly influence information technology development, use, and application in the organizations, which may be a business or corporation. A series of methodologies and processes can be used in order to develop and use an information system. Many developers have turned and used a more engineering approach such as the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) which is a systematic procedure of developing an information system through stages that occur in sequence. An Information system can be developed in house (within the organization) or outsourced. This can be accomplished by outsourcing certain components or the entire system.[5]. A specific case is the geographical distribution of the development team (Offshoring, Global Information System).
A computer based information system, following a definition of Langefors[6], is:
- a technologically implemented medium for recording, storing, and disseminating linguistic expressions,
- as well as for drawing conclusions from such expressions.
which can be formulated as a generalized information systems design mathematical program
Geographic Information Systems, Land Information systems and Disaster Information Systems are also some of the emerging information systems but they can be broadly considered as Spatial Information Systems. System development is done in stages which include:
- Problem recognition and specification
- Information gathering
- Requirements specification for the new system
- System design
- System construction
- System implementation
- Review and maintenance
Information systems development methodology
Information systems development methodology or ISDM is a tool kit of ideas, approaches, techniques and tools which system analysts use to help them translate organisational needs into appropriate Information Systems;
An ISDM is:-
'....recommended collection of philosophies, phases, procedures, rules, techniques, tools, documentation, management, and training for developers of Information Systems”. (Avison and Fitzgerald, 1988)
Information systems research
Information systems research is generally concerned with the study of the effects of information systems on the behavior of individuals, groups, and organizations.[8][9] Notable publication outlets for information systems research are the journals Management Information Systems Quarterly, Information Systems Research, Journal of the Association for Information Systems, and Communications of the Association for Information Systems.
Since information systems is an applied field, industry practitioners expect information systems research to generate findings that are immediately applicable in practice. However, that is not always the case. Often information systems researchers explore behavioral issues in much more depth than practitioners would expect them to do. This may render information systems research results difficult to understand, and has led to criticism.[10]
To study an information system itself, rather than its effects, information systems models are used, such as EATPUT.
See also
- Related studies
- Computer Science
- Bioinformatics
- Business informatics
- Cheminformatics
- Disaster informatics
- Geoinformatics
- MIS
- Information system
- Components
- Data Processing System
- Data architect
- Data modeling
- Data Reference Model
- Database
- Metadata
- Predictive Model Markup Language
- Semantic translation
- Three schema approach
- EATPUT
- Implementation
- Environmental Modeling Center
- Enterprise Information System
- European Research Center for Information Systems
- INFORMS
- Information Processing System
References
- ^ Rockart et al. (1996) Eight imperatives for the new IT organization Sloan Management review.
- ^ Trcek, D., Trobec, R., Pavesic, N., & Tasic, J.F. (2007). Information systems security and human behaviour. Behaviour & Information Technology, 26(2), 113-118.
- ^ Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P. Management Information Systems, (2nd edition), Macmillan, 1988.
- ^ Sloan Career Cornerstone Center (2008). Information Systems. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Accessdate June 2, 2008.
- ^ Using MIS. Kroenke. 2009. ISBN 0-13-713029-5.
- ^ Börje Langefors (1973). Theoretical Analysis of Information Systems. Auerbach. ISBN 0-87769-151-7.
- ^ cite book|title=Computer Studies|year=2008|publisher=Frederick Nyawaya|isbn=9966-781-24-2}}
- ^ Galliers, R.D., Markus, M.L., & Newell, S. (Eds) (2006). Exploring Information Systems Research Approaches. New York, NY: Routledge.
- ^ Ciborra, C. (2002). The Labyrinths of Information: Challenging the Wisdom of Systems. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press
- ^ Kock, N., Gray, P., Hoving, R., Klein, H., Myers, M., & Rockart, J. (2002). Information Systems Research Relevance Revisited: Subtle Accomplishment, Unfulfilled Promise, or Serial Hypocrisy? Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 8(23), 330-346.
Further reading
- Kroenke, David (2008). Using MIS - 2nd Edition.
- Lindsay, John (2000). Information Systems – Fundamentals and Issues. Kingston University, School of Information Systems
- Dostal, J. School information systems (Skolni informacni systemy). In Infotech 2007 - modern information and communication technology in education. Olomouc, EU: Votobia, 2007. s. 540 – 546. ISBN 978-80-7220-301-7.
- O'Leary, Timothy and Linda. (2008). Computing Essentials Introductory 2008. McGraw-Hill. [www.computing2008.com.]
External links
- 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