This paper addresses ten foundational questions spanning information systems, enterprise computing, and IT management. Topics covered include the four basic functions of an information system, types of enterprise systems, business performance measurement, virtualization and its advantages, database management system (DBMS) functions, internal and external IT security threats, ethical issues in security programs, e-business transaction types, business intelligence and data mining, and the four main points of IT strategic plans. Drawing on established textbooks and scholarly sources, the paper provides concise explanations of each concept and connects them to practical business applications.
The four basic functions of an information system are gathering data, storing data, processing that data into information, and outputting the information (O'Leary & O'Leary, 2008). The system must be able to collect data — or have data placed into it — or it has nothing with which to work and cannot provide output information after analysis takes place. Storing data is a major part of what an information system does, because the data is important and must not be lost. A system that could not store data would not be valuable to a company for collection and retention purposes (O'Leary & O'Leary, 2008). Once the data has been collected and stored, it can be analyzed in order to draw conclusions based on the type of analysis conducted. Those conclusions are then offered to the end user in the form of output from the information system.
The three types of enterprise systems are enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, enterprise planning systems, and customer relationship management (CRM) software (O'Leary & O'Leary, 2008). The ERP system is focused on utilizing both current and additional resources to plan future goals and movement within the company, while enterprise planning systems are more focused on what is already available. CRM software is less about the company itself and more about the people who do business with it. This type of software can make or break a company, because customers who are treated well and have their concerns handled properly are much more likely to return to do business with that company in the future (O'Leary & O'Leary, 2008).
Knowing how well a business is performing is vital to ensuring it continues to succeed (Buytendijk, 2008). Without some way to gauge performance, a business could deteriorate very quickly, and it would be nearly impossible to save it by the time the problem was recognized. That is why being able to measure business performance is so critical. The proper indicators are necessary, and they focus on whether the business is moving forward in the correct direction (Buytendijk, 2008). When issues are detected early, the business has time to make changes before further damage is done, allowing for a stronger and more secure organization.
One of the major challenges when measuring business performance is making sure the indicators being used are actually measuring the right things (Buytendijk, 2008). Many businesses believe they are doing the right thing because they are measuring a number of issues specific to their operations. However, if they are measuring things that do not truly matter, they are wasting time and generating data that will not be helpful (Buytendijk, 2008). It is very difficult to determine what to measure, and many businesses start out tracking a large number of metrics that are slowly reduced over time. As they progress, they identify which measurements are truly bringing value and which are not, allowing them to make adjustments that benefit the company in the long run (Buytendijk, 2008). This process saves money and keeps company performance as strong as possible.
Virtualization has many advantages, but one of the most significant is the ability to operate multiple machines from a single server computer. This is called desktop virtualization, and it is becoming increasingly popular as more workers spend time in the field or work from home (Turban et al., 2008). The way this works is that the logical desktop with which a person interacts is separated from the actual physical machine. Instead of interacting with the computer through a mouse or keyboard, the person interacts through another computer or through a wireless or mobile device (Turban et al., 2008). This is accomplished via an internet connection, a LAN, or a wireless LAN. This allows the host computer to function as a server and interact with a number of different devices, computers, and workers. Multiple users on a single machine means faster and easier access to data, which is highly valuable to any company (Turban et al., 2008).
Having fast access to data through multiple devices allows a company to deploy people in the field or working from home who can still access everything they need from their own devices (Turban et al., 2008). When a person is working in sales, or is in an important meeting and needs information immediately, having that access can easily make or break a particular deal (Turban et al., 2008). As companies continue to realize the value of instant information access, they will become much more likely to offer virtualization options to their employees (Turban et al., 2008).
"DBMS collect, store, and analyze functions explained"
"Internal threats, social networks, and cloud security risks"
"B2C, B2B, BI types, and data mining objectives"
"Mission, SWOT, priorities, and road maps in IT plans"
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