Info Systems Notes Week 2_ Tuesday, January 14

Business Strategy

A leadership plan that achieves a specific set of goals or objectives.

MIS Department

A division that manages technology, operations, development, outsourcing relations, and data administration in an organization.

What characteristics are needed to lead technology or MIS department?

1. Intellectual curiosity

2. Vision- imagine the possibilities

3. Identify value among the noise

Technology

1. Monitors advances in technology and investigates new technologies

2. Determines how the organization can benefit from new products and ideas

3. Advises C-Suite regarding the most relevant

Operations

1. Responsible for the computing infrastructure (devices, centres, networks & comm)

2. Ensuring service levels, updating components

3. Monitor user experience and respond to user concerns & problems

4. System and network administrators, technicians, user support, technical writers

Development

1. Projects to acquire new IS components

2. Maintain existing IS

3. Size and structure depends on extent of in-house development

Outsourcing Relations

1. Depends on the extent that equipment, applications, or other services are outsourced

2. Monitors service levels, develops relationships

3. Need for this component grows with the popularity of cloud computing

Data Administration

1. Protect data & information assets

2. Data governance (data standards, data management practices & policies)

3. Grows as big data and analytics are more of a concern; may include a separate area for analytics specifically

Data concepts timeline

Data —> Information —> Business Intelligence —> Knowledge

What goes into shaping strategies?

Resources (tangible), Distinctive competencies (valuable unique hard to imitate), Capabilities (skills and abilities to deploy resources through structures and processes

Data Governance

Management of data standards, data management practices, and policies to protect data and information assets.

IT Governance

The development of consistent management policies and internal business processes for IT and related services to optimize value derived from IT investments.

Why is there growing emphasis on IT Governance in organizations?

• Increasing reliance on IS = increasing reliability required

• Digital transformation = increasing proportion of digital business processes

• Increasing investment in IS = need for efficiency

• Increasing regulation of digital processes = need to be auditable for compliance

• Increasing integration beyond org boundaries = need to establish trust

Digital Transformation

The evolution of technology, business models, and organizational processes toward building competitive advantage and achieving strategic goals. Digitizing —> Digitalization —> digital transformation

Strategic Level

Unstructured Descions, Managers develop overall business strategies, goals, and objectives, as part of the companys strategic plan (executive information systems)

Managerial Level

Semistructured decisions, employees are continuously evaluating company operations to hone the firms ability to identify, adapt to and leverage change (decision support systems)

Operational Level

Structured decisions, employees develop control and maintain core business activities required to run day-to-day operations (transaction processing system)

Automation

A common form of organizational change that involves the use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention. (operational, low return, low risk)

Streamlining

An organizational change strategy aimed at improving processes to enhance efficiency with moderate risk and return.

Reengineering

A comprehensive change strategy that involves redesigning business processes for high rewards but also carries high risks.

Silos

Isolated departments or divisions within an organization that do not share information or resources effectively.

Decision Support Systems

Information systems used to support managerial decision-making processes.

Transaction Processing Systems

Systems that manage data generated by daily transactions, such as order entry and inventory tracking.

Executive Information Systems

Tools designed to help executives analyze and visualize data for strategic decision-making.

Cloud Computing

A technology that delivers computing services over the internet, increasing the demand for outsourcing relations.

Big Data

Extensive datasets that require advanced data management practices due to their volume, variety, and velocity.

Intellectual Curiosity

A characteristic required in leadership to encourage exploration, questioning, and a desire to learn.