IFSM 300 Week 1-Information Systems in Organizations

Introduction to Information Systems in Organizations

As the course catalogue describes IFSM 300, this is an "overview of

information systems, their role in organizations, and the relationship

between information systems and the objectives and structure of an

organization." Information systems collect, organize, process, and make

available or distribute data. The systems involve people, technology, and

processes. Students in this class come from a variety of different majors

and disciplines; however, in today's business and personal world, each of

us is impacted by information systems on a regular basis.

Many of you have been or will be involved in a project where processes

are analyzed in anticipation of incorporating or revising an information

technology solution to increase productivity and meet business needs.

Even as a user within a functional department (human resources,

marketing, finance, etc.), you may be asked to test systems to ensure they

meet business requirements or otherwise be involved in technology

implementation. There may be a specific role or position of business

analyst that can exist in a functional department, or an Information

Technology department, and is tasked with this type of work. In addition,

you may be inputting data into an information system and receiving

information from a system as part of your job responsibilities. Whatever

your specific role is, understanding how businesses use information

technology effectively is a critical skill in today’s business world.

Learning Resource

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IT management must be sensitive to the business and its needs, rather

than being in awe of or driven by technology. Conversely, business

managers must be aware that systems can and should be used in the

business to solve problems and improve the various functions, and that

the advice of IT management is essential to the success of the business.

This also implies that business managers should be conversant with IT

terminology and its possible uses if they are going to achieve the

maximum benefits of IT systems. It is in the best interests of the

organization that both business managers and IT managers recognize

each other's importance and strengths in maximizing systems'

effectiveness in solving problems. This will ultimately lead to better

business solutions enabled by IT that will lead to achievement of business

goals and strategic objectives.

There is a clear relationship between information (derived from raw data),

information technology (the computer‐based tools used to work with

information), and people (you). What is critical to keep in mind is that they

all contribute (together) to supporting and improving business processes

to achieve business success. Investments in technology and information

systems are worthless if they do not support or contribute to the

business's success. The processes are the business activities of the

organization. In order for those processes to work, information is needed.

Information, therefore, becomes the lifeblood of the organization. It is

one of the most important assets in an organization, and the primary way

that people get information is through information technology.

Information technology in and of itself is not useful unless it delivers the

right information to the right people at the right time. Since people,

information, and information technology (in that order of priority) are

inextricably linked, if one fails, they all fail.

So, we will begin our study of "Information Systems in Organizations"

with developing an understanding of the business environment. We will

use the term business to represent a variety of organizational types:

government entities, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and

Introduction to Information Systems in Organizations https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/umuc/tus/ifsm/ifsm300/2228/learni...

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general businesses, both large and small. The concepts apply in all of

those environments. As you approach each week's work, you should read

the assigned items in the order presented. They are grouped by topic to

aid your understanding of the topic and to prepare you to demonstrate

your learning when it comes time to complete the assignments.

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