Munanura Arthur (BSSE YR 1) [email protected] 0772-186449/0703-615097 Komugisha Lillian(JINJA CAMPUS) [email protected] 0701613773

Munanura Arthur (BSSE YR 1)[email protected]/0703-615097

Komugisha Lillian(JINJA CAMPUS) [email protected]

Serugunda henry mukalazi(BITE YR 1)[email protected]

0703878772/0782693180

Foundations of information systems

Course aims

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The course aims to provide students with knowledge so as to understand the integration of business and technology resources to facilitate effective and efficient realization of an organization’s mission and objectives.

Learning Outcomes

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Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

Appreciate the role of information technology and information systems function in modern organizations.

Understand the factors influencing information systems engineering.

Gain an understanding of how to manage and grow information systems in organizations.

SCHEDULEWeek Topics Time

Week 1 Introduction to the IS• Course Guide • Topic 1: Fundamental Concepts of IS.

3 hours

Week 2 Information Technology component of IS•Topic 2: IS Hardware and Software•Topic 3: Networks, Telecommunication and the Internet.

3 hours

Week 3 & 4 •Topic 4: Database Systems & Business Intelligence

Test 1-weekend (provisional)

2 hours

Week 5 The Application of IS in business•Topic 5: Organizations & information systems•Topic 6 :Functional Information Systems.

• ERP Systems.

6 hours

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SCHEDULE – cont’dWeek Topics Time

Week 6 & 7

•Topic 7:Strategic Role of Information Systems.•Decision Making Model•Applying competitive strategy

3 hours

Week 8 IS Acquisition & Development•Topic 8: Hardware and software procurement. •Topic 9 System development life cycle(SDLC)

3 hours

Week 9 – 11

Management of IS•Topic 10 project management•Topic 11:Managing & Controlling Information Systems• Topic 12: Information system Security• Topic 13 : computer Audit

9 hours

Week 12 – 14 Topic 14: Ethical, Societal, & Global Issues in IS

•Preparations for final exams

Assessment

Assessment for the unit consists of 2 individual, closed book tests and 1 Group assignment with a total weighting of 40% and an examination with a weighting of 60%.

Assessment Policy To pass this unit you must achieve a mark of at

least 50%

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Text Books

Foundations of Information Systems, McGraw Hill. ByVladimir Zwass (1997)

Information Systems: The state of the field,Wiley by Kalle Lyytinen (2006)

Fundamentals of Information Systems By Ralph M. Stair, George Reynolds, George W. Reynolds

Business Information Systems: Analysis, Design and Practice by Graham Curtis, 1995.

Business Information Systems: Technology, Development and Management for the E-Business by

Paul Bocij, Dave Chaffey, Andrew Greasley, Simon Hickie

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Chapter 1

Fundamental Concepts of IS

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lecture, students should: understand different Information Systems Concepts

and Definitions. Understand the types of Information Systems. Understand the different Examples of Information

Systems. Describe how information resources are managed

and identify the roles of the information systems department and the end users.

Identify the problems IS managers face while managing information

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Data, Information, and Systems

Data vs. Information Data

Streams of raw facts representing events occurring in organization and such events have not been put in a form that can be understood by human beings e.g. marks, names like…numbers, dates, names, addresses

InformationData that have meaning within a contextRaw data or data that have been manipulated

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Data vs. InformationKnowledge– ability to put information to

productive use.Knowledge is a familiarity with someone

or something, that can include facts, descriptions, information, and/or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to both the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

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Describe the characteristics that will be present in information of high quality.

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System inter-related components that work together

to achieve a common goal.An Information SystemCan be defined technically as a set of inter-

related components that collect(or retrieve), process, store and distribute information to support decision making and control in an organization.

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Basic Components of Information Systems

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Hardware is a physical device/ components (such as a processor,

monitor, keyboard or printer) of a computer system Tangible parts of a computer.

Software is a program or collection of programs that enable

hardware to process data into information. E.g. Operating systems, programming software, utility software

Database is a collection of logically related data.

Basic Components of Information Systems (Continued)

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Network is a connecting system (wire line or wireless) that permits

different computers to share resources.

Procedures are the set of instructions about how to combine the above

components in order to process information and generate the desired output.

People are those individuals who use the hardware and software,

interface with it, or use its output.

Activities of an Information system

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The activities of an Information system can help produce information that organizations can rely on to

make decisions, control operations, analyze problems and create new products or services.


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Input-captures /collects raw data from with in the organization or from its external environment

Processing-Converts this raw data/input into a more meaningful form

Output-Transfers the processed information to the people who will use it or to the activities for which it will be used

Feedback-Output that is returned to appropriate members of the organization to help them evaluate or correct the input stage


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Block diagram of an information system

feedback

oinputoutput

ProcessingClassifyarrange

Information System

Organization

EnvironmentSuppliers Customers

Regulatory agencies stockholders competetors


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Examples of Information Systems

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Automated Teller Machines- ATM Airline Reservation System The support website for a product Online bill pay at a bank Mobile phones Laptops

System characteristics 1

1 The components of a system work towards a collective goal. This is known as the system’s objective. The objective of a system is normally very specific and can often be expressed in a single sentence. As an example, the objective of a car might be expressed simply as: to transport people and goods to a specified location.

System objective: All components of a system should be related to one another by a common objective.

System characteristics 2.

2. Systems do not operate in complete isolation.

They are contained within an environment that contains other systems and external agencies.

The scope of a system is defined by its boundary. Everything outside of the boundary is part of the system’s environment, everything within the boundary forms part of the system itself.

The boundary also marks the interface between a system and its environment. The interface describes exchanges between a system and the environment or other systems.

Environment: The surroundings of a system, beyond its boundary.

Boundary: The interface between a system and its environment.

Interface: Defines exchanges between a system and its environment, or other systems.


3 Systems can be complex and can be made up of other, smaller systems. These are known as subsystems. Systems composed of one or more subsystems are sometimes referred to as suprasystems.

The objective of a subsystem is to support the larger objective of the suprasystem. For an organization, the subsystems such as marketing and finance would lie within the system’s boundary, while the following elements would lie outside as part of the business environment: Customers, sales channel/distributors, suppliers,

competitors, partners, government and legislation, the economy.


An organization will interact with all these elements that are beyond the system boundary in the environment. We refer to this as an open system. Most information systems will fall into this category since they will accept input and will react to it. Totally closed systems which do not interact with their environment are unusual.

Subsystem: Large systems can be composed of one or more smaller systems known as subsystems.

Suprasystem: A larger system made up of one or more smaller systems (subsystems).


4 Subsystems in an information system interact by exchanging information. This is known as the interface between systems. For information systems and business systems, having clearly defined interfaces is important to an efficient organization.

For example, sales orders must be passed from the sales subsystem to the finance subsystem and the distribution subsystem in a clear, repeatable way. If this does not happen, orders may be lost or delayed and customer service will decline.


5 The linkage or coupling between subsystems varies. The degree of coupling defines how closely linked different subsystems are. It is a fundamental principle of systems theory and BIS design that subsystems should be loosely coupled.

Systems or subsystems that are highly dependent on one another are known as

close-coupled systems. In such cases, the outputs of one system are the direct inputs of another.

Systems characteristics 6

6 Systems are hierarchical. Systems are made up of subsystems that may themselves be made up of other subsystems. From this, one should realize that the parts of a system are dependent on one another in some way. This interdependence means that a change to one part of a system leads to or results from changes to one or more other parts.

Interdependence: Interdependence means that a change to one part of a system leads to or results from changes to one or more other parts.

Types of Information Systems

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Information Systems that support specific functional areas and operations include: Functional Area Information System Transaction Processing System (TPS) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

System Inter-organizational Information

System Electronic Commerce Systems.


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Functional area information systems or departmental information systemsFunction: Support the activities within

specific functional areas. The functional areas are: HR, Manufacturing & Production, Sales & Marketing, Finance & Accounting

Example: System for processing payroll. Transaction processing system (TPS)

Function: Process transaction data from business events.

Example: A supermarket checkout point-of-sale terminal.


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Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP)Function: Integrate all functional areas

of the organization to look like one.Example: Oracle, SAP - Systems

Applications and Products,


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Inter-organizational information systems (IOS) are information systems that connect two

or more organizations and support inter-organizational operations such as supply chain management.

Function: Manage flows of products, services and information among organizations.

Example: A Supermarket Retail Link System connecting suppliers to it. E.g. suppliers to Game Stores being connected to it.


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Supply chain describes the flow of materials, information, money and services from raw material suppliers through factories and warehouses to the end customers.

Types of Information Systems (Continued)

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Electronic Commerce Systems Systems that support the buying and

selling of goods and services online Example: www.dell.com,ebay.com

etc

Managing Information Resources (Continued)

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The Role of the IS DepartmentThe ISD is responsible for corporate-

level and shared resources and for using IT to solve end users’ business problems.

End users are responsible for their own computing resources and departmental resources.

ISD and end users work together as partners to manage the IT resources.

Managing Information Resources (Continued)

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The Role of the IS Department ISD has changed from a purely technical

support role to a more managerial and strategic one.

Director of ISD has changed from a technical manager to a senior executive called the chief information officer (CIO).

Traditional Major IS Functions

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Managing systems development and systems project management.

Managing computer operations, including the computer center.

Staffing, training and developing IS skills. Provide technical services. Infrastructure planning, development and control.

IS Functions

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Initiating and designing specific strategic IS. Incorporating the Internet and e-commerce into the

business. Managing system integration including the

Internet, intranets and extranets. Educating the non-IS managers about IT Educating the IS staff about the business

IS Functions (Continued)

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Supporting end user computing. Partnering with the executives. Managing outsourcing. Proactively using business and technical

knowledge to “seed” innovative ideas about IT. Creating business alliances with vendors and IS

departments in other organizations.

Global Challenges in Information Systems

Cultural challenges Language challenges Time and distance challenges Infrastructure challenges Currency challenges Product and service challenges Technology transfer issues State, regional, and national laws Trade agreements

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Managerial Challenges in Information Systems

The IS Investment challenge How can organizations obtain business value

from there is? The strategic business challenge

What complementary assets are needed to use IT efficiently?

The globalization challenge How can firms understand the business

systems requirements of a global economic environment?

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Questions…..

Distinguish clearly between an information system and a system

Explain why information systems are so important today and how they are transforming Companies or organizations

Describe the five components of an information system.

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Documents

Munanura Arthur (BSSE YR 1) [email protected] 0772-186449/0703-615097 Komugisha Lillian(JINJA CAMPUS) [email protected] 0701613773