Management Information Systems, if properly defined and understood, has untapped potential for business, industry and government. It may indeed prove to be the only way to maintain a competitive industry posture as information is realized as the fourth major resource. The purpose of this book is to put information systems in proper perspective so that business managers can understand what such systems can do, and equally important, understand what they cannot do.
The text is divided into eight parts and appendices:
• Part I: Computer as an Organization Information System. Part I consists of three chapters and provides the course foundation. Regardless of the course approach, these chapters should always be covered first. This part captures the essence of contemporary computer use in business. It explores how information technology is used for competitive advantage and electronic commerce.
• Part II: Current Focus in Information System Use. With the foundation laid, the instructor can take the remaining parts in any order, depending on the emphasis desired. This part looks at how computers is shaping our society and our future; dwelling on topics on computer crime, ethics, social issues, security, privacy and control, strategies for selecting hardware, careers in the computer industry, applications of computers in business and government.
• Part III: Systems Theory and Methodologies. This part describes the systems theory that underlines the entire field of business computing. Chapter 8, General Systems Model of the Firm, explains business operations in systems terms. Chapter 9, Systems Approach, provides the framework for understanding how managers and information specialists solve problems. Chapter 10, System Life Cycle Methodologies, describes the frameworks that have been devised to guide users and information specialists in the process of systems development. Chapter 11 describes the entity relationship data modeling. Chapter 12 dwells on object modeling. Chapter 13 covers the challenges of internet application development.
• Part IV: Information Systems Technology. Part IV consists of four chapters. This part offers an overview of computer systems, and their uses in our society. It explores computer hardware including coverage of the central processing unit, input and output devices, memory, and storage.
• Part V: Making Computers Work For You. This part explores computer software, including coverage of the systems software, applications software, program design and programming languages, data base management systems, and object relational database management systems.
• Part VI: Getting Connected. This part explores data communications, networking, Internet and the services it can provide to users, World Wide Web, and client/server architectures.
• Part VII: Computer-Based Information System. This part contains five chapters, each describing a major business computing application area. All of the areas are collectively called the computer-based information system (CBIS). The CBIS subsystems are covered by Chapters 27-31 -- Accounting Information System, Management Information System, Decision Support Systems, Virtual Office, and Knowledge-Based Systems. This part provides an overview of all of the ways that the computer is being used to solve business problems.
• Part VIII: Organizational Information Systems. This part expands on the management information system chapter to describe how the MIS concept has been applied to subsets of the organization. Chapter 32, Executive Information Systems, explains computer use at the top organizational level. The other chapters explain computer use in five major functional areas. Five organizational subsystems, which represents each major functional areas -- marketing, manufacturing, finance, human resources, and information services -- of the firm, are explored in this part.
• Appendices include detailed abbreviation and acronyms, glossary, and references.
The text is divided into eight parts and appendices:
• Part I: Computer as an Organization Information System. Part I consists of three chapters and provides the course foundation. Regardless of the course approach, these chapters should always be covered first. This part captures the essence of contemporary computer use in business. It explores how information technology is used for competitive advantage and electronic commerce.
• Part II: Current Focus in Information System Use. With the foundation laid, the instructor can take the remaining parts in any order, depending on the emphasis desired. This part looks at how computers is shaping our society and our future; dwelling on topics on computer crime, ethics, social issues, security, privacy and control, strategies for selecting hardware, careers in the computer industry, applications of computers in business and government.
• Part III: Systems Theory and Methodologies. This part describes the systems theory that underlines the entire field of business computing. Chapter 8, General Systems Model of the Firm, explains business operations in systems terms. Chapter 9, Systems Approach, provides the framework for understanding how managers and information specialists solve problems. Chapter 10, System Life Cycle Methodologies, describes the frameworks that have been devised to guide users and information specialists in the process of systems development. Chapter 11 describes the entity relationship data modeling. Chapter 12 dwells on object modeling. Chapter 13 covers the challenges of internet application development.
• Part IV: Information Systems Technology. Part IV consists of four chapters. This part offers an overview of computer systems, and their uses in our society. It explores computer hardware including coverage of the central processing unit, input and output devices, memory, and storage.
• Part V: Making Computers Work For You. This part explores computer software, including coverage of the systems software, applications software, program design and programming languages, data base management systems, and object relational database management systems.
• Part VI: Getting Connected. This part explores data communications, networking, Internet and the services it can provide to users, World Wide Web, and client/server architectures.
• Part VII: Computer-Based Information System. This part contains five chapters, each describing a major business computing application area. All of the areas are collectively called the computer-based information system (CBIS). The CBIS subsystems are covered by Chapters 27-31 -- Accounting Information System, Management Information System, Decision Support Systems, Virtual Office, and Knowledge-Based Systems. This part provides an overview of all of the ways that the computer is being used to solve business problems.
• Part VIII: Organizational Information Systems. This part expands on the management information system chapter to describe how the MIS concept has been applied to subsets of the organization. Chapter 32, Executive Information Systems, explains computer use at the top organizational level. The other chapters explain computer use in five major functional areas. Five organizational subsystems, which represents each major functional areas -- marketing, manufacturing, finance, human resources, and information services -- of the firm, are explored in this part.
• Appendices include detailed abbreviation and acronyms, glossary, and references.
