Chapter 1 Flashcards
system
group of components that interact to achieve some purpose
information system
group of components that interact to produce information
technology
something involving computers
information
something that reduces uncertainity
do all information systems require computerization
no
five component framework
computer hardware, software, data, procedures, people
hardware
electronic components and associated gadgetry that constitute a computer system
are CDs hardware?
no
software
programs or applications that run, or operate, on computer systems
includes the stored set of instructions that run on your devices, as well as the specific program that your university has licensed to provide the service
data
basic building blocks of information, such as facts and observations
may be stored on specialized computers called servers, which, through the power of networking, can be located almost anywhere in the world
procedures
instructions or processes that you follow to achieve your desired objective
can be formal and documented policies that are extensive and written down OR less detailed, informal instructions
people
the actors who want to achieve a particular outcome by interacting with the system
(T/F) People are the most critical part of an information system
true
management information systems
comprise the development and use of information systems that help organizations achieve their goals and objectives
3 key elements:
development and use
information systems
goals and objectives
how are information systems created
designed and created by business analysts and system designers at request of senior managers or entrepreneurs in order to solve a particular problem or meet a perceived need
why do information systems exist
to help organizations achieve their goals and objectives
(T/F) Information systems are created to make companies more modern or so the company can claim to be “new-economy”
false
are there organizations that acquire and develop information systems for the wrong reasons?
yes
(T/F) information technology and information systems are the same things
false
information technology
methods, inventions, standards, and products
raw technology and it only concerns the hardware, software, and data components of an information system and how these are networked together
(T/F) IT by itself will help an organization achieve its goals and objectives
false - it is only when IT is embedded into an IS - that is, only when the technology within the IT is combined with the people and procedure components, that IT becomes useful
Industry Canada
the federal government agency responsible for categorizing sectors and collecting information about them
Information and Communications Technology Sector
the sector most closely related to the use of information systems
provides products and services that other industries rely on to get their work done
includes companies involved in software and computer services, cable and other program distributors, telecommunication services, ICT manufacturing, and ICT wholesaling
(T/F) ICT sector is nearly 3% of Canadian workers and generates $155 billion in revenue
true
(T/F) the ICT sector included over 33,000 companies and more than 98% of these companies had fewer than 100 employees; only 75 companies had more than 500 employees
true
(T/F) in 2011, the ICT sector added $67.2 billion to the Canadian GDP, up 3.2% from 2010 (compared to a 2.6% increase in the rest of the economy)
true
the average annual growth of the ICT sector has been 1.6% since 2007, a growth rate that is almost twice as high as the overall economy (0.9%)
true
ICT is the largest performer of research and development in Canada, accounting for 30.6% of all private R&D in 2011
true
(T/F) In high-tech sector, such as ICT, business skills are at the core of competitive advantage
true
ICT users
companies, organizations and public sector bodies that use ICT in their operations - all the industries other than those companies in the ICT sector
(T/F) to take advantage of the IT trend, you need to be a software programmer, data admin, or network guru
false - rather, you need to develop your business skills and then learn to think creatively about the challenges and opportunities in your business and organization and how you can apply new technology and knowledge of information systems to address these business needs
Moore’s Law
speed of a computer chip doubles every 18 months –> density of an integrated chip doubles every 18 months
network effects and lock-in of certain technologies
a major characteristic of IT
the value that is received increases significantly as the number of users increases
lock-in makes it hard to switch
QWERTY keyboard
widely adopted
alternatives that speed up typing have been proposed however, the sheer number of existing devices and the large investment required tend to prohibit adoption
factors affecting information systems
shrinking of device size
tendency for ubiquity (existence everywhere)
adoption of location-based services facilitated by GPS technology and mobile use
why is the future of IT so difficult to predict
IT is all about innovation and this brings unexpected results
creative destruction - overturning of established industries by new industries
(T/F) Hal Varian: business is changing because of advances in IS and IT and that business people need a better understanding of how IT can be used to support innovation
true
the ability to handle - that is, find, process, understand, visualize, and then communicate - data is going to be an important skill for decades to come
industries are undergoing significant changes because of shifts in technology
David Ticoll
within the next decade, unlimited storage will be almost free, that analytical software will reveal hidden information, and that the real world and the virtual world will collide as wide-area networks (WANs) become cheap, reliable, and widely available
these technology trends will enable deep, powerful, performance-enhancing innovations that will be felt in almost every industry
what does talk about the future of IT mean?
Canadian economy is undergoing some fundamental changes, but that shifts have occurred before and will occur again
when the world is shifting, the most important skill to develop is the ability to innovate and to adapt to the changes - so, rather than focusing on the learning of specific technical skills that may fade in importance over time, this book will focus on providing you with broad knowledge that will enable you to quickly understand and adapt to technological changes as they occur
understanding the implications of technological changes will allow you to
be more effective business professional as well as a more flexible individual
