Info Systems Exam One Flashcards
Information System (IS)
collects, processes, stores, analyzes, and disseminates information for a specific purpose
Data
elementary description of things, events, activities, and transactions that are recorded, classified, and stored but are not organized to convey any specific meaning (B, C, D, A, K)
Information
refers to data that have been organized so that they have meaning and value to the recipient (ex. GPA)
Knowledge
consists of data and/or information that have been organized and processes to convey understanding, experience, accumulated learning, and expertise as they apply to a current business problem
Computer-based information system (CBIS)
information system that uses computer technology to perform some or all of its intended tasks
Information technology components
hardware: consists of devices such as processor, monitor, keyboard, keyboard, and printer
software: program or collection of programs that enable the hardware to process data
database: collection of related files or tables containing data
network: connecting system that enables multiple computers
procedures: instructions for combining that above components to process information and generate desired output
Information technology infrastructure
IT components plus IT services (refer to visual)
Application
computer program designed to support a specific task or business process
Functional area information system (FAIS)
collection of application programs in a single department
Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP)
two information systems that support the entire organization. transaction processing systems, are designed to correct a lack of communication among the functional are IS
Transaction processing system (TPS)
supports monitoring, collection, storage, and processing of data from the organization’s basic business transactions, each of which generates data
Inter-organizational information systems (IOSs)
IS that connect two or more organizations
ex. supply chain management (flow of materials)
Electronic commerce systems (e-commerce)
enable organizations to conduct transactions, called business-to-business electronic commerce, and customers to conduct transactions with businesses called business-to-consumer electronic commerce e
Knowledge workers
experts in a particular subject area
Business analytics systems
provide computer-based support for complex, non routine decisions, primarily for middle managers and knowledge workers
Expert systems
attempt to duplicate the work of human experts by applying reasoning capabilities, knowledge, and expertise within a specific domain
Dashboards
special form of IS that supports all managers of the organization
What does IT do to middle managers?
reduces the number, makes them more productive, and increase the number of employees who can report to a single manager, provides them with real-time information, makes their jobs more stressful
Potential IT impacts on non managerial workers
eliminate jobs, cause employees to experience a loss of identity, cause job stress and physical problems such as repetitive stress injury
Positive and negative societal effects of increased use of IT
positive: provide opportunities for people with disabilities, provide flexibility, robots take over mundane chores, improvements in health care
negative: cause health problems, place employees on constant call, potentially misinform patients about health problems
Competitive advantage
assets that provide an organization with an edge against its competitors in some measure, such as cost, quality, or speed
Business process
ongoing collection of related activities that create a product or a service of value to the organization, its business partners, and its customers
Fundamental elements of business process
inputs: materials, services, and information that flow through and are transformed as a result of process activities
resources: people and equipment that perform process activities
outputs: product or service created by the process
Metrics for assessing business processes
efficiency: doing things well in the process, without delay or without wasting money or resources
effectiveness: focuses on doing things that matter
Cross-functional processes
processes that cut across multiple functional areas
Three areas IS plays a vital role in business processes
executing the process, capturing and storing process data, monitoring process performance
Business environment
combo of social, legal, economic, physical, and political factors in which businesses conduct their operations
Globalization
integration and interdependence of economic, social, cultural, and ecological facets of life, made possible by rapid advances in information technology
Market pressures
globalization, changing nature of workforce, powerful customers
Technology pressures
technological innovaation/obsolescence, information overload
Societal/political/legal pressures
social responsibility, compliance with government regulations, protection against terrorist attacks, ethical issues
Digital divide
refers to wide gap between those individuals who have access to information and communications technologies and those who don’t
Responses to various pressures
strategic systems, customer focus, make-to-order and mass customization, e-business/e-commerce
Competitive strategy
statement that identifies a business’s approach to compete, its goals, and the plans and policies that will be required to carry out those goals
Strategic information systems (SISs)
provide a competitive advantage bu helping an organization to implement its strategic goals and improve its performance and productivity
Michael Porter’s competitive forces model
- threat of entry of new competitors: high when entry is easy and low when there are significant barriers to entry
- bargaining power of suppliers: supplier power is high when buyers have few choices from whom to buy and low when buyers have many choices
- bargaining power of customers (buyers): buyer power is high when buyers have many choices from whom to buy and low when buyers have few choices
- threat of substitute products or services: if many alternatives to an organization’s products or services, the threat of substitutes is high
- rivalry among existing firms in the industry: threat from rivalry is high when there is intense competition among many firms in an industry
Entry barrier
product or service feature that customers have learned to expect from organizations in a certain industry
Value chain
sequence of activities through which the organization’s inputs, whatever they are, are transformed into more valuable outputs, whatever they are
Value chain model
identifies points for which an organizations can use information technology to achieve a competitive advantage
Primary vs. support activities
Primary: relate to the production and distribution of the firm’s products and services
Support: do not add value directly to the firm’s products or services
Value system
includes the suppliers that provide the inputs necessary to the firm along with their value chains
Strategies to counter five competitive forces identified by Porter
- cost leadership strategy: produce products and services at the lowest cost in the industry
- differentiation strategy: offer different products, services, or product features than your competitors
innovation strategy: introduce new products and services, add new features to existing products and services, or develop new ways to produce them - operational effectiveness strategy: improve manner in which a firm executes its internal business processes more effectively
- customer orientation strategy: concentrate on making customers happy
Business-IT alignment
tight integration of the IT function with the organization’s strategy, mission, and goals
Ethics
principle of right and wrongs that individuals use to make choices that guide their behavior
Utilitarian approach
ethical action is the one that provides the most good or does the least harm
Rights approach
maintains that an ethical action is the one that best protects and respects the moral rights of the affected parties
Fairness approach
ethical actions treat all human beings equally, or, if unequally, then fairly, based on some defensible standard
Common good approach
highlights the interlocking relationships that underlie all societies
Deontology approach
states that the morality of an action is based on whether that action itself is right to wrong under a series of rules rather than based on the consequences of that action
General framework for ethics
- recognize an ethical issue
- get the facts
- evaluate alternative actions
- make a decision and test it
- act and reflect on the outcome of your decision
Code of ethics
collection of principles intended to guide decisions making by members of the organization
Fundamental tenets of ethics
responsibility: means that you accept the consequences of your decisions and actions
accountability: refers to determining who is responsible for actions that were taken
liability: legal concept that gives individuals the right to recover the damages done to them by other individuals
Ethical issues of IT
privacy issues: involve collecting, storing, and disseminating info about individuals
accuracy issues: involve the authenticity, fidelity, and correctness of information that is collected and processed
property issues: involve the ownership and value of information
accessibility issues: revolve around who should have access to information and water they should pay a fee for this access
Information privacy
right to determine when and to what extent information about you can be gathered or communicated to others
Two rules for privacy
- right of privacy is not absolute, must be balanced against needs of society
- public’s right to know supersedes the individual’s right to privacy
Digital dossier
electronic profile of you and your habits done through profiling
opt-out and opt-in model
out: informed consent permits the company to collect personal information until the customer specifically requests that the dat not be collected
in: prohibits an organization from collecting any personal information unless the customer specifically authorizes it
Information security
refers to all of the processes and policies designed to protect an organization’s information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction
threat, exposure, and vulnerability
threat: information resource is any danger to which a system may be exposed
exposure: information resource is the harm, loss, or damage that can result if a threat compromises that resource
vulnerability: possibility that a threat will harm that resource
Five factors that contribute increasing vulnerability of organizational information resources
- today’s interconnected, interdependent, wirelessly networked business environment
- smaller, faster, cheaper computers and storage devices
- decreasing skills necessary to be a computer hacker
- international organized crime taking over cybercrime
- lack of management support
trusted vs. untrusted network
trusted: any network within your organization
untrusted: any network external to your organization
Cybercrime
refers to illegal activities conducted over computer networks, particularly the internet
Unintentional threat
acts performed without malicious intent that nevertheless represent a serious threat to IS
ex. human error social engineering
Deliberate threat to IS
- espionage/trespass
- information extortion
- sabotage or vandalism
- theft of equipment or information
- identity theft
- compromises to intellectual property
- software attacks
- alien software
- supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) attacks
- cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare
Intellectual property (trade secret, patent, copyright)
Intellectual property: property created by individuals or corporations
trade secret: intellectual work, such as a business plan, that is a company secret and is not based on public information
patent: official document that grants the holder exclusive rights on an invention or a process for a specified period of time
copyright: statutory grant that provides the creators or owners of intellectual property with ownership of the property with ownership of the property
Maleare
malicious software used to infect as many computers worldwide as possible
Ransomware
digital extortion, blocks access to a computer system or encrypts an organization’s data until organization pays a sum of money
Alien software
clandestine software that is installed on your computer through duplicitous methods
Adware, spyware, spamware
adware: software that causes pop-up advertisements to appear on your screen
spyware: software that collects personal information about users without their consent (keystroke loggers and screen scrapers)
spamware: pestware that uses your computer as a launch pad for spammers
Cyberterrorism
malicious acts in which attackers use a target’s computer systems, particularly through the internet, to cause physical, real-world harm or severe disruption, often to carry out a political agenda
Controls
designed to protect all of the components of an information system, including data, software, hardware, and networks
ex. physical controls (walls, doors, fencing, gates), access controls (authentication and authorization), and communication controls (firewalls, anti-malware systems, VPNs)
Firewall
system that prevents a specific type of information from moving between untrusted networks, such as the internet, and private networks, such as your company’s network
VPN
virtual private network, private network that uses a public network (usually the internet) to connect users
Business continuity
chain of events linking planning to protection and to recovery
Computer network
system that connects computers and other devices through communications media so that data and information can be transmitted among them
Bandwidth and broadband
bandwidth: transmission capacity of a network; it is stated in bits per second
broadband: transmission capacity of communications medium faster than 25 megabits per second for download
Network ranges smallest to largest
personal are networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs)
LAN and WAN
Local area network: connects two or more devices in a limited geographical region, usually within the same building
wide area network: network that covers a large geographical area (at&t)
Enterprise network and corporate backbone networks
enterprise network: all networks that are interconnected
backbone networks: high-speed central networks to which multiple smaller networks connect
Communications channel
cable (twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable) and broadcast (microwave, satellite, radio, or infrared)
Two major types of protocols
ethernet: common LAN protocol
transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP): disassembling, delivering, and reassembling the data during transmission
Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)
defines how messages are formulated and how they are interpreted by their receivers
Internet backbone
primary network connections and telecommunications lines that link the nodes
Intranet vs. extranet
intranet: network that uses IP so that users can take advantage of familiar applications and work habits
extranet: connects parts of the intranets of different organizations
Internet Service Provider
ISP: company that provides internet connections for a fee (Xfinity), connect to one another through network access points
Internet Protocol Address
IP address: distinguishes it from all other computers, consists of sets of number, in four parts, separated by dots
World Web Web
system of universally accepted standards for storing, retrieving, formatting, and displaying information through a client/server architecture
Common methods for accessing the internet
dial-up, DSL, cable modern, satellite, wireless, and fiber to the home
Hardware
physical equipment used for the input, processing, output, and storage activities of a computer system
Trends in hardware
becoming smaller, faster, cheaper, and more powerful over time
What does hardware consist of?
Central processing unit (CPU): manipulates the data and controls the tasks performed by the other components
primary storage: temporarily stores the data and program instructions during processing
secondary storage: stores data and programs for future use
input technologies: accept data and instructions and convert them to a form that the computer can understand
output technologies: present data and information in a form people can understand
communication technologies: provide for the flow of data from external computer networks to the CPU, and from the CPU to computer networks
Mainframes, microcomputers, and laptops
mainframes: remain popular in large enterprises for extensive computing applications that are accessed by thousands of users at one time (airline reservations)
microcomputers: personal computers, smallest and least expensive category of general-purpose computers
laptop computers: small, easily transportable, lightweight microcomputers that fit comfortably into a briefcase
Supercomputers
does not refer to a specific technology, indicates the fastest computers available at any given time
thin client vs. fat client
thin: computer that does not offer the full functionality of a PC
fat: computer that has the ability to perform many functions without a network connection
Types of input devices
human data-entry: require certain amount of human effort to input data (gesture recognition)
source-data automation: devices input data with minimal human intervention (barcode readers)
Output technologies
output generated by a computer can be transmitted to the user through several output devices and media (monitors, printer, plotters, and voice)
CPU
performs the actual computation or “number crunching: inside any computer, it is a microprocessor aka a “chip”
Primary vs. secondary storage
primary: stores small amounts of data and information that the CPU will use immediately
secondary: which stores much larger amounts of data and information
Byte
eight-bit string processed by CPUs
Three types of information for primary storage
- data to be processed by the CPU
- instructions for the CPU as to how to process the data
- operating system programs that manage various aspects of the computer’s operation
Types of primary storage
register: least capacity, storing extremely limited amounts of instructions and data only immediately before and after processing , cache memory: type of high-speed memory that enables the computer to temporarily store blocks of data that are used more often and that a processor can access more rapidly than main memory , random access memory: part of primary storage that holds a software program and small amounts of data of processing, and read-only memory: nonvolatile, retain instructions when the power to the computer is turned off
Characteristics of secondary storage
nonvolatile, takes more time to retrieve data from it than from RAM, cheaper than primary storage, use a variety of media, each with its own technology
Types of secondary storage
Magnetic tape: kept on a large open reel or in a smaller cartridge or cassette, cheap yet hold lots of data
Magnetic disks most common due to low cost, high speed, and large storage capacity , solid-state drives: storage devices that serve the same purpose as a hard drive and store data in memory chips, optical storage devices: do not store data through magnetism rather laser reads the surface of a reflective plastic platter
Software
computer hardware is only as effective as the instructions you give it, contained in the software
Computer programs
sequences of instructions for the computer; process of writing, to coding, programs is called programming
Two type of software
systems software and application software
Software issues
software defects, software licensing, open systems (group of computing products that work together), open-source software (proprietary software: purchased software that has restrictions on its use, copying, and modification)
Systems software
set of instructions that serves primarily as an intermediary between computer hardware and application programs
Operating system
the “director” of your computer system’s operations. Supervises the overall operation of the computer by monitoring the computer’s status, scheduling operations, and managing input and output processes
Graphical user interface
GUI: allows users to directly control the hardware by manipulating visible objects (such as icons) and actions that replace complex commands
Social interface
guides user through computer applications by using cartoon-like characters, animation, and voice commands
application software
set of computer instructions that provides specific functionality to a user ex. general word processing, or narrow, such as an organization’s payroll program
package/software suite
group of programs with integrated functions that has been developed by a Endor and is available for purchase in a prepackaged form
Personal application software
help individual users increase their productivity
Speech-recognition software
input technology, rather than strictly an application, that enables users to provide input to systems software and application software
General functions of the operating system
manage actual computer resources, schedule/process applications, manage/protect memory, manage input and output functions/hardware
Major types of application software
spreadsheet, data management, word processing, desktop publishing, graphics, multimedia, communications, speech recognition, and groupware
