Information Systems Flashcards
What do decision support systems usually consist of?
A large database of information usually drawn from both internal and external sources.
Problem exploration facilities which allows users to explore different scenarios using what -if analysis and sensitivity analysis.
Goal seeking and optimisation functions to allow users to determine the values or variables required to achieve a pre-determined or optimal solution.
Graphical tools to display statistical data.
In-built statistical, simulation and financial functions to allow users to develop relevant models quickly.
What is a decision support system?
Software solutions designed to support managers making semi-structured or unstructured decisions.
When is a decision support system best suited?
Where part of the problem is well understood, but part is not well understood and the managers have to use judgement to come to a final decision.
What is an expert system?
A software model of knowledge, facts and reasoning of an acknowledged human expert.
What does an expert system usually represent?
Knowledge as a set of inter-connected rules derived from discussions with experts and observing and recording their decision making behaviour.
What does an expert system usually consist of?
A knowledge base where the rules and facts are stored.
An inference engine which stores problem solving procedures to perform the reasoning.
A knowledge acquisition facility to allow the expert to enter knowledge and facts.
A knowledge presentation and explanation function to allow users to interrogate the expert system and to have the expert system’s decision explained to their own decisions.
What does a transaction processing system do?
Serve the operational level of the organisation by recording all of the daily routine transactions that take place within the organisation, relating to each particular aspect of operational activities.
What does a management information system do?
It takes the bulk data from the transaction processing system and develops it into something useful to management in support of its decision-making responsibility.
What does a management information system usually consist of?
It is usually computer based, making use of spreadsheets where ‘What-If’ analysis can be carried out.
What is an enterprise resource planning system?
A sophisticated management information system that covers the whole range of the organisations activities. It promises the ‘seamless integration of all the information flowing through the company’.
What is a strategic enterprise management system?
A SEM assists management in making high-level strategic decisions.
What is an executive information system?
An EIS gives management access to both internal and external data. Managers can access information to monitor the operations of the organisation and to scan general business conditions. The data for an EIS is online and updated in real time to ensure its integrity for decision making at a senior management level.
What is a network?
A group of computer systems that communicate by physical and/or wireless connections.
What is customer relationship management software?
Software that helps companies by centralising customer communications, purchasing history, sales leads and more into one database.
What does customer relationship management software help sales teams become?
More productive, improve communication, automation of processes, measure sales performance
