Chapter 5: Database Processing

-the purpose of a database is to keep track of things

-a database is a self describing collection of integrated records

-databases are made up of columns, rows, tables, files

-databases are self-describing collection of integrated records (recrods are integrated because relationships among rows are represented in the database)

-databases are self-describing because they not only contain data, bu also data about the data in the database (called metadata)

-database management system is a program used to create, process, and administer a database

-developers use the DBMS to create tables, relationships, and other structures in a database

-DMBS functions to process a database. Applications use the DBMS for four operations (read, insert, modify, or delete)

-DMBS are also used to provide tools to assist in the administration of the database (set up security)

database application is a collection of forms, reports, queries, and application programs that process a database

-data entry forms are used to read, insert, modify, and delete data

-DBMS programs provide comprehensive and robust features for querying database data

-application programs process logic that is specific to a given business need. It enables database processing over the internet

-enterprise DBMS products process large organizational and workgroup databases while personal DBMS products are designed for smaller, simpler database applications. Today the only remaining personal DBMS is probably Microsoft Office

-because the design of the database depends entirely on how users view their business environment, user involvement is critical for database development

-database must require the data necessary for the users to perform their jobs, it contains that amount of data and no more. During database development the developers must rely on the users to ell them what to include in the database

-Before building the database the developers construct a logical representation of database data called a data model. Data models describe the data and relationships that will be stored in the database

-Entity-relationship data models define entities that will be stored in the database that has a relationship among other entities.

-database design is the process of converting a data model into tables, relationships, and data constraignts. Database design team transforms entities into tables and expresses relationships by defining foreign keys

-tables that are not normalized are subject to data integrity problems

-database is a model of how the users view their business world. Users are the final judges as to what data the database should contain and how the records in that datbase should be related to one another

Chapter 4: What do Business Professionals Need to Know about Computer Hardware?

-Hardware consists of electronic components and related gadgetry that input, process, output, and store data according to instructions encoded in computer programs or software

-typical input hardware are the keyboard, nouse, document scanners, and bar code scanners

-central processing unit (CPU)is a processing device also known as the brain of a computer

- Computers with two CPUs are called dual processor computers while quad would mean it has 4 CPUs

-computers reapresent data using binary digits, called bits. A bit is either zero or one. They are used for computer data because they are easy to represent electronically.

-bits are grouped into 8-bit chunks called bytes. Bytes are used to measure sizes of noncharacter data as well

-instructions are moved from the main memory to the CPU via data chanel or bus. CPU has a small amount of very fast memory called a cache

-when a user opens another program or needs to load more data, the OS will direct the CPU to attempt to place the new program or data into unused memory. If there is not enough memory, it will remove something, perhaps the block of memory labeled More Excel, and then it will place the just-requested program or data into the vacated space. This process is called memory swapping

-cloud referes to the computing network on the internet

-every computer has an operating system, which is a program that controls that computer's resources. If you want to write a document or query a customer database, you need application programs such as Microsoft Word or Oracle Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Both client and server computers need an operating system.

-application programs are written to use a particular operating system. Some applications come in multiple versions

-Four major operating systems

                -Windows

                -MAC OS

                -Unix

                -Linux

-application software perfrms a service or function. Horizontal market application software provides capabilities common accross all organizations and industries. Vertical-market applicatin software servces the needs of specific industries

-one-of-a-kind application software is developed for specific, unique need

-firmware is a computer software that is installed into devices such as printers, print servers, and various types of communication devies

-client server applications require code on both the client and server

-client-server applications that require nothing more than a browser is called thin client while applications such as Microsoft Outlook that require programs other than a browser is called a thick client

-the term open source means that the source code of the program is available to the public. Source code is a computer codewritten by humans and understandable to humans. Source code is complied of machine code that is processed by computers. Open source succeeds because of collaboration

-closed source's source code is highly protected and only available to trusted employees

Chapter 3: Information Systems for Competitive Advantage

-information systems exist to help organzizations achieve their goals and objectives
-competitive strategy determines the structure, features, and functions of every information system
-Porter’s Five Force Model
    -Bargaining power of customers
    -threat of substitutions
    -bargaining power of suppliers
    -treat of new entrants
    -rivalry
- to be effective, the organization’s goals, objectives, culture, and activities must be consistent with the organization’s strategy
-companies determine what type of competitive strategy depending on if the system’s benefits outweighs the risks
-value chain is a network of value-creating activities
-generic chain consists of five primary activities and four support activities
-Primary Activities: Inbound logistics, operations/manufacturing, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, customer service
-Support Activities: procurement
-linkages are interactions across value activities
-value chain analysis has a direct application to manufacturing businesses like the bicycle manufacturer
-business process is a network of activities that generate value by transforming inputs into outputs
-cost of business is cost of the inputs plus cost of activities
-margin of business is the value of the outputs minus the cost
-activities transform input resources into outputs
-manufacturing process transforms raw materials into finished goods while sales process transforms finished goods into cash
-business process varies in cost and effectiveness. Increasing margin is the key to comparative advantage
-organizations analyze their industry and choose a competitive strategy. Given that strategy they design business processes that will span value-generating activities. Those processes determine the scopes and requirements of each company’s information system. Using that, we will determine each company’s comparative advantage
-competitive advantage by creating new products, enhancing existing products/services, or differentiating their products/services from competititors
-competitive advantage by locking in customers making it hard or expensive for customers to switch to another product (switching costs)
-establish alliances with other organizations (set standards, promote product awareness and needs)
-reducing costs to increase profitability

Chapter 2: Collaboration Information Systems

-Collaboration occurs when two or more people work together to achieve a common goal, result, or work product
-feedback enables a group to produce something greater than any single person could accomplish working independently
-effectiveness of collaboration’s three critical factors: communication, content management, workflow control
-communication two key elements:
    - Communication skills and abilities of the group members
    -availability of effective communication systems
-Content management is when multiple users are contributing and changing documents, schedules, task lists, assignments
-workflow control is a process or procedure by which content is created, edited, used, and disposed
-client hardware consists of computers and other communication decides that users employ to participate in collaboration activities
-server hardware consists of computers that are installed and operated by IT professionals that support the collaboration system
-Software collaboration computer programs:
    E.g. Google Docs, Microsoft Groove and SharePoint
-Collaboration data consist of documents, discussions, tasks list, and other types of team data
-Two types of procedures important to collaboration
    -procedures for using the collaboration software
    -procedures for conducting the collaborative project
5 Phases:
-purpose of starting phase is to set ground rules for the collaboration
-planning phase is to determine “who will do what and by when”
-Task are completed during the doing phase
-finishing up whatever we are doing (wrapping-up phase)
-Finally iteration and feedback
-Collaboration improves team communication
-synchronous communication is when all team members meet at the same time
-asynchronous communication is when team members do not meet at the same time
-shared content with no control
    -e.g. Email attachments, shared file servers
-shared content with version management (track changes to documents and provide features and function to accommodate concurrent work)
    -e.g. Wikis, Google Docs, Microsoft Office Groove,
-shared content with version control (limit actions that can be taken by particular user, control over the changes to documents to particular users)
    -e.g. Microsoft SharePoint
-Controlling workflow using collaborative systems
    -sequential workflow means activities occur in sequence
    -reviews occur simultaneously in parallel workflow
-Using collaboration systems for decision making
    -operational decisions concern day to day activities
-transaction processing systems (TPS) are information systems that support operational decision making
    -managerial decisions concern the allocation and utilization of resources
    -strategic decisions concern broader-scope, organizational issues
-structured decision is when there is an understood and accepted method for making the decision
-unstructured is when there is no agreed on decision making method

Chapter 1: The Importance of MIS

Chapter 1 talks about the essentials of MIS, and why it is important as a class while in business school. Moore’s law stats that technology is always improving. Technology doubles every 18 months, while prices halves. Because of this, the cost of data communication and data storage is essentially zero. MIS provides business professionals with the needs/skills of being able to assess, evaluate, and apply emerging information technology to business.

Abstraction, systems thinking, collaboration, experimentation are four key skills learned in MIS, and applied in the business world. These skills also correlate with having job security. Management information systems is the development and use of information systems that help businesses achieve their goals and objectives. The three key elements of MIS are development and use, information systems, and business goals and objectives. The five component framework are present in every form of information system. It is made up of technological elements(hardware/software) and human elements.  Together, it is what makes an IS function correctly.

You are the most important component. If you don’t know what to do with information it produces, you’re wasting your time and money. The quality of your thinking is a large part of the quality of the information system. Information is knowledge derived from data, whereas data is defined as recorded facts or figures. Information is presented in a meaningful context. Information is not weighed the same since some information is more valuable than others based on how accurate, timely, relevant, sufficient, and is it worth its cost.

IT and IS are two different things. IT refers to products, methods, inventions, and standards that are used for the purpose of producing information, while IS is an assembly of hardware, software, data, procedures, and people that produces information.