This chapter introduces Information Systems (IS) and describes its importance. Be sure to become comfortable with fundamental concepts in this chapter. Key among these are the components of information systems, business processes, and information qualities.
This chapter connects discussion of Information Systems to three themes having a major impact on modern business. These themes are enterprise systems—such as those sold by SAP, J. D. Edwards, Oracle, and PeopleSoft; e-business—including retail e-business such as Amazon.com and Business-to-Business (B2B) marketplaces such as Covisint.com (operated by auto manufacturers); and information technology—state-of-the-art hardware and software applications that keep an organization heading toward achievement of its objectives. We define these three themes in this chapter.
- To describe an information system’s integration with business processes and the organization
- To describe the business professional’s role in the current information technology-driven environment
- To illustrate the attributes of information and the importance of data quality