Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
and access to them are controlled and provided by tens of thousands of special computers
called Web servers. The Web is one of many services available over the Internet and provides
access to millions of documents. New Internet technologies and increased Internet commu-
nications are collectively called Web 2.0 . 35
The technology used to create the Internet is also being applied within companies and
organizations to create intranets , which allow people in an organization to exchange infor-
mation and work on projects. Companies often use intranets to connect their employees
around the globe. An extranet is a network based on Web technologies that allows selected
outsiders, such as business partners and customers, to access authorized resources of a com-
pany's intranet. Companies can move all or most of their business activities to an extranet
site for corporate customers. Many people use extranets every day without realizing it—to
track shipped goods, order products from their suppliers, or access customer assistance from
other companies. If you log on to the FedEx site ( www.fedex.com ) to check the status of a
package, for example, you are using an extranet.
intranet
An internal network based on Web
technologies that allows people
within an organization to exchange
information and work on projects.
extranet
A network based on Web technolo-
gies that allows selected outsiders,
such as business partners and cus-
tomers, to access authorized
resources of a company's intranet.
People
People can be the most important element in most computer-based information systems.
They make the difference between success and failure for most organizations. Information
systems personnel include all the people who manage, run, program, and maintain the system.
Large banks can hire IS personnel to speed the development of computer-related projects.
Users are people who work with information systems to get results. Users include financial
executives, marketing representatives, manufacturing operators, and many others. Certain
computer users are also IS personnel.
Procedures
Procedures include the strategies, policies, methods, and rules for using the CBIS, including
the operation, maintenance, and security of the computer. For example, some procedures
describe when each program should be run. Others describe who can access facts in the
database or what to do if a disaster, such as a fire, earthquake, or hurricane, renders the CBIS
unusable. Good procedures can help companies take advantage of new opportunities and
avoid potential disasters. Poorly developed and inadequately implemented procedures, how-
ever, can cause people to waste their time on useless rules or result in inadequate responses
to disasters, such as hurricanes or tornadoes.
Now that we have looked at computer-based information systems in general, we will
briefly examine the most common types used in business today. These IS types are covered
in more detail in Part 3.
procedures
The strategies, policies, methods,
and rules for using a CBIS.
BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS
The most common types of information systems used in business organizations are those
designed for electronic and mobile commerce, transaction processing, management infor-
mation, and decision support. In addition, some organizations employ special-purpose
systems, such as virtual reality, that not every organization uses. Together, these systems help
employees in organizations accomplish routine and special tasks—from recording sales, pro-
cessing payrolls, and supporting decisions in various departments, to providing alternatives
for large-scale projects and opportunities. Although these systems are discussed in separate
sections in this chapter and explained in more detail later, they are often integrated in one
product and delivered by the same software package (see Figure 1.7). For example, some
enterprise resource planning packages process transactions, deliver information, and support
decisions.
 
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