Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
electronic commerce (e-commerce)
Conducting business activities (e.g.,
distribution, buying, selling,
marketing, and servicing of products or
services) electronically over computer
networks such as the Internet,
extranets, and corporate networks.
enterprise sphere of influence
The
sphere of influence that serves the needs
of the firm in its interaction with its
environment.
explanation facility
Component of
an expert system that allows a user or
decision maker to understand how the
expert system arrived at certain
conclusions or results.
enterprise system
A system central to
the organization that ensures
information can be shared across all
business functions and all levels of
management to support the running
and managing of a business.
Extensible Markup Language
(XML)
The markup language for Web
documents containing structured
information, including words, pictures,
and other elements.
electronic data interchange (EDI)
An intercompany, application-to-
application communication of data in a
standard format, permitting the
recipient to perform a standard business
transaction, such as processing purchase
orders.
entity
A generalized class of people,
places, or things for which data is
collected, stored, and maintained.
external auditing
Auditing performed
by an outside group.
extranet
A network based on Web
technologies that links selected
resources of a company's intranet with
its customers, suppliers, or other
business partners.
electronic document distribution
A
process that enables the sending and
receiving of documents in a digital form
without being printed (although
printing is possible).
entity symbol
Representation of
either a source or destination of a data
element.
entity-relationship (ER)
diagrams
Data models that use basic
graphical symbols to show the
organization of and relationships
between data.
feasibility analysis
Assessment of the
technical, economic, legal, operational,
and schedule feasibility of a project.
electronic exchange
An electronic
forum where manufacturers, suppliers,
and competitors buy and sell goods,
trade market information, and run
back-office operations.
feedback
Output that is used to make
changes to input or processing
activities.
environmental design
Also called
green design
, it involves systems
development efforts that slash power
consumption, require less physical
space, and result in systems that can be
disposed in a way that doesn't
negatively affect the environment.
electronic funds transfer (EFT)
A
system of transferring money from one
bank account directly to another
without any paper money changing
hands.
field
Typically a name, number, or
combination of characters that
describes an aspect of a business object
or activity.
electronic retailing (e-tailing)
The
direct sale from business to consumer
through electronic storefronts, typically
designed around an electronic catalog
and shopping cart model.
file
A collection of related records.
ergonomics
The science of designing
machines, products, and systems to
maximize the safety, comfort, and
efficiency of the people who use them.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
A
protocol that describes a file transfer
process between a host and a remote
computer and allows users to copy files
from one computer to another.
event-driven review
A review
triggered by a problem or opportunity
such as an error, a corporate merger, or
a new market for products.
empowerment
Giving employees and
their managers more responsibility and
authority to make decisions, take
certain actions, and have more control
over their jobs.
final evaluation
A detailed
investigation of the proposals offered by
the vendors remaining after the
preliminary evaluation.
exception report
A report
automatically produced when a
situation is unusual or requires
management action.
encryption
The process of converting
an original message into a form that can
only be understood by the intended
receiver.
financial MIS
An information system
that provides financial information not
only for executives but also for a broader
set of people who need to make better
decisions on a daily basis.
execution time (E-time)
The time it
takes to execute an instruction and store
the results.
end-user systems development
Any
systems development project in which
business managers and users assume the
primary effort.
five-forces model
A widely accepted
model that identifies five key factors
that can lead to attainment of
competitive advantage, including
(1) the rivalry among existing
competitors, (2) the threat of new
entrants, (3) the threat of substitute
products and services, (4) the
bargaining power of buyers, and (5) the
bargaining power of suppliers.
executive support system (ESS)
Specialized DSS that includes all
hardware, software, data, procedures,
and people used to assist senior-level
executives within the organization.
enterprise data modeling
Data
modeling done at the level of the entire
enterprise.
expert system
Hardware and software
that stores knowledge and makes
inferences, similar to a human expert.
enterprise resource planning (ERP)
system
A set of integrated programs
capable of managing a company's vital
business operations for an entire
multisite, global organization.
