What do you know about information systems? How is information technology helpful to your business? Which information systems components do you know?
Information systems.
It is when hardware, software, and telecommunication networks are combined and used to collect data in organizations. Information technology helps many businesses to:
- Stay ahead of their business competitors.
- Manage and complete business operations.
- Interact with consumers.
Components of information systems.
1. Software.
The two types of software are:
1. Application software
It is an operating system that manages program files, hardware, and other resources that allow the user to control the computer using GUI.
2. System software.
It is developed to manage specific tasks by the user.
1. Hardware.
It is a physical component that includes computers, keyboards, hard disks, and iPad. As technology evolves, hardware costs decrease while storage capacity and speed increase significantly. The cloud offers storage services accessed from telecommunication networks.
2. Data.
Raw data is useless unless it is collected, indexed, and organized together into a database. Organizations collect different kinds of data to make decisions that can be analyzed for business effectiveness. Data analysis helps to improve the performance of an organization.
3. Network.
It refers to telecommunication networks like the Internet, intranet, and extranet. Network resources help with information flow in an organization. It consists of the following:
- The software includes data servers, operating systems, application servers, and web servers.
- Physical devices such as routers, cables, hubs, and network cards.
Telecommunication networks include devices like computers, controlled by software and interconnected by communications media. A network is created using wireless technologies like microwaves and radio waves, while wired technologies include coaxial cable and fiber optics.
4 Human resources.
People are required to run and maintain the systems. An information system is designed to benefit the end user. An information system is designed and operated by people for their purpose. They include:
5. Users.
People who use information systems to perform a task.
6. Business professionals.
They include business owners and CEOs who use information systems to start or grow their businesses to do their job functions.
7. Technical developers.
They design the technology used to build information systems. An example is a software or application programmer.
8. IT support.
IT support and services are responsible for maintaining and ensuring information systems run smoothly and are safe from security threats.
9. Process.
It is the procedure followed to achieve a desired goal. When a program runs on a computer, this is a process. A process starts when a user or another program initiates a program. Businesses should be innovative to increase revenue or find cost-saving opportunities to run their businesses. These business procedures need to be improved continuously and technology integrated into them.
Concluding Remarks!
An information system is when hardware, software, and telecommunication networks are combined and used to collect data in organizations. Information technology helps many businesses stay ahead of competitors, manage and complete business operations, and interact with consumers. The various components of information systems include hardware, software, data, network, human resource, and processes.
