Information Systems Management Chapter 11 Information Systems Management © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall, Experiencing MIS, David Kroenke

This Could Happen to You Dee wants to restrict access to blog Easiest way is to put it on Emerson’s server Needed permission and help of IT department Used manager to force submission Exposed Emerson to enormous security risk Consultant could have misused system Dee didn’t understand the problems Different approach could have elicited more supportive response Interact in a more effective way

Study Questions Why do you need to know about the IT department? What are the responsibilities of the IT department? How is the IT department organized? What IS-related job positions exist? How do organizations decide how much to spend on IT? What are your rights and responsibilities? How does knowledge from this chapter help you at Emerson or DSI?

Why Do You Need to Know about the IT Department? Need to understand the responsibilities and duties of the IT department More effective consumer Obtain services, equipment, and systems needed Need to know about functions of IT department to be IS-savvy Better understand how to integrate disparate companies or offices Can raise IT issues early in merger or acquisition Better understand needs of IT department in supporting new initiatives

What Are the Responsibilities of the IT Department? Plan for information systems and IT infrastructure Develop and adapt information systems and IT infrastructure Maintain information systems and operate and maintain IT infrastructure Protect infrastructure and data

Plan for Information Systems Further organization’s competitive strategy Align activities with primary goals and objectives of organization Adapt infrastructure and systems to new goals Assess new technologies to determine possible applications Agile enterprise Organizations that can adapt quickly to changes in external factors

Develop and Adapt Information Systems IT department must create, develop, and adapt information systems Create and adapt infrastructure Computer networks, servers, data centers, data warehouses, data marts Create systems infrastructures E-mail, VPN, instant messaging, blogs, net meetings Specify standard computer systems

Maintain Information Systems and Infrastructures Operate and maintain infrastructure Networks and servers must be monitored, tuned, and repaired System outages are expensive Respond to threats to infrastructure

Protect Infrastructure and Data from Threats Threats to infrastructure and data from: Human error and mistakes Malicious human activity Natural events and disasters IT department helps organizations manage risk Identify potential threats Estimate financial and other risks Specify safeguards Determine which level of risk to assume

How Is the IT Department Organized? Chief Information Officer (CIO) Principal manager Reports to CEO, COO, or CFO Technology office Head: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Investigates new information systems technologies for possible application at organization Operations Manages computing infrastructure

How Is the IT Department Organized?, continued Development Manages process of creating new information systems Maintains existing system Outsourcing relations Handles affairs with outsourced systems Data administration staff functions Establishes data standards and data management practices and policies

What IS-Related Job Positions Exist? Systems analyst Programmer PQA test engineer Technical writer User support representative Computer technician Network administrator Consultant Sales Small-scale project manager Large-scale project manager Database administrator CIO CTO

Position Requirements Most positions require business knowledge Many require university degrees Most require good verbal and writing skills Think dual majors with IS! Accounting Marketing Management

Guide: Jumping Aboard the Bulldozer Recent media reports blame overseas outsourcing on US job loss Real culprit is increased productivity because of information technology Creative destruction Unneeded jobs removed No new hiring Be a business professional Use technology and information systems to help the organization Define yourself more generally

How Do Organizations Decide How Much to Spend on IT? Analyze costs and benefits of system Estimate dollar costs Value tangible benefits Lifetime value of customers lost by not having support system Anticipated customer support cost savings Value intangible benefits Value of email system Compute costs and tangible benefits to see if project is justified If not, then compute intangibles

What Are Your Rights? Rights include: Having resources to perform work proficiently Having reliable network and Internet services Secure computing environment Participating in requirements meeting for applications Reliable systems development and maintenance Prompt attention to problems, concerns and complaints Effective training

What Are Your Responsibilities? Responsibilities include: Learning basic computer skills and techniques Following security and backup procedures Using computer resources in a manner consistent with employer’s policies Making no unauthorized hardware modifications Installing only authorized programs Installing computer patches and fixes Treating informational systems workers professionally

Ethics Guide: Using the Corporate Computer Computers, e-mail, and the Internet are to be used primarily for official company business. Small amounts of personal email can be exchanged with friends and family, and occasional usage of the Internet is permitted, but such usage should be limited and never interfere with your work You are a manager at a company with the above policy. You find out that an employee has been: Playing computer games during work hours Playing computer games before and after work Responding to e-mails from an ill parent Watching DVDs during lunch and breaks Sending e-mails to plan a party that mostly involves people from work

Ethics Guide: Using the Corporate Computer, continued Sending e-mails to plan a party that mostly involves no one from work Searching the Web for a new car Reading the news on CNN.com Checking the stock market over the Internet Bidding on items for personal use on eBay Selling personal items on eBay Paying personal bills online Paying personal bills online when traveling on company business Buying an airplane ticket for an ill parent over the Internet Changing the content of a personal Web site Changing the content of a personal business Web site Buying an airplane ticket for a personal vacation over the Internet

How Does Knowledge from This Chapter Help You at Emerson or DSI? How does this knowledge help you at Emerson: Understand the need to protect network infrastructure Suggest alternatives Hire bonded consultant Puzzling situation at DSI: Sole IT person can not perform all jobs Users are performing some of the work Some jobs are not getting done No one seems to be thinking strategically about IS

Active Review Why do you need to know about the IT department? What are the responsibilities of the IT department? How is the IT department organized? What IS-related job positions exist? How do organizations decide how much to spend on IT? What are your rights and responsibilities? How does knowledge from this chapter help you at Emerson or DSI?