1. Information systems for the firm
Main classification
(Source : Laudon & Laudon, Prentice- Hall, 2000)
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2. Four levels of applications of I.S. in the firm :
Strategy level : I.S. for top executives
Management level : I.S. for middle management
“Knowledge” level : I.S. for office employees
Operations level : I.S. for production, sales, marketing, accounting, and H.R. functions
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3. Operations level : I.S. to treat day to day transactions

4. “Knowledge” level : two types of information system
Systems for office basic work :
Word processing
Document and image creation
Electronic calendar (Outlook…)
Systems for intellectual work :
Engineering work stations and softwares
Management work stations and softwares
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5. Management level : two types of information system
Management information systems :
Sales management
Stock control
Annual budgeting
Capital investment control
Carriers evolution management
Systems to assist middle mgt. decision process :
Sales analysis by region
Production planning
Costs analysis and costs control
Price analysis and profitability analysis
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6. Strategy level : I.S. for top executives
Five year sales forecast
Five year operation planning
Five year budget forecast
Profitability forecast
Human resources planning
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7. Features and users of I.S.
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8. Evolution of Information Systems
Information Systems entered the firms in the sixties :
They were first concerned with accounting, and with production control
Later, in the eighties and nineties, they entered all the other functions of the firm (from bottom up) :
I.S. can increase tremendously the firm productivity
Information is now considered a “product” of strategic value, whereas a generation ago it was only “red tape”
AC 2002

9. An example :
When it was clearly realized that gaining a new client was about 5 times more expensive than keeping an existing one, and that I.S. provided new means to analyze and retain clients, C.R.M. (Client Relationship Management) was born.
“The most efficient selling action is to treat as well as possible your existing clients”
In order to do that you have to know them very well, and customize your relationship with them.
AC 2002