1. IST 301: Information and Organizations
Wei-Fan Chen, Ph.D.
The Penn State University
Wilkes-Barre Campus

2. Lecture 4: Information Processing and IT Systems
Organizational information processing: Three analytic models
Huber’s Model
Galbraith’s Model
Daft and Lengel’s Model
Types of information systems
Impact of IT on organizations

3. Lecture 4: Information Processing and IT Systems
GM Environmental Activities Staff (pp ) In
Change #1: More interactions
Change #2: Power relationship change
Change #3: Work schedule change

4. Premise
Information processing is a fundamental process (function) in organizations.

5. Definition Data v.s. Information Data Science v.s. Information Science
Information processing is the process (action) of collecting, modifying, summarizing, prioritizing, and routing information.

6. Organizational information processing
Huber’s Model:
Two criteria
Efficiency (message routing and summarizing)
Discretion (message modification and delay)

7. Organizational information processing
Galbraith’s Model
Overcome uncertainty
Two steps
Reducing information needs
Increasing information processing capacity

8. Organizational information processing
Daft and Lengel’s Model
Consider uncertainty and ambiguity (deal with effectiveness)
A fit (coordination) between
information processing requirements
its amount

9. Organizational information processing
Together, the three models provide the basis for understanding why different types of information systems are needed in organizations

10. Types of information systems
Operational systems: structure work
Communication systems: enhance communication
Control systems: monitor performance
Decision support systems: aid decision making
Inter-organizational systems: facilitate transactions among organizations

11. Impacts of IT on organizations
Technological imperative
IT as a causal variable
Organizational imperative
Change organizations to fit IT
Emergent process perspective
Consider other external factors

12. Review questions
What are the three models of organizational information processing?
What are the five types of information systems?
What are the impacts of IT on organizations?

13. Homework (week 7- reading 4)
Briefly discuss about the three analytic models of information processing mentioned in the article.
Read the case study on pp in the reading (British Rail Case Study)
Answer the four questions asked in the article.