1. Information Systems Defined
Basic definitions and foundational Information Systems concepts
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2. Course Roadmap Part I: Foundations
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Information Systems Defined
Chapter 3: Organizational Information Systems and Their Impact
Part II: Competing in the Internet Age
Part III: The Strategic use of Information Systems
Part IV: Getting IT Done
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3. Learning Objectives
The definition of information system (IS) and information technology (IT) and the difference between the two.
The definition of information system success and information system failure.
The principal reasons why modern firms create and deploy information systems.
The influence of the firm’s context and the external environment in which it is embedded on organizational information systems.
The four components that make up an information system and the manner in which they interact.
How to design successful information systems and how to troubleshoot problematic information systems implementations.
© Gabriele Piccoli

4. Information System: Definition
Formal, socio-technical, organizational systems designed to collect, process, store, and distribute information
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5. Formal vs. Informal
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6. IS ≠ IT
Opened: 1907
First implementation of computers in hospitality: New York Hilton, 1963
Did they have an Information System in 1907?
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7. The Four Components of an Information SystemIT
Process
People
Structure
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8. Value to Managers
A solid understanding of the characteristics of each of the four components
An appreciation of how they relate and interact with one another
Appropriate business decisions as a general or functional manager
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9. Information Technology Component
Hardware
Computer, cell phone
Software
Microsoft Office
Telecommunication equipment
Internet
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10. Don’t Forget!
The design of IT enables and constrains the behavior of the Information System
Software, particularly a custom developed application, is an opinion of how data should be represented, organized, and manipulated
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11. Process Component
The series of steps necessary to complete a business activity
Examples:
Check-in at a hotel
Credit approval at a bank
Materials receiving at a warehouse
There are multiple ways to perform an activity: Every process is designed.
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12. Official business process
Don’t Forget!
Official business process
Informal process
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13. People Component
Those individuals or groups directly involved in the information system
End-users
Managers
Their needs are a critical concern in designing and implementing a new Information System
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14. Structure Component
The organizational structure component (structure for short) encompasses:
The organizational design
Hierarchy, decentralized, loose coupling
The reporting configuration
Functional, divisional, matrix
The organizational relationships
Communication and reward mechanisms
Culture
© Gabriele Piccoli

15. Systemic Effects: Components Working Together
The four components of an Information System are Interdependent
Changes in on component may affect all others
Success is based on the proper interaction of IT with the other components
Discuss systemic affects of designing and trouble shooting a system.
What are some options for addressing problems?
1. You could deem the new system a failure and cut your losses by dropping the use of hand-held technology altogether.
2. You could ascribe the failure to the quality of the user interface of the hand-held ordering devices. You could then negotiate with the provider to improve it. A solution focusing on the IT component.
Etc.
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16. The Purpose of Information Systems
Fulfilling organizational processing needs
Improve efficiency and effectiveness
Achieve a (specified) Information System goal.
Example: Grocery store
To increase the efficiency and speed of customer check-out by using self-check out stations.
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17. Information Systems Success
Has the system delivered expected results?
What are some of the unintended results?
Positive
Negative
Positive - including employees’ empowerment and the widening scope of their responsibility
Negative - including deskilling (i.e., the reduction of the scope of an individual's work to one, or a few, specialized tasks), loss of responsibility, and the creation of a monotonous working environment.
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18. IS Success is often Elusive
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19. Don’t Forget! Every organization is unique
Even fierce competitors often have different:
Firm strategy: The manner in which the organization intends to achieve its objectives.
Firm culture: The collection of beliefs, expectations, and values shared by the members of an organization.
Infrastructure: The technological backbone of the firm. It constrains and enables opportunities for future information systems projects.
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20. External Environment External environment:
The legal and regulatory context
The competitive landscape
The general business and social trends surrounding the organization
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21. Bringing it all Together: Information Systems in Context
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22. Information Systems and Organizational Change
First Order Change: Automate
Second Order Change:
Informate
Third Order Change: Transform
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23. First Order Change: Automate
First order change only affects the technical subsystem
Thus, it is:
Easiest to envision
Easiest to justify
Easiest to manage.
Affects only technology and process
Occurs when IT innovation is introduced
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24. Second Order Change: Informate
Second order change affects the people component
It thus provides more of a challenge to implementation
Affects technology and process
Affects people performing the process
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25. Third Order Change: Transform
Third order change affects organizational structures
It seeks to transform how the organization operates
It requires significant managerial and executives’ involvement
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26. Implications
IT should NOT be the start of your Information System design process
Strategy may be inspired by IT but
IT selection is a point of arrival not departure
Never forget Systemic Effects
Optimize the Information System as a whole, not the components individually
Organizations are dynamic, re-evaluate often
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27. What we Learned
The definition of information system (IS) and information technology (IT) and the difference between the two.
The definition of information system success and information system failure.
The principal reasons why modern firms create and deploy information systems.
The influence of the firm’s context and the external environment in which it is embedded on organizational information systems.
The four components that make up an information system and the manner in which they interact.
How to design successful information systems and how to troubleshoot problematic information systems implementations.
© Gabriele Piccoli