Transcript Notes for Lecture 3

Information Systems
and Communications
Part I: Conceptual Overview
Management Information Systems I
Mr. Greg Vogl
Uganda Martyrs University
27 February 2003
Overview
1.
Information Systems
(from Lauden & Lauden ch. 2)
2.
Communications
A.
B.
C.
Networks
The Internet and the World Wide Web
Electronic Mail
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1. Information Systems

Types of Information Systems
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Strategic and Managerial
Knowledge and Operational
IS Levels and Groups
Organization Functional Areas
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Strategic and Managerial IS

ESS: Executive Support Systems
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MIS: Management Information Systems
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General data, graphical and communication tools
for unstructured decision-making
Routine reports for planning, controlling and
decision-making
DSS: Decision Support Systems
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Data analysis and modelling tools for semistructured decision-making
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Knowledge and Operational IS
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KWS: Knowledge Work Systems
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OAS: Office Automation Systems
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Workstation for creating expertise/knowledge
E.g. engineering, graphics, managerial
Office productivity application
E.g. word processing, document imaging, calendar
TPS: Transaction Processing Systems
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Daily routine transactions and record-keeping
E.g. sales, payroll, reservations, shipping, workers
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IS Levels and Groups
Level
IS
Groups
Served
Description
Strategic
ESS
Senior
Managers
Long-term trends, plans
Management
MIS
DSS
Middle
Managers
Monitoring, controlling, decisions
Knowledge
KWS Knowledge
OAS and Data
Workers
Office paperwork and knowledge
Operational
TPS
Track activities and transactions of
money, materials, people
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Operational
Managers
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Organisation Functional Areas

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
Sales and Marketing
Manufacturing
Finance
Accounting
Human Resources
Each area can have an IS at each level!
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2A. Local Area Networks

Types of Networks
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LAN vs. WAN
Internet vs. Intranet
Client-Server vs. Peer-to-Peer
Sharing Resources
Network Neighborhood
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LAN vs. WAN

Network
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LAN: Local Area Network
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connection of computers
so they can exchange data and share resources
link computers within a small geographic area,
such as a building or a group of buildings
uses direct cables (or wireless signals)
WAN: Wide Area Network


powerful computers linked across large distances
uses wires, cables, electromagnetic signals, etc.
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Internet vs. Intranet

Internet
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a global network of networks that connects
millions of computers
Intranet
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a private version of the Internet, using
Web browsers and server on LANs
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Client-Server vs. Peer-to-Peer
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Server
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Client
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computer accessing shared resources on servers
Client-Server Network
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computer that provides access to shared resources
e.g. printers and disks
one or more computers dedicated as servers
many clients
Peer-to-Peer Network
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shares resources among a few “equal” computers
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Sharing Resources
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Resources that can be shared include:
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hardware (disks, printers, scanners, etc.)
software (programs)
data (files, folders)
Access to resources can be restricted:
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to certain users or groups (with NT Server)
read-only
password-protected
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Network Neighborhood
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Accessible through Desktop, My
Computer or Windows Explorer
Shows computers in local area network
Computers are grouped into
workgroups or domains
Each computer lists its shared resources
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2B. The Internet and the
World Wide Web
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Internet Components
Web Addresses
Features of Web Browsers
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Internet Components
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Network hardware and operating systems
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Web pages
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hypertext documents (linked together)
multimedia (pictures, sounds, videos etc.)
Web server
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to send/receive information over long distances
Computer that stores web documents
Web clients
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Browser software to retrieve and view web pages
mail, newsgroups, chat, conferencing, file transfer
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Web Addresses
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URL: Uniform Resource Locator
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Protocol (e.g. http, ftp, telnet)
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makes a web site available to the world
Domain (e.g. .com, .gov, .edu, .org, .ug)
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agreed standards of networked communication
Web host (e.g. www.fiuc.org)
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Web address to locate a file or program
(e.g. http://www.fiuc.org/umu/umu.htm)
organisation type or country
Path (e.g. /umu/umu.htm)
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file and folders to get to a document
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Features of Web Browsers
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Default/start page
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Ways to access pages
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link, URL, button
Browser buttons
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page loaded when the browser starts
back, forward, home, refresh, stop, search,
favorites, history, print, editor
Other web client software
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2C. Electronic Mail
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Electronic Mail Accounts
Features of E-mail Programs
Message Headers
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Electronic Mail Accounts
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Local vs. Internet e-mail
Free e-mail (Yahoo, Hotmail)
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POP mail
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accessible from any computer on Internet
adverts; spam; slow; Internet access costly
send/receive a group of messages at a time
requires only short connection time
E-mail addresses: username@servername
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e.g. [email protected] or [email protected]
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Features of E-mail Programs
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Log in with username, password
Read new and old messages
Folders to arrange messages
Send, reply, forward buttons
Attachments e.g. documents, photos
Settings e.g. full name, signature
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Message Headers
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From: address of sender
To: address of recipient(s) separated by
commas
Cc: copy to additional recipient(s)
Bcc: secretly copy to additional
recipient(s)
Subject: a brief title for the message
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