c.i.s. · data: raw, unprocessed facts and figures – every department of an organization records...
TRANSCRIPT
C.I.S.: FINDING NEW WAYS TO LEARN AND
LINK BUSN11, CHAPTER 16
Hardware and Software ■ Hardware: The physical components used to collect, input, store, and
process data, and to display and distribute information – Ex. Barcode Scanners, Hard Drives, Printers, Smartphones
■ Software: Programs that provide instructions to a computer so that it can perform a desired task, there are 2 broad categories:
– System Software: Performs critical functions necessary to operate the computer at the most basic level
– Applications Software: Helps a user perform a desired task
16-1a
Networks
■ Network: Links computer resources using either a wired or wireless connection
■ Internet: Essentially a network of computer networks all operating under a common set of rules that allow them to communicate with each other
■ Broadband Internet Connection: Internet connection capable of transmitting large amounts of information very quickly
■ Internet2 (I2): A new high-tech noncommercial network that uses high-speed connectivity to improve education, research, and collaboration only available to member organizations
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Intranets and Extranets ■ Intranet: Private network with the look and feel of the Internet, but
which limits access to a single firm’s employees – or a single organization’s members
■ Extranet: Intranet that allows limited access to a select group of stakeholders, such as suppliers or customers
– Ex. A firm might allow customers to check on the status of their order
The Role of the IT Department
■ The role of the IT department varies greatly from company to company: – Strategic Role: Making and implementing key decisions about the
technologies the firm will use – Operational: IT department simply maintains resources and
provides technical support to employees
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Cloud Computing: The Sky’s The Limit
■ Cloud Computing: Using Internet based storage capacity, applications, and processing power to supplement or replace internally owned computer resources
■ If you share photos on Facebook, store music on Apple’s iCloud storage services, or use Dropbox to access and share documents and files, you’re already using cloud computing!
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What Does The Cloud Offer Users? ■ Access a wide variety of computing resources without needing
expensive new hardware, software, and IT personnel
■ Allow lower costs and excess capacity by only paying for the computer resources they actually need or use
■ Encourage collaboration among employees and business partners
■ Take advantage of huge gains in processing speed
Data and Information
■ Data: Raw, unprocessed facts and figures – Every department of an organization records some kind of data
■ Information: Data that have been processed in a way that make them meaningful to their user
■ Database: File consisting of related data organized according to a logical system and stored on hard drives or some other computer-accessible storage media
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Characteristics of Good Information
■ Accurate: It should be free of errors and biases
■ Relevant: Should focus on issues that are important to decision makers
■ Timely: It should be available in time to make a difference
■ Understandable: It must help the user grasp it’s meaning
■ Secure: Confidential information must be secure from hackers and competitors
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Using Information Technology to Improve Decision Making ■ Decision Support Systems (DSS): System that gives managers access
to large amounts of data and the processing power to convert these data into high-quality information
■ Business Intelligence Systems: Sophisticated form of DSS that helps decision-makers find information that was previously hidden
■ Data Warehouse: Large, organization-wide database that stores data in a centralized location
■ Data Mining: Uses statistical and mathematical techniques to analyze vast amounts of data to identify useful information that had been hidden
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Information Technology and the World of E-Commerce ■ E-Commerce: The marketing, buying, selling, and servicing of products
over a network ■ Business-to-Consumer E-Commerce (B2C): E-Commerce in which
businesses and final consumers interact – Ex. iTunes
■ Business-to-Business E-Commerce (B2B): Consists of markets where businesses buy from and sell to other businesses
■ Consumer-to-Consumer E-Commerce (C2C): Consumers buy from and sell to other consumers
– Ex. eBay
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Differences Between B2C and B2B E-Commerce
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■ Malware
■ Spam, Phishing, and Pharming
■ Hackers
■ Ethical and Legal Issues
16-5 Challenges and Concerns Arising From New Technologies
Malware ■ Malware: General term for malicious software,
such as spyware, computer viruses, and worms
■ Spyware: Software installed on a computer without the user’s knowledge or permission to track the user’s behavior
■ Computer viruses: programs that install themselves on computers without the users’ knowledge or permission and spread by attaching themselves to emails or other files
■ Worms: Malicious software that can spread on its own without being attached to other files
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How to Protect Yourself From Malware ■ Perform regular backups
■ Install high-quality antivirus and antispyware software, and keep it updated
■ Update your operating system regularly
■ Don’t open emails or attachments if you don’t know the sender
■ Don’t download files from website unless you are sure they’re legitimate
Spam, Phishing, and Pharming ■ Spam: Unsolicited email advertisements usually sent to very large
numbers of recipients, most of whom have no interest
■ Phishing: Official looking emails are sent to individuals in an attempt to get them to divulge private information such as passwords, usernames, and account numbers
■ Pharming: Seeks to steal identities by routing Internet traffic to fake websites
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Hackers: Break-Ins in Cyberspace ■ Hackers: Skilled computer users possessing the expertise to gain
unauthorized access to other people’s computers – Not all hackers intend to do harm
■ Firewalls: A hardware or software that creates a barrier that prevents unwanted access to a computer system
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Ethical and Legal Issues
■ Personal Privacy: – Firms can track customer behavior in ways that were never before possible – There’s no simple way to solve privacy concerns – there’s no strong consensus
on how much privacy is enough
■ Intellectual Property: Property that is the result of creative intellectual effort
– Ex. Books, Musical Works, Inventions – Copyright laws protect most intellectual property but it can be stolen through
piracy – Piracy: When someone reproduces and distributes copyrighted work without
obtaining permission from the owner
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THE BIG PICTURE ■ IT plays a vital role in every aspect of business operations
■ Marketing uses IT to learn more about customers, reach them in novel ways, and forge stronger relationships with them
■ Finance uses IT to track financial conditions and identify investment opportunities
■ Cloud Computing has taken over
■ Business Orgs that figure out how to leverage advantages of new IT developments while minimizing risks are most likely to enjoy competitive success