Planning Functionality of an ERP System – Setting up of Planning Engine
In customer centric business environment, it is critical to have an effective plan to manage production capacity, materials availability and shipment schedules. The planning functionality of an ERP system provides organizations the means of meeting such customer centric approach. Planners are able to simulate alternate scenario planning wherefrom they determine which assemblies and components to […]
Turbo Charging ERP with BI and CPM
Business Intelligence (BI) – An ERP product provides hundreds of standard reports, generated weekly or monthly or year end basis which acted as a hardcopy dashboards within the organization. In order to improve report generation functionality, an ERP system provides various report writing tools (such as crystal report writer, safari report writer) as well as […]
Procurement Management – Procurement of Materials and Resources
Introduction The practice of project management has undergone a sea change in the way it is conceptualized and executed. Gone are the days when the project manager operated in silos without and larger picture focus and without any concern for the environmental and the social costs of the projects he or she was executing. In […]
Six Sigma Methodology – DMAIC and IDOV
Six Sigma is a process oriented methodology designed to improve business performance by improving specific areas of strategic business processes. There are 2 different methodologies available for carrying out improvements in processes or operations. Improvements can be of two types: improving the existing process or designing a new process altogether. When we have an existing […]
Criticisms of Globalization: Growing Income Inequality
More Losers than Winners The previous articles in this module covered the topic of globalization in depth. Some of the points of discussion were about how globalization has succeeded in lifting millions of people out of poverty. While accepting this fact, it is also the case that globalization has created income inequality which when coupled […]
In today’s information and communication age, there is a constant reference to information systems and management of information systems. In the digital age data, storage and retrieval are done through various systems and interfaces.
An information system, therefore, can be defined as set of coordinated network of components which act together towards producing, distributing and or processing information. An important factor of computer based information system is precision, which may not apply to other types of systems.
In a system, network of components work towards a single objective, if there is lack of co-ordination among components, it leads to counterproductive results. A system may have following features:
Common definition of information is data. However, data is no true information. Data gets its meaning and significance if only it is information. Information is represented with data, symbols and letters.
Information has following properties:
Information is represented with help of data, numbers, letters or symbols. Information is perceived in a way it gets represented. Decimal system and binary system are two ways of representing information. The binary circuits of computers are designed to operate under two states (0,1).
The way in which information is organized directly affect the way the information is managed and retrieved.
The simplest way of organizing information is through linear model. In this form, data is structured one after another, for example, in magnetic tapes, music tapes, etc.
In a binary tree model, data is arranged in an inverted tree format where it assumes two values.
The hierarchy model is derived from a binary tree model. In this model, branch can assume multi-value data, for example in the UNIX operating system this model is used for its file system.
The hypertext model is another way of organizing information; World Wide Web is an example of this model.
Random access model is another way of organizing information. This model is used for optimum utilization of available computer storage space. Here data is stored in specified location under direction of the operating system.
Information is networked through network topology. The layout of all the connected devices, and it provides virtual shape or structure to the network is known as network topology. The physical structure may not be representative of network topology. The basic types of topology are bus, ring, star, tree and mesh.
The above topologies are constructed and managed with help of Hubs, Switches, Bridges, Routers, Brouters and Gateways.
Security of information as well as an information system is critical. Data back-up is on the way through which Information can be made secured. Security management for network and information system is distinct for different setup like home, small business, medium business, large business, school and government.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Communication Systems and Groupware – Information System Concepts that Apply in All Functional Areas of Business
February 12, 2025
