Business Information Systems

Introduction
Spring 2007
Prof: Richard
 Business Information Systems
First day:
Syllabus
 Course Objectives
 Perspective
 Process
 Text & References

Get Started

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Course Objectives
Introduction to BIS fundamentals

Learn by doing…
 “Hands on” learning via case analysis,
problem solving, research, assignments, etc…
 “Minds on”… thinking “in real time” about the
implications and opportunities

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Course Perspective (our roles)
CEO/CIO (Chief Information Officer):
 A managers perspective:
 Operations
 Strategic
 An entrepreneur’s perspective
 Opportunities, Innovative Applications
 Solving Problems, Improve Efficiency & Quality

Systems Analyst & Design:

 Systems Engineer &/ Consultant
 Technical Focus: Analysis,, Design, Development, Delivery,
Support, Training

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Course Process
 Learn BIS Concepts & Definitions
 Learn Systems Analysis & Design
Basics
 Practice, practice, practice… & do a
LOT of thinking!
 Think strategically about the future
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 Business Information Systems
Course Process
Learn BIS Concepts & Definitions
We will use the text book as a starting point and
foundation, to become familiar with the basic
ideas.
Our text book is circa 2000, so we will do a lot of
research to see what are the current and new
trends, developments, business applications
and technology.

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Course Process
Learn Systems Analysis & Design (SAD) Basics:
 Understand and apply BIS & SAD concepts, process and
tools
 Learn through examples (Lots!)
 Learn by doing!
 Applying your knowledge. (critical thinking & creative
thinking)

NOT simple memorization!!!

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 Business Information Systems
Course Process
Focused on practical understanding,
making the knowledge useful:
 Practice, practice, practice…with real
examples… & do a LOT of thinking!
 Think strategically & opportunistically
about the future

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Course References:

Text:
 Business Information Systems, 6E

Tools:
 M.O.M. Software Demo, Restaurant Pro Software Demo
 Visual Paradigm (UML) Software (Visio and similar are okay too)

Reference:
 Systems Analysis and Design, Marakas
 Object-Oriented Systems Analysis and Design, George et al.
 UML by Example, Jalloul

 Case Studies: Harvard, MIT, et al

 Example & Research: Internet (CIO.com, etc.)

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Business Information Systems
Chapter 1:
 Business Organizations
 Business Information
 Management Information
 Decision Support Systems
 Business Systems Theory
 Information Systems & Users

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Business Organizations:
 Different types: products, services, purposes
 Different sizes
 Different structures & components: MNC, online,
government, college, SOE, …
 Different needs & goals
 Different business processes (project phase ex.)
 Examples?…

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Business Organizations:
Work Areas: (from your text)
 Wages accounting
 Sales control and accounting
 Purchases control and accounting
 Management (cost) accounting
 Stock control
 Production control

 Examples?… What kinds of information are needed for

each work area? (McDonald’s example)

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Business Information:
Levels: international, national, corporate, department,
individual
Types:
 Operational: real time, current
 Tactical: short term decision making & planning
 Strategic: long term decision making & planning, policy
 Examples?…. What types of BIS have you seen or
used?

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Management Information Types:

 Transactions & Data (example: sales, data warehouse)
 Analysis
 Statistics
 Exceptions (variances)
 Strategic, Planning, Decisions

 ICB as an example… enrolment, registration, …

 Chao Shi Fa as an example… sales, inventory, labor, …

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Decision Support Systems

Examples:
 Wal☆Mart’s management support system
 Stock Trading (Neurosolutions) using AI & NN (artificial
intelligence and neural networks) …
 Credit Checks, etc…(using NN technology)
 Verbot: as a e-marketing & e-sales customer management
tool (assists customers to make decisions, a business tool;
an application of expert systems technology)

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Business Systems Theory
Thinking of the business as a system:
 Components (subsystems)
 Purpose
 Boundary (interface)
 Exhibits behaviors
 Connectivity (organization)

 CATWOE

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Thinking like an entrepreneur, innovator, problem

solver:
 Innovations: What’s new? What’s happening?
 New applications: How can this idea be used?
 New business opportunities: How to make $$$?
Example: Ginza & Tokyo Zoo “Ubiquitous Communicator”
projects …
Note: Tokyo Ubiquitous Project Brochure in BIS Folder 1

Would this be a great idea for the 2008 Olympics?

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BIS new!

Information Systems
& Users: Tokyo Ginza

Where did this

idea come
from?

How else could

this be used by
a business?

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BIS new!

Information Systems & Users: Tokyo Zoo

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BIS new!

Information Systems
& Users: Ubiquitous
Communicator

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Let’s begin to go deeper …

Example of a business information system

software …

M.O.M.
Mail Order Manager Software
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To do an analysis:
 Need a “point of view”: CEO, CIO, Systems
Analyst and a purpose (goal, objective)
 Need a vocabulary: terms, definitions, concepts
 Need a system (process) & analyst tools:
 DFD (data flow diagram) used in your book
 ERD (entity relationship diagram) used in your book
 OOSAD (object oriented systems analysis and design)
 UML (uniform modeling language) The New Standard

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Begin with an example: (let’s do a systems analysis)
M.O.M video: we will watch a demo (demonstration) of
a direct marketing software
 Listen carefully and take notes
 List each functional module by name
 Describe its function(s)
 Describe the inputs & outputs, interface
 Diagram(s): draw pictures
 Diagram the functional parts (big picture)
 Diagram the interrelationship between modules

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Evaluation:
 What did you think about M.O.M.?
 What does M.O.M. do?
 What are the potential benefits of M.O.M?
 What are some potential limitations or problems
with M.O.M?
 As a CIO, would you choose M.O.M? Why?
 As a Systems Analyst (SA) what do you think about
installing, deploying and maintaining M.O.M?

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Case :
 Seven-Eleven Japan case + update article
 An MIT Sloan management school case study
 Demonstrates how 7-11 Japan developed its business in
Japan, including the strategic utilization of ICT
(information & communications technology)
 Article: news brief about 7-11 Japan’s use of m-
commerce
 Assignment: read case & prepare for class discussion
 Assignment: answer questions for Chapter 1 in text book

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Chapter 2:
The business world is always competitive and dynamic.
 ICT innovations enable strategic advantages, operational
efficiencies, and much more…
Examples: think about the following recent events: (articles in
BIS Folder 1)
 Computers write the news at Thomson
 CBS to use Bluetooth to “beam” TV clips
 Mobile banking
 Seven-Eleven’s mobile payment system

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CIO ERP Article Jan2007: a “real world” example
In the BIS Folder 1 is included an article obtained
from a link on the www.cio.com website.
From the point of view of a CIO, this article discusses the
issues concerning the decision to purchase and implement
an ERP (enterprise resource planning) software.
Assignment: Read this article and be prepared to discuss in
class. Read Chapter 2 of the text book.
Assignment: Visit www.cio.com and look over the website.

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 Be ready for next class.

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Business Information Systems
Chapter 2: Computers and Business
 From the 7-11 Case we see an excellent
example of a BIS implementation
 Now we will explore more deeply how
computers help business

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
To get started, we should ask some basic questions: (Think
of the 7-11 case as an example…)
 What is the current situation of the business?
 What problems or concerns does the business face: competition,
costs, etc. ? Now ? …and in the future?
 How is the business using BIS technology now?
 Are there any opportunities for the business to profit from installing
new systems and software, or upgrading from old systems? How
can BIS solve problems, make improvements, or take advantage of
some opportunity?
 What are the possibilities?

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
Another example is M.O.M…
With MOM, we have a software system designed for a specific purpose.
 How can this software system help a business? Opportunities?
 What are the benefits and costs of selecting, installing, using and
maintaining such a system?
 What are the alternatives to MOM?
 What would be the most likely scenarios for purchasing and using MOM?
 What could go wrong? How and Why?
 What could go right? How and Why?
 What is the final recommendation or decision?

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
The text book identifies four stages of BIS
development:
 Data Processing Systems
 Management Information Systems
 Strategic Information Systems
 Transformational Information Systems
 Examples of each? … Purpose? Benefits?

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
 Information sharing systems:
 Banking example
 Wholesaler example
 Integrated Systems
 MOM
 7-11’s Total Information System
 Information-based Product Systems
 Search engines
 Builder example
 Executive Information Systems

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
Business Planning
 Short-term Finance-based Planning
 Predictive Planning
 Competition-based Planning
 Innovation-based Planning

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
Developing a Business IS Strategy
 Investigation
 Situation Analysis
 Problem Analysis
 Potential Problem Analysis
 Documenting Business Processes
 Documenting the External Business Environment
 Examining & Documenting the Current IS
 Gap Analysis Strategy versus Current Status
 Example…

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
Components of a Business Strategy:
 Mission
 Vision
 Goals
 Objectives
 Strategies
 Critical Success factors
 Business Drivers
 Examples…

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business

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Chapter 2: Computers and Business
Assignment:
 Assume you own a medium-sized restaurant, pick one you know.
 Go to www.businesssoftware.com and browse the website
 Find the restaurant professional software pages
 Be sure to search for and evaluate the “rapid server” system
 Look over and analyze from a CIO level
 Write a 2-5 page analysis & summary, with your recommendations for
use of this software
 You may add downloaded photos, screenshots & features lists for your
paper (does NOT count as the 2-5 page written analysis)
 Due MONDAY to hand-in.

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Evaluation: you were asked to evaluate a specific business
information system application:
 What did you think about the business information
system (BIS)?
 What does the BIS do?
 What are the potential benefits of the BIS?
 What are some potential limitations or problems with the
BIS?
 As a CIO, would you choose the BIS? Why?

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Evaluation continued… analyzing deeper… As a
Systems Analyst (SA) what do you think about installing, deploying
and maintaining the BIS:
 How can this software system help a business? Opportunities?
 What are the benefits and costs of selecting, installing, using and
maintaining such a system?
 What are the alternatives to this BIS?
 What would be the most likely scenarios for purchasing and using
the BIS application?
 What could go wrong? How and Why?
 What could go right? How and Why?
 What is the SA’s final recommendation or decision?

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Chapter 7: Systems Analysis: Additional Material
 Project Management
 OOSAD
 CH3 PPT: Managing the Project
 CH4 PPT: Management & Planning
 MS Project Demonstration
 Systems Analyst Role
 M2_Business_Systems_Analyst PDF
 PIECES Framework (SAD)

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