Unit 7 –Strategic Information Systems

Sources of Information
Session 6

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Module Learning Outcomes

 LO1: Analyse the information requirements of organizations

 LO2 Discuss the types of information systems that are used
within all levels of an organisation
 LO3 Demonstrate the use of an information system to produce
management information
 LO4 Evaluate the effectiveness of strategic information systems
Data and Information

DATA Vs INFORMATION

Data is undefined facts

Information is the output
and utilizes as inputs for Meaning
of processed data
computer system

Data is an individual unit Information is the product

which contain raw and group of data which
Feature
material and does not collectively carry as logical
carry any meaning meaning

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Qualitative and Quantitative Data

Quantitative Data Qualitative Data

Quantitative data is Qualitative data is more
numeric, the result of a descriptive and
measurement, count, or Qualitative data can be
some other mathematical made about a subject
calculation based on observations,
• Numerical interviews or evaluations.
• Examples: • Categorical
Length • Example:
Height Colour
weight Gender
Nationality
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Sources of Information

 An information source is a person, thing, or place from which

information comes, arises, or is obtained.
 Primary vs Secondary information sources
Primary vs Secondary Information Sources

Primary Sources Secondary Sources

Piece of information Describe, analyze,
appears for the first time. interpret, evaluate and
Examples: discuss the evidence
• Eyewitness Accounts provided by primary
• Journalistic Reports sources
• Video Recordings Examples:
• Posters, Handbills • Books
• Interviews • Literature Reviews
• Fieldwork • Biographies
• Minutes of Meetings • Review Articles

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Internal Information

 Internal data is data retrieved from inside the company to make

decisions for successful operations.
 Internal information-Examples
 Sales figures
 Employee personnel records
 Customer records
 Cash flow statements
 Can be used to take management decisions.
 To convey messages to other departments.
 Support for allocating resources.
External Information

 This is information which comes from outside business environment.

 This is gathered via mainly secondary information methods such as
newspapers , magazines and the internet
 External information comes in a variety of form, from printed material to
broadcast reports to online dissemination.
 Valuable for long term business decisions.
 Asses organization’s performance with competitors.
 Get an understanding on changes with the business environment.
Data Processing

 Data processing is a set of methods that are used to input,

retrieve, verify, store, organize, analyse or interpret a set of data
 Data processing is the conversion of data into usable and
desired forms.
 Scientific Data Processing
 This type of processing that is used in academic and research
fields.
 Need more focus on cleaning and validation steps
 Commercial data processing
 Type of data processing in the field of sales and marketing,
customer relationship management, finance and human resource
Data Processing Types

 Batch processing
 Batch processing is the processing of data as a group.
 No user interaction is required
 A series of actions or results can be achieved by applying a function to
a whole series of data
 The ability to shifting job processing time to other resources that are
less busy
 Real-time data processing
 Online processing is the ongoing entry of transactions into a computer
system in real time.
 Airline tracking and scheduling systems
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Airline Ticket Reservation-Example

 Immediate processing of data is

required
 Instant confirmation of a
transaction
 Ex: When you book a ticket and
select a seat then no one else
can book the same seat again

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Summary

 Data is raw, unorganized facts that need to be processed

 When data is processed, organized, structured or presented in
a given context so as to make it useful, it is called information.
 Sources of information
 Primary sources
 Secondary sources
 Data processing types
 Real time data processing
 Batch data processing

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