Q7-1 What are the basic types of processes?

Business process a network of activities that generate value by

transforming inputs into outputs. Activities are either human only
processes, human processes with computer help, or computer
only processes. A business process with a three-activity process:
check inventory, check customer credit, and approve special
terms.

They have the characteristics summarized in the left-hand

column of Figure 7-2.

How Do Structured Processes Differ From Dynamic

Processes?
We divide processes into two broad categories. Structured processes are
formally defined, standardized processes that involve day-to-day operations:
accepting a return, placing an order, purchasing raw materials, and so forth.

Dynamic processes are flexible, informal, and adaptive processes that

normally involve strategic and less structured managerial decisions and
activities.
The right-hand column of Figure 7-2 shows characteristics of
dynamic processes.

How Do Processes Vary By Organizational Scope?

Processes are used at three levels of organizational scope:

Workgroup process – to enable workgroups to fulfill the character,

purpose, and goals of a particular group or department.A workgroup
information system – to support one or more processes within the
workgroup.Workgroup information systems are called functional
information systems.The program component of a functional
information system is called a functional application.

Enterprise processes – span an organization and support activities in

multiple departments.Enterprise information systems support one or
more enterprise processes.

Inter-enterprise processes – span two or more independent

organizations.Inter-enterprise information systems support one or
more inter-enterprise processes.
Q7-2 How can information systems improve process
quality?
Process efficiency – a measure of the ratio of process outputs to
inputs.
Process effectiveness – a measure of how well a process achieves
organizational strategy.

How Can Processes Be Improved?

Organizations can improve the quality (efficiency and/or effectiveness)

of a process in one of three ways:
 ● Change the process structure
● Change the process resources
● Change both process structure and resources

How Can Information Systems Improve Process

Quality?
Information systems can be used to improve process quality by:
• Performing an activity.
• Augmenting a human who is performing an activity.
• Controlling data quality and process flow.

Q7-3 How do information systems eliminate the

problems of information silos?
Information Silo – the condition that exists when data are
isolated in separate information system

What Are The Problems Of Information Silos?

● When an organization has inconsistent duplicated data, it is
said to have a data integrity problem.
● A consequence of such disjointed activities is the lack of
integrated enterprise information.
How Do Organizations Solve The Problem Of
Information Silos?
● One way to fix such a silo is to integrate the data into a
single database and revise applications to use that
database.If that is not possible or practical, another remedy
is to allow the isolation, but to manage it to avoid problems.
An Enterprise System For Patient Discharge