ITSS 3300 Lecture 2: CH 2 REVIEW QUESTIONS
26 Jun 2018
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CH 2 REVIEW QUESTIONS
What are business processes? How are they related to information systems?
A business process is a logically related set of activities that defines how specific business tasks are
performed, and it represents a unique way in which an organization coordinates work, information,
and knowledge. Managers need to pay attention to business processes because they determine how
well the organization can execute its business, and they may be a source of strategic advantage.
There are business processes specific to each of the major business functions, but many business
processes are cross-functional. Information systems automate parts of business processes, and they
can help organizations redesign and streamline these processes.
2. How do systems serve the different management groups in a business?
Systems serving operational management are transaction processing systems (TPS), such as payroll
or order processing, that track the flow of the daily routine transactions necessary to conduct
business. Management information systems (MIS) produce reports serving middle management by
condensing information from TPS, and these are not highly analytical. Decision-support systems
(DSS) support management decisions that are unique and rapidly changing using advanced analytical
models. All of these types of systems provide business intelligence that helps managers and
enterprise employees make more informed decisions. These systems for business intelligence serve
multiple levels of management, and include executive support systems (ESS) for senior management
that provide data in the form of graphs, charts, and dashboards delivered via portals using many
sources of internal and external information.
3. How do systems that link the enterprise improve organizational performance?
Enterprise applications are designed to coordinate multiple functions and business processes.
Enterprise systems integrate the key internal business processes of a firm into a single software system
to improve coordination and decision making. Supply chain management systems help the firm
manage its relationship with suppliers to optimize the planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery
of products and services. Customer relationship management (CRM) systems coordinate the
business processes surrounding the firm’s customers. Knowledge management systems enable firms
to optimize the creation, sharing, and distribution of knowledge. Intranets and extranets are private
corporate networks based on Internet technology that assemble information from disparate systems.
Extranets make portions of private corporate intranets available to outsiders.
4. Why are systems for collaboration and teamwork so important and what technologies do they use?
Collaboration is working with others to achieve shared and explicit goals. Collaboration and teamwork
Document Summary
A business process is a logically related set of activities that defines how specific business tasks are performed, and it represents a unique way in which an organization coordinates work, information, and knowledge. Managers need to pay attention to business processes because they determine how well the organization can execute its business, and they may be a source of strategic advantage. There are business processes specific to each of the major business functions, but many business processes are cross-functional. Systems serving operational management are transaction processing systems (tps), such as payroll or order processing, that track the flow of the daily routine transactions necessary to conduct business. Management information systems (mis) produce reports serving middle management by condensing information from tps, and these are not highly analytical. Decision-support systems (dss) support management decisions that are unique and rapidly changing using advanced analytical models.
