Chapter 11 Summary

Q1:  What Are the Functions and Organization of the IS Department?

The major functions of the information systems department are plan the use of IS to accomplish organizational goals and strategy, manage outsourcing relationships, protect information assets, develop, operate, and maintain the organization's computing infrastructure, and develop, operate, and maintain applications.  The title of the principal manager of the IS department is chief operating officer, or CIO.  Most IS departments include a technology office that investigates new information systems technologies and determines how the organization can benefit from them.  An individual called the chief technology officer, or CTO often heads the technology group.

Q2:  How Do Organizations Plan the Use of IS?

The purpose of an information system is to help the organization accomplish its goals and objectives.  In order to do so, all information systems must be aligned with the organization's competitive strategy.  Adapting IS to new versions of business processes is neither easy nor quick.  The CIO is the representative for IS and IT issues within the executive staff.  The CIO must also ensure that priorities consistent with the overall organizational strategy are developed and then communicated to the IS department and at the same time, must also ensure that the department evaluates proposals and projects for using new technology in light of those communicated priorities.  A steering committee, a group of senior managers from the major business functions that works with the CIO to set the IS priorities and decide among major IS projects and alternatives, serves as important communication function between IS and the users.

Q3:  What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing?

Outsourcing is the process of hiring another organization to perform a service.  Outsourcing is done to save cost, to gain expertise, and to free management time.  Outsourcing can be an easy way to gain expertise, it can reduce costs, and reduce risks.  Outsourcing, however, can cause loss of control, the benefits are outweighed by long-term costs, and there's no easy exit.

Q4:  What Are Your User Rights and Responsibilities?

People have the right to have the computing resources they need to perform their work as proficiently as they want, they have the right to the computer hardware and programs that they need, and they have the right to reliable network and Internet services.  People also have the right to a secure computing environment, the right to participate in requirements meetings for new applications that they will use and for major changes to applications they currently use.  People have the right to reliable systems development and maintenance and the right to receive prompt attention to their problems and concerns.  Finally, people have the right to effective training.  People have responsibilities to learn basic computer skills and to learn the techniques and procedures for the applications they use.  They have the responsibility to follow security and backup procedures, to use computer resources in a manner that's consistent with their employer's policy, and to make no unauthorized hardware modifications to their computer and to install only authorized programs.