Hey everyone, and welcome back to our blog! Today will be my last blog post, so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who tuned in, and kept up-to-date with our blog posts so far :) Meg will be posting our final blog post tomorrow evening, so make sure you stay tuned for that! I’m discussing the future for information systems in today’s post, so if you are interested, then keep on reading!
Since they started out, information systems have developed rapidly, over the last 60+ years. Combined with the internet itself, they are providing us with ability to do almost anything, from a device we can hold in our hand. They have improved the efficiency of businesses globally, and this blog post will give us an insight as to what we can expect from information systems, in the future. According to Bourgeois (2014), when trying to understand, and predict, what the future for information technology holds, we can break it down into trends. Each of these trends, will thus have a direct impact on the information systems applicable, to each section. For example; GLOBAL
SOCIAL
MOBILE
PERSONAL
It can be difficult to predict exactly what will happen in the realm of information technology, and information systems, but looking and past, and present rends, can help to give us an idea, of what the future trends may look like. That wraps up my last blog post for this series. I hope you enjoyed reading our set of blog posts over the past three weeks, and learned something new :) Molly. REFERENCES Bourgeois, D. T. (2014) Chapter 13: Future trends of Information Systems [Online] Available at: https://bus206.pressbooks.com/chapter/chapter-13-future-trends-in-information-systems/ [Accessed 13 March]. Hosting Facts (2017) Internet Stats & Facts for 2017 [Online] Available at: https://hostingfacts.com/internet-facts-stats-2016/ [Accessed 15 March 2018]. IT Business \edge (2018) Eight Trends Driving the Future of Information Technology - Slide 3 [Online] Available at: https://www.itbusinessedge.com/slideshows/show.aspx?c=87336&slide=3 [Accessed 15 March 2018]. Statista (2018) Statistics & Facts on Netflix [Online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/topics/842/netflix/ [Accessed 16 March 2018].
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Network involved in information systems![]() Hey Everyone its Eve here:) Back again with your weekly Tuesday blog post updating you all on our journey as we investigate Information systems in relation to our Hair and beauty Salon MECCA. So last week me and the girls were discussing the challenges and risks involved with implementing information systems. This was interesting and useful to investigate because we got a wider insight into issues and challenges we may encounter along the road. We can now prevent such issues from happening and now we are going to have the best hair and beauty salon the world has ever seen because of this. So this week were getting our theory on. We are discussing all things "Typical components in an information system. I for one will be discussing and bringing you all through the ins and outs of the networking involved in an information system. Networks are a connecting system that allows diverse computers to distribute resources. Jessup, Leonard M.; Joseph S. Valacich (2008). "Information systems work side by side with Network hardware and software that people, and businesses use to collect, filter, process, create data". Jessup, Leonard M.; Joseph S. Valacich (2008). Networking involved with information systems is basically, an information system for managing networks. Networks such as electricity networks, water supply networks, gas supply networks and telecommunications networkTrimble.com. (2018). In relation to our hair and beauty salon Mecca, we need to make sure our networks are working complementary to one another. In such a busy salon we need to assure that all systems that monitor things like our water usage and temperature, gas usage and telecommunication are working and networked properly in order for our salon to run and function full stop. We wish to hold and monitor this information with the help from our little friend excel. This will allow us to monitor the use of our water, gas and electrical utilities within the store, so we are not exceeding shop expectation on usages. This will cut down on cost and control and also cut down on waste management issues we have been experiencing in the salon in relation to leaving the running water on for far too long. We also have plans to control these activities through mobile app networking systems, such as turning the gas on via mobile app. By implementing networking information system techniques our salon will run more smoothly and help exercise waste management control. Were really excited to see the results! As always have an amazing day and thanks for reading guys! Eve x References Trimble.com. (2018). Network Information System. [online] Available at: http://www.trimble.com/Energy/NIS.aspx [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018]. Jessup, Leonard M.; Joseph S. Valacich (2008). Information Systems Today (3rd ed.). Pearson Publishing. Pages ??? & Glossary p. 416 ![]() Hi guys its Caoimhe here, welcome to our final week of blogposts! We hope that you’ve all enjoyed our posts so far! So, in today’s post I’m going to be discussing the data involved in information systems. A basic system is a set of interrelated parts that work together to accomplish a purpose. A system performs three simple functions; input, processing and output. Some of the functions that are involved in these information systems are;
An information system consists of the basic core functions of a system as it is a subsystem that is used to support the information needs of a business or an organisation. “Information systems are combinations of hardware, software, and telecommunications networks that people use to collect, create and distribute useful data, typically in organizational settings.” (Valacich and Schneider, 2010). There are many different components of an Information system such as;
In this blogpost, we are going to focus on the data that is involved in information systems. The data component falls under the collective heading of technology when describing an information system. Both hardware and software are also included in this category. Data can be defined as “the raw bits and pieces of information with no context” (Pressbooks, 2014). Data by itself is of no use but when inputted into an information system it can provide us with great knowledge and information. Data can be used in organisations in decision making, creating policies and in improving the general business. In relation to MECCA and the systems we have chosen, there are different types of data that would apply to each system.
In conclusion, the data is the raw information entered into a system in order to be converted into useful knowledge. We hope you enjoyed today’s blogpost! Thanks for reading!! Caoimhe J References
Hi :) Hope everyone has been enjoying exploring information systems for salons and reading week 2 of our blog posts. For this week’s post I will be bringing you through hardware and software for information systems and giving you specific examples of hardware and software involved in salon information systems.
As we all know by now from reading our blogs, information systems are made up of five components, two of these components are hardware and software. Hardware Hardware relates to the physical components of an information system, such as laptops, desktop computers, tablets, storage devices and input devices. There are certain key elements of information systems hardware, I will bring you through these to give you a better understanding.
Hardware in the Salon An example of hardware in a salon information system would be a POS system. POS systems in a salon consists of both software and hardware. I will discuss the software of a salon POS system in the next section of this blog. Phorest is a salon POS system, Phorest (2018) offer the following hardware with their POS systems lightning fast cash register, handheld barcode scanner, your own bespoke salon gift cards and access to print clients receipts. Software The second component of an information system is software. “Software, in its most general sense, is a set of instructions or programs instructing a computer to do specific tasks. Software is a generic term used to describe computer programs. Scripts, applications, programs and a set of instructions are all terms often used to describe software.” (Techopedia, 2018). The software of an information system instructs the hardware what to do, software is created by the process of programming. According to Bourgeois and Bourgeois (2014) “Software can be broadly divided into two categories: operating systems and application software. Operating systems manage the hardware and create the interface between the hardware and the user. Application software is the category of programs that do something useful for the user.” Operating Systems The Operating Systems of an Information System provides several functions that are essential for the success of an Information Systems.
“All computing devices run an operating system. For personal computers, the most popular operating systems are Microsoft’s Windows, Apple’s OS X, and different versions of Linux. Smartphones and tablets run operating systems as well, such as Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, and Blackberry.” (Bourgeois and Bourgeois, 2014) Application Software Application software is the second category of software; application software allows the user to accomplish a certain goal or purpose. Examples of application software include Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer or Spotify. Software in the Salon According to Software Advice (2018) “A salon management solution helps salon professionals manage their appointments and easily reschedule appointments or take requests for new ones, which can help maximize the efficiency and profitability of their business”. Examples of Salon Software available includes, Versum, Shedul, Acuity Scheduling, Timely and Schedulista. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading all this week’s blog posts, check back in next week for our final week of blog posts. Meg :) References Bourgeois, D and Bourgeois, D. T. (2014) Information Systems for Business and Beyond. Pressbooks [Online] Available at: https://bus206.pressbooks.com/chapter/chapter-3-information-systems-software/ [Accessed 6 March 2018]. Phorest (2018) Phorest Salon POS Software: Your All-In-One Solution For Tracking Sales & Stock [Online] Available at: https://www.phorest.com/solution/features/salon-pos-software/ [Accessed 6 March 2018]. Software Advice (2018) Salon Software [Online] Available at: https://www.softwareadvice.com/ie/salon/#buyers-guide [Accessed 6 March 2018]. Techopedia (2018) Software [Online] Available at: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4356/software [Accessed 6 March 2018] Hey guys, and welcome back to our blog :) Today’s blog post will look at the classification of information systems, so if you want to find out more, then keep reading!
According to Juneja (2018), information systems are basically made up of five components, hardware, software, database, network and people. These components can then be further defined. HARDWARE
SOFTWARE
DATABASE
NETWORK
PEOPLE
Once the components of the information systems are understood, they then can be classified, or grouped, into categories. Below are five common information systems;
1. Operations support systems (OSS) According to Juneja (2018), in an organisation the data input is completed, and processed, to produce information products, such as reports, for both internal, and external, users. The purpose of this particular system is to “…facilitate business transaction, control production, support internal as well as external communication and update organization central database. The operation support system is further divided into a transaction-processing system, processing control system and enterprise collaboration system.” (Juneja, 2018). 2. Transaction processing systems (TPS) Transaction processing systems, or TPS, are used “…for the collection, storage, retrieval and modification of transactions made by an organisation. An example of a transaction processing system, commonly used in businesses, are the systems employed by major credit card companies found in almost every retail store.” (Business Dictionary, 2018). 3. Management information systems (MIS) Management information systems are created from the data stipulated by the TPS. The role of MIS, according to Chirs-Kimble (2018), are as follows;
4. Decision Support Systems (DSS) Decision support systems are systems which help users reach a decision, during the decision making process. DSS “…improve operational efficiency and business performance by enhancing the ability of stakeholders to make faster, smarter decisions based on information, rather than gut instinct alone.” (Information Builders, 2018). They aid gathering useful information from raw data, for example, documents and business models. Executive support systems, also known as ESS, could also fall into this category. 5. Office Automation Systems (OAS) According to Eternal Sunshine of the IS Mind (2013), OAS are systems which aim to improve the efficiency with which employees process information, and data. The most recognisable example of these systems within the workplace office, is Microsoft Office XP, or any other similar system which allows people to work from home, or other locations. It improves productivity of employees working in an office environment. There is a lot of information there to process, so if you have any questions or queries, feel free to comment below, or on any of our social media platforms! I hope you enjoyed my blog post this week, and stay tuned for Meg’s post, which will go live tomorrow :) Molly. REFERENCES Business Dictionary (2018) What is transaction processing system? Definition and meaning [Online] Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/transaction-processing-system.html [Accessed 6 March 2018]. Chris-Kimble (2018) Different types of information systems and the pyramid model [Online] Available at: http://www.chris-kimble.com/Courses/World_Med_MBA/Types-of-Information-System.html [Accessed 8 March 2018]. Eternal Sunshine of the IS Mind (2013) Common types of information systems [Online] Available at: https://eternalsunshineoftheismind.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/common-types-of-information-systems/ [Accessed 8 March 2018]. Information Builders (2018) Decision Support Systems [Online] Available at: https://www.informationbuilders.com/decision-support-systems-dss [Accessed 8 March 2018]. Juneja, P. (2018) Types of Information Systems - Components and Classification of Information Systems [Online] Available at: https://www.managementstudyguide.com/types-of-information-systems.htm [Accessed 6 March 2018]. Sukumaran, A. (2016) Classification of Information Systems, digital image [Online] Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/appuzsukumaran/classification-of-information-systems [Accessed 6 March 2018]. Management Challenges & How to Overcome Lack of guidance and commitment to implementing IS (Information Systems): A strategy outlining the implementation, the uses, the training and the support needed. Lack of communication: Have a clear line of communication and ease of access to communicating with staff and between service provider and end user (employees) Rishi & Goyal suggested that Improving office design in the organizations to allow interaction with top management and communication between employees which may have an effect on the turnover of the employees. Not sharing responsibilities and/or not training all members of staff on how to use IS: Having the resources ready and available to all staff necessary, is important before introducing new IS into the workplace. NB: Cooperation and delegation between different parts of the business, between the systems provider and the management to the end users (staff). Delegating the right people to the project at hand who have the right skills or currently being trained is an important part of successfully overcoming objectives. Human Challenges & How to Overcome Changing the norm (resistance): Change management is the best way to combat resistance from employees a good solid change management strategy is needed. (Will go into more later on) Hiring the wrong/right staff: Making sure staff hired are willing to learn and adapt new skills or have already got the skills to use IS Lack of computer skills: Training is the focus here, if some staff need basic computer training before attempting to use IS this is crucial for a well running business. Change Management Strategy First of all jumping straight into change is not going to work, you must prepare your team, hint at upcoming changes and slowly introduce these changes into the environment. Getting your team to understand the change is needed is step one. If they know why the change needs to happen they are likely to be more open.
Technical Challenges &
How to Overcome Changing over/upgrading to new systems is a major inconvenience to the business: The initial set up and cost etc. is a hindrance to a businesses day to day as its time consuming and can set back work. The overcome of this is patience the benefits of this initial set up is major in the long run. Technical problems: These more often then not are out of our control whether it be blackouts, power-cuts, weather etc. a back up systems in order to keep business from a complete halt is necessary. Even if your back is as analogue as pen and paper being prepared for these difficulties is crucial. Lack of requirements for IS: Not having the necessary requirements to set up an IS is a major challenge that could involve buying more parts, or space. Knowing what IS will work and fit both your requirements and its own is important to avoid this issue. Charly :) References Rishi, B. J., & Goyal, D, “Success factors in the implementation of strategic information systems: An empirical investigation of public sector undertakings in India,” Journal of Advances in Management Research J of Advances in Mgmt Research, vol. 5, pp. 46-55. 2008 Almalki, M. (2017) “Challenges in Implementation of Information System Strategies in Saudi Business Environment: A Case Study of a Bank” International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology [Online] 43, (1) 3,6. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aasim_Zafar2/publication/315471085_Challenges_in_Implementation_of_Information_System_Strategies_in_Saudi_Business_Environ-ment_A_Case_Study_of_a_Bank/links/596f22aeaca272d552028ffb/Challenges-in-Implementation-of-Information-System-Strategies-in-Saudi-Business-Environ-ment-A-Case-Study-of-a-Bank.pdf Murphy, M. (2016) ‘3 Stages of Successful Change Management’ Forbes. [Online] May 27. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2016/05/27/3-stages-of-successful-change-management/#36b8b29261f0 Risks Involved with changing status Quo in the work place.
Hey everyone, Eve here again and happy Tuesday to one and all! So glad to have you guys back reading with us again, this week. Another week another discussion on information systems on salons, and what better salon to discuss better than our very own Mecca. Last week in our discussions we introduced you all to not only our salon Mecca but into the world of information systems as a whole. This week me and the girls will be blogging and discussing to you all the challenges and risks of implementing information's systems to your business. Employee's resistance to change in the work place is one of the major causes of disruptions employers face in the organization. Lawrence, P. (2018). We as humans generally hate disrupting our daily norms and venturing outside our comfort zones. Employees rather stick to their status qous, set camp up, and remain perfectly happy doing what they know best. This is a major issue that organizations large and small face and in this high tech fast growing business environment it is imperative that we introduce and continuously exercise change management from first line management right down to front line staff. So where does risk management fall in terms with our salon Mecca? We previously discussed last week the types of information's systems we wish to install within the salon. Installing these information systems will run the business more smoothly and efferently and offer us an array of benefits. Timesheet, Get timely and excel are just few of the systems we wish to implement to the business. We can embrace and love the experience of change management however the risk of changing status quo occurs when change management is poorly introduced. Adelne, C. (2018). Our staff in Mecca will have their objections, hesitations and worst-case scenario is that we lose a staff member by the introducing these changes wrongly. We can combat these risk in advance and prepare for their resistance and ease them into the new system. The information systems that we wish to install into our salon here in Mecca are a huge investment into furthering our growth as a business. These little humps and bumps we bypass on the road are all a learning curve but, it's good that we predict and act on them quickly so we can prepare to enforce good and effective change management techniques. Bibliography Lawrence, P. (2018). How to Deal With Resistance to Change. [online] Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/1969/01/how-to-deal-with-resistance-to-change [Accessed 5 Mar. 2018]. Adelne, C. (2018). 12 Reasons Why Employees Resist Change in the Workplace - Catherine's Career Corner. [online] Catherine's Career Corner. Available at: http://catherinescareercorner.com/2011/07/26/12-reasons-why-employees-resist-change-in-the-workplace/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 2018]. Hey guys and welcome to the second week of our posts! We hope you are all enjoying them so far! It’s Caoimhe here again and today I’m going to be talking about some challenges that MECCA may encounter whilst implementing their new systems.
There are many problems that businesses tend to encounter when making any changes to the way the shop is run. MECCA may have more difficulty introducing these changes due to the technological nature of the changes. Implementing a strategy is a core step in planning for any changes and the future of the business. The act of planning is defined as “defining the organisation’s goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals and developing plans to integrate and co-ordinate work activities” (Robbins and Coulter 2014). In regard to the strategic management process, out of all the steps in order to a make a change in an organisation, implementing the strategy is the one that is met with the most hesitation. This can especially be seen if the staff have been working for the business for a long period of time i.e a number of years. Resistance to change could be a major issue for MECCA as it will alter how the employees do their daily tasks such as taking appointments, and their payroll system. With the changes being technological, this could mean that older staff who are perhaps not as comfortable with technology may feel uneasy and uncomfortable in using the technology and may protest to using it. There is also the issue of training all of the staff members to use the technology. This can be take a lot of time depending on how comfortable the staff are with technology and their base knowledge of the systems. They may need to be shown a number of times in order for them to be confident in using the systems and to ensure no mistakes are being made with client appointments etc. as this would be hugely damaging to the brand. As the systems will be used by the staff to do their daily tasks, the staff must be co-operative with the systems and must remember to implement them. Otherwise mistakes can easily be made such as double-booking clients. In order to implement the systems in the most effective and efficient way possible and to try to overcome these challenges, it is important for MECCA to allocate responsibility for the implementation of these systems to individuals or groups, for example managers. They must oversee that the systems are consistently being used and in the correct manner. We hope that you enjoyed todays blogpost and stay tuned throughout the rest of the week for further blogposts on; the risks involved in change, how to manage these changes, the classification of information systems and the software and hardware involved in information systems. Thanks for reading! Caoimhe :) References Coulter, M.A. and Robbins, S.P. (2014) Management. 12th ed. Pearson. |
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