An-Najah National University MIS Dept. Maher ARAFAT January
2010
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Manual vs. Computerized Systems Computerizing manual
activities. ??? !!! Computerizing bad practices. Efficiency, WHAT
we do? HOW we do it? A system will decide on: WHAT and HOW to
do.
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Computer-based Information Systems A CBIS is composed of
Hardware Software Databases Telecommunications People Procedures,
practices, activities, policies Together they are Configured to
collect, manipulate, store, and process data into information
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Technology Infrastructure Another term for CBIS Consists of the
shared information system (IS) resources that form the foundation
of the information system
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Parts of a CBIS Five parts Hardware Software Database
Telecommunications Networks People.
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Parts of a CBIS Five parts Hardware Software Database
Telecommunications Networks
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Hardware Computer equipment used to perform input, processing,
and output activities The objects that you can actually touch, like
disks, disk drives, display screens, keyboards, printers, boards,
and chips.
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Hardware Discussion Hardware refers to objects that you can
actually touch, like disks, disk drives, display screens,
keyboards, printers, boards, and chips. In contrast, software is
untouchable. Software exists as ideas, concepts, and symbols, but
it has no substance. Books provide a useful analogy. The pages and
the ink are the hardware, while the words, sentences, paragraphs,
and the overall meaning are the software. A computer without
software is like a book full of blank pages -- you need software to
make the computer useful just as you need words to make a book
meaningful.
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Parts of a CBIS Five parts Hardware Software Database
Telecommunications Networks
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Software Computer programs that govern/determine/control the
operation of the computer Computer instructions or data
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Software Discussion (1) Software is computer instructions or
data. Anything that can be stored electronically is software. The
storage devices and display devices are hardware. The terms
software and hardware are used as both nouns and adjectives. For
example, you can say: "The problem lies in the software," meaning
that there is a problem with the program or data, not with the
computer itself. You can also say: "It's a software problem.
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Software Discussion (2) The distinction between software and
hardware is sometimes confusing because they are so integrally
linked. Clearly, when you purchase a program, you are buying
software. But to buy the software, you need to buy the disk
(hardware) on which the software is recorded. Software is often
divided into two categories. Systems software includes the
operating system and all the utilities that enable the computer to
function. Applications software includes programs that do real work
for users. For example, word processors, spreadsheets, and database
management systems fall under the category of applications
software.
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Parts of a CBIS Five parts Hardware Software Database
Telecommunications Networks
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Database An organized collection of facts and information A
collection of information organized in such a way that a computer
program can quickly select desired pieces of data
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Database Discussion (1) A database is a collection of
information organized in such a way that a computer program can
quickly select desired pieces of data. You can think of a database
as an electronic filing system. Traditional databases are organized
by fields, records, and files. A field is a single piece of
information; a record is one complete set of fields; and a file is
a collection of records. For example, a telephone book is analogous
to a file. It contains a list of records, each of which consists of
three fields: name, address, and telephone number.
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Database Discussion (2) An alternative concept in database
design is known as Hypertext. In a Hypertext database, any object,
whether it be a piece of text, a picture, or a film, can be linked
to any other object. Hypertext databases are particularly useful
for organizing large amounts of disparate information, but they are
not designed for numerical analysis. To access information from a
database, you need a database management system (DBMS). This is a
collection of programs that enables you to enter, organize, and
select data in a database.
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Database Discussion (3)
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Parts of a CBIS Five parts Hardware Software Database
Telecommunications Networks
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Telecommunications The electronic transmission of signals for
communications; enables organizations to link computer systems into
effective networks Refers to all types of data transmission, from
voice to video
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Parts of a CBIS Five parts Hardware Software Database
Telecommunications Networks
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Network Used to connect computers and computer equipment in a
building, around the country, across the world, to enable
electronic communications A group of two or more computer systems
linked together
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Network Discussion (1) There are many types of computer
networks, including: local-area networks (LANs) : The computers are
geographically close together (that is, in the same building).
wide-area networks (WANs) : The computers are farther apart and are
connected by telephone lines or radio waves.
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Network Discussion (2) In addition to these types, the
following characteristics are also used to categorize different
types of networks: topology : The geometric arrangement of a
computer system. Common topologies include a bus, star, and ring.
protocol : The protocol defines a common set of rules and signals
that computers on the network use to communicate. One of the most
popular protocols for LANs is called Ethernet. Another popular LAN
protocol for PCs is the IBM token-ring network. architecture :
Networks can be broadly classified as using either a peer-to-peer
or client/server architecture.
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Network Discussion (3) Computers on a network are sometimes
called nodes. Computers and devices that allocate resources for a
network are called servers.
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Network Discussion (4)
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Internet and Intranet Internet The worlds largest
telecommunications network A network of networks Free exchange of
information A global network connecting millions of computers
Intranet A network that uses Internet technology within an
organization A network belonging to an organization
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People and Procedures People The most important element in most
computer-based information systems Includes people who manage, run,
program, and maintain the system E.g., IT professionals (you!)
Procedures Includes the strategies, policies, methods, and rules
for using the CBIS
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Business Information Systems Types Transaction processing
systems E-commerce systems Management information systems Decision
support systems Expert systems
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Transactions Processing Systems Transaction Any
business-related exchange or activity E.g., generating a weekly
payroll, bank withdrawal Transaction processing system (TPS) An
organized collection of people, procedures, software, databases,
and devices used to record completed for business related
exchanges
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Payroll Example Hours worked Pay rate Payroll transaction
processing Payroll checks
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Business Information Systems Types Transaction processing
systems E-commerce systems Management information systems Decision
support systems Expert systems
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E-Commerce System E-commerce Involves any business transaction
executed electronically Conducting business on-line For example,
between Companies Companies and consumers Business and the public
sector Consumers and the public sector Example for placing a
purchase order
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Purchase Order - Traditional
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Purchase Order E-commerce
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Business Information Systems Types Transaction processing
systems E-commerce systems Management information systems Decision
support systems Expert systems
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Management Information Systems An MIS is An organized
collection of people, procedures, software, databases, and devices
used to provide routine information to managers and decision
makers
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Schematic of MIS Common databases Marketing management
information system Marketing management information system
Financial management Information system Financial management
Information system Manufacturing management Information system
Manufacturing management Information system Order management
information system Order management information system TPS
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MIS Discussion Short for management information system or
management information services, and pronounced as separate
letters, MIS refers to a class of software that provides managers
with tools for organizing and evaluating their department. Within
companies and large organizations, the department responsible for
computer systems is sometimes called the MIS department. Other
names for MIS include IS (Information Services) and IT (Information
Technology).
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Business Information Systems Types Transaction processing
systems E-commerce systems Management information systems Decision
support systems Expert systems
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Decision Support Systems A DSS is An organized collection of
people, procedures, software, databases, and devices used to
support problem-specific decision making A DSS helps a manger do
the right thing
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Business Information Systems Types Transaction processing
systems E-commerce systems Management information systems Decision
support systems Expert systems
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Expert Systems An expert system is A computer application that
performs a task that would otherwise be performed by a human expert
gives the computer the ability to make suggestions and to act like
an expert in a particular field Examples: diagnose human illnesses,
make financial forecasts, schedule routes for delivery vehicles
Expert systems typically include artificial intelligence (next
slide)
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Artificial Intelligence (1) The branch of computer science
concerned with making computers behave like humans. The term was
coined in 1956 by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. Artificial intelligence includes games playing:
programming computers to play games such as chess and checkers
expert systems : programming computers to make decisions in real-
life situations (for example, some expert systems help doctors
diagnose diseases based on symptoms) natural language : programming
computers to understand natural human languages
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Artificial Intelligence (2) neural networks : Systems that
simulate intelligence by attempting to reproduce the types of
physical connections that occur in animal brains robotics :
programming computers to see and hear and react to other sensory
stimuli Currently, no computers exhibit full artificial
intelligence (that is, are able to simulate human behavior). The
greatest advances have occurred in the field of games playing. The
best computer chess programs are now capable of beating humans. In
May, 1997, an IBM super-computer called Deep Blue defeated world
chess champion
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Artificial Intelligence (3) Gary Kasparov in a chess match. In
the area of robotics, computers are now widely used in assembly
plants, but they are capable only of very limited tasks. Robots
have great difficulty identifying objects based on appearance or
feel, and they still move and handle objects clumsily.
Natural-language processing offers the greatest potential rewards
because it would allow people to interact with computers without
needing any specialized knowledge. You could simply walk up to
a
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Artificial Intelligence (4) computer and talk to it.
Unfortunately, programming computers to understand natural
languages has proved to be more difficult than originally thought.
Some rudimentary translation systems that translate from one human
language to another are in existence, but they are not nearly as
good as human translators. There are also voice recognition systems
that can convert spoken sounds into written words, but they do not
understand what they are writing; they simply take dictation. Even
these systems are quite limited -- you must speak slowly and
distinctly.
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Artificial Intelligence (5) In the early 1980s, expert systems
were believed to represent the future of artificial intelligence
and of computers in general. To date, however, they have not lived
up to expectations. Many expert systems help human experts in such
fields as medicine and engineering, but they are very expensive to
produce and are helpful only in special situations. Today, the
hottest area of artificial intelligence is neural networks, which
are proving successful in a number of disciplines such as voice
recognition and natural-language processing.
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Artificial Intelligence (6) There are several programming
languages that are known as AI languages because they are used
almost exclusively for AI applications. The two most common are
LISP and Prolog.