Lecture 4 New.pdf

Information Technology in Perspective Lecture 4

Framework • A framework is a conceptual model that helps us understand and communicate about information systems. • Information technology covers a vast aray of topics; you need a way of thinking about issues in the feld to manage IT successfully. • A large number of systems have failed to produce benefts because designers did not understand the role of technology in the organization nor the requirements of system users. • The frameworks discussed in this chapter should help shape the way you think about this broad feld called information technology.

FRAMEWORKS FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY • A framework provides you with a way to organize your thoughts and analyze a problem. There is no one theory of information systems and technology, though a user or designer of a system needs some conceptual model of an information system. • It is not essential that everyone adopt the framework we use here. It is important, however, for you to have some conceptual model when making decisions pertaining to these systems.

Decision-Oriented Frameworks • Programmed decisions are routine and repetitive and require little time spent in the design stage. • Nonprogrammed decisions are novel and unstructured, for example, deciding on the marketing mix for a set of products.

A Synthesized Framework • A framework synthesizing the work ofAnthony and Simon (see Chapter 2) is very appealing because it helps us classify a variety of systems (Gorry and Scott Morton, 1971). • Table 3-1 classifies Anthony's decision types from operational control to strategic planning on a scale of structured to unstructured. (Gorry and Scott Morton feel that structured and unstructured are more appropriate terms than prgrmmed and nonprgrmmed.)

Adding Organizations and Decisions to a Framework • An expanded framework in light ofnew IT applications based on the work of Harold Leavitt provides additional insights (Stohr and Konsynski, 1992). Figure 3-1 shows that an organization develops some interal structure so the people who work in the organization can perform their tasks. People undertake these tasks so the frm can accomplish its mission or purpose, such as manufacturing and selling a product or providing a service.

• This framework separates information technology from the oter technology in the f because Stohr and Konsynski believe IT has become cental in linking all parts of the organization and helping it accomplish its tasks • A signifcant feature of the framework is the idea that a change in one component is likely to cause changes in others.

• A change in the environment may force the company to restructure itself-change its tasks and even the number of people who are associated with it. Many frms were "restructured" and "downsized" or reduced their numbers of employees to improve profts in the 1990s. Changes in world politics are causing the U.S. goverment to reallocate defense expenditures. This change in the environment is having a dramatic effect on the defense industry

• Table 3-2 provides more detail on the factors in each component of the framework. For example, there are many ways to structure an organization and there are a large number of influences on people. These factors are important to the decision processes in the organization. They affect the way we can use information technology to help the organization achieve its objectives.