Introduction.
Information systems apply to hardware or software systems that are used in a business environment for data intensive applications. The systems facilitate control, coordination, planning and decision making in institutions. Modern business institutions have become more and more reliant of information systems to cope with the complexity of internal business structures. The knowledge that is needed in running most of the business institutions is usually available but in dispersed bits and incomplete and contradictory forms (Gay and Salaman, 1992).
Business information systems range from cell phones, websites, databases, CDs and DVDs, videotapes and games, infomercials and hypertexts among others. The theme behind these systems is the creation of information and knowledge. Information systems have opened lines of customer services and communication that allows companies to collaborate with different customers and organizations. The systems have grown on the collaboration element that is considered as the future of business competitiveness and innovation. This paper analyses the influence of information systems on the way we work together in significant and considerable ways.
The idea behind business systems is to create knowledge and integrate this data in a rational and economic order. The focus on information systems is to control, make sense, learn and explore. The information provided through research assists in development of control procedures and in making sensible decisions in running an organization. The information boosts on awareness and assists in further research in exploring the market and in developing recommendations on business productivity (Ciborra, 2005). They determine the range between success and failure of strategies. This is through an association between the relationships that occur between the dynamics of society/ customers and available technology.
Competition is another element that drives the need for information integration in a company. More importantly is the element of production and how to make it effective for business growth. Information systems act as a means of fast communication, integration of departments, collaboration at work and a rationale for cutting down on costs (Gay and Salaman, 1992). Information systems provide multiple versions of key indicators to success and competitive advantage. Business leaders use the analytics provided to conduct sophisticated experiments and measure the overall impacts of intervention strategies intended to improve the company’s status. This boosts their competitive package in markets and leads to increased sales and profit margins. The systems allow transformations in the available technology into more complex systems that offer competition and discourage new market entrants (David 1990 pp. 355).
Technology growth, in the past three years, and the rates of change that regards technological matters have drastically increased over the recent past. The systems have changed business processes and more organizations have become efficient in quality production and customer satisfaction. The idea behind the concept of technology involvement is that technology has a system to reveal challenges in people, nature and society that hinder performance. The same technology has a consistent form that integrates these issues to a common challenge. The same technology provides solutions to these challenges.
The information systems act as a connection where people with different ideas are connected, where organizations act faster towards the ideas and where market systems have become globalized (Lim, Cyr, Pan and Xiao, 2011). They allow fast and improved decision making processes; information systems provide management with real time data that enables updated decision making. Using this information, mangers allocate resources to affected departments, inform customers of any changes and restore services. Communicating such changes is also enabled throughout an organization (Gay and Salaman, 1992). This enables faster adaptation and collaboration among the workers.Faster communication enhanced by these information systems also acts as a remedy to role conflicts that lower efficiency in an organization. This is because every employee is aware of what is expected and the duties and roles to be carried every day.
There is a growing interdependency tendency between a firm’s capabilities and its information systems. Changes in rules, strategies and processes require changes in Software, hardware, database and telecommunications. Often, what organizations prospects depend on the information systems (Ciborra, 2005); this implies that the operational excellence of an organization is totally dependent on its information systems. Businesses improve their production and efficiency for higher profit levels; information systems assist in the achievement of efficacy and productivity. This is through team work building and management policies involved and leadership skills and styles provided by the systems. The systems provide platforms to managers where they act as supporters to achieve the objective of the business.
The information systems are platforms for proper management and policy tools. The success behind proper implementation of information systems is system quality, user satisfaction, information quality, individual and organizational impact. These aspects form descriptive models that enhance development of new products, services and other business models. In addition, the provision creates further research questions on business performances (Hayek 1945 pp 523). The idea behind this is that, the information systems enable a collaboration of the workers in development of new products and services that aim at business growth. Through sharing and communication of ideas, workers improve on the differentiation of their products to meet the market demands. The decisions and inputs of the workers are valued in the overall decision making procedure, and this enhances working together in cohesion. Business models describe production procedures sales and deliveries made within an organization. Through information systems, a business can analyze and assess its production and sales in relation to the customers demand. The systems provide research materials and responses on the demands and needs of customers. They ensure that the workers have a common goal in production to ensure customers satisfaction.
Information systems act as manipulators of work ethics and behavior. They control, influence and direct the workers into the accepted code of conduct and performance. For instance, the ERP systems manipulate or authorize the users to the intended procedures of an organization. This is linked to work ethics and accountability (Gay and Salaman, 1992). Information systems also create accountability that enhances production and integrity in work places. As new and complex data in organizations become inevitable, cases of irresponsibility and misappropriation of resources are tentative to happen. Leaders are challenged in engaging with every worker and assessing their capabilities (Lim, Cyr, Pan and Xiao, 2011). Information systems act as guards to ensure proper implementation of organization’s procedures. The systems are fast to sense any mishaps or wrong entries. This ensures that all the workers adhere to the procedures and are answerable to any misappropriation of resources.
Of all measures of credibility’s of information systems, impact is a concept that closely relates to the effect of the systems (Hayek 1945 pp 520). This is closely associated to the overall behavior of the recipient of the information in improving performance. Impact implies that the information system provides a better understanding of the context of decisions and improves the user’s decision making productivity. It also enables changes in perceptions in decisions which enhance collaboration and cohesiveness among the workers. Impact is created through understanding of the concepts generated by the information from the systems, changes in perceptions or behavior and the application of this information in solving issues or decision making. This results to positive impacts to the intended organizational change. Information systems also impact on the mode that information is presented in an organization. The information is shared and communicates in a manner which every worker understands and can apply (David 1990).
Business information systems are platforms that create supplier and customer intimacy (Gay and Salaman, 1992). The more a business engages its suppliers, the better and quality services they provide. In addition, engaging with customers assist in getting information on what a company has not provided to satisfy their needs. They act as consultative means that can be contracted to perform tasks and advice on the needs of the customers. For example, the use of ERPs ensures that users work under the command of organization and provides them with solutions to problems (Ciborra, 2005).
The use of information systems enhances inter-firm collaborations and strategy formulations. Firms in the same industry use the systems in formation of a managed core knowledge system which acts as a point of reference in operations. Such systems facilitate knowledge and awareness of work and operations within the firms and in various departments or groups. This not only encourages the users in knowledge sharing, but also puts the knowledge in a form where other users can easily access (Lim, Cyr, Pan and Xiao, 2011). Knowledge flows from the inside and outside of the operations of a firm; sharing of information, therefore, acts as a platform to deal with the customer’s knowledge, researcher’s knowledge and a firm’s experience. Under this perspective, the aim of information systems is to recognize the essence and use of Information Technology, in the overall management of information and knowledge sharing.
Information systems allow a cross cultural growth in an organization. This is through interactions, communication and coordination of cultural behavioral practices. Besides technological growth, institutions possess a culture that grows by distribution and sharing to new members. When introduced to these cultures, team members usually have no prior knowledge on the history of the behavior (Hayek 1945 pp 528). This implies that there has to be a support to behavior for members to understand the origin and development of business cultures. Furthermore, information systems enhance remote access of information and sharing. This solves the problem of information lateness or absence that leads to role conflicts and negative impacts to team work. Global information systems range from regions, organizations, societal, team work and professionalism (Wilson and Howcroft, 2002). The interaction of different cultural factors and contexts, through information systems, lead to development of work dynamics that suit every company’s environment.
Conclusion.
The nature and value of experience and management practice is being changed as the philosophies and tools of massive data spread in organizations. The challenges of handling massive data are enormous and require proper leadership styles. Dealing with data complexities is a transition that executives have to engage with in the running of modern organizations. In many organizations, the speed of data creation is considered more important that the volume of production. Real time information is considered crucial than market competition. Modern organizations are faced with the challenge of massive data in the form of images, updates, messages and GPS signals among others. The information received from social networks; for example, need to be updated to suit the level of most organizations. Such complexities affect the running and productivity of an organization, and if not well resolute may lead to loss of focus.
Information systems range form strategic levels, management levels, knowledge and operational level. They assist in data evaluation and breaking down of data to avoid massive back log. It also assists in tracking crucial information that promotes the growth of an organization. Information systems act as cost/benefit analysis schemes that offer avenues for company procedures. A concern on the relationship between information systems and productivity has been on the debate for a long time. Increased productivity, in many organizations, is viewed as being associated with the level of technology. It is, however, crucial to note that information systems provide a collaborative environment among workers and this enhances productivity. Through the systems information on procedures, modes of production, employee expectation and customers demand is shared. This enables members to work as a team guided by a common principle. In addition, the system offer environment where members share ideas in generation of new products that increase the competitive advantage of a company.
The effectiveness of the systems is, however, dependent on the users and the management (David 1990 pp. 355). Proper collaboration develops from implementation of proper leadership theories from management to the workers. The systems act as platforms where workers share their views to the management, and this boosts decision making processes. Customer’s demands are currently differentiated, with most customers being knowledgeable on modern economic lifestyle. This has initiated a restructure in many organizations where businesses collaborate in sharing of the information collected from customers. Without this information, most companies are ending up producing goods and services that do not meet the demands of the customers. Information systems, therefore, are an important aspect both for productivity and collaboration of workers and companies.
References.
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Lim, E. T., Cyr, D., Pan, S. L., & Xiao, B. (2011). Advancing Public Trust Relationships in Electronic Government: The Singapore E-Filing Journey. Information Systems Research.
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