Information systems are used to collect and analyze data, store information and distribute the same to the relevant departments in an organization (Marakas & O’Brien, 2012). Information system of any organization follows the organization’s structure. It is very important therefore to ensure that an organization has efficient structure for proper dissemination of information. Information systems are categorized into various groups.
This paper looks at the role of computer based information systems and competitive and strategic information system in the human resource and sales and marketing departments. A computer based information system utilizes computer technology to do most of its tasks (Marakas & O’Brien, 2012). Since most of the operations in an organization are computerized in modern organizations, it is very important for the human resource and the sales and marketing department to have their own hardware and software. Application programs are essential for instance in the human resource department to screen job applicants and also to evaluate employee rate of turnover. This goes a long way in ensuring that the company maintains a good working environment to retain the employees thus saving the costs of hiring and training new employees. In the sales and marketing department, computer based information systems ensure that the correct information about an organization’s products is collected and disseminate to the relevant parties. This ensures increase in the volume of sales thus increasing the company’s productivity.
Competitive and strategic management advantage describes the business plan to compete. It states the objectives of a particular company and the manner in which these objectives are to be attained (Porter, 1998). This plan enables a given organization to have a higher notch in a given industry thus being more profitable than other companies in the same industry. Strategic information systems are important to human resource department since they help the department together relevant information of new applicants efficiently and also helps in monitoring the performance of new employees. Sales as well as marketing techniques are also greatly enhanced hence giving that particular company a competitive advantage in that particular industry.
Information systems therefore whether computer based or strategic based will definitely improve the status of a given organization if properly utilized. Organization therefore should enhance their information systems and maintain them at all costs, failure to which they would be rendered obsolete in a given industry.
Works Cited
Marakas, G. & O’Brien. J. (2012). Introduction to information systems. (16th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.
Porter, E. M. (1998). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance: With a new introduction. New York: Simon and Schuster.
