Case 2-2 Response

I presented today.

10/26 Class Discussion Response

In class we discussed mostly about the primary activities that are involved in a company that makes things fast cheaper and more capable. IS makes all things in business more consistent and lessens costs and increases our profit margin.

The idea is to make a single database that is accessible by the whole company but select users have certain rights to the database.

Having consistency across a network increases communications and makes things more efficient.

10/26 CH. 7 Reading Response

Competitive Advantage with IS within Organizations
The advantage that you have in business is what makes you more appealing to the customer and makes your good better then the competition.
Some competitive advantages could be:
better:
product
supply chain and operations
human resources
accounting and finance
manufacturing
marketing and sales

I liked how the book really emphasized on the basic types of functional systems. It shows how these things are so important in the business world and how necessary it is to develop these functions.

10/23 Discussion and Presentation Response

The group make a good observation about the airlines and this database. They said that it is not good to be on this list. It is wise to stay low and not to be on the list at all even if the airline has a very safe record.

Data.gov- government data catalog of lots of information to show the patterns of the country.

High Reliability Organizations- Airlines are an example of a HRO. When accidents occur it is noticed by the world but it rarely happens.

Case 2-1 Response

aviation-safety.net- Database that holds all the problems or accidents that have occurred with all commercial planes worldwide.

It is important to find information about the airline that you will be flying.

Database Access cannot be used over the web and only one person can use it. It requires no password. Only compatible for Microsoft Windows.

MySQL supports websites and is secure that can be used at many locations. And is compatible for most platforms.

Class Discussion 10/19

There are many types of databases out there.
Accounting: Quickbooks
Human Resources: Act!
Supply Chain Managment: SAP
Investment Finance: Real Estate Databases MLS
Finance: Stock Market Indexes

Databases can track changes according to time and can update themselves.

Net Worth Exercise and Career Assignment #2

Net Worth

1. Knowing the necessary parts of Information Systems really helps you have the competitive edge to help you in the workplace. These terms are turning into common knowledge in today's society and if you don't know it the public will look down on you. Knowing about the cyber threats that exist out there will help you prepare for what could come an the things that could affect you.
2. I would use a database for information that I kept strictly digital and things that I need to get to when I am near a computer and when I had lots of information that was very different. I would use a spreadsheet for information that I could print out and use and it was all data that was similar. I would use a Database Management System for any type of large database that I would use. It seems like to be the norm for a company to do this.
3. It is necessary to develop a LAN in an office to help the office to stay on track with each other and be updated and able to work more efficiently. A WAN would be used to help companies that have locations that are spread out over different locations to connect. When information that is private like billing information, identity information is used, it is necessary to use encryption and to block certain access so only employees with clearance can use it.
4. When an employee knows more about IS it is much easier to work with the IT department. They seem to have so many problems and bugs that need to be fixed and all us other employees just expect them to get the job fixed as soon as possible. I worked at a home security company that dealt with a large database of customers and our system was always going down and our IT guys were always in the office helping us out. I saw that it was hard for them and that they had to have time to get to the problem and solve it as soon as they could. Knowledge of this stuff is important to help with any type of work. It definitely can give you the competitive advantage in the job market.

Career Assignment
5)
a) I found out that there are huge databases of financial findings out there. The public likes to call it the Stock Market. More specifically they are called Market Indexes.
b)Stock Broker
Financial Analyst
Independent Trader
c) Most people do not know what the difference of an spreadsheet and a database is and the purpose that these two have. This is the competitive edge I have.
d)I believe that any professional would affirm that IS is important and that it really is the backbone of any modern organization or business today.

Class Discussion Response10/16

I found it interesting that ethernet cables had to be insulated and spun and couldn't expand longer than about 1000 feet to not distort the connection.

I also find it interesting how electronics and networks work. How wireless systems can be set up and it all can be controlled through a central system. Fiber optic cables are amazing to me. How light can be recieved through cables and how it is the fast known technology today. The cables across the ocean are amazing also. To put cable that long and that deep in the ocean would take alot of time and alot of cable to lay it all that way.

Focus on basic ideas of components, WAN, LAN, how these communications work.

Reading Response Ch.6 10/16

This chapter was interesting. I have always found the networking of computers intriguing and I plan on networking my house somehow someday so that the whole house can be controlled from one central location. This is important in the modern workplace because it makes work so much easier when everyone is has one central network so assessable to them so that all who are on the same network can work together so efficiently. This chapter was like a networking for dummies guide. I found it very interesting since networking intrigues me.

What would this school be like without its network?

CLass Discusion Response 10/14/2009

Database vs. Spreadsheet

Database

• hard to organize data in spreadsheet (multiple categories)
• multiple users
• focuses on specific type of information

Spreadsheet

• cost less
• simpler data sets
• can get really large

Now I can see that a database is important in putting large ammounts of data automatically together when there is so much different types of information.

Ch.5 Reading Response

Even after reading this chapter I still don't fully comprehend what makes a database more useful than a spreadsheet. The book says that a spreadsheet only hold certain types of data and that it can't hold the amount of data in one place. With the new version of excel, I believe that spreadsheets can be called databases. By definition a database is a self-describing collection of integrated records. This is what I could describe a spreadsheet as.

Is there a way in class you could go over again what the difference between a spreadsheet and a database is?

Class Disscussion Response 10/12

1) What does a mananger need to know about computer hardware?

• Hardware can change
• Is it sufficient or should you upgrade?
• Key Terms
• -CPU= Central Processing Unit
• -Ram: Random Access Memory
• How does a computer work?
• Input-Processing-Output

2)What's the difference between a client and a server?

• Client is served and a server is serving

It is interesting using these hardware ideas with a large compnay that users a large server. The company has to be very organized to put together an extensive server that can run a large company.

Reading Response 10/12 Ch.4

I found interesting in the reading the part about the certain hardware needed in a computer and why it is needed for IS. There is so much that is considered common sense about computers these days. And it is necessary to know the key components of a computer's hardware to get by. Mostly to be respected as an up-to-date businessman. I still found that the hardware listed is very basic of what entails a CPU. But that if these componemnts were not known and if it was found out it could be embarrassing. Who wants to work with someone who doesn't know what the difference between a CD or DVD is?

Class Discussion Response 10/9

The group touched on the 5 Components of IS relating to this case.

Hardware-Manufacturing Machines
Software-programs used to make machines
Data-all designs that were produced to make the chairs or furniture
Procedure-Build, blueprints, do it, sell it
People- They are the designers, workers, employees of Knoll, customers

Knoll knows that they can't win the cost war compared to furniture companies oversees but they can win in differentiation and quality compared to other furniture companies.

In class after the presentation I liked how we talked about the the modern-day workplace. The fact that people do not need their own place to work is changing the face of the workplace. I don't like this because it is making the workers provide their own materials and supplies to help them work.

Reading Response Case 1-2

Knoll-

• This company is using innovation and modern design systems to reduce costs.
• Hierarchy- treating the lower level employees as inferiror and just going straight up the line of authority
  
• Cross Departmental Process- start from bottom and integrate all the activities so that the company runs better together
• I liked how the author touched on the many features that a company needs to be sucessful and help its employees feel comfortable in the workplace
  

Discussion Response 10/7

I found the group presentation about Getty Images interesting. They showed how internet businesses are thriving through their services and products. They didn't touch on the .com companies but companies that have already had a presence that they have expanded primarily in the IT of Internet part of their company.

In our discussion after the presentation, we talked about how a company goes from archives of photos, tangible assets to digital archives, full of information. We talked about the certain costs relating to this type of digital economy. The costs are very low compared to the an undigital world.

Today we see this way of reducing costs and expnading profits everywhere. These digital ways of doing business makes profits available for companies who enter a market with many barriers of entry. They are able to start up slow as a sole proprietorship and expand very rapidly with low costs.

Reading Response Case 1-1

Image usage on the Internet:

• Getty Images: World's largets archive of images, globally expanded, $600 million plus; publicly trade company
• Getty Images Advantage: free storage online, sells copyrights of images,: no more valuable costs like shipping costs,
• Their strategy: Lock in customers, lock in suppliers, creating entry barriers, establish alliances, reducing costs.
  
• Competitive Advantage through product: creat new products, enhance existing services, differentiating products from the competitors