Fundamentals of information systems

Fundamentals oF inFormation systems

didier mena BlandÓn manaGement inFormation systems 18 de aBril de 2018

INTRODUCTION: the information is constituted by a group of data already supervised and ordered, which serve to build a message based on a certain phenomenon or entity. Information allows solving problems and making decisions, since their rational use is the basis of knowledge.

There are several species that communicate through the transmission of information for their survival; the difference for human beings lies in the ability of man to assemble codes and symbols with complex meanings, which make up the common language for coexistence in society.

The data is perceived through the senses and, once they are integrated, they end up generating the information that is needed to produce the knowledge. It is considered that wisdom is the ability to judge in an appropriate way when, how, where and for what purpose acquired knowledge is used.

The specialists affirm that there is an indissoluble link between information, data, knowledge, thought and language.

SYSTEMS: These are parts or elements that in addition to being organized must be related so that they interact and thus be able to achieve the objectives for which they were created; is when there is a set of functions whether real or abstract referenced to each other for the development of a process.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS: can be defined as a set of interrelated components that allow capturing, processing, storing and distributing information to support decision making and control in an institution.

The information systems serve to:      

A quick access to certain information and therefore improves the service to users both in terms of time and results.

Motivate all types of company officials for requirements of any kind with excellent results.

Generate information and indicators which allow to analyze, compare study to detect failures and likewise have control of the system.

It gives the possibility of planning, devise projects which are going to be generated from an information system that has clear elements and in any case sustained to anticipate any type of requirements.

It avoids the loss of time in the organization of the information since doing it manually there is a risk of not giving the correct investigation.

There is greater interest in the creation of new work processes due to the ease that it provides for obtaining and processing information.

DATA: They are a symbolic representation (numerical, alphabetic, algorithmic, spatial, etc.) of an attribute or quantitative or qualitative variable, that allow us to describe empirical facts, events and entities, in the same way the data allow us to make a decision in a more accurate way.

The data in isolation may not contain humanly relevant information. Only when a set of data is examined together in the light of an approach, hypothesis or theory can the information contained in such data be appreciated.

The data that are conveniently grouped, structured and interpreted are considered to be the basis of the humanly relevant information that can be used in decisionmaking, the reduction of uncertainty or the performance of calculations.

Data virtualization: is an approach to unify data from multiple sources in a single layer so that applications, reporting tools, and end users can access data without requiring details about the original source, location, and data structures.

Information technology: At first, computer science was limited to companies and large institutions that had huge computing centers. But the big explosion occurred with the appearance of the personal computer in the eighties of the last century.

From that moment on, IT enters all places: homes (personal computing), jobs, shops, large vehicles, etc. and it becomes portable. Being used everywhere influences all the personal and professional aspects of human beings and computing becomes something broader and more powerful: information technologies (IT).

These technologies, combined with telecommunications, are revolutionizing the world we know and taking it towards a new digital world and towards an information and knowledge society. This revolution comes, basically, from technological innovation and from all the possibilities it offers. The revolution affects all aspects of information technology.

From the point of view of equipment, large computers have been transferred to personal computers or laptops, tablets or readers, although the most important thing today is that there are computers or processors incorporated into any device, system or network that it develops in the world.

NETWORKS: A computer network is a set of devices interconnected among themselves through a medium, which exchange information and share resources.

Basically, communication within a computer network is a process in which there are two well-defined roles for connected devices, transmitter and receiver, which are assumed and alternating at different moments of time.

There are also messages, which is what these roles exchange. The structure and mode of operation of current computer networks are defined in several standards, the most widespread of all being the TCP / IP model, based on the reference or theoretical OSI model.

Managerial or administrative information system: (Produces structured reports). It is a type of information system that produces standardized reports in a brief and structured way. Supports the management of mid-range personnel. They differ from the transaction processing systems in which the former assist or maintain the database, while the management information system actually makes use of the database. It may require administration of the database that integrates the databases of the different departments. Mid-level personnel generally require summary information originating in different functional units. It is capable of producing predetermined reports, with a previously determined format that always presents the same type of content.

There are three common categories of reports in every organization. Periodic reports, which occur at regular time intervals, for example, monthly sales reports.

The exception reports, which indicate unusual events, for example, a report that shows that the sale of a certain item is far above the forecasts. The reports on request, which are made by express request, for example, number of employees, of female sex, in a determined age range; it is a report that is not required with

periodicity, but in an occasional situation, like the evaluation for the hiring of a medical insurance for the employees.