UNIVERSITY
OF CAPE COAST
COLLEGE
OF DISTANCE EDUCATION
MBA2014/2015
MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEMS- ASSIGNMENT 1
PARAPHASED
SUMMARY OF CHAPTER SIX OF LAUDON AND
LAUDON MIS ON “FOUNDATION OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: DATABASES AND INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT”
NAME:
KAREN KRAAH BIO
INDEX
NUMBER: SB/DHR/14/0056
EMAIL
ADDRESS:biokaren2011@gmail.com
BLOG
ADDRESS: Kraah1979.bogspot.com
CHAPTER 6
THE
ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRADITIONAL FILE ENIVIROMENT AND ITS IMPACT
For information to be
useful, the users need the information to be accurate, current, and relevant to
their needs. Data management is
important to insure that the information is relevant and accurate. Most businesses have poorly organized
information systems and the files are not arranged in any other that it is
useful and timely. There are four file organization concepts. File is a group of records of the same
type. Record is a group of related
fields. Fields is a group of characters
into a word and it usually describes a person, place or thing.
A number of problems
can arise with the traditional file environment if different departments
maintain files separately. First the
data can be redundant which means that duplicated data is in multiple
files. Second the data can be
inconsistent meaning that the same elements have various values and
meaning. Third the data can be
program-data dependent, which means changes in the program requires a change in
the data that accompanies such programs.
Lack of flexibility, lack of data sharing, and poor security are among
other problems.
THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE DATABASE SYSTEM IN THE ENVIRONMENT
The database help to
put data in one place and eliminates most of the problems of the traditional
file organization. The database is a
collection of data organized to serve many applications efficiently by centralizing
the data and controlling redundant data.
The database management system helps applications and physical data
files interface with each other. The
database management system helps to control redundancy, it eliminates
inconsistency, it breaks up program and data, and it allows organization to
manage data and keep data secure from a centralized area.
THE
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF DATABASE IN
THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
There are different
types of database management systems such as relational database management
system, object-oriented database system and finally databases in the
cloud. Relational database management
system represents data as two-dimensional tables called relations. The table is made up of rows and
columns. The three basic operations to
develop useful sets of data to select, join and project. Object-oriented
database management system stores data procedures that act on those data as
objects that can be automatically retrieved and shared. Database systems setup in the cloud does not
give the function of the database systems that are located in the house.
There are many
capabilities of database management systems such as data definition
capabilities; data dictionary, data manipulation language and most database can
generate reports for review. Designing
databases can be a challenge because they need to be able to understand the
relationship with the data. Designing the database requires a conceptual design
and a physical design. By going through
the designing process relationships among data are seen and it also allows time
to group data in such a way as to benefit the business needs. Designing
databases helps the organization to normalize the database so it is most
efficient for the business needs.
If the database is
really large special tools are needed to analyze the massive quantities of
data. Data ware housing, data marts and
tools for accessing internal databases through the internet are some programs
used to analyze large databases. Data
warehousing stores current and historical data can be of interest to decision
makers in the company. Data warehouse
systems can provide analysis, query and reports. Data marts are a subsets of data warehouse
that summaries a part of the data for specific users. Data marts mainly focus on a single are of
the business. There are a few tools that
can be used to analyze large volumes of data such as online analytical
processing, data mining, text mining, web mining just to mention a few.
HOW
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DATABASE HAS HELP SET THE RIGHT STANDAR OF DOING THINGS
Establishing an
information policy allows a firm to set up rules, procedures and roles for
sharing, managing and standardizing data.
Within the information policy we are introduced of data administration,
data governance and data administration, data governance and database
administration. Also by setting up
information policy with a food designed database will help ensure excellent
data quality. To help ensure good quality data that is wrong needs to be
corrected and steps should be taken to make sure all data put in is correct and
accurate. This is where data quality audit
is most useful. Data quality audit is a
structured survey of the accuracy and level of completeness of the data in the
information system. Data cleansing is software used to detect and correct
incorrect, incomplete, inappropriately formatted or redundant data
UNIVERSITY
OF CAPE COAST
COLLEGE
OF DISTANCE EDUCATION
MBA2014/2015
MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEMS- ASSIGNMENT 2
PARAPHASED
SUMMARY OF CHAPTER FOUR OF LAUDON AND LAUDON MIS ON “ETHICAL AND SOCAIL ISSUES
IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS”
NAME:
KAREN KRAAH BIO
INDEX
NUMBER: SB/DHR/14/0056
EMAIL
ADDRESS:biokaren2011@gmail.com
BLOG
ADDRESS: Kraah1979.bogspot.com
Chapter 4: ETHICAL AND
SOCIAL ISSUES IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Information systems raise new and often-perplexing ethical problems. This is more true today because of the challenges posed by the internet and electronic commerce to the protection of privacy and intellectual property. Other ethical issues raised by widespread use of information systems include establishing accountability for the consequences of information systems, setting standards to safeguard systems quality that protect the safety of individuals and society, and preserving values and instructions considered essential to quality of life in an information society.
Other pressing ethical issues raised by information systems include establishing accountability for the consequences of information systems, setting standards to safeguard system quality that protect the safety of the individual and society, and preserving values and institutions considered essential to the quality of life in an information society.
Ethics in information Technology is a concern of humans who have freedom of choice. Ethics is about individual choice: When faced with alternative courses of action, what is the correct moral choice? What are the main features of ethical choice? Ethical choices are decisions made by individuals who are responsible for the consequences of their actions. Responsibility is a key element of ethical action. Responsibility means that you accept the potential costs, duties, and
obligations for the decisions you make. Accountability is a feature of systems and social institutions: It means that mechanisms are in place to determine who took responsible action, who is responsible. Systems and institutions in which it is impossible to find out who took what action are inherently incapable of ethical analysis or ethical action. Liability extends the concept of responsibility further to the area of laws.
ETHICAL ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
These basic concepts form the underpinning of an ethical analysis of information systems and those who manage them. First, information technologies are filtered through social institutions, organizations, and individuals. Systems do not have impacts by themselves. Whatever information system impacts exist are products of institutional, organizational, and individual actions and behaviors. Second, responsibility for the consequences of technology falls clearly on the institutions, organizations, and individual managers who choose to use the technology. Using information technology in a socially responsible manner means that you can and will be held accountable for the consequences of your actions. Third, in an ethical, political society, individuals and others can recover damages done to them through a set of laws characterized by due process.
Information systems raise new and often-perplexing ethical problems. This is more true today because of the challenges posed by the internet and electronic commerce to the protection of privacy and intellectual property. Other ethical issues raised by widespread use of information systems include establishing accountability for the consequences of information systems, setting standards to safeguard systems quality that protect the safety of individuals and society, and preserving values and instructions considered essential to quality of life in an information society.
MEANING
OF ETHICS
Ethics refers to the
principles of right and wrong of individuals acting as free moral agents; use
to make choices to guide their behaviours.
Information systems raised new ethical question for both individuals and
societies because they create opportunities for intense social change, and thus
threaten existing distribution of power, money, rights and obligation. Like
other technologies such as team engines, electricity, the telephone, and the
radio, information technology can be used to achieve social progress, but it
can also be used to commit crimes and threatens cherished social values. The
development of information technology will produce benefits for many and costs
for others.Other pressing ethical issues raised by information systems include establishing accountability for the consequences of information systems, setting standards to safeguard system quality that protect the safety of the individual and society, and preserving values and institutions considered essential to the quality of life in an information society.
HOW
ETHIC, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES ARE LIKED IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Ethical, social and
political issues are closely linked. The five moral dimensions of the
information age is as follows; information rights and obligation, property
rights and obligation, accountability and control, system quality and quality
of life.
A
new data analysis technology called nonobvious
relationship awareness (NORA) has given both the government and
the private sector even more powerful profiling capabilities. NORA can
take information about people from many disparate sources, such as
employment applications, telephone records, customer listings, and
“wanted” lists, and correlate relationships to find obscure hidden connections
that might help identify criminals or terrorists.
NORA TECHNOLOGY
NORA
technology scans data and extracts information as the data are being generated
so that it could, for example, instantly discover a man at an airline ticket
counter who shares a phone number with a known terrorist before that
person boards an airplane. The technology is considered a valuable tool for
homeland security but does have privacy implications because it can provide
such a detailed picture of the activities and associations of a single
individual.
The
development of global digital communication networks widely available to
individuals and businesses poses many ethical and social concerns. Who will
account for the flow of information over these networks?
Ethics in information Technology is a concern of humans who have freedom of choice. Ethics is about individual choice: When faced with alternative courses of action, what is the correct moral choice? What are the main features of ethical choice? Ethical choices are decisions made by individuals who are responsible for the consequences of their actions. Responsibility is a key element of ethical action. Responsibility means that you accept the potential costs, duties, and
obligations for the decisions you make. Accountability is a feature of systems and social institutions: It means that mechanisms are in place to determine who took responsible action, who is responsible. Systems and institutions in which it is impossible to find out who took what action are inherently incapable of ethical analysis or ethical action. Liability extends the concept of responsibility further to the area of laws.
ETHICAL ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
These basic concepts form the underpinning of an ethical analysis of information systems and those who manage them. First, information technologies are filtered through social institutions, organizations, and individuals. Systems do not have impacts by themselves. Whatever information system impacts exist are products of institutional, organizational, and individual actions and behaviors. Second, responsibility for the consequences of technology falls clearly on the institutions, organizations, and individual managers who choose to use the technology. Using information technology in a socially responsible manner means that you can and will be held accountable for the consequences of your actions. Third, in an ethical, political society, individuals and others can recover damages done to them through a set of laws characterized by due process.
PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL RULES
There
are ethical principles or rules which helps us to take decision and it include- Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
- Putting yourself into the place of others, and thinking of yourself as the objectof the decision, can help you think about fairness in decision making.
- Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative :If an action is not right for everyone to take, it is not right for anyone
- Descartes’ rule of change: If an action cannot be taken repeatedly, it is not right to take at all
- Utilitarian Principle: Take the action that achieves the higher or greater value. This rule assumes you can prioritize values in a rank order and understand the consequences of various courses of action.
- Risk Aversion Principle : Take the action that produces the least harm or the least potential cost
- Ethical “no free lunch” rule: Assume that virtually all tangible and intangible objects are owned by someone else unless there is a specific declaration otherwise If something someone else has created is useful to you, it has value, and you should assume the creator wants compensation for this work.
CHALLENGES TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Contemporary
information systems have severely challenged existing law and social practices
that protect private intellectual property. Intellectual property is considered to be intangible property
created by individuals or corporations. Information technology has made it
difficult to protect intellectual property because computerized information can
be so easily copied or distributed on networks. Intellectual property is
subject to a variety of protections under three different legal traditions:
trade secrets, copyright, and patent law.
There
are challenges that Contemporary information technologies, especially software,
pose severe challenges to existing intellectual property regimes and, therefore,
create significant ethical, social, and political issues. Digital media differ
from physical media like books, periodicals, CDs, and newspapers in terms of
ease of replication; ease of transmission; ease of alteration; difficulty in
classifying a software work as a program, book, or even music;
compactness—making theft easy; and difficulties in establishing uniqueness.
HANDS
ON MIS
The
projects in this section give you hands-on experience in developing aprivacy
policy for a real-world company, using Web page development tools to design and
create a simple Web site, and using Internet newsgroups for market research.