Information Concepts

Turning data into information is a process as we know but the process is not always the same, it can be very simple or take a little analysis or can even be down by a computer.  Every minute of the day we are processing data into information whether it be hearing the alarm and knowing it's time to get up or at work viewing the reports and determining that the sales are down.  They are both taking data and turning it into information, the buzzing of the alarm is the data and our brain turns it into the information that it is 6 am and at work the data is the sales from last week, $600, and the sales from this week, $300, then turning that data into the information that sales are down by $300.  But always remember "Information consists of data, but data is not necessarily information." [1]

    Yes we can all turn data into information but in order to know what the information means we need some knowledge to understand what the information is providing for us.    In  "Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom" by Gene Bellinger, Durval Castro, Anthony Mills they provide and example about give sequence of data by the 4th piece of data I new they were talking about a refrigerator.  As I continued to read the data it only confirmed the information I had concluded but what they said next was very interesting.  "If you lived in a society that had never seen a refrigerator you might still be scratching your head as to what the sequence of statements referred to".  [2] And this is very true if someone who did not know what a refrigerator was would not have been able to determine what that data was telling them.  All in all an individual in order to understand and turn the data into information will need some knowledge of the data.

  Data can also be turned into information very easily by a computer and use of the Internet.  The best example is google.  Now think of a time when you a in your car driving around and this new song comes on that you love and you tell yourself you have to remember the name when you get home so you can buy it.  Well of course if you are like me you never remember.  But luckily when this happens to me I at least remember a few words from the song.  With the words I can go to google type them in with quotes and seconds later the search engine gives me the name, artist, all the lyrics, and even the video on YouTube.  This is a prime example of turning data into information.

"Both data and information are types of knowledge or something used to attain knowledge...data in a meaningful form is information." [3] It's all relative with out one we can't have another when it comes to data, information, and knowledge.  We need all three to make the whole process work and run smoothly.


   
Works Cited
[1] "Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom." Helping Preservice and Inservice PreK-12 Teachers Learn about Computer Technology. Web. 07 Sept. 2011. .

[2] Bellinger, Gene, Durval Castro, and Anthony Mills. "Data, Information, Knowledge, & Wisdom." Mental Model Musings. 2004. Web. 07 Sept. 2011. .

[3] "Difference Between Data and Information | Difference Between | Data vs Information." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. Web. 07 Sept. 2011. .

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Analyzing Value of an IS

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) are used by all companies because it’s used to record business transactions.  Its value to a company is that it performs major tasks in the areas of payroll, inventory, invoices, and supplies.  These types of transactions used to be done by a person but now they are done by a TPS.  The payroll systems was one of the earlier systems brought into the business world.  At first the system dealt with very routine and easy tasks then the system was adapted to do more with the information it was provided.  The main components of the payroll system are the input, the processing, and the output.  In the beginning the input was the hourly pay rate of the employee and the number of hours the employee worked that week.  They system would process the information and the output would be the employees paycheck.  Over time the system was upgraded and it was now able to take the information it was given about the employee and produced reports that were needed by agencies such as the IRS.  But the TPS is also of great value to a company in its inventory management, they need to see what the customer is demanding.  The inventory management system starts off with the amount of each product that has been made and has been shipped to your store or stores.  When a customer purchases a product that information is sent to the inventory system and the output is how many the company now has left in stores.  The system will also provided feedback as too what is still on the shelves and what is selling fast so the company can either choose to slow production or increase production of a product.  Both of these TPSs are vital to a company and its success.

Value Chain

The value chain for my new internet business begins with upstream management.  This includes acquiring an assortment of CDs to begin my site.  I am plan on getting them from my own personal collection and purchasing them from other places as well.  The CDs will be stored in my room.   Once I have the materials to begin selling I need to produce my internet site and get it running.  After production comes the downstream management.  The CDs will be organized in my room and assigned a number so when someone wants to purchase one it will be easy to find.  To get the CDS to a customer I plan on using USPS flat rate shipping boxes, so he customer will be able to track their package.  Also when I buy a CD from a customer I will suggest using the same shipping method and include shipping fees in my price for the CD.  In order to get my name out I will advertise on Facebook as well as word of mouth through my customers.  Prices of the products will be based on the quality and popularity of a CD same with buying a CD.  Also will offer promotions sometimes like buy one get one half off.  Customer service will be via email, having a contact email with any thoughts or concerns for the customer.  Also providing a discount if someone has a bad experience for their next purchase to keep them coming back.

Hardware/Software

Using an iphone like device to ring up and check out customers. They use this software and hardware at the Apple store. This hardware/software allows for the associate to scan the barcode of the products being purchased and if the customer pays credit they have a swipe attached to the phone. Then the store provides wither a printed receipt or the option to email it to you. The lines in your store are eliminated and the fast transactions provide more focus on the customer and higher sales. One CEO who tried this out said, “the retailer benefited by not losing customers to long checkout lines, giving cashiers the opportunity to instead assist customers.” [1]
Video chat software to communicate on the go and see what is happening through out your company. “ Videoconferencing on hand-held mobile devices…is being used in industries such as manufacturing…Live, visual interaction removes traditional restrictions of distance and time, often in locations previously unreachable, such as a manufacturing plant floor a continent away.” [2] This is great software to you especially if your company is nationally it takes time to fly places. But with video chat it is possible to see everything that is going on through out your company at any time.
Using a tablet/ipad in retail store to communicate floor set plans, these plans are used by associates to set up the sales floor for a new theme or products. By using this piece of hardware the home offices have an instant connection with their stores and can provide faster updates to the stores. Also keeps the stores more organized the less paper the better for knowing where everything is.
There is currently software available that allows a person to access their desktop computer on their mobile phone or tablet. This helps when you are out in the field or at a meeting and need to access a file on your computer that you may have forgotten or known you needed. The icloud is one great example of this more for a smaller company. “iCloud is so much more than a hard drive in the sky. It’s the effortless way to access just about everything on all your devices. iCloud stores your content so it’s always accessible from your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac, or PC.* It gives you instant access to your music, apps, latest photos, and more. And it keeps your email, contacts, and calendars up to date across all your devices. No syncing required. No management required. In fact, no anything required. iCloud does it all for you.” [3]
Works Cited
[1]"IPhone App Scans Product Barcodes for Self-Checkout at Stores." Social Media News and Web Tips â €“ Mashable â €“ The Social Media Guide . Web. 21 Sept. 2011. <http://mashable.com/2010/10/27/aislebuyer/>.
[3]"ICloud Stores Your Content and Pushes It to Your Devices." Apple. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. <http://www.apple.com/icloud/what-is.html>.
[2]"Videoconferencing." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videoconferencing#Impact_on_business>.

Systems

Information systems are used everyday in businesses.  The information systems are used “for the purpose of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of that organization.”[1] The retail industry is an industry which benefits from the information systems because it is such a fast paced work environment the systems help the store run more efficiently and at its best.  In retail there are many systems including systems that generate a weekly schedule, calculate payroll with a clock in/out system, system to provide customer feedback, and a system for inventory management.  In order for a company to succeed they must have customers to support them. 
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a very important system used by companies to get to know there client base better and make adjustments accordingly.  “The purpose of CRM is improved proximity to clients to respond to their needs and turn them into loyal customers” [2] Customer feedback is the best way to see how a company is perceived by their customers.  In retail they use customer surveys to accomplish this.  They have the customer’s call, complete an automated survey and then the system provides a report summarizing how the customers experienced the store.  If the store is receiving low marks they need to work on things and over time they can track their progress by if the scores are improving or not.  The store should also see an improvement in their sales because when the company begins to see the needs and then meet the needs of their customers they become loyal and will return and continue to spend their money.

This is where the inventory management systems come in they are used to make sure when the customers comes into the store we have what they want but with out having and abundance that could tie up company money or slow production.  If inventory is not managed properly companies will have unhappy customers and ultimately lower sales.  “Inventory management systems must have the ability to track sales and available inventory, communicate with suppliers in near real-time and receive and incorporate other data, such as seasonal demand…And, they must tell a storeowner when it's time to reorder and how much to purchase.”[3] It is tricky but they systems make this process much smoother because they can use the information from past and present sales to predict future sales making the decision for management on how to stock their shelves properly.  These systems help keep customers happy by providing them with what they want and not running out of products and keeping up sales.

Customers and inventory are both what keeps companies in business.  Managing both is not an easy task it takes the help of systems analyzing data to help guide these companies to make the right decisions to keep sales up.  Plus companies have many other factors besides the customer and inventory management they also have to oversee production of products and many more.  This is why systems like the above are so important because it helps the company run more efficiently.

[1]  "Information Systems." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_systems#Definition>.

[2] "Customer RelationShip Management (CRM) - Kioskea.net." Kioskea - Computing Community. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://en.kioskea.net/contents/entreprise/crm.php3>.

[3] "HowStuffWorks "How Inventory Management Systems Work"" HowStuffWorks "Business & Money" Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://money.howstuffworks.com/how-inventory-management-systems-work.htm>.