Chapter 1: The Modern Organization Functioning in a Global Environment

I have learned many concepts and information from this chapter about business processes and business process management, business pressures. I summarized them as follows:

A business process is a collection of related activities that produce a product or a service of value to the organization, its business partners, and/or its customers.
 
Business process management is a management technique that includes methods and tools to support the design, analysis, implementation, management, and optimization of business processes.
 
Data Item: Elementary description of things, events, activities and transactions that are recorded, classified and stored but are not organized to convey any specific meaning.
 
Information: Data organized so that they have meaning and value to the recipient.
 
Knowledge: Data and/or information organized and processed to convey understanding, experience, accumulated learning and expertise as they apply to a current problem or activity.
 
Information Technology Architecture: A high-level map or plan of the information assets in an organization, which guides current operations and is a blueprint for future directions.

Information Technology Infrastructure: The physical facilities, IT components, IT services and management that support an entire organization.

IT components consist of hardware, software, telecommunications and networks, and wireless communications.
 
IT services consist of data management, managing security and risk, and systems development.
 
IT infrastructure consists of IT components, IT personnel, and IT services.


We are in a convergence of three powerful, technological forces: 
      (1) Cheap and ubiquitous computing devices
      (2) Low-cost, high bandwidth
      (3) Open standards

The business environment is the combination of social, legal, economic, physical, and political factors that affect business activities.

The three types of business pressures faced are: market, technology, and societal pressures.

The importance of Information Systems:
(1) Information systems and information technologies are integral to our lives
(2) Information systems offer career opportunities.
(3) Information systems are used by all functional areas in an organization.

Misinformation about Information Systems Career Opportunities:
 
Myth #1: There are no computing jobs.
Myth #2: There will be no IT jobs when I graduate.
Myth #3: All IT-related jobs are moving offshore.
Myth #4: IT salaries are lower due to cheap overseas labor.