Information systems in the World around us

Thursday 15 May 2014

Importance of Information Systems

Introduction

Welcome to our Blog! You're about to get enchanted to the world of systems. In this blog you will explore more about Information systems! Not too sure about what that is? No worries because you're about to find out! You will be amazed on how they are important in our everyday lives. You will get knowledge on how they play a big role in changing our lives and just how much impact they have. Excited yet? There’s more! We have a page for you about The Digital Divide and some interesting statistics about it.

This blog communicates the importance of information systems around us and how we function with the help of these systems in our everyday lives. We will discuss the different functions performed by information systems in the different sectors of society, how they have improved with time, how they are used in the world today and how they will continue to be incorporated into our lives more and more in the future. It is by no surprise that mankind has become more dependent on Information Systems as time progresses because these Information Systems allow for more efficiency in the functionality of our human race.

It's time for you to pop your eyes out and scroll away!

Information Systems in Chemical Industry

Author: Clement Khoza
732105

Introduction

Information Systems (IS) is applied throughout various industries around the world. It allows an individual to gather, organize, store, retrieve and share information that is the specific to others. This is by the use of software (apps) and hardware’s (devices). It is often important to realize that the important part of IS is that it involves groups of people working together to achieve a goal(s). We will focus mainly on Chemical Industry- thus Information Systems in Chemical Industries.

The Chemical industry

The chemical industry uses information technology to streamline the delivery of products and services. Reliable information technology is key to engineering new scientific and chemical developments, managing the supply chain, executing processes in plants, maintaining productivity in offices, storing employee benefit and payroll information and securing business and manufacturing control systems. The chemical industry is characterized by a large number of chemical processes such as chemical reactions and riffing. Information system and its applications are useful in all areas including the enterprise system management, supply chain management, asset chain management, sales management, etc.

Though other people may be disadvantaged when coming to IS, the digital divide, for example, which is the economic inequality between groups in terms of access to the use or the knowledge of information and communication technologies. Nevertheless, here we will specifically look at the advantages that IS bring to business, in this case the chemical industry.

Decreasing process cost

Chemical industry is designated by a comprehensive number of transactions, many of them of substantial value. Especially for basic chemical industry, where its major potential is to increase profit by minimizing cost. Trying to arrange separate amounts of numerical data a chemical industry for multiple services can be time-consuming, thus IS is an efficient tool in this industry.

Extend the market

Using internet and e-commerce on large e-market places (e.g. Elemica, www.elemica.com) increases the industry’s visibility to its partners and customers.

Spreading up information flows

The benefit here comes from the accelerated information generation and delivery. Depending in the activity, this can be research and development or trials of various products and processes, or the speed of reaction to customer enquiries and orders, especially the speed of fulfilling the orders.

For more information you can visit the following links…

varbanov@cpi.uni-panninia.hu
www.technology.blurtit.com

smallbusiness.com

References
Dr Petar Varbanov (2013)Information Technology (IT) in chemical industry.
Available: www.dcs.vein.hu/heckl/web/.../files/It-Chem-Industry-Lecture-Notes.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE FILM INDUSTRY

By: Shelly Zinyama

Student number:885922

Information systems have led to a more realistic experience in films. The film industry has developed in a way that filmmakers can achieve a lot more by doing a lot less, as opposed to previous years. This is because of the technological advancements of the tools and techniques they use.

From sound recording to editing, to cameras, one can easily see that film making technology has become a lot more sophisticated. Filmmakers are no longer limited by the inability of their old tools to perform certain functions. They can now let their imagination run wild and tell their stories in a way that makes it easy for their viewers to relate to.

Limited time for production and extremely high costs are some of the reasons behind the creation of some effective tools. One example of an effective tool is the walkie-talkie. The walkie-talkie acts as a tool for communication for most crew members on a film set.

There are also off-set information systems that are used during film production. Examples of these off-set information systems are emails and telephones that are used to notify the rest of the crew of any changes. A film production is always changing and there is always limited time which is why there is a need for these information systems.

The downside of these information systems entering the film industry is that many people are losing their jobs. Back then it used to take three people to operate a camera. Nowadays, only one person is required. Many people are left jobless because pf these innovations that do the work twice as quick without any difficulties.

With the rate at which technology is moving, we can only expect to see more improvements in the film industry. This industry is continuously improving and we can only expect to see greater things.

References:

The complete film production handbook; Eve Honthaner; 2010

www.ehow.com/list-6777587-information-systems-movie-industry.html

By Ryan A.Piccirillo 2011.

Information Systems in Globalization

Author: Kagisano Ntuli(940299)

The role of Information Systems in Globalization plays huge role in the emergence of ever-evolving technologies of the 21^st century. Firstly I’d like to explain what Globalization is : it is the process by which businesses and / other organizations express their development on the world’s platform. In other words it’s the process where businesses’ integrate and share views / experiences and give advice.

However, Information Systems and Globalisation is a powerful tool that allows us to share ideas, opinions, concepts etc. on a global stage at a much faster pace using state-of-the-art technology. Furthermore I’d like to elaborate on the importance of the two concepts (IS and Globalization). It provides the platform of worldwide communication and working together from nations apart just by using components of Information Systems such as emails and social networks.

Information System has influenced Globalization in a tremendous way in terms of impacting various cultures by the browsing of the web (giving forth valuable information to citizens) and most importantly where leading economies benefit most. This leads to efficiency among states and breeds to profitability from big economies of state.

An important feature is that technology is becoming more a centre of our lives, businesses’ and education because we rely technology to help us achieve our objectives (mentioned above such as inter-country communication and state collaboration).

Therefore with reference to the above information, it is evident that Information Systems and Globalization work hand-in-hand to provide efficiency, reliability and profitability in the world.

References

1. http://www.ukessays.com/essays/information-systems/information-systems-and-globalisation.php

2. Introductions to Information Systems lecture slides 2014

Information Systems in Healthcare

By: Benxa Zingisa (789715)

Information systems in healthcare exist to capture, store, process and communicate timely information to decision makers for better coordination of healthcare at both the individual and population. The role of information systems in healthcare involves the monitoring of errors, and the monitoring of private information about a patient’s health.

Those in healthcare organizations must pay a closer look to detail. They have the responsibility to maintain, update and secure all of a patient’s healthcare information.

Our lives are at a stake of life and death. Therefore, healthcare information systems influences the quality of our lives and how we do in society. Errors that occur in medical centres are more likely than not that they can affect our lives permanently in such a way that one could be disabled and not be able to engage in things, such as sport or go to work rather. Our social lives could change even. The cause would be the result of medical errors in healthcare organisations and could possibly cost our lives.

At the population level, the failure to control infectious diseases can cause public health issues. Therefore, healthcare quality is highly recommended and is closely looked at, and information systems can facilitate such pursuit by highlighting and monitoring errors of various stages along the continuum of care.

Healthcare information is highly confidential. As a result, any transfer of information via technology involves risks, both perceived or actual and the information could end up to the wrong people. Although securing information electronically can be an advantage, it could also be a disadvantage because it has a likelihood of leakage, as a result media can get hold of the health information of other people.

In conclusion, information systems have a potential to reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes and people’s health has improved drastically because healthcare centres are keeping up with the ever changing technology or systems.

References:

http://dispatchhealthcare.co.uk/dump/The%20Role%20of%20Info%20Sys%20in%20Healthcare.pdf

Information Systems in Agriculture.

Author : Kgati Amon Sibuthuma
Student Number: 786881

WHAT IS AGRICULTURE?

It is the science of farming, which includes cultivation of the soil for growing crops, the rearing of animals to provide food, wool and other products essential to our lives.

Information Systems is very important in agriculture because farmers need to know what is happening to their farms. Farmers need to obtain, process financial, technological, climatic information to manage and regulate their farms. In order for farmers to obtain the information they need to make decisions regarding their farms/ businesses they need resources that will enable them to gather the information. They will need the internet, computers to store the information and software components (News24 and other relevant applications) to know about the weather, to know about the minerals they need to grow their pants, the food their animals need, the amount of water their plants and animals need. They also need information systems to help them collect data about their productivity, and the profit they are making.

As information systems is basically the collection, process and storage of data, one cannot separate information systems and agriculture as the two are inter-dependent on each other, without information systems farmers would struggle to find the relevant information about their farms and on the other hand without agriculture, information systems would not be functional. Information systems is there to help people with whatever they want to know or find, The agricultural world is faster these days because of information systems.

As technology increases, the resources that enable farmers to gather information and make decisions increases and farmers are able to produce food, wool, etc.

Information systems in agriculture is as important

as the human heart to us humans.

REFERENCE:

http://www.lighthouseis.com/agriculture-information-systems/useis.com/agriculture-information-systems/

http://www.commerce.uct.ac.za/InformationSystems/

Information Systems in Modern Warfare

By: Zenande Mkhankanyeli

Modern warfare is the armed conflict between two nations or a group of people. Information system have affected states, societies and individuals, it brought up new types of communications such as the internet which contributed in modern warfare. Information technology have a magnificent role in changes in modern warfare as” technology ideas changes”.

Nowadays the term “battlefield” is being replaced by “battle space” since space and cyberspace actually have become new type of frontier in which each of the opposing side rushes get and retain their superiority.

METHODS OF WAGING WAR

In recent decades, warfare has undergone dramatic changes of the use of the tanks, aircraft, ground-troops and defence systems to be replaced by firing of binary digits across a vastly different battle field than in decades past

INFORMATION WARFARE

Information and information technology determines weapon’s precision. Today information is regarded as the weapon as a result of the greater development in technology and how it made information to be shared faster compared decades past. According to Alterman et al (page 81) the aspect of IW “Involve the use of information systems to deny, exploit or destroy an adversary’s information while protecting one’s own.

Information facilities such as the network may fold influence on individual, societies and state. The effectiveness of conducting psychological operations is so high to conquer the enemy without crossing the boundary.

It is expected that the continuous information technology development will further the reliance on high-tech equipment in warfare. In the future, less expensive, more capable and lighter sensors will support networking intelligence-quality sensors in the battle.

REFFERENCES
http://impactofinformationsystemsonsociety.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/information-technology-and-modern-warfare-2012-update/

Altermal et al 2008[page 81]

http://impactofinformationsystemsonsociety.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/information-technology-and-modern-warfare-2013-update/

http://books.google.co.za/books?id=OPJaVTxOY48C&dq=information+technology+and+modern+warfare+2010&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mxN2U_TdKKyg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcm-OlcLe9o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG0JzsYUfLE