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MANAGEMENT FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS Today there are a lot of current trends and challenges in information management. The digital world is the linking of people, decisions, tasks and processes via computers and computers with other computers. Cyberspace represents the real time transmitting and sharing of text, voice, graphics, video and the like over a variety of computer-based networks. Information system users should be involved in the design process. Their input gives system designers an accurate picture of current work flows, costs, and time requirements for various functions. This input helps in the identification of current operational inefficiencies that the new system should correct.
The effective implementation of new information systems usually requires strong visible support from management. Like any major organizational change effort, information technology applications must involve managers in order to succeed. Without their support, information technology is less likely to be integrated into the organization. A strategic information system planning involving top management is essential to foster a positive attitude toward system development from the beginning.
A thorough evaluation of time and cost requirements is necessary. The development of new information systems usually requires more time and costs more than anticipated. During the initial development stages, predicting these requirements accurately is difficult. However, management initially should have some idea of the cost of not improving the organizations information system. The impact of ignoring a trend could lead to increased costs and inefficiency. Time and costs will not be projected.
That is why any significant new technology normally should be introduced in phases. A new information system should not be turned on one day and the old system abandoned at the same time. Too many things can and will go wrong. By implementing the system in phases, problems owing to design glitches and unforeseen events can be managed. Software problems can be resolved before employees become too dependent on the system. For example, there are several advantages of modern document delivery/ administration methods over the old traditional print job methods.
Using modern document delivery methods, print jobs or applicable parts of the jobs can be delivered to the right locations, people, web sites, faxes, e-mails or printers. This technology saves time, network resources, consumables and training. If there is problem along the way, it can be tracked down to a place, time, printer and page so it can be resolved quickly. This technology provides confirmation of job delivery and more importantly job completion.
Jobs can also be encrypted in order to ensure the security of data and information. Weaknesses in Current Capabilities First, it is expensive to print and then distribute large volumes of reports which are often used for reference or for specific information found on few pages of large reports. Secondly, the model of centrally printing, then distributing reports is too slow in todays business climate. Business processes were being delayed while the knowledge worker waited for the report they needed to complete their assigned task. Technical Challenge The main technical challenge the company faces is that their financial reports were created in a mainframe environment. The reports were then distributed in a very traditional way; and were centrally printed and manually distributed around the company, both locally, regionally, and nationally.
Keeping track of interim report versions, and ensuring proper security of those interim versions proved to be very challenging. The cost of producing these reports strains the companys IT budget, both in terms of paper, direct printer costs (including acquisition and maintenance) printer supplies and in terms of personnel costs associated with the delivering of reports around the company. The current print and distribute approach was a hindrance in terms of getting their reports out to knowledge workers in an efficient and timely fashion. REFERENCES OM Overview. Accessed 16 May 2006 at: web OM User Manual.
Accessed 16 May 2006 at: web Lexmark. Accessed 16 May 2006 at: web
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Research essay sample on Management For Information Systems
