Entries in the Category "301"
Palm Pilot's Effect on E-Business
The business world is relies on Information Technology (IT) now more than ever. As I referred to last week, the Point of Sale system is one example of how an Information System (IS) is used to run a business. It tracks inventory, regulates employee actions, and allows the business to flow smoothly. This week I would like to talk about another system that allows business men/women to communicate quickly and efficiently with each other through the course of each separate business day. This system is referred to as a Palm Pilot Handheld Business Device. The Palm Pilot is a handheld, e-business pocketbook that allows users to do multiple actions. The first thing the Palm Pilot allows users to perform is daily scheduling. Business men/women can schedule each event they will be undertaking on a particular business day and assign alerts that notify them when the next upcoming event is occurring. This allows them to be on time and prepared to tackle any business problem. The second action users can perform on the Palm Pilot is internet research. For instance, stock brokers on Wall Street can use a Palm Pilot to receive flowing stock quotes while on the floor of Wall Street, on a lunch break, or basically anywhere. This allows owners of the Palm Pilot to accomplish more jobs throughout the day because they aren’t forced to sit behind a desk and search the Internet when they could be attracting new clients or placing more stock orders on Wall Street. The final action Palm Pilot users can take part in is communication with other Palm users. If an important business decision must be made or a hot stock is available, one user can interactively relay the important message to another through the Palm Pilot. Palm Pilot allows users to connect with the e-business world at a fast pace.
E-business is another topic I would like to discuss this week. E-business (electronic business) refers to any business that is conducted using electronic media. The Palm Pilot ties in directly with e-business. For instance, a Palm Pilot user needs to purchase a new sound system for his/her dorm room. He/She can access E-bay through the Palm Pilot’s Internet system, order the item, and expect it to be delivered with two weeks via UPS. There was no telephone usage or direct contact between the seller and the buyer. Both used electronic media (Palm Pilot) to process and place the transaction. Another example involves the purchase of new stock. A Palm Pilot user views a hot stock pick, wants to purchase, but has no access to a computer. He/She pulls their Palm Pilot out, places the stock order, and receives confirmation of the stock purchase via email. E-business is on the rise especially with Palm Pilots and Cellular Phones with internet access. As E-business continues to improve and expand, direct customer to seller contact will continue to decrease. E-business is a fast paced, more efficient way of handling/managing any type of business.
The Point of Sale Information System/Intro. to MIDS
IT (Information Technology) can be good or bad. If used to run a business, communicate with clients, or analyze a company's budget, IT is considered to be beneficial. However, when used to hack into someone's checking account or tresspass another's facebook account IT can be considered bad. IT and IS are tools that aid the world in communicating with each other at a fast pace. Whether it's email, cellular phones, or any other information system, IT keeps the world connected. IT, when used in the correct manner, is continuing to expand and has proven to be beneficial.
MIDS class has already begun to allow me the chance to become more technologically inclined and prepared for business communication. In class, we have got off to a quick start discussing many topics including different information systems and networks.
Information systems collect, analyze, store, and process information for a specific purpose. We have covered many different types of information systems in class. Expert (credit card analysis), office automation (Microsoft Office), and supply chain (POS system) are some direct examples of different information systems. The information system that appeals to me is the supply chain management system that manages the flow of products, services, and information among organizations. An example of this information system is a Point of Sale system used at my father's Ohio Beer and Wine Shoppe in Zanesville, Ohio. The POS system tracks inventory, pay-outs to retailers, and employee actions while on the clock. For instance, when a twenty-four pack of beer is purchased, the touch-screen POS system lists the price, serves as a cash register, and lets the manager know exactly how many twenty-four packs are available on hand after the current sale. This is a benefit that a basic cash register fails to bring to a business. Also, a POS system allows the owner to ensure him/her self that each worker is reliable and trustworthy. Overall, this supply chain management system allows the owner to increase efficiency and decrease inventory overhead. Another interesting term we covered in class has to do with network terminology. Local Area Network (LAN) is a peer-peer, bus network that connects devices with each other over a limited geographical region (a building). This serves of relevance to me because of where I currently live. Living in an apartment allows me to view two or three different LAN's with the eventual chance of choosing the fastest, safest one. When I attempt to pick up a wireless network signal, I receive multiple different ones from the other tenants in the apartment. Another interesting aspect of a LAN is going through a firewall to access the internet. When a LAN comes visible on my computer, in order to access the internet through it, I must have the capabilities to bypass the firewall. To wrap up the first two weeks of MIDS, I would say the information I received is mainly review of what I already know and understand. I found it interesting to know that the POS system is a direct example of a type of information system we studied and identified. I look forward to learning more about hardware, software and the different devices of information systems in the near future.