Introduction to I.T. System Management

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Introduction to I.T. System Management

1. Identify and explain two challenges in Era II and Era III

In Era II, the free market is coordinated by the market forces of supply and demand. Era II also focuses mostly on the individual as opposed to the organization. One of the major challenges in Era II is the lack of coordination and regulation. Free markets operate without the pressures of wages and prices that are common within the government. These low barriers to entry open up the system to unscrupulous actors acting in unethical manners. Era II also operates on the challenge that they can focus on the individual. This era lacks the contribution of the organization and the joint effort of the organization and the free market. Era III also realizes several challenges. One is that the joint effort creates unnecessary deliberations and discussions over emerging issues that result into bureaucracies and inefficiency.

2. Identify one senior management position within the field of IS and discuss what the job entitles

The position of systems analysts within any company dealing with information systems is a significant one. System analysts are responsible for researching problems, preparing solutions, proposing systems and software at the functional levels. Analysts also coordinate requirements and other businesses (Vogt 198). These analysts are conversant with several programming languages, hardware platforms and operating systems but the main difference is that they are not directly involved in software and hardware development (Sapsford, Roger, and Jupp 39). System analysts also act as the liaisons between information technology professionals and vendors as they often write up request concerning technical requirements. System analysts are professionals that focus on exploring and formulating information system. System analysis begins by gathering information on the current system before establishing the demands for a new, improved system. The challenging areas in system analysis involve selecting the precise requirements that must be satisfied by the system.

3. Why is data collection important for many organizations? What is the difference between data and information?

Data collection forms a central part of most organizations. It holds an even greater significance from companies that depend on the information contained within the data. The quantity and quality of data collected by an organization strongly affects its sustainability and position in the market. This is because decision makers are guided by real time information to make corporate decisions that affect a large number of employees and customers and use a massive amount of financial resources (Rainer, Turban, and Potter 178). Data collection is also important as it allows an organization to keep track of the changing trends among consumers that in turn, affects the types and amount of products supplied. Proper data collection makes the difference between an organization’s success and failure.

Data collection is also important to organizations as it assist in making improvements on the products and services offered. Data collection that targets the consumers of an organization in various ways including email, customer feedback forms or social media ends up with a wealth of information on each customer’s preferences and desires. By analyzing and categorizing these preferences and desires, an organization can make relevant changes to their services and products to increase the sales margins. The main difference between data and information is very slight. The two elements are closely interconnected (Best & Krueger 45). However, the term ‘data’ refers to raw material that has not been processed or analyzed. Conversely, information refers to a sequence of symbols that can be recognized as having a particular message. After data is processed, it can be regarded as information.

Works Cited

Best, Samuel J, and Brian S. Krueger. Internet Data Collection. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications, 2004. Print.

Rainer, R K, Efraim Turban, and Richard E. Potter. Introduction to Information Systems. Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley, 2009. Print.

Sapsford, Roger, and Victor Jupp. Data Collection and Analysis. London: SAGE Publications in association with the Open University, 2006. Print.

Vogt, W P. Data Collection. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2010. Print.