Global business information technology

520 Pages·2004·31.401 MB·English

by  Geoffrey Elliott

"A good introductory text that blends business, technology and people issues – the essence of BIT!"
Dr Walter Skok, Principal Lecturer, Kingston Business School
"The book offers a unique and important contribution to learning, teaching and research into critically
important areas of global business information systems and technology." Dr Raymond A. Hackney,
Executive Head Management Science & Information Systems, Manchester Metropolitan University Geoffrey Elliott
G
l
o
Did you know?
b
The glowing vacuum tubes of the earliest computers attracted moths to the lights. These flying bugs often
damaged the machinery and had to be removed by technicians, a process known as de-bugging. The a
term 'bug in the system' is now used to refer to any problem found within a computer system. l

B
Did you know? u
It is forecast that there will be 84 million internet banking customers in Europe by 2007. s
i
n
e
s
s

I
n
If you want to explore more fascinating Key features & benefits fo
facts and business critical issues like • Focus on information, rather than data, and its use r
these, this is the book for you. in business ensures relevance for the student. m
• Comprehensive treatment of information systems, a
Set in the global environment in which analysis, design, implementation and evaluation in t
i
today’s organizations operate, this the global context means you will need no other o
book offers a comprehensive treatment book for your course. n
of one of the most dynamic, exciting • Contemporary coverage of issues such as
T
and challenging areas of study within knowledge management systems, smart e
business and management. Global technology, e-business and m-business c Global Business
Business Information Technology: technologies, virtual working environments and h
An Integrated Systems Approach global internet commerce makes this the most up- n

describes how information technology to-date resource. o
Information Technology
is being used to gather, interpret and • A companion website at lo
communicate business information at www.booksites.net/elliott_gbi offers a wealth of g
an ever more sophisticated level. multiple choice questions for you to test your y
knowledge and prepare you for examinations.
An Integrated
Geoffrey Elliott is Pro-Dean in the
faculty of Business, Computing and Systems Approach
Information Management at London
E
South Bank University. He has recently lli
written a book on mobile commerce o
t
and wireless computing systems. t
an imprint of www.pearson-books.com
Untitled-1 1 6/27/08 4:18:32 AM
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page i
Global Business
Information Technology
An integrated systems approach
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page ii
We work with leading authors to develop the strongest
educational materials in business and information
technology, bringing cutting-edge thinking and best
learning practice to a global market.
Under a range of well-known imprints, including
Addison Wesley, we craft high quality print
and electronic publications which help readers to
understand and apply their content, whether studying or
at work.
To find out more about the complete range of our
publishing, please visit us on the World Wide Web at:
www.pearsoned.co.uk
Visit the Global Business Information Technology Companion Website at
www.booksites.net/elliott_gbi to find:

• Multiple choice questions to help test your learning
• Useful weblinks to relevant sources to take your learning further.
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page iii
Global Business
Information Technology
An integrated systems approach
Geoffrey Elliott
London South Bank University
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page iv
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow
Essex CM20 2JE
England
and Associated Companies throughout the world
Visit us on the World Wide Web at:
www.pearsoned.co.uk
First published 2004
© Pearson Education Limited 2004
The right of Geoffrey Elliott to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, withotu either the prior
written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted
copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd,
90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP.
ISBN: 978-0-321-27012-2
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Elliott, Geoffrey, 1964–
Global business information technology : an integrated systems approach / Geoffrey Elliott.
p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-321-27012-6 (alk. paper)
1. Information technology—Management. I. Title.
HD30.2.E45 2004
658.4'038—dc22
2004046727
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
08 07
Typeset in 9.5/12.5 in Stone Serif by 3
Printed and bound by Ashford Colour Press Ltd, Gosport
The publisher’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page v
To Valerie, Emrys and Norman
‘Forever’
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page vi
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page vii
Contents
Preface xiii
Acknowledgements xv
Part 1 INFORMATION SYSTEMS THEORY 1
1 The global information age 3
Learning outcomes 3
1.1 Introduction to the global information age 3
1.2 What is information and communications technology? 8
1.3 Business systems activity in the global information age 9
1.4 Knowledge management (KM) 13
1.5 Competitive advantage through business systems 17
1.6 End-user computing 21
1.7 Computing and ICT 25
1.8 Information systems and ICT 27
1.9 Business and society in the global information age 30
1.10 Technology growth in the global information age 32
1.11 Data, information, knowledge and wisdom 33
1.12 A history of business computing 34
1.13 Business systems environments 39
1.14 Enterprise transformation and globalization 40
1.15 Chapter summary 42
Short self-assessment questions 43
Extended student activities 44
References and further study 44
2 General systems theory 47
Learning outcomes 47
2.1 Introduction to general systems theory 47
2.2 General systems principles 49
2.3 Systems perspectives 51
2.4 Holistic systems thinking 52
2.5 General systems thinking 54
2.6 Information and meaning 58
2.7 Systems characteristics 61
2.8 Systems control and feedback 62
2.9 Deterministic and functional business systems 66
2.10 Physical versus logical systems thinking 68
2.11 Decision levels of the business organization 71
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page viii
viii Cotents
2.12 Decision making within the organizational hierarchy 72
2.13 Decision support systems 77
2.14 Chapter summary 81
Short self-assessment questions 82
Extended student activities 83
General systems theory: semantics and phrases 83
References and further study 84
3 Global information systems development 86
Learning outcomes 86
3.1 Introduction to information systems development 86
3.2 The traditional systems development life cycle 87
3.3 The four generic stages of the systems development life cycle 93
3.4 Strengths and weaknesses of the traditional systems development
life cycle 98
3.5 Alternative approaches to information systems development 101
3.6 End-user information systems development 102
3.7 Modern software development languages 104
3.8 Software-based information systems 109
3.9 Information systems support centres 114
3.10 Chapter summary 117
Case study: An audit of end-user computing 118
Short self-assessment questions 122
Extended student activities 123
References and further study 123
4 Rapid applications development in dynamic global business
environments 125
Learning outcomes 125
4.1 Introduction to rapid applications development 125
4.2 Alternative approaches to information systems development 126
4.3 Rapid appl ications development 127
4.4 Joint applications development 135
4.5 Prototyping 145
4.6 Object-oriented systems development 148
4.7 Dynamic systems development method 149
4.8 Applications-based systems development 155
4.9 Outsourcing of information systems development 157
4.10 Business process re-engineering 159
4.11 Strategic information systems development 161
4.12 Chapter summary 163
Short self-assessment questions 165
Extended student activities 166
References and further study 167
GBIT_A01.QXD 7/8/08 9:59 AM Page ix
Contents ix
5 Information systems modelling 169
Learning outcomes 169
5.1 Introduction to information systems modelling 169
5.2 Process modelling 172
5.3 Data modelling 174
5.4 Tools and techniques of process modelling 175
5.5 Tools and techniques of data modelling 185
5.6 Soft systems tools and techniques 190
5.7 Data and information management systems 196
5.8 Data warehousing and data mining 198
5.9 Business process conceptualization and enterprise resource
planning (ERP) 200
5.10 Chapter summary 202
Short self-assessment questions 203
Extended student activities 204
References and further study 205
6 Information systems methodologies 207
Learning outcomes 207
6.1 Introduction to information systems methodologies 207
6.2 Structured analysis and design of information systems 209
6.3 The Yourden systems method 211
6.4 Information engineering 212
6.5 Structured systems analysis and design method 214
6.6 Jackson systems development 223
6.7 Effectivetechnicalandhumanimplementationofcomputer-basedsystems 224
6.8 Soft systems methodology 228
6.9 Multiview 232
6.10 Unified Modeling Language (UML) 233
6.11 An odyssey of information systems methods 237
6.12 Global information systems development methods 238
6.13 Chapter summary 239
Short self-assessment questions 240
Extended student activities 241
References and further study 242
Part 2 THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) 245
7 Business systems activity 247
Learning outcomes 247
7.1 Introduction to business systems activity 247
7.2 Real-world decision making 250
7.3 The classic approach to decision making 253
7.4 Transaction processing systems 255