Essay Sample on Information Systems Solutions

Introduction

In the modern technological era, information systems are a great corporate asset because of the related substantial benefits to the business. Technology has made it easier for managers to trace how the business is performing and how effective are the management strategies used within companies. Information systems aimed for management is a computerized database of information, including financial information organized or programmed in such a way that it constantly produces reports on how each level of management operates (Sousa & Oz, 2014). Management information systems make it easier to obtain special reports which can be easily used to track down performance and the effectiveness of management in business and are therefore a major asset to any business or business managers who not only depend on feedback but also on technology to monitor the company as a whole. The system displays actual data against planned results or objectives that had been set before, say the previous year. This way, it measures the progress of a company in how far it has gone in terms of achieving its goals or objectives. Management information systems rely on data entered to it from all the relevant company units as well as functions. While some of the data are entered into the system at various periodic intervals, some other data are automatically collected or generated from computer-linked checkout counters. Later, reports are routinely reprogrammed, then run at certain intervals or only when demanded. Provided the computers are well-connected to the management information systems networks, reports can be retrieved by built-in query languages and easily checked by managers from the comfort of their desks (King, 2008).

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There are various components that need to be taken into consideration when installing information systems solutions for a medium-sized company in the US. The resources that a business has will help a great deal in deciding on what aspects of the information management system with which to go. In this digital era, a business can struggle to perform excellently without an established web presence. Social media platforms and web applications should be considered when implementing an information systems management project. Crucial is the web presence because billions of people are connected to the internet and this acts as a potential source of clientele. The web also puts the business out there to the people, within the comfort of their homes and electronic devices hence convenience in acquiring information about the business. The next important issue to consider, about the web presence, is the software and software development. Businesses depend on the software to make a business idea a reality. Software development is done through programming whereby a set of logical instructions are made to follow some programming language on a digital device. The instructions thrive in certain relevant environments to communicate logic which can be executed by the computer. The importance of software and software development lies in the fact that they make it possible to translate an idea to a reality. The third big issue to consider is systems security. Security for company data is of fundamental importance because any form of breach or hack can result in catastrophic consequences for the customers especially if what is at stake is private personal information. It can also be damaging for the company if the security of the system is weak and when malicious parties steal financial and crucial information. A Cybersecurity report 2018 indicates that 53% of medium-sized companies have been targeted and the condition is getting worse by day (Baxter, 2018). Security of the information systems is, therefore, another crucial element to consider when planning to implement an information systems solution (Sousa & Oz, 2014). This paper discusses web-based systems and applications, software development and systems security as the three big issues that should be considered when setting up a medium-sized company in the US.

Web-Based Information Systems and Applications

A US medium-sized company should build web-based systems and applications for various purposes including efficiency in storage and access by a particular group of individuals. Centralized and well-structured management information systems have been interfered with by computers and computer networks which have made it possible for data to be scattered in many software programs like Access and Excel. On the other hand, it has made it difficult to organize and structure information in particular databases without involving the internet. Without this, business or organizational information can easily be fragmented hence difficult to retrieve or utilize for a particular purpose. The use of the internet has enabled the discovery of internet technologies that allow information to be stored in a more organized manner so that it can be retrieved or used efficiently. The discovery of internet technologies has also made it easier for medium-sized businesses to connect internally and externally with other organizations. In particular, integrated internet-based information systems and applications have been developed and designed to organize a company databases with the aim of providing a comprehensive data warehousing that also comes with extreme efficiency. The meaning of this is that regardless of whether or not the information is a property record or contact, it requires to be entered only once if the information system is correctly designed (Sousa & Oz, 2014). These are some of the elements behind the recommendation of this action.

Studies have documented that many medium-sized companies are continually adopting the use of web-based applications that can be accessed via standard browsers. Commonly used include Google docs-a word document that can be accessed and used from anywhere anytime provided there is internet connection (Kotwica, 2013). Case studies conducted by companies like National Lock and Safe and Pristine Condition International Ltd show increased levels of efficiency and up to 70% reduction in money and time wastage. Through Evergreen software developers, National Lock and safe installed bespoke web application which has improved their interactions with customers and offering efficient services in addition to organizing and storage of information and data ("5 Key Benefits of Web Applications for Business", 2015). This aspect supports the recommendation of web-based applications and systems for any medium-sized company in the US.

The benefits outlined are some of the reasons why web-based systems and applications are indispensable to medium-sized companies. Failure to do this results in difficulties in accessing information, huge expenses, time wastage, non-streamlined business processes, difficulty in management and updating information.

Before embarking on the process of building web-based systems and applications for a medium-sized company, it is important to note that the Internet-based systems are reliant on three building blocks: the internet, intranet and the extranet all which act an as the source of information. The internet bears information that is public and can be accessed by any individual from the public domain who wants to know much about the company and what it does. In most cases, the information here includes the company profile, general information about the company, the services it offers, contact information and information regarding the market in which it operates or targets (Sousa & Oz, 2014). The intranet is only available to be accessed by the company personnel because it is a private section of the organization or business's website. Available here are the contact management programs, company rosters, commission management programs, company calendars, as well as listing management programs associated with the business or company. Finally, the extranet is a private section of the organization's website that can only be accessed by outside contractors and business affiliates. This area is always or often protected by passwords or additional hardware or software-based security systems. The information here can only be that which can be shared with outside contacts including project management cabinets, and company rosters who are greatly involved in file-sharing information. The internet also makes it possible to use intranet and extranet seamlessly allowing access to multiple company applications. In essence, the internet-based systems can make information components to be accessed differently but used as one (Bourgeois, 2014). Even though contact management programs are merely industry tools, more information is expected to be incorporated in one place in the future.

Important to take away from this section is that a good and efficient information management system ought to seamlessly integrate an organization's database and also assimilate the databases to the website so that access and update can be done by anyone anywhere anytime provided internet connectivity is available. It can also encourage a distributed decision support system other than a centralized one due to the complexities developing in the business environments. This way, clients can get prompt responses to the product and services offered by the organization. All that can be made possible through powerful browsers that can support all social media applications through which companies market themselves. Unlimited future possibilities are encouraged by the thought that someday, business systems will replace property data in Access, accounting spreadsheets and all data stored in PowerPoint, Act or Word. Clients would be able to transact and sign documents online which would really boost the global information systems. Thus, Internet-based web applications and systems is a critical issue or component to consider when setting up information systems solutions (Bourgeois, 2014).

Software Development and its Importance

Software applications are used to bring an idea or function to reality by making a computer to perform it as a command or instruction. The software is a crucial part of the development of information systems, and that is why it is an indispensable recommendation in this paper for a medium-sized company in the United States seeking to implement information systems solutions. It is a term that refers to the general process or task involving computer programming, creating, repairing, documenting and testing computer applications and the related frameworks. The merits of software development are numerous. A company would require particular software applications to meet specific customer demands because the customers are usually the business (Drake, 2017). When the clients are served better and are satisfied, then the business will have achieved a major primary objective. The use of software applications helps the medium-sized company to shake off excess financial burden that comes with hiring more-than-needed staff. It is expensive, especially in terms of costs and tax. In the information age, business intelligence dictates that companies make much profit through the use of software applications because most businesses are currently data driven. Failure to follow the route of software applications risks exposing the business to losses, limited exposure, inefficiency in operations and incompetence. The business risks losing customers or fails to attract new ones (Bourgeois, 2014).

Developing software for a medium-sized company begins from programming, a process in which the programmer creates a set of logical instructions so that a digital device can follow. This is done using a programming language. The programming process is also known as coding; "code" is the syntax of any programming language. Sof...