Information Systems in organisations

Data
Overview | Goals and activities | Information needs
Careers , IT definition

Overview

Goals and activities

Organisations exist in a variety of ways.

They may be grouped as;

• local,
• national or
• international.

Further they may have a variety of goals; including profit or service.

And finally they may be public or private.

Organisations may exist in more than one of these ways.

The direction of a company is given in the organisations goals (the overall goal often referred to as it's "Mission Statement")

Local

Dairy

• Goals: Return the owners a profit, provide a lifestyle
• Activity: Turnover grocery items.
• IT Activities (include):
  Computer based: Electronic till (or Point of sale terminal), EFT-POS
  Traditional : noticeboards, use of calculator, telephone

National

Farmlands

• Mission: Market leader in rural retail and agency services. The preferred supplier to our members.
• Activity: Retail farm supplies
• IT Activities (include):
  Computer based: Electronic till (or Point of sale terminals), EFT-POS, Credit card validation
  Traditional : noticeboards, use of calculator, telephone, photocopiers

NZ Couriers

• Goals: Return shareholders a profit
• Activity: Delivery packages for clients.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Telecom

Goals: Return shareholders a profit Activity: Provides communications services. IT Activities (include): Computer based: Data processing - Accounting systems (eg. Telephone Billing system), Document processing (WP, DTP), telecommunications (telephone, internet). Traditional : photocopying, noticeboards, calculators.

The Warehouse

• Goals: Return shareholders a profit
• Activity: Retailing of variety merchandise.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

The NZ Automobile Association

• Goals: Service members and offer quality travel/insurance service, both nationally and overseas
• Activity: Financial services (Loans, mortgages, superannuation), technical services (inspections, lube, Breakdown services, Approved repairers), legal services, accommodation quality control (Qualmark, AA host), travel services, political lobbying, retailing of automobile related merchandise.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

International

Body shop

• Goals: Return shareholders a profit
• Activity: Retailing of natural beauty care products.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

ENZA

• Goals: Return shareholders a profit
• Activity: Sell apples and pears on a global scale for New Zealand.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Heinz (Watties)

• Goals: Return shareholders a profit
• Activity: Manufacturing of food products
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Non-profit

Most organisations are formed to make profit for shareholders or stakeholders. But there are organisations where profit is not the prime reason for the business entity.

Church groups

• Goals: Meet spiritual needs of its community
• Activity: Provide religious activities for members
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Voluntary/Service clubs (Eg. Jaycees, Roundtable, Lions, Toastmasters)

• Goals: Meet needs of members
• Activity: Provide activities to support the charter of the club.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Others

• NZ Computer Society

Government

Polytechnic (Institutes of Technology).

• Goals: The purpose of EIT Hawke's Bay is to provide excellent tertiary education
• Activity: Education and training.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Inland Revenue

• Goals:
• Activity: Collect taxes
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Department of Social Welfare

• Goals:
• Activity: Provide income support for Welfare beneficiaries.
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Public

City Councils

• Goals: Look after ratepayers interests
• Activity: Roading, sewage, facilities (library)
• IT Activities (include): * see definition for IT
  Computer based:
  Traditional :

Information needs

People are the reason we have computers in the first place - to make us more productive!! Everyone in a modern business interacts with the Information system, from receiving a weekly wage to analysing complex trends. Everyone's needs from an Information system varies. For example that required by a secretary is quite different to that required by the Chief Executive Office (CEO). Some of the case studies will identify these differences. In terms of IT occupations use the Careers module .

Organisational chart

One of the easiest ways to see how a typical organisation is structured is to look at the organisation chart:

Information flow

[Rev: 14/1/98] Jun-97 © 1997-98 V/2-Com (Verhaart), P O Box 8415, Havelock North, New Zealand.