BU415 Chapter : Information Systems Defined.docx
Document Summary
With it spending on the rise, it is important to maximize value from these investments; a narrow focus on it investments is problematic. While it is a fundamental component of any modern information system, it and is are separate concepts. Information systems are formal, sociotechnical, organizational systems designed to collect, process, store and distribute information. Four components of an it-based information system: it, people, process, structure. They can be grouped into two subsystems: the technical subsystem and the social subsystem. The technical subsystem, composed of technology and processes, is that portion of the information system that does not include human elements. The social subsystem, composed of people and people in relation to one another (i. e. , structure), represents the human element of the is: information technology (it) is defined as hardware, software, and telecommunication equipment. The it component is a cornerstone of any modern is, enabling and constraining action through rules of operation that stem from its design.
