{"id":11267,"date":"2018-05-29T23:32:03","date_gmt":"2018-05-29T23:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmintrobusiness\/?post_type=chapter&p=11267"},"modified":"2024-05-07T16:57:35","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T16:57:35","slug":"putting-it-together-information-technology-and-business","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-introductiontobusiness\/chapter\/putting-it-together-information-technology-and-business\/","title":{"raw":"Putting It Together: Using Technology to Manage Business Information","rendered":"Putting It Together: Using Technology to Manage Business Information"},"content":{"raw":"

Summary<\/h2>\r\nIn this module you learned about\u00a0the roles of data and information technology in business operations. Following is a summary of the key points we covered.\r\n

Data vs. Information<\/h3>\r\nTechnology has made it easy for businesses to gather facts about their customers and business operations. However, data are\u00a0just facts and figures in their raw form. It's not until the data are\u00a0processed\u2014i.e., converted into information\u2014that businesses can use them to improve their operations.\r\n

Managing Data<\/h3>\r\nBeing able to collect data is central to most businesses; however, all that data needs to be stored somewhere so\u00a0users can retrieve it and use it. The creation of databases\u2014virtual warehouses where data is stored\u2014allows businesses to take the first step in managing and using data. Since the creation\u00a0of \"cloud computing,\" businesses have been able to\u00a0store their data offsite but still access it from anywhere in the world. Businesses mine data\u00a0in order to find valuable patterns and answers to questions.\r\n

Information in Networks<\/h3>\r\nIn order to make the greatest\u00a0use of data, it must be shared. In business this means that data collected by marketing needs to be shared with other departments\u2014finance, production, research, and development\u2014via networks. Again, this is where businesses must make decisions about the best way to share data: through internal networks (LANS), wide-area networks, (WANS) or the cloud. Each has\u00a0its own set of advantages and disadvantages.\r\n

Ethical and Social Issues<\/h3>\r\nWho owns your information? This question is at the heart of many of the ethical and social issues that arise when businesses collect data. The debate about how best to balance the benefits of information technology with the costs to personal privacy has led to a new field of study called technoethics.\r\n

Information Security and Cybersecurity<\/h3>\r\nWith big data comes big responsibility. This responsibility is about keeping customer and employee data safe from the threat of cyber criminals and illicit users. Large data security breaches have become more prevalent in recent years,\u00a0and businesses are constantly working to find better and more effective ways to protect their\u00a0data.\r\n

Synthesis<\/h2>\r\n\"decorative\r\n\r\nEach of us can be represented by\u00a0hundreds of data points about\u00a0our daily activities, our likes and dislikes, shopping habits, income, zip code, mobile phone use, age, gender, marital status, and so on\u2014the list is nearly\u00a0endless. \u00a0We are\u00a0in many respects\u00a0the sum of the data collected about us. How businesses use that information will continue to evolve as technology changes. It's clear, though, that collecting, storing,\u00a0managing, and using our\u00a0data are\u00a0vital components of virtually all business operations. The issues associated with the use of data and information technology are evolving just as quickly. Society now finds itself torn between the benefits that data can provide and the toll it takes on individual privacy. Most\u00a0people believe\u00a0that the organizations\u00a0collecting our data\u00a0have a responsibility to protect it against\u00a0unauthorized access and use. Regardless of whether you pursue a career in business or not,\u00a0the topics you learned about in this module will apply to you as\u00a0a citizen, an employee, and an individual. As technology and data collection methods become\u00a0ever\u00a0more sophisticated and complex, the burden is on all of us\u2014consumers and businesses alike\u2014to devise effective\u00a0ways of managing and controlling them.","rendered":"

Summary<\/h2>\n

In this module you learned about\u00a0the roles of data and information technology in business operations. Following is a summary of the key points we covered.<\/p>\n

Data vs. Information<\/h3>\n

Technology has made it easy for businesses to gather facts about their customers and business operations. However, data are\u00a0just facts and figures in their raw form. It’s not until the data are\u00a0processed\u2014i.e., converted into information\u2014that businesses can use them to improve their operations.<\/p>\n

Managing Data<\/h3>\n

Being able to collect data is central to most businesses; however, all that data needs to be stored somewhere so\u00a0users can retrieve it and use it. The creation of databases\u2014virtual warehouses where data is stored\u2014allows businesses to take the first step in managing and using data. Since the creation\u00a0of “cloud computing,” businesses have been able to\u00a0store their data offsite but still access it from anywhere in the world. Businesses mine data\u00a0in order to find valuable patterns and answers to questions.<\/p>\n

Information in Networks<\/h3>\n

In order to make the greatest\u00a0use of data, it must be shared. In business this means that data collected by marketing needs to be shared with other departments\u2014finance, production, research, and development\u2014via networks. Again, this is where businesses must make decisions about the best way to share data: through internal networks (LANS), wide-area networks, (WANS) or the cloud. Each has\u00a0its own set of advantages and disadvantages.<\/p>\n

Ethical and Social Issues<\/h3>\n

Who owns your information? This question is at the heart of many of the ethical and social issues that arise when businesses collect data. The debate about how best to balance the benefits of information technology with the costs to personal privacy has led to a new field of study called technoethics.<\/p>\n

Information Security and Cybersecurity<\/h3>\n

With big data comes big responsibility. This responsibility is about keeping customer and employee data safe from the threat of cyber criminals and illicit users. Large data security breaches have become more prevalent in recent years,\u00a0and businesses are constantly working to find better and more effective ways to protect their\u00a0data.<\/p>\n

Synthesis<\/h2>\n

\"decorative<\/p>\n

Each of us can be represented by\u00a0hundreds of data points about\u00a0our daily activities, our likes and dislikes, shopping habits, income, zip code, mobile phone use, age, gender, marital status, and so on\u2014the list is nearly\u00a0endless. \u00a0We are\u00a0in many respects\u00a0the sum of the data collected about us. How businesses use that information will continue to evolve as technology changes. It’s clear, though, that collecting, storing,\u00a0managing, and using our\u00a0data are\u00a0vital components of virtually all business operations. The issues associated with the use of data and information technology are evolving just as quickly. Society now finds itself torn between the benefits that data can provide and the toll it takes on individual privacy. Most\u00a0people believe\u00a0that the organizations\u00a0collecting our data\u00a0have a responsibility to protect it against\u00a0unauthorized access and use. Regardless of whether you pursue a career in business or not,\u00a0the topics you learned about in this module will apply to you as\u00a0a citizen, an employee, and an individual. As technology and data collection methods become\u00a0ever\u00a0more sophisticated and complex, the burden is on all of us\u2014consumers and businesses alike\u2014to devise effective\u00a0ways of managing and controlling them.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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CC licensed content, Original<\/div>