Blog Entry 4.1 - IFS H/W Infrastructure

     The image above is showing how information is translated into binary code so the computer can manipulate and store the information.  The image starts off with the computer showing the word "HELLO" on the monitor.  It then goes on to show how the computer changes this word into 8-bit binary code (American Standard Code For Information Interchange) or ASCII.  Once this is finished it is stored inside of the computers system unit and is stored inside of the registers.  The reason the computer cannot just read the word "HELLO" as H-E-L-L-O is because the computer can only understand on or off, therefore the computer must use its machine language of 1's and 0's in order to understand.  The process of inputting something in your computer starts with the person using an input technology (keyboard, mouse etc.) to key something into the computer.  Next, the computer will use processing technologies (ALU, Control Unit and Registers) in order to break down the information that has been given. The ALU or Arithmetic Logic Unit is used to do all of the Arithmetic aspects on the information.  The Control Unit is to schedule when things in the computer need to take place.  The Registers are used for internal memory inside the computer.  Lastly, the information is converted to output technology and is shown or heard on an output device (Monitor, Printer, Speaker).

Blog Entry 2.1: Global Picture Sharing: Flickr

-Read the case study at the end of the chapter about Flickr.com

-Explain the Services
-List the enablers

1.  Flickr is one of the easiest and most popular photo sharing websites online.  This website makes it capable for individuals all around the world to upload pictures of events that they attend so that other people who were not at the event can witness what happened.

3 Enablers of Flickr are

• Uploading- This enabler is the most important to this website.  The reason that uploading is most important is because without it Flickr would not be an online photo sharing website.  Uploading allows individuals to put pictures on the internet for others to see.

• In-Forming - With the use of this enabler individuals would be able to use popular search engines such as; Google, Yahoo and Bing in order to find pictures that others had put on the internet.  

• Steroids - In the 21st century modern technology is making it easier for individuals to take pictures and immediately have the option to post pictures in a blog or on a website (i.e Facebook or Photobucket).

Blog Entry 1.3: Organizational Chart

 

     My Organizational Chart is broken into the various branches within an information system.  This positions include, but are not limited to; Support, Development, and Maintenance.

     The job roles that I chose as being the most important were Chief Information Officer (CIO), Computer Programmer, Database Administrator (DBA), and Information Systems Auditor.  The CIO is the highest-ranking information systems manager, therefore being the most important.  The computer programmer would be the person who makes sure that all of the systems are up and running correctly.  The DBA is responsible for managing the database and database management software that our company will use.  The information systems auditor supervises the testing of our internal information systems.  These are the jobs that I would consider the most important for our business. 

Blog Entry 2.2 - Automobile Industry

Summary

     Globalization is taking over the automobile industry.  The "flattening" of the world is resulting in a decrease in national markets and even causing some products to disappear entirely.  In the 1990's there were 3 attempts to create the "world car."  Between Honda, Ford, and GM none of these brands could sell as well as they wanted in North America, Asia and Europe.  The reason for this is that everyone in the world does not want the same thing in their cars.  The world car may be developed but only after the world becomes more globalized.




1.  How is Globalization 3.0 fueling change in the auto industry?

•  Globalization 3.0 fueling changed the auto industry because the world is becoming more homogeneous.  Distinctions between national markets are fading and some products are disappearing entirely. 

2.  Examine how cultural differences make it difficult to create a world car.

• Cultural differences make it difficult to create a world car because different places around the world are focused on various things in their vehicles.  For example some areas like small cars compared to bigger cars.  Also the price of gasoline differs around the world, therefore the "world car" cannot be fuel efficient everywhere.

Blog Entry 3.2: Building A Business Case

1. Give three types of arguments for why your company's decision maker should decide to implement your proposed information system changes.
2. Use arguments based on Faith, Fear, and Fact.

Fact (intelligent system) - By introducing the intelligent system to our company we are now able to increase the speed of organizing our medicine by double our previous rate. 

Faith (Functional Area Information System) - Although we may not be able to support using this information system very well, we feel that by implementing the functional area information system we will be able to make it easier for customers to be able to pick up their medicine in a quick and timely fashion...just trust us.

Fear (Transaction Processing System) - This information system is crucial in continuing our business.  If we do not implement this transaction processing system soon our competition will run us out of business...It's either now or never.

Blog Entry 3.1: Value Chain Analysis

Order Medicine - (Supply Chain Management)  This Information System allows us to to communicate with our suppliers for medicine and supplies we need in order to run our business.

Make a list of patients... - (Functional area information systems) This Information System is for supporting the activities within our business, such as, making the list of patients.

Organize Medicine - (Intelligent System)  Thus Information System enhances what humans would usually do for our business in order to provide a faster pace in our business. 

Bag up Medicine for Customer - (Manual)  This process would still be done by a human.

Customer Pays - (Transaction Processing) - This Information System is something that we will use day-to-day in order to have our customers pay for their medicine and for our business to stay organized. 

Human Resources-

Computer Technicians - This Support Function helps us by making sure that our computers are working so that we are able to keep our medicine and customers organized.

Blog Entry 1.2

Name 3 things you would want to track data for in tour company.  Explain how the data can be defined as data, information, knowledge and wisdom.

 1.

• Data: Customers

• Information
• Customer Code ( i.e 2468)
• Name
• Phone Number
• Gender
• Method of Payment
• Address
• Products
• Knowledge
• 2-468 => Bart Smith

• Wisdom
• Type of medicine they need
• When they come to pick up Meds
• How much medicine they need

2.

• Data: Medicine

• Information
• Name
• Item Code (i.e 123456)
• Amount of Med
• Side Effects
• Knowledge
•  12-3456 => Ibupofen

• Wisdom
• Who the medicine belongs to
• How much of that medicine there is
• The side effects of that medicine

3.

• Data: Employees

• Information
• Name
• Employee Code (i.e 3691)
• Salary
• Work Hours
• Total Hours Worked
• Knowledge
• 36-91 => Janice Smith
• Wisdom
• Who worked how many hours
• How much that person gets paid
• That persons work hours
• The name of that person

Blog Entry 1.1: Fictional Company Introduction

1.
 Name: PharmaChoice
 Size: Worldwide
 Location: Ferrum, VA
 # of Employees:  280,000






2.  How do they do business/ Make money
   We here at PharmaChoice try to conduct the most organized and easy business around.  With over 280,000 employees we are able to have very fast and accurate transactions.