About this Book
Information Systems for Business and Beyond – First Canadian edition introduces students to the concept of information systems, the components of information systems, their application to business, and the impacts of their use on business and society. This book is written as an introductory text, meant for those with little or no experience with computers or information systems.
While sometimes the descriptions can get a bit technical, every effort has been made to convey the information essential to understanding a topic while not getting overly focused in detailed terminology. The text is organized into thirteen chapters, and then divided into sub-chapters by concept or topic. The chapters are as follows:
| Chapter 1: Information Systems | Chapter 1 provides an overview of information systems (IS), including the major components and the role of IS. As well, the different types of people involved in information systems, and how IS are used in business functions are explored. |
| Chapter 2: Technology Enabled Strategy | Chapter 2 examines the impact that information systems have on an organization’s strategy and overall competitive advantage. |
| Chapter 3: Hardware | Chapter 3 provides an overview of systems hardware including the different components and impacts of their use. |
| Chapter 4: Software | Chapter 4 covers software and the role it plays in an organization. |
| Chapter 5: Data | Chapter 5 explores how organizations use information systems to turn data into information that can then be used for competitive advantage. Special attention is paid to the role of databases. |
| Chapter 6: Networks | Chapter 6 reviews the history of networking, how the Internet works, and the use of networks in organizations today. |
| Chapter 7: Systems Development | Chapter 7 examines programming, and the different methods of software development. The “build vs. buy” decision is also discussed. |
| Chapter 8: Security | Chapter 8 discusses the information security triad of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Different security technologies are reviewed, and the chapter concludes with a primer on personal information security. |
| Chapter 9: Impacts of Information Systems | Chapter 9 outlines some of the ethical, legal, and social impacts of using information systems. |
| Chapter 10: E-Business | Chapter 10 reviews common concepts and definitions associated with e-business, and outlines the advantages and disadvantages of e-commerce. The chapter also provides an overview of the types of e-commerce and the technology used to facilitate it. |
| Chapter 11: Business Process Solutions | Chapter 11 discusses business process management, business process reengineering, and outlines the different enterprise systems used by businesses. |
| Chapter 12: Decision Support | Chapter 12 reviews terminology associated with decision support and analytics and explores some of the tools and techniques used to support business decision making. |
| Chapter 13 Emerging Technology | Chapter 13 looks at the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and outlines the different application’s of AI. As well the chapter provides some examples of other emerging technology. New Chapter was developed in 2023 based on newly released open content. |
For the Student
Each chapter in this text begins with a list of the relevant learning objectives and ends with a chapter summary. Following the summary is a list of review questions that highlight key topics in the chapter. In order to get the best learning experience, students are encouraged to begin by reading both the learning objectives and the summary and then reviewing the questions at the end of the chapter. Interactive exercises have also been included at the end of the chapter to check retention.
For the Instructor
Please share your adoption, and any feedback you have about the book with us at oer@fanshawec.ca
The following resources are available:
- Review questions and assignments are provided at the end of each chapter.
- Interactive exercises for students to check their knowledge are provided at the end of each chapter.
- Slide decks can be found under ancillary resources in the appendix.
- Video resources for each chapter can be found in the appendix.
- Test Banks for each chapter can be found in the appendix. They require a password, which can be obtained by emailing oer@fanshawec.ca
Accessibility Statement
We are actively committed to increasing the accessibility and usability of the textbooks we produce. Every attempt has been made to make this OER accessible to all learners and is compatible with assistive and adaptive technologies. We have attempted to provide closed captions, alternative text, or multiple formats for on-screen and off-line access.
The web version of this resource has been designed to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, level AA. In addition, it follows all guidelines in Appendix A: Checklist for Accessibility of the Accessibility Toolkit – 2nd Edition.
In addition to the web version, additional files are available in a number of file formats including PDF, EPUB (for eReaders), and MOBI (for Kindles).
If you are having problems accessing this resource, please contact us at oer@fanshawec.ca.
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- The location of the problem by providing a web address or page description
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Feedback
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