Managing Information

The Capable Manager -- Book 11

The Open University

Publisher: The Open University, 1996

ISBN: 0-7492-4922-6

Synopsis:

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Table of Contents:

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• Session 1 Information
• Introduction
• 1.1 What is Information?
• 1.2 Information and Communication
• 1.3 Information and the ‘Real’ World
• 1.4 The Qualities of Management Information
• Information as a resource
• 1.5 Managing Information
• Information systems
• Summary and objectives
• Session 2 History and Development of Information Technologies
• Introduction
• 2.1 Prehistory and Early Development
• 2.2 The Classical Era
• 2.3 The Manufacturing Era
• 2.4 The Computing Era
• 2.5 Converging Technologies
• 2.6 Multimedia and Virtual Reality
• 2.7 The Intelligent Computer?
• Summary and objectives
• Session 3 Working with Information Technology
• Introduction
• 3.1 Mainframes, Minis and PCs
• 3.2 The Data-Based Organisation
• 3.3 Computer Network Structures
• Stand-alone computers
• Simple networks
• Local area networks
• Campus networks
• Wide area networks
• 3.4 Working with Networks
• 3.5 Networking Beyond the Organisation
• 3.6 Working with Information Technology
• Summary and objectives
• Session 4 Systems Development and Systems Management
• Introduction
• 4.1 Classical Systems Analysis
• 4.2 The Need for a New Model
• Methodology or mythology?
• 4.3 Top-Down, Bottom-Up and Inside-Out
• 4.4 End User Computing
• 4.5 Current Developments
• Summary and objectives
• Session 5 Shaping the Organization’s Information Structure
• Introduction
• 5.1 Attitudes to Information Management
• 5.2 Information and Organisational Change
• 5.3 Information Systems Strategy
• 5.4 The Wider Implications of IT Development
• Summary and objectives
• Appendix 1 Myths of Automated Management Systems
• Myth: think big — I: don't just automate the old way of doing things: restructure the company's operations to fully exploit the potential of modern computers
• Myth: think big — II: a fully integrated corporatewide system will revolutionise the company
• Myth: think big — III: take advantage of the growing capability to transmit a tremendous volume of data in microseconds over long distances
• Myth: stop the foot dragging — create an automated system Czar at the senior vice-president level
• Myth: centralise system design to more effectively utilise systems experts
• Myth: our department heads aren't smart enough — get outsiders to create a major new automated system
• Myth: executives must determine their information needs
• Myth: automated management systems are flexible — just put data in and the computer can use it to answer almost any management question you can think of
• Myth: but a 'data management system' can automatically reorganise data almost any way you want
• Myth: our automated management systems costs too much — I
• Myth: our automated management systems costs too much — II
• Myth: our automated management systems costs too much — II
• Myth: don't discourage automation by prorating costs among departments
• Myth: to have a successful automated management system depend on an outside firm (computer utility) for computer service as you do for electric service
• Myth: automated syetms revolutionise management process
• Myth: automated management systems are a myth — there aren't any such things
• Appendix 2 Four Ethical Issues of the Information Age
• Privacy
• Accuracy
• Property
• Access
• PAPA