Managing Information

Managing Resources for the Market -- Block 5

The Open University

Publisher: The Open University, 1997

ISBN: 0-7492-4999-4

Synopsis:

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Table of Contents:

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• Session 1 Information Basics
• 1.1 A Brief Historical Perspective
• Information and the evolution of communication
• Computing
• Telecommunications
• The challenge of the new
• 1.2 The Building Blocks of Information
• Data and information
• Data
• Information
• Accuracy and precision
• Levels of summation
• 1.3 Managers and Information Flows
• Communication
• Information flows
• Communications failure
• Session 2 Interpreting Statistics
• 2.1 Graphs, Charts and Diagrams
• Conventions
• Types of graph
• The simple graph
• The smoothed graph
• The bar chart
• The pie chart
• The pictogram
• The scatter gram
• Design features
• The suppressed zero
• Interpolation and extrapolation
• 2.2 The Frequency Distribution
• The histogram
• 2.3 Summary Statistics
• Means, medians and modes
• The normal distribution
• Standard deviation
• Weigthed means
• 2.4 Time Series Analysis
• Moving averages
• Index numbers
• Inflation
• 2.5 How to Take a Chance
• Simple probability
• Expressing probability
• Conditional probability
• 2.6 Sampling
• Sample selection
• Sample size
• 2.7 Confidence Testing
• 2.8 Sample Size
• 2.9 Significance Testing
• The X² (chi-squared) test
• Results of the exercise
• A cautionary note
• Session 3 Managing and Manipulating Data
• 3.1 The Well-Chosen Average
• Futtock's End
• Floggitt, Meddle and Blush
• The Poll Tax
• 3.2 Presentation of Data
• The Gee-Whiz curve
• The trouble with pretty pictures
• 3.3 Sampling
• The design of a sample
• Self-selecting samples
• 3.3 Changes over Time
• Percentages
• Percentage points
• Inflation
• The convenient baseline
• 3.4 How to Interrogate a Statistic
• Who says so?
• How do they know?
• What's missing?
• What's changed
• Does it make sense?
• Session 4 Systems
• 4.1 The Concept of a System
• Definition of a system
• Hard and soft systems
• Domestic central heatings system
• Secondary school
• Sub-optimization
• 4.2 Hard Systems Approaches
• Applicability of the hard systems approach
• Stages of systems engineering
1. Problem definition
2. Systems analysis
3. Systems design
4. Implementation
5. Operation
6. Iteration
• 4.3 Soft Systems Methodology
1. The problem situation unstructured
2. The problem situation expressed
3. Root definitions of the relevant systems
4. Making and testing conceptual models
5. Comparisions of stage 4 with stage 2
6. Feasible, desirable changes
7. Action to improve the problem situation
• Session 5 Information Systems
• 5.1 Information Systems
• Data processing systems (DP)
• Office automation system (OA)
• Decision support system (DSS)
• Database systems (DB)
• Database structures
• Knowledge-based systems (KBS)
• Management information systems (MIS)
• 5.2 Information Systems Development
• Structured methodologies vs rapid prototyping
• Structured methodologies
• Rapid prototyping
• Analysis tools
• Flowcharts
• Structured English
• Data flow diagrams (DFDs)
• Data dictionaries
• Entities, attributes and relationship
• Data normalization
• Session 6 Conclusion
• 6.1 How Does This Affect Me as a Manager?
• Aspects of information
• Acquisition
• Transformation
• Interpretation
• Use
• 6.2 Where is IT Going?