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Eric Fletcher Professor Jager

Business 219 Monday, September 05, 2011

ASSIGNMENT: Using your knowledge #3 CHAPTER 2

1. Considering these points and the discussion of information in unstructured processes in Q5,

answer the following questions;

a. What is information made of?

i. Information is made up of so many different things. According to the text,

information is knowledge derived from data (recorded facts or figures). It is also

data that is presented in a meaningful context. Information is data processed by

summing, ordering, averaging, grouping, comparing, or other similar operations.

Lastly the text states information is a difference that makes a difference. In my

opinion, information is all around us. We are surrounded by information all day

and night; the only escape is during sleep. In my opinion, information relies on

how the person or being interprets the information. Information is the raw

material in the thought making process. The target has to assemble the

information to come to a conclusion or final product. What one user or

individual might consider useful data might be rejected by another. Someones

interpretation of information might be completely different from the next

individuals. What one person finds offensive, another might find to be hilarious.

It is so hard to put a set of rules or a defined answer to what information is, but

I do know information is all around us; it is in us and will never leave.

b. If you have more information, do you weigh more? Why or why not.

i. Personally, I believe one can never have too much information at hand. The key

word is; at hand. If you have a huge amount of information, and do not take the

proper steps to filter out the jive, you will become overwhelmed and in this case

overweighed. One must keep in mind; Information has no feelings or emotions

toward the user or being; you must be on your toes. There is a lot of important

and helpful information, but, with the good there is always bad. You must be

able to filter the jive and keep it moving in a positive direction. If you become

overloaded, or if you weigh more than you can handle you will have bad

consequences.

c. If you give a copy of your transcript to a prospective employer, is that information? If

you show that same transcript to your dog, is it still information? Where is the

information?

i. In my opinion, if I gave a future employer my transcript, it would be a great

example of an exchange of information. He now has a piece of information to

help him make an informed, informational derived decision about my future

employment at this job. It all comes down to how he interprets this information,

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for the better and higher me or for the worse and trash it. If I decide to show

the same document to my dog, the same situation occurs. The information

processing sector in a dogs brain may be inferior to that of humans, but it is still

occurring on a micro level. The dog might look at this information and interpret

it as a piece of food, or an object to go to the bathroom on. Whichever option

my dog decides on, he has still identified this information and will decide how to

act upon the information at hand. It might be a positive or negative reaction,

just like with humans.

d. Give your own best definition of information.

i. Information is life. Life is a continuous series of decisions and interpretations.

Life is full of information, challenges and events you must go through. The

decisions you make in life, and your higher power, determine your path and

direction.

e. Explain how you think it is possible that we have an industry called the information

technology industry, but we have great difficulty defining the word information.

i. In my opinion, humans appear to be mastering the art of delivering

information. According to World Information and Technology and Services

Alliance, A major new study of the worlds information and communication

technology spending reveals that the global high tech industry surged to over

$2.1 trillion in 1999, and is expected to surpass $3 trillion in 2003. According to

WITSA, by 2013 the total spending will surpass $5 trillion. We are mastering an

industry that we dont have a firm and complete grasp on. You could chock it up

to human nature, but I would like to understand what really happens when we

process all this information. Maybe as humans we have no right to even try to

figure out. Some things in life should just be left alone and respected, rather than

trying to further the confusion.

2. The text states that information should be worth its cost. Both cost and value can be broken into

tangible and intangible factors. Tangible factors can be measured directly. Intangible ones arise

indirectly and are difficult to measure. For example, an intangible cost is the lost productivity of a

poorly trained employee. Give five important tangible and five important intangible measures of

the value of an information system. When determining whether an information system is worth its

cost, how do you think the tangible and intangible factors should be considered?

i. TANGIBLE FACTORS (something which can be measured/assessed (real)

1. Equipment

2. Supply storage costs

3. Supplier/buyer prices

4. Wages

5. Software and computer costsii. INTANGIBLE FACTORS (intangible is something which cannot be measured

(imaginary)

1.The total loss accrued if the hardware/ automation systems fail.

2. Customers, employees, and all peoples current emotions and feelings.

3. Future business updates, causing a system update or retraining.

4. Faultiness in automation

5. Future costs of imports

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iii. If a company were to buy an information system, they must be willing to accept

the unavoidable baggage and benefits that come along with it. Tangible aspects

of an information system, with a little money, can be monitored and fixed

relatively easily. Intangible aspects of IS systems are more pains in butt. You

must be willing to accept the fact that life and business is about change.

Sometimes change cannot be measured or assessed a monetary value until it

actually happens or after the fact. This can keep things fresh in a business, it

encourages change, but it also costs money.

3. If I were given the opportunity to open my own coffee shop it would be a hybrid. It would have the

intimacy and friendliness associated with indie shops, but, I would try to keep the prices/speed of

service/and supply chain streamlined like the big names. I would keep the front of the house,

comfortable, relaxing, and homely, with desks, chairs, and other relaxing comfy options. The back

of the house processes would be cutting edge. I would try and network with different vendors and

partners locally and worldwide. I would try to maintain a solid base of coffee blends and beans

that dont change much, but, also offer a selection of rotating locally produced beans and coffees.Simplification would be the number one priority in the back of the house/logistics side of the

operation. I would try my hardest to make the inventory side as streamlined as possible.

Resupplying would go through the least amount of providers, to help make contact to suppliers

easy and readily available. Resupplying would follow a monthly consumer rate. Before opening, I

would stock pile enough non perishable materials for 3 months of service. I would make clear the

chain of command in the business. Clear communication is vital to my business running smooth.

When there is a problem my employees would know exactly what to do. When a product is low,

they will know how to initiate the process of resupply. I would also give some autonomy to the

trust worthy employees. I would connect the most trust worthiest employees with supplier contact

information just in case I could not work or was busy. I would strongly encourage employees to

always give input in regards to improving the business and themselves. I would make sure to help

out the community. Customers are spending their hard earned money at my establishment; Iwould have to develop a program to help them out in return. I would also be prepared the

changes and alterations that would come around once the plan took shape. I would have to be

willing to adapt and change any part of my plan to reality.