| Systems and most of all information systems invade | | | | exchange. This is another wide area dedicated to |
| our personal and or business lives. This simple | | | | handle existing products and services: delivery, |
| overview could be used to understand some basics | | | | distribution, but also storage. The delivery of a financial |
| about systems and their place in an organization. | | | | order from a client to the stock-exchange could be |
| Technically speaking, any (information processing) | | | | typed as such a sub-system. |
| system has a user-interface, a database to store the | | | | The third area of operation systems deal with client |
| information that is to be managed and an engine the | | | | interaction. Sales systems are mainly concentrated |
| process the information. | | | | around client information. This is information about the |
| Functionally speaking, an information systems is used | | | | client, but also about possible prospects, contact |
| to support a business process. | | | | information - how to contact them and thru what |
| If the systems supports the business process directly | | | | medium or channel - but also information about |
| the systems could be categorized as an operational | | | | products and services they hold, or such details as the |
| system, if it supports the business process indirectly it | | | | product that has been ordered, but not yet delivered. |
| is better categorized as infrastructural or supporting | | | | Support systems is another broad category including a |
| system. If your phone (PBX) system is used to | | | | balanced score card, a data warehouse, business |
| channel calls from clients it is directly operational, | | | | intelligence, resource management, financial reporting |
| otherwise it supports the organization indirectly. This | | | | systems, billing systems, etc, etc, etc. |
| example shows that (in some cases) a system can | | | | Al these functional components together could be |
| harness both. | | | | pictured as a systems architecture that serve a |
| In the area of operational systems there are three | | | | specific business goal. One system could excel in |
| main variants: A system dedicated to production. In this | | | | either one of the sketched functions or hold many of |
| case the information system directly assesses the | | | | them in the same device. |
| manufacturing process and holds information about | | | | This system view described above serves in general |
| parts and requirements, where they are located and | | | | any organization or business and comes in handy |
| indication of quantities to be used. The main goal of | | | | when this business is affected by a possible change. |
| such a system is to increase the quality and reduce | | | | For example the one where a new system - the PDA |
| the time-to-.market. Obviously there are many different | | | | - is introduced in a restaurant. The new system will |
| types of production systems. | | | | have to communicate and cooperate with existing |
| Another area of operational systems is distribution and | | | | systems and will influence the (new) organization. |