Key MIS Concepts
August 24 – August 30
People as a Key Resource :
oThe single most important resource in an organization is not technology, but it is people
(p. 10).
oTechnology is a tool that can help an organization produce and manage information more
efficiently. In the end, the most important thing to an organization is what its people
decide to do with the information.
oPeople’s ability to use information is known as intellectual capacity (p. 15).
oTherefore, it is important that you become a technology-literate knowledge worker. A
technology-literate knowledge worker is a person who knows how and when to apply
technology (p. 11).
oYou cannot apply technology to any given process and expect that process instantly
efficient and effective. In addition, you also must be an information-literate knowledge
worker. Information-knowledge workers (p. 11):
Can define what information they need.
Know how and where to obtain that information.
Understand the information once they receive it.
Can act appropriately based on the information to help the organization achieve
the greatest advantage.
oAlthough you may be both a technology-literate and information-literate knowledge
worker, you must also be resolved to use that information in an ethical manner. Ethics
are the principles and standards that guide our behavior toward other people (p. 13).
Being a good knowledge worker also involves protecting yourself and your
organization from unethical people (p. 13).
Decentralized Computing and Shared Information :
oBecause most organizations have so many different people performing many different
tasks, the concepts of decentralized computing and shared information have become very
important (p. 17).
oShared information is an environment in which an organization’s information is
organized in one central location, allowing anyone to access and use it as he or she needs
it (p. 17).
