10 Questions
Where have smaller handheld devices become indispensable tools?
On the factory floor
What type of software packages have organizations invested in?
Software with integrated modules
What kind of software programs have become pervasive for smartphones?
Downloadable bit-size software programs
Why have investments in wireless connectivity increased recently?
To support mobile workers inside organizations
In what setting have smaller handheld devices not become indispensable tools?
School classrooms
Which of the following is NOT one of the new ways to compete mentioned in the text?
Mergers and Acquisitions
What enables sales personnel and other traveling managers to become telecommuters?
Portable computers and mobile equipment with Internet access
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a new way of working in the text?
Outsourcing non-core activities
What is the responsibility of the information systems (IS) department within organizations?
Supporting new ways of working with computer systems and networks
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of differentiation as a way to compete, according to the text?
Low cost
Study Notes
New Ways to Compete
- Low-cost competition: competing with other businesses by being a low-cost producer of a good or service.
- Differentiation: competing with other businesses by offering products or services with superior characteristics, such as product innovativeness, image, product quality, or customer service.
New Ways to Work
- Telecommuting: sales personnel and other traveling managers working remotely with portable computers and mobile equipment, having access to company data 24/7 with an Internet connection.
- Virtual teams: teams with members separated geographically, working together without face-to-face interactions.
- Free agents: individuals with specialized skills working independently, contracting out their services without being a permanent employee of any organization.
Managing IT in Organizations
- The information systems (IS) department is responsible for supporting new ways of competing and working with computer systems and networks within an organization.
Recent Information Technology Trends
Computer Hardware
- Improvement in functionality of smaller, handheld devices, making them indispensable tools for accessing e-mail and other applications.
Computer Software
- Enterprise systems: software packages with integrated modules that share data across dispersed work teams, business divisions, and national boundaries in "real time".
- Downloadable applications: bit-size software programs for smartphones and larger programs for other portable devices.
Computer Networks
- Investments in wireless connectivity to support mobile workers inside an organization's walls.
- High-bandwidth networks enabling fast data transfer.
- Cloudy networks providing remote access to data and applications.
Learn about the recent trends in Information Technology including advancements in computer hardware and software. Explore how hardware has become faster, cheaper, and more mobile, while software has become more integrated, downloadable, and social.
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