CHAPTER SEVEN:STORING ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION DATABASES

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1.DEFINE THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF THE RELATIONAL DATABASE MODEL?

     Information is stored in databases.Databases maintains information about various types of objects(inventory),events(transactions),people(employees),and places(warehouses).Information is everywhere of organization.Database models include:

–Hierarchical database model – information is organized into a tree-like structure that allows repeating information (using parent/child relationships) in such a way that it cannot have too many relationships.Hierarchical structures were widely used in the first mainframe database management systems.Hierarchical structure often cannot be used to relate to structures that exist in the real words.

–Network database model – a flexible way of representing objects and their relationships.The network model allows each record to have multiple parent and child records,forming a lattice structure.

–Relational database model – stores information in the form of logically related two-dimensional tables.

          One way to think about data in a relational database is to think about a cube of data. For example, at The Gap, the CEO, the district managers and the sales managers might think about their business as selling products (jeans, sweaters) in many markets (stores, regions) and measuring their progress over time (days, weeks, months). Many of the questions these managers have about their business can be answered by looking to the intersection of data defined by the edges of the cube pictured in Figure 1.

 

FIGURE 1

2)EVALUATE THE ADVANTAGES OF THE RELATIONAL DATABASE MODEL?

From a business perspective,databases information offers many advantages,including:

INCREASED FLEXIBILITY

           -Good databases can handle a changes quickly and easily,just as any good business     needs to be able to handle changes quickly and easily.Databases provide flexibility in allowing each user to access the information in whatever way best suits his or her needs.The distinction between logical and physical views is important in understanding flexible databases user views.

–Have only one physical view

Physical view – deals with the physical storage of information on a storage device such as a hard disk

–Have multiple logical views

             Logical view – focuses on how users logically access information to meet their particular business needs.

           This separation of logical and physical views is what allows each user to access database information differently.Database has only one physical views it can easily support multiple logical views.Foe example is a mail-order business.One user might want a CRM report presented in alphabetical format,in which case last name should appear before first name.Another user,working with catalog mailing system,would want customer names appearing as first name and then last name.Both are easily achievable but different logical views of the same physical information.

INCREASED SCALABILITY AND PERFORMANCE

-           A database must scale to meet increased demand,  while maintaining acceptable performance levels.Only a databases could "scale"to handle the massive volumes of information and the large numbers of users required for the successful launch of the Ellis Island website.

–Scalability – refers to how well a system can adapt to increased demands

–Performance – measures how quickly a system performs a certain process or transaction

          Some organization must be able to support hundreds or thousands of online users including employees,partners,customers and suppliers who all want to access and share information.

REDUCED INFORMATION REDUNDANCY

        -   Redundancy is the duplication of information or storing the same information in multiples places.Redundant information occurs before organization frequently capture and store the same information in multiple locations.The primary problem with redundant information is that it is often inconsistent,which makes it difficult to determine which values are the most current or most accurate.Eliminating information redundancy saves spaces,makes performing information updates easier and improves information quality.

INCREASED INFORMATION INTEGRITY(QUALITY)

-  Information Integrity is a measure of the quality of information.Within a database environment integrity constraints are rules that help ensure the quality of information.

Relational integrity constraint – rule that enforces basic and fundamental information-based constraints. For example an operational integrity constraint would not allow someone to create an order for a none existent customer, provide a markup percentage that was negative ,or order zero pounds of raw material from a suppliers

.Business-critical integrity constraint –rule that enforce business rules vital to an organization’s success and often require more insight and knowledge than relational integrity constraints. Consider a supplier of fresh produce to large grocery chains such as Kroger.

INCREASED INFORMATION SECURITY

•      Information is an organizational asset and must be protected from unauthorized users or misuse.As systems become increasingly complex and more available over the internet,security becomes an even bigger issue.

•          Databases offer several security features including:

–      Password – provides authentication of the user who is gaining access to the system.

–      Access level – determines who has access to the different types of information and access controls determine what type of access they have to information. For example customer services representatives might need read only access to customer order information so they can answer customer order inquiries,they might not have or need the authority to change or delete order information.

3. DEFINE A DATABASE MANAGEMENT  SYSTEM AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO A WEBSITE?

                           A database management system is used to access information from a      database. A database management system(DBMs) is software through which users and application programs interact with a database. Database management system is a set of programs that enables you to store, modify, and extract information from a database also provides users with tools to add, delete, access, modify, and analyze data stored in one location. The user send requests to the DBMS and the DBMS performs the actual manipulation of the information in the database. Many DBMS also include a graphics component that enables you to output information in the form of graphs and charts. Database and database management system are essential to all areas of business, they must be carefully managed.Consider for example, a company selling sports cars. A database is created with information on each of its currently available cars e.g. make, model, engine details, year, a photograph, etc. A visitor to the website clicks on Porsche, the visitor enters the price range that they are interested in and hits 'Go'. The visitor is presented with information on available Porsche cars in their price range and an invitation to purchase or request more information from the company. The company has the ability to add new cars to the database, remove them or modify existing entries this is achieved via a secure administration area on the website.

EXPLAIN WHY AN ORGANIZATION WOULD WANT TO INTEGRATE ITS DATABASE?

          Data integration refers to the organization’s inventory of data and information assets as well as the tools, strategies and philosophies by which fragmented data assets are aligned to support business goals.The company want to integrate its database because they will connect,communicate,dealing and having relation with its customer everyday. Everyday its customers will open the webpage and search anything appear on the page. Therefore, if the product still available or not available the supplier must inform the customers immediately.Publish the information on the web page to make the customers realize that the product exist or not in the market. Then, when the customers got information they will not too disappointed and not waiting too long. Customers satisfy, the business relationship between sellers and customers will be effective and launch smoothly.

chapter five:organizational structure the support strategic initiatives

IT roles and responsibilities


   Information technology is a relatively new functional area,having been around formally in most organizations only for about 40 years.Job titles,roles,and responsibilities often differ dramatically from organization to organization.

   Most organizations maintain positions such as chief executive officer(CEO),chief financial officer(CFO),and chief operations officer (COO) at the strategic level.Recently there are more IT related strategic positions such as chief information officer(CIO),chief technology officer(CTO),chief security officer(CSO),chief privacy officer(CPO),and chief knowledge officer(CKO).

So let's I explain little information about all the positions:

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER(CIO)

It responsible for:

  1) Overseeing all uses of information technology 
  2) Ensuring the strategic alignment of IT with business goals and objective

Broad functions of a CIO include:

   1) MANAGER
       -ensure the delivery of all IT projects,on time and within budget

    2)LEADER
       -ensure the strategic vision of IT is in line with strategic vision of the organization

    3)COMMUNICATOR
       -advocate and communicate the IT strategy by building and maintaining strong executive           
         relationships.

        Although CIO is considered a position within IT,CIO must be concerned with more than just IT. CIO with the broad business view that customer satisfaction is more crucial and critical than specific aspects of IT should applauded. 


CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER(CTO)

It responsible for:

  1) ensuring the throughput,speed,accuracy,availability,and reliability of an organizations 
      information technology.

        CTO are similar to CIO,except that CIO take on the additional responsibility for effectiveness of ensuring that IT is aligned with the organization strategic initiatives.
         
        CTO have direct responsibility for ensuring the efficiency of IT systems throughout the organization.Most CTO possess well rounded knowledge of all aspects of IT including hardware,software and telecommunications.


CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER(CSO)

It responsible for:

   1)ensuring the security of IT systems 
   2)developing strategies 
   3)IT safeguards against attacks from hackers and viruses

   The role of a CSO has been elevated in recents years because of the number of attacks from hackers and viruses.Most CSO possess detailed knowledge of networks and telecommunications because hackers and viruses usually find their way to into IT systems through networked computers.


CHIEF PRIVACY OFFICER(CPO)

It responsible for:

   1)ensuring the ethical and legal use of information within an organization.

   CPO are the newest senior executive position in IT.Many CPO are lawyers by training,enabling them to understand the often complex legal issues surrounding the use of information.


CHIEF KNOWLEDGE OFFICER(CKO)

It responsible for

  1) collecting,maintaining and distributing the organization knowledge

    The CKO designs programs and systems that make it easy for people to reuse knowldege.These systems create repositories of organizational documents,methodologies,tools and practices and they establish methods for filtering the information.

chapter fooorr:MEASURING THE SUCCES OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

What is Effectiveness IT Metrics?

            Effectiveness IT metrics measures how IT affects specific aspects of the business world, and a part of the business process. The given aspects include conversion rates, customer satisfaction in addition to sell-through increases. In short, Effectiveness measures how well a company, or business is reaching its objectives, and constantly questions as to whether the right actions being taken to meet the given objectives. An example in real life would be how well customers are treated at the Apple store when purchasing a new Ipod or computer. Also, the performance of the Effectiveness IT Metrics is measured in Benchmarks, so progress can be assessed. Apple being ranked number one in customer service, after taking a number of different surveys, would be considered to be a Benchmark. However, surveys are not just done in fortune 500 companies, they are also performed at companies that don't make as much of a profit but are just as productive, like a value chain. Thousands and thousands of dollars are spent every year by companies, in order to see how well they are doing, not just internally but externally. When it comes to internally, companies ask all of their employees at all levels to take an in depth survey to make sure the company is doing everything in it's power to make sure they are working well as a company. When it comes to externally, the company asks it's consumers if they could do anything better to meet the customer needs. This can also be done with surveys but can also be performed by a number of different ways. Both surveys are used to see how they can do better, much like the traditional practice of the Japanese business model, Kaizen, constantly seeing how well things can be done. 

What is Efficiency IT metrics?

            Effectiveness IT Metrics is very similar to Efficiency IT Metrics, however, there are several differences that place between the two. For example, Efficiency IT Metrics refers to the technical aspects such as rate of speed, and availability. In example, the rate of speed is used in reference to transactions. So, when I go to Zalora to purchase clothing, the time that it takes me to get into the line, the time that amounts for the cashier to ring up the products that I am purchasing   It also measure how fast information can travel through out the company, like and intranet, the speed of transaction between venders and it can even measure the amount of time a company is available to assist it’s consumers. An example in real life would refer to the number of page views, traffic, on a website. In terms of traffic, traffic is used to measure how many people how visited a website in a given period of time. In illustration, how many people visit  google. com each and everyday. There are thousands upon milions of people that come to the website in order to have their questions answered. The amount of people that come is considered to be traffic. In addition, Benchmarks are also used in this case to measure progress. Another example, the speed of which information travels from anywhere in the company, is a benchmark used to measure progress, called Throughput.

LET'S TO IMAGINE IF I HAVE A SIDE INCOME OF EXTRA MONEY FOR MY DAILY DAY..SO LETS SAY I HAVE A BAJU MUSLIMAH BUSINESS WHO NAMELY AS A 'POPULAR'.

Ok,let's check out what the efficiency and effectiveness using the Facebook for my business??

FOR EFFECIENCY:

It can effective  manage and make my shirt muslimah business more easy, fast and spend time,money,force and effort for me and also my customers. How??

Ok..let’s say firstly I've make a promotion in my own facebook .Not the official page. Then, from that I can introduce to my family and friends about the shirt muslimah .. Just tagging the picture to all fb friends and give a special discount for friend price.

Later, I can put the  POPULAR official page in facebook and put a few of the best or latest shirt muslimah  as a  shirt muslimah cover photo. Next, the shirt muslimah fan can subscribe the page and like...like...likex10000 my page every time the latest shirt muslimah will be put in the page. The fans and customers can choose their choice based on the colours, size, patterns, design and fashion. After that, when they want to make an order my customers just need to PM (private massage), call or email that I put together in the page. That very easy right.

FOR EFFECTIVELY:

I can make the social website as an alternative to increase the monthly demand. It easy for public people to buy thing they need without go anywhere. It just only click, they can purchase the shirt muslimah they need. This situation can save our time and do not squeeze the shopping mall to buy shirt muslimah. So my customer can shopping online at house with click and sit..This is easier to buy a shirt where ever you are.