Introduction to information on technology / Efraim Turban, R. Kelly Rainer and Richard Potter.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

It makes your business soar! Without Information Technology (IT), the snowboard on the cover simply would never make it to the slopes. As you read Introduction to Information Technology, you'll discover that IT integrates and enhances all functions of a business-from the research and development that goes into designing a faster, more flexible board, to the delivery systems that make sure stores receive stock in time for winter, to the point-of-sale systems that track sales trends and customers' buying preferences. Written in language you can easily understand, the text gradually presents complex technical information on a need-to-know basis, so that you won't get overwhelmed by the details. Each chapter is filled with dozens of real-world examples that demonstrate IT's relevance to different disciplines, industries, and companies. Throughout the text, you'll also find numerous opportunities to apply what you've learned. Features
* Relevance: The authors explain why IT is important to all individuals and functions within an organization by relating topics to specific business majors (finance, marketing, MIS, production/operations, HR, etc.).
* Real-World Examples: Extensive examples show you the capabilities of IT, its cost and justifications, and innovative ways actual corporations are using IT in their operations.
* Global Perspective: The text explains how IT facilitates export and import, managing multinational companies, and electronic trading around the globe.
* Integrated Systems: Integrated systems (e.g. SAP R/3; extranets) are stressed and related to supply chain management and multinational corporations.
* Making Connections: The text emphasizes the importance of connections among individuals, groups, and organizations, and the support that IT provides in enabling these connections.
* The Web: In addition to teaching the fundamentals of the Internet, the text presents a comprehensive chapter on e-commerce. All chapters include Web-based, real-world applications, "integration with the Web" exploration, and Internet exercises.
* The Virtual Company: A Web-based case for a simulated company manufacturing snowboards enables you to create and operate a small business a small business on the Web.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Part I Information Technology in the Business Environment
• 1. Introduction: Business and Information Technology (p. 1)
• Business in the Information Age: Pressures and Responses (p. 3)
• Reality Check: Why You Need to Know about Information Technology (p. 13)
• What Is an Information System? (p. 17)
• Reality Check II: Strategic Questions and Information Technology Answers (p. 23)
• The Plan of this Book (p. 26)
• 2. Organizations and Information Technology Support (p. 32)
• Information Systems Infrastructure and Architecture (p. 34)
• Organizations: Structure and IT Support (p. 39)
• The Evolution and Types of Information Systems (p. 42)
• IT Support at Different Organizational Levels (p. 47)
• Managing Information Technology in Organizations (p. 50)
• Part II Information Technology Infrastructure
• 3. Computer Hardware (p. 59)
• The Significance of Hardware (p. 61)
• The Central Processing Unit (p. 63)
• Computer Memory (p. 66)
• Computer Hierarchy (p. 73)
• Input Technologies (p. 82)
• Output Technologies (p. 86)
• Strategic Hardware Issues (p. 89)
• 4. Computer Software (p. 96)
• Software History and Significance (p. 98)
• Systems Software (p. 100)
• Application Software (p. 104)
• Software Issues (p. 113)
• Programming Languages (p. 117)
• Enterprise Software (p. 124)
• 5. Managing Organizational Data and Information (p. 133)
• Basics of Data Arrangement and Access (p. 134)
• The Traditional File Environment (p. 137)
• Databases: The Modern Approach (p. 139)
• Database Management Systems (p. 145)
• Logical Data Models (p. 147)
• Data Warehouses (p. 155)
• 6. Telecommunications and Networks (p. 171)
• The Telecommunications System (p. 173)
• Networks (p. 186)
• Network Communications Software (p. 189)
• Network Processing Strategies (p. 193)
• Telecommunications Applications (p. 197)
• 7. The Internet and Intranets (p. 206)
• What Is the Internet? (p. 208)
• The Evolution of the Internet (p. 210)
• The Operation of the Internet (p. 213)
• Services Provided by the Internet (p. 216)
• The World Wide Web (p. 223)
• Internet Challenges (p. 230)
• Intranets (p. 234)
• Part III Applying Information Technology for Competitive Advantage
• 8. Interorganizational and Global Information Systems (p. 242)
• Interorganizational Information Systems (p. 244)
• Global Information Systems (p. 245)
• Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) (p. 253)
• Extranets (p. 260)
• Implementing Interorganizational Information Systems (p. 265)
• 9. Functional and Enterprise Systems (p. 272)
• Information Systems to Support Business Functions (p. 274)
• Transaction Processing Information Systems (p. 276)
• Accounting and Finance Systems (p. 281)
• Marketing and Sales Systems (p. 286)
• Production and Operations Systems (p. 290)
• Human Resource Management Systems (p. 296)
• Integrated Information Systems and Enterprise Resource Planning (p. 300)
• 10. Data, Knowledge, and Decision Support (p. 311)
• Management and Decision Making (p. 313)
• The Data Management Life Cycle (p. 316)
• Decision Support Systems (p. 321)
• Enterprise Decision Support (p. 328)
• Data Visualization Technologies (p. 335)
• Knowledge Management and Organizational Knowledge Bases (p. 338)
• Knowledge Discovery and Analysis (p. 342)
• 11. Intelligent Systems in Business (p. 352)
• Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems (p. 354)
• Expert Systems (p. 360)
• Other Intelligent Systems (p. 366)
• Intelligent Agents (p. 374)
• Virtual Reality: An Emerging Technology (p. 376)
• Ethical and Global Issues of Intelligent Systems (p. 378)
• 12. Electronic Commerce (p. 387)
• Foundations of Electronic Commerce (p. 389)
• Business-to-Consumer Applications (p. 392)
• Business-to-Business Applications (p. 409)
• Consumers, Market Research, and Customer Support (p. 412)
• Infrastructure, Payments, and Other Support (p. 419)
• Legal and Ethical Issues in Electronic Commerce (p. 426)
• 13. Strategic Information Systems and Reorganization (p. 435)
• Strategic Advantage and Information Technology (p. 438)
• Porter's Competitive Forces Model and IT (p. 440)
• Illustrative Strategic Information Systems (p. 445)
• Ineffective Organizations in the Information Age (p. 449)
• Business Process Reengineering (p. 453)
• Virtual Corporations and Information Technology (p. 465)
• Part IV Developing and Managing Systems
• 14. Information Systems Development (p. 473)
• Information Systems Planning (p. 475)
• The Traditional Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) (p. 477)
• Alternative Methods for Systems Development (p. 486)
• Systems Development Outside the Information Systems Department (p. 492)
• Building Internet and Intranet Applications (p. 502)
• 15. Implementing IT: Ethics, Impacts, and Security (p. 509)
• Ethical Issues (p. 511)
• Impacts of IT on Organizations and Jobs (p. 519)
• Impacts on Individuals at Work (p. 521)
• Societal Impacts and Internet Communities (p. 525)
• Security Is a Concern of Everyone (p. 532)
• Protecting Information Systems (p. 537)
• Glossary (p. 1)
• References (p. 1)
• Index (p. 1)

Author notes provided by Syndetics