Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Building on the success of the last three editions of Business Information Systems: Analysis Design and Practice, this established text offers a comprehensive understanding of how information systems can aid the realisation of business objectives. Analytical in its approach, the text is particularly suited to those in upper undergraduate business degrees taking a module in Information Systems or an Information Systems Development module in Computer Science, as well as those following specialist Business Information Systems pathways. The text is also widely used on MBA courses. Key Features *The chapter covering networks and distributed systems is expanded to accommodate recent developments in the use of the internet. *New chapter on e-Commerce and business applications. *Increased critique of Rational Planning Models. *Coverage of the operational issues concerning the management of information systems. *Additional new material on hot topics: data warehousing; data mining; business intelligence; knowledge management; intranets; new organisational forms; virtual teams/governance of IT. *Recent developments and current thinking in information systems strategy have been included in the

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• 1 Information Systems: Introduction
• Decisions
• Value of information
• The idea of a system
• Management information systems
• Informal and formal information
• 2 Strategy And Information Systems: The need for a business strategy
• Business strategic planning
• Business information systems strategy
• Information systems strategy today
• 3 Business Information Technology: Historical development of computing technology
• Hardware
• Software
• 4 Distributed Systems, Networks and The Organization: Networks and distributed systems
• The idea of a distributed system
• Organizational benefits of distributed systems
• Organizational levels and distributed systems
• The extent of distribution
• The distribution of data
• Networks and communications
• Standards
• Electronic data interchange
• The effects of the Internet on business
• 5 Business, The World Wide Web, and The Internet: The evolution of the Internet
• How the Internet works
• What the Internet offers
• The World Wide Web
• The Internet and copyright
• The Internet and financial transactions
• Intranets and Extranets
• 6 Electronic Commerce and Business: A brief introduction to E-Commerce
• Key features of E-Commerce
• Conducting business over the Internet
• Trade cycles and E-Commerce
• E-Commerce Business Models
• The development and management of a business website
• Trends in E-Commerce
• 7 Decision Support and End-User Computing: Features of decision support systems
• Types of decision support system
• The development of decision support systems
• Group decision support
• End-user computing
• Human computer interaction
• 8 File Organization and Databases For Business Information Systems: Files and file structures
• Records and record structure
• Physical and logical views of data
• Data storage files, records and lists
• File-based and database approaches to data storage
• A three-level architecture for databases
• Models and schemas
• Network models
• Hierarchical
• Relational models
• Object-oriented databases
• Microcomputer databases
• Data warehouses
• 9 Control In Information Systems: Control systems
• Controls over computerized information systems
• Data protection legislation
• Risk identification and controls
• 10 Information Systems Development: An Overview
• The need for systems analysis and design
• The need for a structured approach to analysis and design
• The life cycle of a system
• The structured approach and the life cycle
• 11 The Systems Project: Early Stages: Initial stages
• Statement of scope and objectives
• Systems investigation
• The feasibility study and report
• 12 Process Analysis and Modelling: Systems analysis
• Manual systems flowcharts
• Data flow diagrams
• Data dictionaries
• Decision tables
• Logic
• Structured English
• 13 Data Analysis and Modelling: Top-down versus bottom-up approaches to data modeling
• Entity relationship modeling
• Data analysis and modelling an overview of the method
• Process modelling and data modelling the links
• 14 Systems Design: The transition from analysis to design
• Suggesting alternative designs
• Automation boundaries
• Walkthroughs and formal reviews
• 15 Detailed Design, Implementation and Review: Detailed design
• Systems specification
• Implementation
• Systems changeover
• Evaluation and maintenance
• 16 Systems Development: Further Tools, Techniques and Alternative Approaches: Computer Aided Software Engineering
• Rapid Applications Development
• Object-oriented approaches to analysis and design
• An evaluation of hard approaches to systems analysis and design
• Soft approaches to systems analysis and design
• Current usage of methodologies and techniques
• 17 Expert Systems and Knowledge Bases: Expert systems architecture
• Representation of knowledge
• Drawing inferences
• Intelligence and the internet