Final_question n0.4

TOPIC: THE KNOWLEDGE - BASED SYSTEMS (KBS)
Question # 3:
1. Describe or define KBS.
2. Distinguish KBS from MIS.
3. Illustrate (give examples) how KBS can improve company's competitive advantage and organizational performance.

1. A knowledge-based system is a computer program that reasons and uses knowledge to solve complex problems. Traditionally, computers have solved complex problems using arithmetic algorithms created by programmers. With knowledge-based systems, human knowledge is captured and embedded explicitly within a program in a symbolic format.


2. KBS is a collection of facts and the relationships among them that mimic the decision-making process in an expert's mind and constitute a major component of an expert system. While MIS provide important tools supporting delivery and adding credibility to your organisation. Access stored information easily and manipulate it for your needs, your clients’ needs and your funders’ needs. Control flow of information into, around and out of your systems.

3. Business organizations are coming to view knowledge as their most valuable and strategic resource, and bringing that knowledge to bear on problems and opportunities as their most important capability. They are realizing that to remain competitive they must explicitly manage their intellectual resources and capabilities. Knowledge-based competitive advantage is also sustainable because the more a firm already knows, the more it can learn. Learning opportunities for an organization that already has a knowledge advantage may be more valuable than for competitors having similar learning opportunities but starting off knowing less. For example, an organization who uses KBS in their system, they can draw inferences from it, the computer can now be put to some practical use as a problem solver and decision maker by searching the knowledge base for relevant facts and relationships, the computer can reach one or more alternative solutions to the given problem of a company. The computer's knowledge base and inferencing capability augment those of the user.

http://web.cba.neu.edu/~mzack/articles/kstrat/kstrat.htm

http://www.bookrags.com/research/knowledge-based-systems-csci-03/

Final_question n0.3

TOPIC: THE VIRTUAL OFFICE (VO)
Question # 3:
1. Describe or define VO.
2. Distinguish VO from MIS.
3. Illustrate (give examples) how VO can improve company's competitive advantage and organizational performance.

1. Virtual Office is defined as a mobile or remote work-environment equipped with telecommunications links and basic 0ffice furniture, but without a fixed office space. It is a term for shared office services, which normally includes business address, mail courier services, phone services, fax services, answering services, web-hosting services and meeting and conference facilities.

2. Virtual Office suggests that office work can be done at virtually any geographical location as long as the work site is linked to one or more of the firm's fixed locations by some type of electronic communications capability. While MIS deals with planning for, development, management, and use of information technology tools to help people perform all tasks related to information processing and management. It is a system based on the database of the organization evolved for the purpose of providing information to the people of the organization. It focuses to descipline.

3. VO can improve company's competitive advantage and organizational performance by overcoming the workplace with electronics and thereby makes possible several real advantages. Such as reduced equipment and facility cost where the firm does not have to have such a large office capacity and office equipment, since some employees are working elsewhere, making possible reduced cost for office rents; social contribution wherein VO makes it possible for the firm to employ persons who would not otherwise have an oppurtunity to work, and it therefore provides the firm with an oppurtunity to express its social conscience; and formal comminication network. For example, the telecommuters must be kept informed about and provided with specific instructions, more attention is given to the communication network than is ordinarily the case. In the traditional office setting, much information is communicated in casual conversation and by observation. The increased attention to the telecommuters needs has the potential for producing better communications than when all employees work can continue. These advantages are advantages that accrue to the firm, and VO demands cooperation by both the firm and the employees if it is to succeed.



http://www.packet8.net/business_services/switchboard.aspx
http://www.bookrags.com/sk/virtual+office

Final_question n0.2

TOPIC: THE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM (DSS)
Question # 3:
1. Describe or define DSS.
2. Distinguish DSS from MIS.
3. Illustrate (give examples) how DSS can improve company's competitive advantage and organizational performance. Cite your reference.


1. Decision Support System is a term referring to an interactive computerized system that gathers and presents data from a wide range of sources, typically for business purposes. It is a computer-based system that enables management to interrogate the computer system on an ad hoc basis for various kinds of information on the organization and to predict the effect of potential decisions beforehand. This system supports technological and managerial decision making by assisting in the organization of knowledge about ill-structured issues.

2. DSS and MIS are similar from each other. MIS supports DSS because it is a system that provides the organizations managers with the tools that helps them organize, evaluate and efficiently run their deparments. In order to provide past, present and prediction information
MIS helps or supports DSS in making operational, tactical and strategic decisions. It gathers relevant datas both from outside and inside the organization and also supports technological and managerial decision making in assisting the organization of knowledge about ill-structured issues.

3. A decision support system creates a competitive advantage if three criteria are met. First, once the DSS is implemented, it must be used and it must become a major or significant strength or capability of the organization. Second, the DSS must be unique and proprietary to the organization. Third, the advantage provided by the DSS must be sustainable until an adequate payback is received, usually at least three years. Managers who are searching for strategic investments in information technology need to keep these three criteria in mind. Just because a vendor says a product will create a competitive advantage doesn’t make the claim true. A competitive advantage means an organization does something important much better than its competitors. For example, providing a DSS to customers can differentiate a product and possibly provide a new service. Differentiation increases profitability when the price premium charged is greater than any added costs associated with achieving the differentiation. Successful differentiation means a firm can charge a premium price, and/or sell more units, and/or increase buyer loyalty for service or repeat purchases. In some situations, competitors can rapidly imitate the differentiation, and then all competitors incur increased costs for implementing the DSS.

SOurces:(http://www.answers.com/topic/decision-support-system);

(http://www.b-eye-network.com/view/6501)

Final_question n0. 1

Research one company from the Internet and describe their MIS strategic plan in 1-2 paragraphs. Discuss too the impact of this strategic plan on the company's management, competitors, customers and the company as a whole. Evaluate how can this strategic plan be applied to any local company in the Philippines. Discuss too the possible effect on the company.

Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics , video, communications, video game console and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets.
Sony establishes corporate IS solutions to reinforce information systems capabilities for more efficient management in digital era.
The new organization will allow Sony to prepare itself for the emerging digital era by reinforcing its management information system. They implemented a number of corporate structural changes in recent years. Sony's divisional company structure was first introduced in 1994, and it was further enhanced in 1996. Sony also reorganized its board of directors and created corporate executive officer positions in 1997.

In response to changes in the business environment brought about by digitization and the growth of a networked society, the Sony Group has diversified its business operations to include digital satellite broadcasting, electronics, entertainment, insurance and finance. Sony hopes to use ISS to further strengthen its information systems capabilities in order to enhance the speed and flexibility of management decisions. The objective of ISS will be to improve the efficiency of Sony's management information systems (MIS) infrastructure and increase the role of MIS in strategic planning and business promotion.