Purpose of Information Systems
An information system is an integrated collection of components for collecting, storing, and processing data and delivering information, knowledge, and digital goods. Information systems used by organizations include transaction processing, managerial information, customer relationship, and decision support (Cin7, 2019). Companies in today’s globalized, constantly changing world need to stay on top of the information they have at their disposal. Information systems are crucial to the smooth operation of any organization, since they allow for the methodical fulfillment of essential requirements (Zwass, 2020). For instance, a corporation may use its information system for things like sales. Sales data for major corporations like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, etc. is tracked and updated automatically in dedicated software. If quarterly sales are down, information systems can help pinpoint the root cause so that the organization can adjust its strategy.
Information Systems Organizational Support
Organizations may benefit from information systems in a variety of ways, including data analysis of new goods and services, data management and retrieval, and automated communication systems (ECPI University, 2022). Businesses may save time and resources by using information systems rather than recruiting new people to handle and analyze data. One may put those resources to better use in other areas of their organization, whether it be internal operations or expanding their customer base.
Organizational Security Goals
To ensure the safety of its proprietary information and internal processes, a business or an organization may implement a set of rules and regulations known as organizational security policies. Companies typically use security measures to ensure that only authorized individuals with a legitimate business need access the company’s most private information (IBM, 2021). In addition, it restricts their abilities to make changes, such that not every user can change or update every piece of data. Employees can view but not modify this data due to certain restrictions. In addition, people who have access to sensitive data will be held responsible for any errors (IBM, 2021). When these policies are enforced, employees cannot see data with a greater sensitivity level than they are authorized to view, or downgrade data to a lower sensitivity level.
Organization Response to Threats and Safeguards
There is always a need for an organization to develop relevant measures to respond to breach in their data. Michael Swanagan, a cybersecurity specialist at PurpleSec, identifies physical controls, technological controls, and administrative controls as the three most common forms of security risks faced by organizations (Swanagan, 2021). Some examples of physical security controls include video monitoring, photo identification, restricted access, and biometric authentication. Data encryption, firewalls, and antivirus applications are just a few examples of the kinds of technology used in what are called technical controls. These controls are designed to lessen the likelihood of security breaches in information systems (Swanagan, 2021). The term administrative controls is used to describe the measures a business takes to ensure its employees and operations are protected (Swanagan, 2021). These security threats may be prevented, detected, and corrected by a business at each level, although preventative procedures are often the most helpful. In order to save time and resources, businesses would benefit from preventing security breaches at every level.
Ethical use of Information Technology
There is much information and data at a company’s disposal due to prevalence of technology and security measures in modern business operations. Keeping to the highest ethical and moral standards in business operations is something that should be a priority for everyone. When dealing with this huge amount of data, organizations and their employees should keep privacy, confidentiality, ownership, trust, and the accuracy of the information in mind (Sullins, 2018). First, it is the responsibility of both employers and employees to maintain the confidentiality of company records and communications. Equally important is that businesses strike a balance between too much and too little trust and transparency. A company’s success and growth depend on a stable equilibrium between these factors.
References
Cin7. (2019). Information System. Web.
ECPI University. (2022). Reasons Why Information Systems Are Important for Business Today. Web.
IBM. (2021). Organizational security policies. Web.
Sullins, J. (2018). Information Technology and Moral Values. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web.
Swanagan, M. (2021). The 3 Types of Security Controls (Expert Explains). Web.
Zwass, V. (2020). Information System. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web.