Class 3

Data and Business

MIS 2000

Updated: May 2015

Outline

• Business and data

• Paper and electronic data formats (pros & cons)

• IS and organizational culture (electronic vs. paper)

• Information system and electronic database

• Electronic Relational Database

• Database Management System (DBMS)

• Structured Query Language

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Business and Data

Some data are supported by computer-based IS, some are still in paper format (“paper trail”). *

Business documentation Business documentation

Professional documentationProfessional documentation

C o m m u n i c a t i o n sC o m m u n i c a t i o n s

Organization as a set of business processes

Data sources in organizational environment

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Paper Trail

• “Paper trail” is a popular term for all organizational data stored on paper (notes, correspondence, forms, files)

• Paper has been used for long time and many people and organizations are still used to it.

• Paper is more secure, but hard to access, search, and transfer

More

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Paper and Electronic Data Format – Some Pros & Cons

• Overall, the electronic format overcomes disadvantages of paper, can meet its advantages, and keeps improving.

Paper data Electronic data

Creation Manual Manual entry & automatic result of processing

Search Manual, slow Automatic, fast

Transfer Slow Very fast

Space requirements

Very high Very low

Mobility Higher Moderate, improving

Security • Location related;• Physical hazard;• Harder to falsify

• Risks of network access; • Physical hazard;• Falsifiable but solutions evolve

Preservation Long term Limited, must migrate to new tech.

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Electronic vs. Paper Format

• Electronic format has tried to replace paper (“Paperless office”).*

• Paper format resists, being still preferred by older generations, government, and those deprived of electronic technology.

• Electronic IS today often replicate paper trail by producing paper output (sometimes massively) – coexistence of formats

• The habit of preserving paper trail is part of organizational culture.

Replace

Replicate

Resist

Coexist, Complement

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IS and Organizational Culture

• Organizational culture refers to deep, stable beliefs and accustomed practices shared by employees in an organization.

• Organizations have different organizational cultures.

• Whether paper and/or electronic data are preferred is largely a cultural belief and practice. *

Professional documents

Business documents Business documents

Communications Communications Communications

Business processes

Professional documents

Business documents Business documents

Communications Communications Communications

Business processes

Old New

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Information System and Electronic Database

• Database (DB) is the storage of data, a foundation of an IS. There is no IS without database(s) in the background.

• DB is possible to search (retrieve) efficiently.

Computer hardware & software

USER INTERFACE

FUNCTIONALITY

DB DBDB

DATA stored in

databases

INFORMATIONSYSTEM

• A different view of IS*:– User Interface is the connection between the user and IS.

– Functionality is the operations IS can perform (what it can do).

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Mobile Information System

INTERNET

DATA BASE

Screen icon,part of user interface

Part of Application Softwarerunning on

smart phone hardware & Operating System

Matching part of Application Software

Corresponding data in organized format

(records, data types)

MOBILE INFORMATION SYSTEM

+ +

• It is not just what is on your smart phone…

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Electronic Database

• Electronic Database: Collection of data that are organized so that they reflect business and meet technology requirements.

• Electronic database resembles a paper file cabinet in the data organization, but is much stronger on the search side.

One way of organizing data is in tables, as you study it in the lab. Table usually represents a business entity.

• There are different kinds of electronic databases – relational (MS Access), library catalog, full-text.

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Relational Database

• The type of database you study is called relational. It is best suited for numerical data and limited textual data.

• Data are organized in tables. Technical name for table is “relation” (thus the name “relational”).

• Tables reflect objects in business reality (customer, order).

• Tables are connected to reflect (for the most part) associations between business objects.

• Relational database is the basis for a Transaction Processing System (TPS), and Management Information System (MIS).

Key Agent Name Birth ate

007 Bond, James 1964, May 5

006 Zorge, Z. 1980, June 1

… … …

Table Secret Agent – when you read it… and when you design itAttribute Name

Data Type

AgentID Number

Agent Name Text

Birth Date Date

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Relational Database - Table

• Table = Collection of columns and rows.

– Column = Attribute (e.g., customer number)

– Row = Set of attributes (AnimalID, Name, …)

– Each row identified by an attribute that must have a unique value in each row key attribute (primary key, key) (AnimalID)

AnimalID Name Category Breed DateBorn Gender2   Fish Angel 05/05/2007 Male4 Simon Dog Vizsla 02/03/2007 Male5   Fish Shark 01/01/2007 Female6 Rosie Cat Oriental Shorthair 02/08/2007 Female7 Eugene Cat Bombay 25/01/2007 Male8 Miranda Dog Norfolk Terrier 04/05/2007 Female9   Fish Guppy 10/03/2007 Male

10 Sherri Dog Siberian Huskie 13/09/2007 Female

Table: PetAnimal

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Relational Database – Key & Foreign key

• Tables linked via keys & foreign keys • Definition of Key: The attribute that uniquely identifies each row

in a table.• Definition of Foreign Key = The attribute that is the key in

another table.

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Database Management System (DBMS)

• DBMS is software package for creating database, storing, retrieving and overall management of data (e.g., Microsoft Access).

• An important DBMS components is Search Engine. It runs queries on the database (data search or retrieval).

– Report writer – usually uses queries to create reports for users (system output)

– Access management (access privileges: read, write, update)– Multiple users access DB at the same time

DBDB

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Structured Query Language (SQL)

Syntax and rules (commands) for searching relational database (DB).

To do search, user creates a query, and query is run on a DB.

SQL also be used for entering and changing data, and other tasks.

Easier to learn than programming languages.

SQL Query:

Select lists desired columns from desired table(s)

From identifies tables where the columns are

Where specifies filtering conditions for selecting specific

rows, and may identify primary-foreign key connection.

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Search Data with SQL Example

SELECT Part.Part_NameFROM Part, SupplierWHERE Supplier_Number=8259

Output: Door latch, Door lock, and Door handle

Data is stored in tables Part and Supplier, which are linked via the Supplier_Number (key in Supplier table, and foreign key in Part table)

• MS Access provides a facility for retrieval without writing SQL statements.

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Summary

• Business processes use data that are either in electronic or paper format (paper trail).

• Paper still has useful properties, although electronic formats is superior and keeps advancing.

• Proportion of electronic and paper is an aspect of organizational culture.

• Electronic database is the foundation of IS.

• Key concepts of electronic relational database are table, primary key, and foreign key.

• Database Management System (DBMS) is ssoftware for creating database and retrieving and overall management of data. DBMS can be used to develop entire IS.

• Structured Query Language is standard for database retrieval.

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