Lecture 1 and 2 Data and Information

Data and Information

Data is a raw collection of facts. Raw means that has not been processed in any way. Example: Railway Reservation Data and Information can be used interchangeably. Raw data and information are stored in databases in internal storage of organisations.

Measuring Data
Data is stored in the form of 0s and 1s and transmitted digitally. Bits are stored in RAM, secondary memory, hard disk and Flash memory. Bits are to be aggregated in terms of bytes. Kilobytes, Megabytes, Giga bytes. Large storage needed in organisations stores in blade servers of terabytes.

Information as a Resource
Three major resources for an organization money, labour and materials. These resources can be specific as well as general in different organizations. Information also act as resource in an organization. Treating information as a resource allows us to ask for the value and contribution of that resource to organization.

Information as a Resource
Organization treat information as very valuable asset which is to be managed and used for different purposes. The information can be used fro planning and decision making. Information can be analyzed and used for answering number of questions related to sale in a month , decrease and increase in sale etc.

Information systems
It basically comprises of collection of computers, networks , software and people who create ,store , modify and distribute data and information in an organization. Information technology are key ingredients of modern information systems. Printer is an IT tool and tangible but the it is part of IS of organisation.

Information in Organisational Functions

Organisation divide tasks into number of departments include accounting ,marketing, finance, operations , HRM. Accounting within an organisation used to control and manage the most important resource which is money. It maintain data about sales, purchases, expenses, wage payments , materials etc.

Information in Organisational Functions

Using Accounting Information managers are able to analyze the requirements for money by preparing reports. Marketing also help to manage the databases about the customer requirements, special offer schemes to customer. Human Resources keep records of employee information about attendance ,salary, leave days etc.