The theory of information systems has discussed these
issues in different pedagogical forms. For example, Alter??™s theory (Alter, 1999) defines
an information system as a particular type of work system that ???processes information by
performing various combinations of six types of operations: capturing, transmitting, storing,
retrieving, manipulating, and displaying information???. The fourteen statements characterizing
a work system in general and an information system in particular, as described by
Alter (Alter, 1999, p. 8) are given below:
1. Definition of work system: A work system is a system in which human participants
and/or machines perform a business process using information, technology, and other
resources to produce products and/or services for internal or external customers. Organizations
typically contain multiple work systems and operate through them.
2... Elements.of.a.work.system: Understanding a work system requires at least cursory
understanding of six elements: the business process, participants, information, technology,
products, and customers.
3... Environment.of.a.work.system: Understanding a work system usually requires an
understanding of its environment, including the external infrastructure that it relies
upon in order to operate and the managerial, organizational, regulatory, and competitive
context that affect its operation.
Pages:
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655