The document discusses several key concepts related to organizations and information systems, including that the relationship between information technology and organizations is mediated by factors such as organizational culture, structure, politics, business processes, and environment. It also defines an organization as a formal social structure that processes resources from the environment to produce outputs, and discusses features of organizations such as hierarchical structures and routines/business processes.
The document discusses several key concepts related to organizations and information systems, including that the relationship between information technology and organizations is mediated by factors such as organizational culture, structure, politics, business processes, and environment. It also defines an organization as a formal social structure that processes resources from the environment to produce outputs, and discusses features of organizations such as hierarchical structures and routines/business processes.
The document discusses several key concepts related to organizations and information systems, including that the relationship between information technology and organizations is mediated by factors such as organizational culture, structure, politics, business processes, and environment. It also defines an organization as a formal social structure that processes resources from the environment to produce outputs, and discusses features of organizations such as hierarchical structures and routines/business processes.
The document discusses several key concepts related to organizations and information systems, including that the relationship between information technology and organizations is mediated by factors such as organizational culture, structure, politics, business processes, and environment. It also defines an organization as a formal social structure that processes resources from the environment to produce outputs, and discusses features of organizations such as hierarchical structures and routines/business processes.
Relation between Systems & Organizations Information technology and organizations influence each other. The relationship is influenced by organization’s structure, business processes, politics, culture, environment, and management decisions. What is an Organization An organization is a formal social structure that processes resources from the environment to produce outputs. It is a collection of rights, privileges, obligations, and responsibilities that is delicately balanced over time through conflict and conflict resolution. Features of Organizations Organizations have hierarchical structures, accountability and authority in systems of impartial decision making, adherence to the principle of efficiency, routines and business processes, organizational politics, culture, environments, and structures. Routines and Business Processes Routines are precise rules, procedures, and practices developed to cope with virtually all expected situations. Business processes are collections of routines. A business firm is a collection of business processes. Organizational Politics People in organizations occupy different positions with different specialties and interests. Divergent viewpoints lead to political struggle, competition, and conflict. Political resistance greatly hampers organizational change. Organizational Culture Organizational culture encompasses a set of assumptions that define the goal and product of the organization. It may be a powerful unifying force as well as a restraint on change. Organizational Environments Organizations and environments have a reciprocal relationship. Organizations are open to and dependent on the social and physical environment. Organizations can influence their environments. Environments generally change faster than organizations. Organizational Structure All organizations have a certain structure or shape. There are many classifications for these structures, including entrepreneurial, machine bureaucracy, divisionalized bureaucracy, professional bureaucracy, and adhocracy. Other Organizational Features Other organizational features include goals, constituencies, leadership styles, tasks, and surrounding environments. Impacts of Information Systems on Organizations Information systems have economic impacts and organizational impacts. They change the relative costs of capital and information, affect the cost and quality of information, and flatten organizations. What factors mediate the relationship between information technology and organizations? The relationship between information technology and organizations is mediated by factors such as organizational culture, structure, politics, business processes, and environment. How does an organization define itself? An organization can be defined as a formal social structure that processes resources from the environment to produce outputs. It is also a formal legal entity with internal rules and procedures, as well as a social structure. What are some features of organizations? Some features of organizations include the use of hierarchical structure, accountability and authority in a system of impartial decision making, adherence to the principle of efficiency, routines and business processes, and organizational politics, culture, environments, and structures. What are routines and business processes in organizations? Routines are standard operating procedures that are developed to cope with expected situations. Business processes are collections of routines. A business firm is a collection of business processes. What is organizational politics? Organizational politics refers to the political struggle, competition, and conflict that arise from the divergent viewpoints of people in organizations who occupy different positions with different specialties and interests. Political resistance can greatly hinder organizational change. What is organizational culture? Organizational culture encompasses a set of assumptions that define the goals and products of an organization. It determines what products the organization should produce, how and where they should be produced, and for whom they should be produced. Organizational culture can be a powerful unifying force as well as a restraint on change. What is the relationship between organizations and their environments? Organizations and environments have a reciprocal relationship. Organizations are open to and dependent on the social and physical environment. Organizations can also influence their environments. However, environments generally change faster than organizations. What are the different types of organizational structures? All organizations have a certain structure or shape. Some common types of organizational structures include entrepreneurial, machine bureaucracy, divisionalized bureaucracy, professional bureaucracy, and adhocracy. The information system found in an organization reflects its structure. What are some other organizational features? Some other organizational features include goals (coercive, utilitarian, normative, etc.), constituencies, leadership styles, tasks, and surrounding environments. What are the economic impacts of information systems on organizations? Information systems can change the relative costs of capital and the costs of information. They can also affect the cost and quality of information, changing the economics of information. Information technology helps firms contract in size by reducing transaction costs. It can also lower market transaction costs and reduce agency costs. What factors mediate the relationship between information technology and organizations? ✓ - Structure, Business processes, Politics, Culture, Environment, Management decisions ✗ - Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Shareholders ✗ - Finance, Marketing, Operations, Human resources ✗ - Technology, Innovation, Competition, Market demand According to the technical definition, what is an organization? ✗ - A collection of rights, privileges, obligations, and responsibilities ✗ - A legal entity with internal rules and procedures ✗ - A group of people working together towards a common goal ✓ - A formal social structure that processes resources from the environment to produce outputs What are the features of organizations? ✗ - Informal structure, Collaboration, Creativity, Empowerment ✗ - Centralized structure, Bureaucracy, Red tape, Hierarchy ✗ - Flat structure, Autonomy, Flexibility, Innovation ✓ - Hierarchical structure, Accountability, Efficiency, Routines and business processes, Organizational politics, culture, environments, and structures What are routines and business processes in organizations? ✗ - Routines and business processes are unrelated to each other ✓ - Routines are standard operating procedures, while business processes are collections of routines ✗ - Routines and business processes are the same thing ✗ - Routines are collections of business processes, while business processes are standard operating procedures What is organizational politics? ✗ - The formal structure and hierarchy of organizations ✗ - The process of making decisions in organizations ✓ - Political struggle, competition, and conflict arising from divergent viewpoints in organizations ✗ - The use of power and authority to achieve organizational goals What is organizational culture? ✗ - The formal rules and procedures of an organization ✗ - The leadership style of an organization ✓ - A set of assumptions that define the goals and products of an organization ✗ - The physical environment in which an organization operates What is the relationship between organizations and their environments? ✓ - Organizations are open to and dependent on the social and physical environment ✗ - Organizations have no impact on their environments ✗ - Organizations are isolated from their environments ✗ - Organizations have control over their environments What is organizational structure? ✗ - The size of an organization ✗ - The technology used by an organization ✓ - The shape or form of an organization ✗ - The goals and objectives of an organization What are the different types of organizational structures? ✓ - Entrepreneurial, Machine bureaucracy, Divisionalized bureaucracy, Professional bureaucracy, Adhocracy ✗ - Functional, Divisional, Matrix, Team-based ✗ - Tall, Flat, Hierarchical, Organic ✗ - Centralized, Decentralized, Matrix, Network What are the economic impacts of information systems on organizations? ✓ - Changes in relative costs of capital and information, reduction of transaction costs, lowering of agency costs ✗ - Enhancement of customer and supplier relationships, improvement in decision making ✗ - Increase in revenue and profitability, improvement in productivity ✗ - Creation of new markets and industries, disruption of existing industries
