Download The digital world.

The Digital World
Understanding the challenges
of this world
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Introduction
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What do we need to understand?
The emergence of the Information Age
Its influence on globalization
What information systems are
How information systems can help or
harm the organizations that attempt to
employ them
• Key ethical considerations regarding
the use of information systems
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Importance of Information
• Information has always been important
• Historically we have never been able
to process it all in our heads
– We did not have it all
– We did not always know what it meant
• Why does a product that has been a
good seller decline in sales?
– Factors unrelated to the product
– Something better now exists
– Knowing the answer determines the
strategy
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Through the Ages
• There are have been several ages in
history
• These ages are dominated by one main
focus
• Each age was the foundation for the
next
• They are increasing in speed of arrival
and decreasing in duration
• We never cease the activities of the
previous age
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
First Two Ages
• The Agricultural Age provided the time
and resources necessary for people to
live in cities
– Stay in one location and invent machines
• The Industrial Revolution showed the
power of machines
– Reduced the amount of work needed to
produce necessities
– Provided the tools necessary to replicate
information and widely disseminate it in a
low-cost manner
– Starts about 1740
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Next
• The information age exploits the
abundance of knowledge
– Widespread distribution of knowledge
electronically
– Advent of computers allows processing
this knowledge in ways never before
possible
• The Biotechnology age is said to be
ready to start in this decade
– Will only last a few years
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Current Trends
• There are several trends in the
information age:
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Mobile
Social Media
Internet of Things
Cloud Computing
Big Data
• These were completely impossible just
a few years ago – in my lifetime
– What will happen in your lifetime?
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Mobile
• Many believe that we’re living in a
post-PC era
– Many thing, like email, could only be done
with PC in the past – not anymore
– A smart phone is the most computer most
people need
• In the developing world mobile devices
often leapfrog traditional PCs
– Follows a pattern of mobile vs. landlines
– Easier to establish
– Provides most of the needed capabilities
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Where is mobile going?
• What are the implications of the advent
of mobile?
– Increased collaboration
– The ability to manage business in real
time at any location
– New ways to reach customers
• There are applications that have not
yet been considered
– It was not possible before now
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Social Media
• Over 1.28 billion (and growing)
Facebook users
– These share status updates or pictures
with friends and family anywhere
– Facebook is truly an information age
corporation
• Organizations use social media to
encourage employee collaboration or
to connect with their customers
• What company does not have a
Facebook site?
• Where is this going?
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Internet of Things (IoT)
• Computer processing is cheap
– What device is so inexpensive that it
cannot be helped by a little intelligence?
– Next step is to email problems
• Devices have embedded computers
and sensors
– Connectivity over the Internet
• By 2008, more devices were
connected to the Internet than people
living on earth
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Continuing
• The Internet of Things or the Internet
of Everything?
• Instead of merely using wireless
internet to send email (or other
notification) when there are problems,
instead of related things talk to each
other to improve performance
– For example, when the security system is
armed and the motion detectors show no
movement reduce heating or cooling
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Cloud
• Cloud is another example of cheap
computing and connectivity
• The cloud is a server farm of systems
with high internet connectivity
• When a smart phone needs more
computing than it has
– Sends request to the cloud
– It is processed
– Sent back
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Cloud Again
• Web technologies enable using the
Internet as the platform for
applications and data
• Many regard cloud computing as the
beginning of the “fourth wave”
• Applications that used to be installed
on individual computers are
increasingly kept in the cloud
• e.g., Gmail, Google Docs, Google
Calendar
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Cloud Again
• Another application
• A startup needs the usual business
facilities:
– Payroll and personnel
– Accounts receivable and payable
• Rather than buying the programs and
hardware rent them from the cloud
– Software As A Service (SAAS)
– Less expensive in short run
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Big Data
• IDC estimated that in 2011, 1.8
zettabytes of data were generated and
consumed
• How much is 1.8 zettabytes?
• It is 1.8 trillion gigabytes
– Equivalent of 57 billion 32GB iPads
• This number is forecast to grow by 50
times by 2020
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Why Big Data
• What is big data?
– Too large to fit in a spread sheet
• How can big data be used?
– Data mining, among others
– Consider Walmart
• There is another presentation on
Big_Data
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill
Now where?
• Separate presentations
• Topics like:
– Globalization
– Defining information systems
– Ethics
Copyright © 2016 – Curt Hill