Unit 33:            Business Information Technology Systems

Unit code         M/508/0575

Unit level         5

Credit value     15

 

Introduction

The aim of this unit is to enhance students’ understanding of contemporary business information technology (IT) systems and how organisations develop and continuously review their IT strategy in order to gain and maintain competitive advantage. Students will explore the areas of business that benefit from the support of IT systems and how organisations are using IT as a driver for business improvement.

By the end of this unit students will be able to critically analyse the application of current and future technologies and suggest best solutions for an organisation.

 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit a student will be able to:

1.    Demonstrate understanding of the role of different IT systems in support of organisational objectives.

2.    Analyse flexible and reliable IT systems that respond to organisational requirements.

3.    Evaluate IT systems that support value-added change within organisations.

4.    Recommend practical IT systems solutions to given organisational scenarios.

Essential Content

LO1 Demonstrate understanding of the role of different IT systems in support of organisational objectives

 

·         The role of IT systems:

·         The role of IT in knowledge management, data management and customer service management

·         The impact of IT systems and their contribution to solving business problems.

·         The impact of IT systems on the functions and structure of organisations to support meeting organisational objectives.

 

LO2 Analyse flexible and reliable IT systems that respond to organisational requirements

 

Types of IT systems:

·         Use of different types of IT systems (e.g. transaction processing, customer relationship, business intelligence, knowledge management) and their roles in relation to meeting business objectives and improving operational efficiency.

 

Types of information and data:

·         Layers of information systems: services, integration, security and analytics.

·         Corporate database management systems, data management and characteristics of data within organisations.

·         Types and flow of information within an organisation. Data protection and confidentiality.

·         Reliability of IT systems and data quality:

·         The importance of ensuring accurate and appropriate data collection.

·         Quality assurance and control measures used to ensure data quality on entry and after data collection.

LO3 Evaluate IT systems that support value-added change within organisations

 

Project management methodologies and strategies to create value and competitive advantage:

·         Project management methodology for achieving specific goals.

·         Value creation strategy, competitive advantage, make or buy decisions. Cost and benefit analysis.

·         IT support for value-added change:

·         New and existing approaches to improving IT position and impact on other business areas providing value-added services.

·         System development tools and techniques.

 

LO4 Recommend practical IT systems solutions to given organisational scenarios

 

IT systems support for problem-solving:

·         Problem-solving using decision-making models (e.g. decision support, group decision, artificial intelligence) and IT systems application.

·         The use of IT systems to support the storing and managing of data, information sharing, communication, security and gaining a competitive edge.

 

Monitoring and evaluating IT systems:

·         Effective monitoring and evaluation of IT systems and their impact on organisations.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

 

Pass	Merit	Distinction
LO1 Demonstrate understanding of the role of different IT systems in support of organisational objectives
P1 Analyse the use of IT systems within different functions of an organisation. P2 Examine how IT systems contribute to the achievement of objectives in a specific organisational context.	M1 Evaluate how IT systems are applied in the different functions of an organisation and how they work together to achieve high performance.	D1 Critically evaluate the role and purpose of IT systems in different functions of an organisation, evaluating their contribution to achieving organisational objectives.
LO2 Analyse flexible and reliable IT systems that
respond to organisational requirements
P3 Analyse the different	M2 Critically analyse the	D2 Demonstrate an
ways IT systems store and	different ways IT systems	understanding of the
process data for	store and process data,	different ways IT systems
knowledge management,	providing specific	store and process data
customer relationship	organisational examples.	and critically evaluate the
management, data		choices that have been
management and		made in a specific
communication		organisational example to
management.		make recommendations.
LO3 Evaluate IT systems that support value-added
change within organisations
P4 Evaluate how IT	M3 Critically evaluate the	D3 Provide justified
systems can be used to	advantages and	recommendations for
support value-added	disadvantages of specific	improving IT systems in
change for improving	IT systems which support	the support of value-
business operations,	value-added change in an	added change in an
performance and	organisational context.	organisational context.
sustainability.