BUSINESS PROCESSES

Business Processes

Business Processes

1. Major business processes

The system development life cycle (SDLC) is one possible process deployed in the development or acquisition of any application or project (ISACA, 2004). Software and technology-based organizations like Commonwealth Bank of Australia commonly use the SDLC. This traditional method employs a "top level decomposition of processes" that can handle "large software development projects practically" (Pei, 1995).

Businesses have used the underlying concepts of Business Process Reengineering since the late 1890s with Frederick Taylor's landmark Principles of Scientific Management (Gilliland, et al, 2003). Modern management authors have popularized the concept, and several high profile successes have brought significant publicity to the approach. Although BPR is not a magic potion for ailing industries, it can help to transform companies struggling to conduct business in their traditional or historic methods. Business Process Reengineering shifted the focus of business managers, concentrating them on the process used to derive the final product rather than only the final product deliverable itself. A company's approach to its processes has a great impact on the potential success of the organization and its ability to build and return value to its shareholders. The BPR process provided companies with many opportunities to improve operational efficiency.

2. Usage of information systems to automate the processes

Management information systems (MIS) are a combination of hardware and software used to process information automatically. Commonly, MIS are used within organizations to allow many individuals to access and modify information. In most situations, the management information system mainly operates behind the scenes, and the user community is rarely involved or even aware of the processes that are handled by the system.

A computer system used to process orders for a business could be considered a management information system because it is assisting users in automating processes related to orders. Other examples of modern management information systems are websites that process transactions for an organization or even those that serve support requests to users. A simple example of a management information system might be the support website for a product, because it automatically returns information to the end user after some initial input is provided.

3. Online bill pay to automate organizations system

Online bill pay at a bank also qualifies as a management information system — when a bill is scheduled to be paid, the user has provided information for the system to act against. The management information system then processes the payment when the due date approaches. The automated action taken by the online system is to pay the bill as requested. Since the bills within an online bill pay system can be scheduled to be automatically paid month after month, the user is not required to provide further information. Many times, the bill pay system will also produce an email for the user to let him know that the action has occurred and what the outcome of the action was.

4. Situation in which an end user uses this information system

Stream designed the interview questions based on the interviewee's company or department (reflecting the type ...