Instructions

In 150 words (minimum), answer the following:
Pick one of the four types of data analytics and define and explain how it can assist in decision-making. Use the article, “Four Types of Data Analysis that Improve Decision-Making,” to assist in developing your response.
Use Dr. Joe Kirby’s presentation to answer: How did the Excel spreadsheet assist in building connections between two different data points (provide examples)?
Also considering Dr. Kirby’s presentation, what do you feel is the biggest ethical issue facing Chief Information Officers in most companies today? Why?
Respond to two of your peers’ initial posts in 100 words (minimum) for each. You may reply to more than two classmates, but the point limit for replies remains 10 points.

Citation Expectations: Please be sure to provide information on any source you use to develop your ideas. You will list your citation information at the bottom of your post. For now, you do not need to produce full citations; instead, simply provide as much information as you can, such as authors’ names, dates, and titles.
For support with APA-style citation, please use the reference sites below to guide your work.

Week 7: Using Technology to Manage Information
The contemporary business environment, in many ways, should be considered as a technology marketplace. Over the past decades, technological development has been the catalyst for powerful and less costly growth options for companies. Successful companies are not resisting but rather are embracing the strengths that technology can bring them.
According to Dr. Peter Drucker, “Managers are paid to make decisions.” Yet today, there is a need to manage Big Data, and the tools needed to maximize the decision-making process require resources beyond the wisdom and experience of managers. This big data is both structured and unstructured and comes from a variety of places, including company customer profiles, secondary research, social media, online sales, and customer feedback. Think about it: the company that you work for today or in the future may collect ample amounts of data. The questions of what data to collect and how to make the most of that data remain major challenges.
Today’s managers need to contemplate the consequences of security, ethics, and government regulations on how they use technology to manage their information. Digital reality, the Internet of Things, robotics, and virtual reality are just some of the disruptive innovations in our modern world. Most certainly, there are a multitude of considerations when designing and managing information. As you approach this week, consider what information/technology trends your company/employer may be tracking and why.

 

Week 7 Vocabulary TermsWeek 7 Vocabulary Terms
Review the following terms to help you find success in this course and program, as well as in your future career in business:
Business Analytics
Refers to standard tools and procedures designed to search and analyze the amount of complex data a business gathers.
Data Mining
Refers to using computer-based technology to evaluate information in a database to identify and, often predict, useful business and consumer trends. (see Ch. 11)
Disruptive Innovations
Less expensive and simpler versions of existing products and services that target an entirely new group of customers. For example, KIA enters the market and offers a low-end, affordable, hybrid car. (Note: Most disruptive innovation happens in the low-end of the car market.)
Transaction Processing Systems
Operational support systems that record and process data from business transactions.
Decision Support Systems (DSS)
Give direct support to businesspeople during the decision-making process. These systems include file drawer and management reporting systems, executive information systems, and geographic information systems (GIS).
Phishing

An attack that uses deception to acquire sensitive personal information by impersonating an official-looking e-mail or instant message.
Internet of Things (IoT)
A web-connected ecosystem of everyday objects with network connectivity, like TVs, cars, household appliances, and wearable tech devices.
Descriiptive Analytics
Answers the “what happened” question using techniques like metric reports and data mining. Out of the four different types of analytics, descriiptive analysis is the simplest and the most straightforward way to get insights from the data.
Software
All programs, routines, and computer languages that control a computer and tell it how to operate.
Unstructured Data
Information that comes in many different forms and doesn’t follow conventional data models, making it difficult to store and manage.

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