Companies the world over have recognized the importance of computer science, particularly Information Technology. But as technology continues to advance and both software and hardware evolve, new breeds of IT and information management are emerging. Keep reading for a rundown of what exactly Information Systems and Information Technology are, how they’re different, and how they both affect your business.
What Is Information Systems?
According to Server Backup (click here), broadly speaking, Information Systems (IS), sometimes called Information Systems Management, is the study and field of applying Information Technology to enable and support the major functions and activities of a business. That’s a bit heavy on jargon, but essentially IS is the management of information resources, just as more traditional resources such as labor, raw materials and capital have long been managed. IS is a fusion of business management and Information Technology that is allowing businesses around the world to innovate technological solutions to their business problems and to engineer new technological products and procedures. IS managers are frequently responsible for identifying, planning and coordinating solutions to computer-related activities in an organization. Although technology is a big component of IS, an expert in Information Systems Management will be invaluable to businesses in fields as diverse as manufacture and fabrication to human resources and accounting, and the field is expected to grow in the years to come.
What Is Information Technology, and How Is it Different?
Information Technology (IT), on the other hand, involves the development, maintenance and use of computer systems, software and networks for processing and distributing data—at least according to the dictionary. IT professionals are responsible for setting up a company’s server, fixing any bugs in proprietary software, maintaining the company website, and more. IT professionals are often responsible for selecting hardware and software products to suit an organization’s needs and for training staff on how to use new products. IT specialists may also be called upon to organize or rearrange the technological framework of the office, to be the system administrator, and to program scripts to connect existing components.
Compared with Information Systems, IT is much more hands-on and practical. Where IS managers must innovate new ways to use technology to solve their company’s challenges, IT professionals are responsible for ensuring the efficient functioning of the office’s current hardware and software, from finding and squashing troublesome bugs to helping the CEO set up her new wireless headset or getting the CFO’s calendar to sync with his phone. IT deals with how technology can be used to solve real-world problems and find creative ways to improve performance.
How IS and IT Affect Your Business
IS and IT have an enormous effect on a business. Every company, no matter what industry it belongs to, has some needs in common: the need for clear communication, efficient inventory management, reliable data organization and management, cost efficiencies, and more. Technology has the ability to bring the solutions to these problems within easy reach—IT specialists may be able to streamline certain key processes, for example, that could wind up saving the company money in the long run, while IS managers might be able to engineer a new product to give their company a competitive advantage. When it comes to innovation and growth, there’s little that technology can’t accomplish, and IS and IT professionals hold the tools to take advantage of it.
The research included in this article was provided by Server Backup. Lose nothing with Server Backup and check their website.
