4 Organizations and Information Systems

Until the early 1970s, many computerized information systems were developed to
provide reports for business decision makers. The information in these reports helped
managers monitor and control business processes and operations. For example, reports
of fast-moving products could be used to increase the sales of other products.

Unfortunately, many of these early computer systems did not take the overall goals of
the organization and managerial problem-solving styles into consideration. As a result,
these computer systems failed or were not utilized to their potential. In this chapter, we
will explore how information systems can help organizations produce higher-quality
products and increase their return on investment. Let’s starts by investigating
organizations and information systems.