Introduction to information systems T. Cornford, M. Shaikh is1 060 2013

Reading activity
Review the section on the sociotechnical approach in Chapter 1 and Chapater 14 of 
Laudon and Laudon (2013).
3.4 Reminder of learning outcomes
Having completed this chapter, and the Essential reading and activities, 
you should be able to:
• explain the distinction between data and information and knowledge 
and give illustrative examples
• explain the concept of a knowledge worker and their needs
• describe how information systems are a combination of technical and 
social elements and the implications of this perspective
• explain the principal features of a system, and apply these ideas to 
practical information systems examples.
3.5 Test your knowledge and understanding
1. Why do people sometimes pay for information – for example, when 
they buy a textbook, novel, map or daily newspaper? What may be the 
consequences when information that was once sold is now available 
freely – think of newspapers or music (is it really free?). Is there any 
information that you believe should always be available free to all 
people, or perhaps to citizens of a particular country?
2. Airlines maintain large computer systems and computer networks to 
allow travel agents, tour operators and individual customers around 
the world to check on the availability of flights, to make bookings and 
to print tickets or download them. Considering this as an information 
system, identify the main components in the system, the technology 
used, the various people and organisations involved, and the types of 
information that they require (their information requirements).
3. The quotation below is taken from a publication of the Institute of 
Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Management needs timely, high-quality information in order 
to run their businesses effectively and to facilitate compliance 
with statutory and regulatory requirements. Control of 
the quality of information is therefore a major function of 
management.
a. What sorts of control do you think are appropriate in order to 
ensure the quality of information?
(Note: It may be appropriate to take a systems perspective to this 
question. Chapter 9 of Curtis and Cobham (2008) would also provide a 
useful starting point.)

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IS1060 Introduction to information systems
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4. When you use the Google search engine or Facebook you are presented 
with adverts that are targeted at your interests as they have been 
revealed in your recent uses of these systems. 
Investigate how this is done and how these companies collect data 
about you and make money from it (see, for example, Laudon and 
Laudon (2013) Section 4.3).
a. Do you have any concerns about your activities online being 
monitored and mined for data, and this data being used to select 
specific adverts to show you? 
b. Is there any data that you may reveal as you go about your life 
online that you think should never be captured and used by other 
businesses?
5. Explain how a sociotechnical approach to information systems differs 
from a purely technical or managerial approach. Using the systems 
model presented here show where the technical and the social 
elements are found. Use an example to illustrate this. 
a. If or when we adopt a sociotechnical approach for developing a 
new information system to satisfy certain peoples’ information 
needs, what kinds of activities would need to be undertaken by the 
developers? 

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Chapter 4: Contemporary trends in information and communication technologies
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