1.2: Business Processes
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this chapter, you will be able to:
- define the term business process ;
- identify the different systems needed to support business processes in an organization;
- explain the value of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system;
- explain how business process management and business process reengineering work; and
- understand how information technology combined with business processes can bring an organization competitive advantage.
Introduction
In the previous section, we discussed some of the four major components of information systems. In this section, we will dive deeper into the inner workings of a business by discussing the fourth major component of an Information System: Process. A business process is a s eries of steps that an organization performs. Businesses are always performing numerous processes as they are juggling meeting the demands of customers and employees. Business owners need to be able to understand the needs of both parties involved if they want to have a successful organization. Being able to work with people can be very difficult because some employees will not comprehend the tasks that they are being asked to perform or they will misunderstand customers and cause potential problems for both the company and the client.
As the Project Manager or System Analyst, you must ensure that all of the steps being taken to complete a request for a brand new software, computer system, or new process must be organized and clear enough for you to be able to ensure success. If you fail to explicitly explain to your team what will be the proceeding steps or tasks that will need to be completed, you will risk losing your job, credibility, and money. Fear not! In this section, you will be introduced to tactics and some additional methodologies that businesses have followed to maintain order and structure.
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