- application service providers (ASP)
- A service company that buys and maintains software on its servers and distributes it through high-speed networks to subscribers for a set period and price.
- batch processing
- A method of updating a database in which data are collected over some time period and processed together.
- chief information officer (CIO)
- An executive with responsibility for managing all information resources in an organization.
- cloud computing
- A general term for the delivery of hosted services over the internet.
- computer network
- A group of two or more computer systems linked together by communications channels to share data and information.
- computer virus
- A computer program that copies itself into other software and can spread to other computer systems.
- data mart
- Special subset of a data warehouse that deals with a single area of data and is organized for quick analysis.
- data mining
- Sophisticated database applications that look for hidden patterns in a group of data to help track and predict future behavior.
- data warehouse
- An information technology that combines many databases across a whole company into one central database that supports management decision-making.
- database
- An electronic filing system that collects and organizes data and information.
- decision support system (DSS)
- A management support system that helps managers make decisions using interactive computer models that describe real-world processes.
- enterprise portal
- A customizable internal website that provides proprietary corporate information to a defined user group, such as employees, supply-chain partners, or customers.
- executive information system (EIS)
- A management support system that is customized for an individual executive; provides specific information for strategic decisions.
- expert system
- A management support system that gives managers advice similar to what they would get from a human consultant; it uses artificial intelligence to enable computers to reason and learn to solve problems in much the same way humans do.
- information technology (IT)
- The equipment and techniques used to manage and process information.
- intranet
- An internal corporate-wide area network that uses internet technology to connect computers and link employees in many locations and with different types of computers.
- knowledge management (KM)
- The process of researching, gathering, organizing, and sharing an organization’s collective knowledge to improve productivity, foster innovation, and gain competitive advantage.
- knowledge worker
- A worker who develops or uses knowledge, contributing to and benefiting from information used to perform planning, acquiring, searching, analyzing, organizing, storing, programming, producing, distributing, marketing, or selling functions.
- local area network (LAN)
- A network that connects computers at one site, enabling the computer users to exchange data and share the use of hardware and software from a variety of computer manufacturers.
- managed service providers (MSP)
- Next generation of ASPs, offering customization and expanded capabilities such as business processes and complete management of the network servers.
- management information system (MIS)
- The methods and equipment that provide information about all aspects of a firm’s operations.
- management support system (MSS)
- An information system that uses the internal master database to perform high-level analyses that help managers make better decisions.
- online (real-time) processing
- A method of updating a database in which data are processed as they become available.
- transaction processing system (TPS)
- An information system that handles the daily business operations of a firm. The system receives and organizes raw data from internal and external sources for storage in a database using either batch or online processing.
- virtual private networks (VPN)
- Private corporate networks connected over a public network, such as the internet. VPNs include strong security measures to allow only authorized users to access the network.
- wide area network (WAN)
- A network that connects computers at different sites via telecommunications media such as phone lines, satellites, and microwaves.