Chapter 9 Understanding Software A Primer for Managers 2 1 Learning Objectives Recognize the importance of software and its implications for the firm and strategic decision making Understand that software is everywhere not just in computers but also cell phones cars cameras and many other technologies Know what software is and be able to differentiate it from List the major classifications of software and give examples of hardware each 2 Learning Objectives Understand what an operating system is and why computing devices require operating systems Appreciate the difference between desktop and enterprise software Recognize the relationship of the DBMS database system to the other enterprise software systems 3 Learning Objectives Understand the concept of distributed computing architecture and its benefits Know what Web services are and the benefits that Web services bring to firms Appreciate the importance of messaging standards and understand how sending messages between machines can speed processes cut costs reduce errors and enable new ways of doing business 4 Introduction Computer hardware The physical components of information technology which can include the computer itself plus peripherals such as storage devices input devices output devices and networking equipment Software is everywhere Cell phones cars cameras and many other technologies 5 What is Software Software A computer program or a collection of programs It is a precise set of instructions that tells hardware what to do Operating system The software that controls the computer hardware and establishes standards for developing and executing applications Applications Includes desktop applications enterprise software utilities and other programs that perform specific tasks for user and organizations 6 The Hardware Software Layer Cake 7 Functions of the Hardware Software Layer The flexibility of these layers gives computers the customization options that managers and businesses demand Runs on multiple versions of PC hardware Windows Apple OS Only on Macs Compare to Android iOS 8 Operating Systems OS Every computing and specialty devices have an operating system Desktops laptops enterprise class server computers mobile phone iPods video game consoles and television set top boxes Some firms develop their own proprietary OS for their own hardware Some firms sell OS to other commercial firms Some specialty firms help other firms develop operating systems for all sorts of devices that don t necessarily look like a PC 9 Firmware and Embedded Systems Firmware Software stored on nonvolatile memory chips as opposed to being stored on devices such as hard drives or removable discs OS in iPod Despite the seemingly permanent nature of firmware many products allow for firmware to be upgraded Embedded systems Special purpose software designed and included inside physical products often on firmware Picture frame copier air conditioner 10 Application Software It performs the work that users and firms are directly interested in accomplishing Desktop software Applications installed on a personal computer typically Enterprise software Applications that address the needs of multiple users supporting tasks performed by a single user Microsoft Office throughout an organization or work group Bb Gmail Amazon com 11 Examples of Enterprise Software ERP CRM SCM BI A software package that integrates the many functions of a business Systems used to support customer related sales and marketing activities Systems that can help a firm manage aspects of its value chain from the flow of raw materials into the firm through delivery of finished products and services at the point of consumption Systems that use data created by other systems to provide reporting and analysis for organizational decision making 12 ERP System in Action like SAP 13 Application Software Most enterprise software works in conjunction with a database management system DBMS Database management system DBMS Sometimes referred to as database software it is software used for creating maintaining and manipulating data 14 An organization s database management system can be set up to work with several applications both within and outside the firm 15 The Rewards and Risks of Packaged Enterprise Systems When set up properly enterprise systems can save millions of dollars and turbocharge organizations by Making data more usable Easing the linking of systems with software across the firm and with key business partners Sadly many systems are still silos 16 Distributed Computing A form of computing architecture where systems in different locations communicate and collaborate to complete a task It can create entirely new ways of doing business It can yield enormous efficiencies in Speed Error reduction Cost savings 17 Distributed Computing Server A program that fulfills the requests of a client It is frequently used in two ways In a hardware context a server is a computer that has been configured to support requests from other computers In a software context a server is a program that fulfills requests More advanced distributed environments may use an application server Application server Hardware Software that houses and serves business logic for use and reuse by multiple applications 18 Distributed Computing Web services Small pieces of code that are accessed via the application server which permit interoperable machine to machine interaction over a network Use browsers to access applications over a network It results in Fewer errors Time savings Cost reductions Creating whole new ways of doing business 19 Multitiered Distributed System 20 Distributed Computing Application programming interfaces APIs Programming hooks or guidelines published by firms that tell other programs how to get a service to perform a task such as send or receive data Service oriented architecture SOA A robust set of Web services built around an organizations processes and procedures Southwest book hotel car while on their web site 21 Messaging Standards EDI electronic data interchange A set of standards for exchanging information between computer applications A new generation of more flexible technologies for specifying data interchange is replacing EDI Extensible markup language XML A tagging language that can be used to identify data fields made available for use by other applications 22 XML XML is hierarchical and easy 23 Writing Software Programmers write software in a programming language Programming language
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