Information Systems in Business Today

Businesses today face new challenges in structuring their organizations and managing their operations to meet global competition. Goods and services are increasingly produced by world-wide networks of firms, using modern information technology to share information and coordinate activities. In this information-centric environment, companies do not become competitive just by amassing physical capital: they must make investments in systems and technologies that maximize the value of their information assets. The principles and techniques covered in the IDS department’s programs in information systems (IS) and supply-chain management (SCM) are crucial as companies work to define and execute a twenty-first century business strategy.

Because of the imperative for companies to invest in information systems, there are more people in the U.S. working in information technology today than ever before – even more than at the height of the so-called dot-com era. The career prospects are outstanding for students who learn how IS and SCM investments interact with business strategy, and who can apply the best tools and technologies to the planning and execution of business processes. At the executive level, these skills are fundamental to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) position, which is responsible for assuring alignment between a firm’s IT strategy and its overall business strategy; and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) position, which is responsible for maximizing the value captured from a firm’s activities. At the entry level, there are challenging and rewarding opportunities in systems analysis and design, project management, database administration, network management, and information security. Whatever your career objective, you will find that a knowledge of information systems and supply chains will increasingly become a prerequisite for holding a decision-making position within an organization. Our programs provide the foundation to succeed in these careers.