Info Systems Management

Running head: INFORMATION SYSTEMS CONCEPTS

Information Systems Concepts

Todd Bennett

Clearwater Christian College
Abstract
Information Systems Concepts
    How can information technology support a company’s business processes and decision making, and give it a competitive advantage? The Internet is one clear answer to this question. The Internet is an obvious piece of information technology that has revolutionized the ways companies conduct business. E-commerce is a term that is being frequently used to describe online business. The American Heritage Dictionary defines e-commerce as “the buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet” (e-commerce, n.d.). Quader and Quader (2008) wrote a report discussing the effects of e-commerce on supermarkets. Quader and Quader (2008) add that e-commerce supports an entire range of activities such as product design, manufacturing, advertising, product support, and commercial transactions.   Therefore, e-commerce has the potential and capability to transform the business process of retailers, by shaping their business models, thereby contributing to changes in their market structure and finally offering competitive advantage over major competitors. Quader and Quader (2008) claim many supermarkets in the UK are using the internet to gain a competitive advantage. Supermarkets now take advantage of the internet not only for e-commerce, but to properly integrate their supply chains and re-define their business process to improve overall profitability. Besides, gaining 24 hour access to customers, they can now extend physical store processes into the Internet through such applications as ‘buy here/pick up there’ reservation application, which does not only increase profitability, but enhances customer service. Information technology, as shown through this supermarket example, has helped enhance supermarket’s business processes and decision making and has also given it a competitive advantage by allowing them to... [continues]

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