Database processing is one of the most important courses in the
information systems curriculum. There are several reasons for this.
First, databases can store large volumes of corporate operational data.
Such databases become the heart of many transaction processing
applications, such as order entry, inventory control, and general ledger
accounting. Due to the advantages of database systems over file
processing systems, many companies have converted (or are converting)
their older file processing systems to database systems. Second,
databases can be queried on an ad hoc basis, making them the foundation
for decision-support systems (DSS). Data stored in a database can be
readily accessed and processed. Consequently, users can get answers to
their questions much faster if the data is stored in a database than
they would if it were stored in files. Further, database query languages
allow users to be more self-sufficient. Users often obtain answers to
their questions without the assistance of an information systems
professional. Third, databases can be implemented on computers of all
sizes, making them feasible for almost any business or organization.
Thus, the likelihood that you will employ database processing during
your information systems or business career is almost certain. But
perhaps the most fundamental reason for studying database technology is
that it facilitates the production of information.
Information
The word information comes from the Latin word informare, which means
"to build form" or "to give structure." Information systems build
structures from data by processing it to reveal patterns, trends, and
tendencies. These patterns, trends, and so forth are the information
that users need in order to perform their jobs. If we did not derive
information from the huge volumes of facts we store in our computers
(the data), then users would be overwhelmed with details, floundering
about to find the knowledge they need. They would drown in a sea of
facts. People strive to make order in their world. Think about the first
time you endured the add/drop process during class registration (or the
first time you went to an airport, or the first time you did anything
new). If your college is like most, the room was large, hot, noisy, and
chaotic. People were moving all around you and you didn't know quite
what to do. Probably your anxiety level was high as you tried to make
any meaning out of the scene before you. Unconsciously, you gathered
data through sight and sound, related this data to prior knowledge (such
as knowing how people line up and wait their turns or take numbers and
wait to be called), compared this new data to your goal (dropping a
course, for example), and decided on a course of action (to get into the
line marked "DROP COURSE"). The key element in this scenario is the
processing of your perceptions. As you gathered data by examining the
room, you built patterns and structures in your mind and tried to relate
them to structures you already had. You looked for clues in people's
behavior. You might have asked somebody for help. If so, your plea was a
request for information. You wanted someone who had already processed
the scene and built patterns and structures to tell you what they were.
As you gained information about the add/drop process, your uncertainty
decreased. When you entered the room, you did not even know in which
direction to turn. Once you knew which line to join, you became more
sure of yourself. Information reduced your uncertainty. Computer systems
provide a similar function for users. One of the main reasons for
information systems is to reduce the user's uncertainty.
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