Executive Guide To Preventing Information Technology Disasters

Recent and well-publicised disasters have highlighted the fact that organisations of all kinds - from healthcare to aerospace - are critically dependent on Information Technology systems. The prevention of catastrophic I.T. failure is now an essential part of management. In this thought-provoking guide for executives and managers Richard Ennals argues that the critical factor is not technology, but people and communication.

A new generation of speech-driven personal computer systems promises to transform the business use of Information Technology. This is not merely a matter of discarding the keyboard, but of rethinking business processes to take advantage of the increased productivity that speech-driven systems can bring. Malcolm McPherson is one of the pioneers of this fast-moving field, and has been personally involved in the development of systems that have met business needs across many industrial sectors.

We live in a wired society, with computers containing and passing around vital information on both personal and public matters. Keeping this data safe is of paramount concern to all. Yet, not a day seems able to pass without some new threat to our computers. Unfortunately, the march of technology has given us the benefits of computers and electronic tools, while also opening us to unforeseen dangers. Identity theft, electronic spying, and the like are now standard worries. In the effort to defend both personal privacy and crucial databases, computer security has become a key industry. A vast array of companies devoted to defending computers from hackers and viruses have cropped up. Research and academic institutions devote a considerable amount of time and effort to the study of information systems and computer security. Anyone with access to a computer needs to be aware of the developing trends and growth of computer security. To that end, this book presents a comprehensive and carefully selected bibliography of the literature most relevant to understanding computer security. Following the bibliography section, continued access is provided via author, title, and subject indexes. With such a format, this book serves as an important guide and reference tool in the defence of our computerised culture.

This book is about people and skilled work. There has been much turmoil in the business environment about how to best manage the balance between people and technology, at a time when pressures for cost reduction are ever greater. Our argument is that people are central to business success, and the appropriate use of technology should support their needs. This is not always easy in practice. We work in a period when change occurs in ever-shortening cycles. Black-and-white solutions may seem attractive, but the long-term consequences are rarely advantageous. A new system is required, build ing on lessons from the past. Human-centred systems build upon core skills of the workforce within a rich, emancipatory environment, utilising the benefits of tech nology. Change can be embraced to achieve competitive advantage and mutual benefit. The three authors are, respectively, engineering director of an inno vative international manufacturing company; analyst for an inter national merchant bank; and university business school professor. The book is intended to offer a new synthesis of theory and practical experience, derived from recent British and European collaborative pro grammes. We are grateful to our colleagues and families for their tolerance during the writing of this book. Even human-centred books impose pressures on busy people. Old Windsor, Brighton and Kingston, June 1995 A.A. R.K.

Table of contents

Assessing the most valuable technology for an organization is becoming a growing challenge for business professionals confronted with an expanding array of options. This 2007 book is an A-Z compendium of technological terms written for the non-technical executive, allowing quick identification of what the term is and why it is significant. This is more than a dictionary - it is a concise review of the most important aspects of information technology from a business perspective: the major advantages, disadvantages and business value propositions of each term are discussed, as well as sources for further reading, and cross-referencing with other terms where applicable. The essential elements of each concept are covered in a succinct manner so the reader can quickly obtain the required knowledge without wading through exhaustive descriptions. With over 200 terms, this is a valuable reference for non- and semi-technical managers, executives and graduate students in business and technology management.

A provocative and authoritative guide to understanding the questions surrounding technology disasters that occur, with a blueprint for the prevention of future disasters, this book looks at over three dozen case studies and the lessons learned from them.

Making gov't. more effective and efficient is a national issue. But getting it to work better and cost less will be impossible if Fed. agencies cannot learn to mange with modern practices the info. age demands. Today's info. systems offer the gov't. unprecedented opportunities to provide higher quality services tailored to the public's changing needs, delivered more effectively, faster and at lower cost. These case studies provide evidence that these practices make it possible to do more with less, including service quality improvements, cost savings, and productivity gains.