Business Computing

Internet is “a worldwide system of computer networks- a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer.”

World wide be according to the website is “all the resources and users on the internet that are using Hypertext Transfer Protocol.”

The internet and the World Wide Web are two different things though related.  The internet is a network while the World Wide Web is a way of accessing data over the internet.  The internet is bigger than the World Wide Web with the World Wide Web being part of the internet.

Internet has developed with time since invented in the Unites States.  It was formed to serve different needs in research, military and now in the business world (http://www.davesite.com/webstation/net-history.shtml). In the business world the growth of internet and the World Wide Web have brought up great transformation.  The internet and the world wide affects virtually every part of an organization making them very essential and central thing in the modern business organization that have been greatly affected by the emergence and growth of the internet and the world wide web is the information system.  This has completely been revolutionized leading to new and more efficient operations.

According to UMBC website (http://www.is.umbc.edu/aboutIS.asp) information system “is a collection of methods, practices, algorithms and methodologies that transform data into information and knowledge desired by, and useful for, individual and group users in an organization and other entities.” An information system has diverse roles in an organization.  The information system helps the management in decision making, management in decision making, management of operation, communication within and without the organization, administration, human resource management and easier, fast and efficient management of transactions.

In a business to customer business set up the roles of the information system is central and having been changing with the emergence of new information technology.  The customers in the modern market are now very well informed and have wide knowledge of the commodities, business operations and organizations.  This has advanced a challenge to the business organization to adopt an information system based on a consumer who is well informed and knowledgeable (Jawadikal 2006).

Because of these changes of information technology business are able to provide faster and more efficient services and information to their customers.  The business to consumer setup is characterized by a faster, automated and less personal information system.  The development has brought up virtual organization and outline shopping.  The transactions are reactive and less personal.

There have also been great changes in the business to business set up as a result of the development in information technology.  This set up have been characterized by globalization and more adoption of electronic business and electronic commerce.  Transactions are done with business organization in all parts of the world with a lot of  ease/  Internet and world which web have greatly helped this organizations top build their information systems in a way that they are able to transact business online, effecting the transactions in real time (Jawadikal 2006).

The emergence and growth of the internet and the World Wide Web have also brought better communication and improved collaboration between business partners.   The internet helps an organization to build an information system that is able to interface and facilitate easier and more productive communication between business parties.  In the modern business environment are able to close business transactions efficiently in reactive over the internet.  This is facilitated by advanced information system that makes great use of the internet.

The internet has also enabled the customers to communicate.  Through the internet and the World Wide Web people are able to share a lot of information about products, markets and organizations. This have made rise of customers who are well informed of the operations and practices in the market.  Consequently this has led the businesses to improve their information systems so as to provide these informed customers with the appropriate information.

Intranet is “a generic term for a collection of private computer networks within an organization” Intranets are mostly used for communication within the organization.  They make use of the internet technology tools to provide a platform over which employees get access to Key Company information from any of their work sites.

The extranets are much more like intranets only that they deal with the external stakeholders of an organization.  They are used for communication, sharing of information as well as marketing. Other stakeholders of an organization like the suppliers, partners and the general public are allowed to get access to the intranet resources though the organization may control this access.

Indeed the emergence of the internet and the world wide web have created big and significance revolution in the information systems of organizations by enabling faster and more efficient operations.

Reference:

About.com. Intranet. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/intranets/g/bldef_intranet.htm

Davesite.com. History of Internet. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://www.davesite.com/webstation/net-history.shtml

Jawadikal (2006) W. Management Information System: texts and cases.(3rd edition) Pune. Tata McGraw-Hill.

SearchWinDevelopment.com. Internet. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci213391,00.html

SearchWinDevelopment.com. World Wide Web. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://searchwindevelopment.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid8_gci212370,00.html

UMBC. Information System. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://www.is.umbc.edu/aboutIS.asp

Wisegeek. Uses of Extranets. Retrieved on January 28, 2008 from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-extranet.htm