Unit 6: Information Systems in Society and the World
Information systems' reach extends well beyond the world of business. Today it is nearly as easy to communicate with someone on the other side of the world as it is to talk to someone next door. New technologies create situations that society has never dealt with before. How do we handle the new capabilities that these technologies enable? Will societies need new laws, new social mores, to protect us from ourselves regarding technology?
This unit concludes with a look at the future of MIS. After studying the security issues and failures of various systems, the outlook can seem bleak. Wherever there is a problem in MIS, there are opportunities to find profitable solutions.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 13 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- explain the concept of globalization;
- describe the role of information technology in globalization;
- identify the issues experienced by firms as they face a global economy;
- describe Nielsen's three stages of the digital divide;
- describe what the term information systems ethics means;
- identify criteria for the ethical use of information systems;
- define intellectual property;
- explain the protections provided by copyright, patent, and trademark;
- describe the challenges that information technology brings to individual privacy; and
- describe future trends in information systems.
6.1: Globalization
This chapter reviews the role that information technologies have had in the globalization of our world. As you read, pay attention to the many different changes, both positive and negative, that globalization has brought about.
6.1.1: The Role of IT in Globalization
As you watch this keynote by Thomas Friedman, focus on the impact that information technology has had on globalization. After watching, respond to the following questions and post your answer on the discussion forum. Feel free to start your own related posts, and respond to other students' posts as well.
- Which of the "flatteners" do you think is having the biggest impact today?
- What other concepts from the video stood out to you as important?
6.1.2: Impact of Globalization on Organizations
Do some original research to determine some of the regulations that a US company may have to consider before doing business in one of the following countries: China, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Turkey. Write an essay in four to six paragraphs to describe these regulations and processes.
6.1.3: The Digital Divide
Complete this task, in which you will catch up on the status of either the One Laptop per Child project or the TeacherMate project.
6.2: Ethical and Legal Implications of Information Systems
In this chapter, you will learn how the ubiquity of information systems today compels us to act ethically and legally. As you read, consider the sorts of ethical questions that we must ask ourselves now that did not exist before. How does this affect you personally?
6.2.1: Relating IS to Ethics
This text provides a comprehensive overview of how information systems relate to ethics. While reading, consider the relationship between ethical action and legal remedies. After reviewing the unit materials, post and respond to both of the following questions on the discussion forum. Feel free to start your own related posts, and respond to other students' posts as well.
- Many people think that the ethical issues raised by new technologies are just the same issues in a new form. Do you agree or disagree? Has technology created a new class of ethical issues?
- What are the difficulties raised by creating new laws and regulations to solve these issues?
6.2.2: Intellectual Property
Patent trolls have had a tremendous impact on our intellectual property protections over the past few years. Many groups have banded together to fight against these patent trolls. Do some original research on the effort to combat patent trolls. Write a two-page paper that discusses legislation to prevent patent trolling.
6.2.3: Copyright and Creative Commons
Go to the Creative Commons website and spend some time navigating the site. Try to gain an understanding of the mission and purpose of Creative Commons. Read the summary of the various licenses Creative Commons offers, how they work, and how these licenses differ from traditional copyright. Then, use the Creative Commons search tool to find materials of interest to you licensed via Creative Commons. Next, find a resource related to MIS that you have not read or watched in this course and study it. Last, respond to the following prompts and post your answer on the discussion forum. Feel free to start your own related posts, and respond to other students' posts as well.
- Share your thoughts about the pros and cons of using a Creative Commons license.
- Share the item you found about MIS and summarize it for others who are taking this course.
6.2.4: Privacy
As you read this article, reflect on how our expectations of privacy have changed over the past few generations. After you have finished reading, take some time to think about the activities that you engage in that could be subject to data collection. Does this bother you? What do you do to limit the data collected from your online activity? Write an essay of two or three paragraphs summarizing your thoughts.
6.3: The Future of MIS
The final chapter of the course textbook gives an overview of the trends in information systems. As you read, think about which of these trends may affect you the most. Are you excited for or apprehensive of any of the named trends?
Once a year, Mary Meeker, a partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, presents her research on the current and upcoming trends in Internet technologies. Her yearly presentation has become quite an industry event that has become a trend in itself. Find the video and/or slide deck from her latest annual presentation and review them (you can find her presentation from June 2016 here). As you watch, work to identify two or three key trends that most interest you.
Unit 6 Assessment
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.