Digital Firms
Companies have different departments to which they distribute their core business functions. Functions like designing product, manufacturing, financing, supporting customers etc. are executed by different departments. These different departments communicate, collaborate and coordinate with each other to accomplish the functions correctly and timely. The success of the companies depends on their ability to communicate, collaborate and coordinate with their departments. In case of global companies, their core business functions will be distributed to other countries where the work can be performed more cost effectively. The success of these firms depends on the way they operate globally.
The companies have to communicate with different stakeholders like suppliers, distributors operating 24 hours a day in different working environments, coordinate different teams, address different kinds of reporting needs. Performing these functions is not an easy task, a powerful, well-designed information is necessary. At the same time globalization and information technology has brought new threats to domestic companies: customers are able to shop in a global marketplace, get information about products and services any time. For this also companies need a powerful information and communication systems.
Knowledge and information are needs to create valuable new products and services like digital cards, overnight package delivery, online reservation, booking systems, computer games, path finder, designing new automobile.
A firm can be defined as digital firm if all of the firm's business relationships, tasks with suppliers, customers and employees are done digitally, core business processes are done using digital networks.
Business Process is a set of logically related tasks to produce specific product or service or business results. These tasks are organized and coordinated properly such that they can be performed easily and correctly. Developing a product, fulfilling an order, hiring or firing an employee are some of the examples of the business processes. Organizations can achieve competitive advantage if they can perform those business processes correctly.
Digital firms manage their key corporate assets like documents, formulas, ideas, business strategies through digital means such that any piece of information required to support business processes and decisions can be retrieved anytime. The digital firms which are able to manage their key corporate assets like intellectual property, business strategies, knowledge, idea in digital format are more responsive than traditional firms. They are proactive and can immediately respond in tough times. The flow of information inside and outside the firms will be very fast and smooth and secure which enable the firms to achieve extraordinary opportunities, excel in the competitive environment and stay ahead in the competition.
There are several reasons for organizations to build or maintain an information system. The basic assumption to invest in information system is to get superior return on investment like increase in firm's stock value, becoming long-term leader in the market. But they may be some other reasons also like:
From business perspective an information system is considers as an instrument for creating value for the firm. Information system provides organizational and management solution, enables to cope with the challenges posed by the both internal and external environment. It is necessary to understand organization, management and technology dimensions of the systems and is part of information literacy. Information literacy includes both behavioral and technical approaches related with the information systems. Computer literacy only focuses on knowledge of information technology.
Mathematically based models are used to study the information systems, disciplines like computer science, management science, and operation researches are the major contributing disciplines for the technical approach to information systems. Methods for data computation, efficient data storage and retrieval are provided by the computer science. Decision making models are developed with theories of management science. Different parameters like transportation, inventory control, transaction cost etc. are optimized with the theories of operation research.
Technical approaches to information system only cannot address issues like strategic business integration, system design, system implementation, management, utilization and control of the information system. Effects of information system over the employees, customers; changes brought by the information systems in the organization are handled using the theories of sociology. Human psychology is necessary to be studied to understand how the system affect employees, teams, customers. Economic theories help to understand impact of information system on the control and cost structures within the organization and outside.