13-09-2017, 04:43 PM
The work system has been used flexibly in many areas. This article refers to its use in understanding IT-dependent systems in organizations. A notable use of the term occurred in 1977 in the first volume of MIS Quarterly in two articles by Bostrom and Heinen (1977). Later, Sumner and Ryan (1994) used it to explain problems in the adoption of CASE (computer-aided software engineering). Several sociotechnical systems researchers like Trist and Mumford also used the term from time to time, but they did not seem to define it in detail. Instead, the work system approach carefully defines the work system and uses it as a basic analytical concept.
A work system is a system in which human participants and / or machines perform work (processes and activities) using information, technology and other resources to produce products / services for internal or external customers. Typical business organizations contain work systems that procure materials from suppliers, produce products, deliver products to customers, find customers, create financial reports, hire employees, coordinate work between departments, and perform many other functions.
The concept of work system is as a common denominator for many types of systems operating within or between organizations. Operational information systems, service systems, projects, supply chains and e-commerce websites can be viewed as special cases of work systems.
• An information system is a work system whose processes and activities are dedicated to information processing.
• A service system is a work system that produces services for its customers.
• A project is a work system designed to produce a product and then out of existence.
• A supply chain is an interorganizational work system dedicated to the acquisition of materials and other inputs needed to produce the products of a company.
• An e-commerce website can be seen as a work system in which a buyer uses a seller's website to obtain product information and make purchase transactions.
The relationship between work systems in general and special cases implies that the same basic concepts apply to all special cases, which also have their own specialized vocabulary. This in turn implies that much of the body of knowledge for the current discipline of information systems can be organized around a core work system.
There are specific information systems to support (other) work systems. Many different degrees of overlap between an information system and a supporting work system are possible. For example, an information system can provide information for a non-overlapping work system, such as when a commercial marketing survey provides information to a company's marketing managers. In other cases, an information system can be an integral part of a work system. in highly automated manufacturing and on e-commerce websites. In these situations, participants in the work system are also participants in the information system, the work system can not function properly without the information system and the information system has little importance outside the work system.
A work system is a system in which human participants and / or machines perform work (processes and activities) using information, technology and other resources to produce products / services for internal or external customers. Typical business organizations contain work systems that procure materials from suppliers, produce products, deliver products to customers, find customers, create financial reports, hire employees, coordinate work between departments, and perform many other functions.
The concept of work system is as a common denominator for many types of systems operating within or between organizations. Operational information systems, service systems, projects, supply chains and e-commerce websites can be viewed as special cases of work systems.
• An information system is a work system whose processes and activities are dedicated to information processing.
• A service system is a work system that produces services for its customers.
• A project is a work system designed to produce a product and then out of existence.
• A supply chain is an interorganizational work system dedicated to the acquisition of materials and other inputs needed to produce the products of a company.
• An e-commerce website can be seen as a work system in which a buyer uses a seller's website to obtain product information and make purchase transactions.
The relationship between work systems in general and special cases implies that the same basic concepts apply to all special cases, which also have their own specialized vocabulary. This in turn implies that much of the body of knowledge for the current discipline of information systems can be organized around a core work system.
There are specific information systems to support (other) work systems. Many different degrees of overlap between an information system and a supporting work system are possible. For example, an information system can provide information for a non-overlapping work system, such as when a commercial marketing survey provides information to a company's marketing managers. In other cases, an information system can be an integral part of a work system. in highly automated manufacturing and on e-commerce websites. In these situations, participants in the work system are also participants in the information system, the work system can not function properly without the information system and the information system has little importance outside the work system.