Abstract

Each step in a company’s manufacturing, service, and information processes uses, creates, supplies, and stores information. In many businesses, the information processes are managed separately from other business processes. However, they should be considered together with other operations in a process to develop more effective and less-expensive methods for acquiring and using that information.

Using a conversational tone, the author discusses a number of the procedural and managerial policy considerations for small and large businesses regarding information technology, process management, and business choices. The discussion focuses more on informing the reader about process-oriented concepts and management options available rather than providing specific recommendations regarding which process or information strategy to use.

Readers are introduced to a few of the more commonly used process modeling methods and how they can be modified to integrate information considerations. The various categories and forms of information are discussed along with some suggestions regarding what groups of information to collect and methods for handling that information.

The conditions necessary for success when incorporating information software management packages such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and Big Data analysis are reviewed.

References are provided for those readers wishing to follow-up on more specific details regarding each of the topics. A glossary of terms and a set of acronym and symbol definitions are included at the end of the book.

Keywords

information processes, service processes, manufacturing processes, process management, information technology, enterprise software solutions, stochastic data, deterministic data, service blueprint, block diagram, cross-functional diagram, information flow, information transfer, information standardization, information medium, cyber security, value-added step, dematerialization, food service information processes, DSS, ERP, MRP, CRM, SPC, PDM, SaaS, Big Data, data mining, SMB, decision support systems, business intelligence, Shannon theory of communication, cloud computing, BYOD, VoIP, barcode, OCR, RFID, inventory tracking.