Section 1.1, “The Role of Information Systems in Business Today”, gives students a feel for the importance of information systems in business today and how they have transformed businesses on the world stage. A good discussion of the six important business objectives outlined in this section allows the instructor and students to openly discuss why businesses have become so dependent on information systems today and the importance of these systems for the survival of a firm. Stress to students that information systems are not a luxury. In most businesses they are the core to survival. This would be a good time to ask students to discuss how their own schools are using information systems to enhance their product offering.
Globalization is affecting virtually every country in the world. The most striking evidence of this trend is the increasing presence of cell phones in the very small villages of Africa. As technology becomes more pervasive and, in some cases, easier, globalization will continue its steady march. China, Singapore, and Russia are good examples of how globalization has flattened the world since they are leading exporters to other countries, especially ones as industrialized and advanced as the U.S. and many European countries. Emerging countries, like Poland, the Ukraine, and Ireland, are excellent examples of increasing globalization.