Assignment 1: Discussion—Managing Data

There are many solutions today that can help organizations reduce their need for an in-house MIS for decision making or at least provide better storage solutions. With the amount of data that organizations collect and utilize, they need to consider all of the available options to ensure that the system will perform according to expectations.

Another thing that you need to consider when it comes to MIS and decision-making systems is that when inaccurate or incomplete data is entered, you will get bogus results. This is also known as garbage in, garbage out (GIGO). You need to be sure to review all of the data for accuracy before any decisions are made that will affect the organization. A failure to review could result in analysts making critical decisions based on faulty data.

Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet, research the efficacy of MIS and decision-making systems.

Respond to the following:

• With the technology available today, could organizations get to a point where they could let the computers (information systems) generate decisions instead of managers? If yes, do you think you would truly trust the decisions the computer generated? Why or why not?
• Cloud computing has come into the marketplace over the past few years. What are some advantages of using a cloud-based solution? Would this be something your past or current organization could utilize? Why or why not?
• You have learned that the data utilized should align with the outcomes for which the business is striving. What if the data does not align with the business outcomes? What potential issues could this cause in terms of making an informed decision? Explain.
• You have examined making informed decisions based on the data with the information system. Once an organization starts utilizing an information system or decision-making system, can that organization become dependent upon it for all the answers? If the systems go down, will the organization still be able to make decisions or will everything be put on hold? Explain your answer using examples to illustrate your ideas.

Write your initial response in 300–500 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

Assignment 2: Cloud Solutions

Cloud-based computing allows businesses to store and access large amounts of data over the Internet rather than on in-house computer hard drives. There are several cloud-based data solutions currently available in the marketplace.

Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet, research the latest cloud-based data solutions in the marketplace today. Select at least 2 scholarly sources for use in this assignment.

Assume you are evaluating vendors providing cloud-based solutions for your current organization or a hypothetical organization. Complete the following:

• Identify three potential vendors.
• Compare and contrast the three different vendors. Be sure to consider the services, data solutions, and security features they provide.
• Based on your analysis, provide a recommendation about which provider or solution you think would work best.
• Provide a justification explaining why it would be the best product for your selected business to use (using your current organization or a hypothetical organization). Support your recommendation with up-to-date knowledge of business practices and technology use. Be sure to provide a little background about the organization to help justify your recommendation.

Utilize at least 2 scholarly sources in support of your assertions.

Make sure you write in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in appropriate and accurate representation and attribution of sources; display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Write a 3-page report in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.