Data vs. Useful Information, Critical Systems, and Privacy Concerns
Jever Mendoza
University of Phoenix

Abstract

Data has become a very important aspect to businesses. By gathering vast amount of data on consumers, businesses are able to anticipate what they might purchase and what they might be interested in. This helps companies stay competitive and see future market trends. Within the company, their internal operations also play a role in their competitive advantage by investing in systems that are critical to the company's success. Privacy concerns are a pressing issue when it comes to the gathering of data for company use.

Data vs. Useful Information, Critical Systems, and Privacy Concerns

In the age of technology driven advancements businesses have been finding ways to collect data for their benefit. One method companies have been using is tracking items you have searched or purchased. They will then give the customer suggestions on other items to buy. By tracking this data it helps companies understand what customers buy and also helps future customers make decisions about the items they should purchase. Another way companies gather data for their benefits is when making a purchase for the consumer to have an option to email or tell friends about the item you have purchased. This is an ingenious way that companies have customers market their products for them. And it also influences their friends to purchase the recommended item because you validate as an item that is worth having. This is also the case when companies provide the option of allowing customers to submit a review of the item. This option is a powerful way to for companies to promote your products. I know when I am looking to make a purchase, I always review comments customers have made on the item I am interested in. This helps me know the pros and cons of the item and has influence if I will ultimately purchase the item. A very popular way businesses gather data is by cookies messages when a customer visits their website. Once you visit a company website their server will pass a cookies to your web browser about when you visit the site and also tracts your movements within the site and provides it back to the business. This includes all your personal information like name, address, and payment information so you don't have to fill out the same forms over and over again. This helps the customer by saving time and improves the business process. All these ways of gathering data is aimed at not only to try to stay ahead of market trends but to also increase revenue for the company. Businesses have many important aspects, organizations, and systems that play a major role in helping the company be successful. In my personal experience and opinion, the current system that is the most critical to the company I work for would have to be its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. An ERP is an internal system which is made up of integrated software modules that are cross functioning between multiple departments to support the business processes of the company. The ERP system also makes it possible to track the work flow from all departments to help reduce operational costs. I believe this is the most important critical system at my workplace, Rockwell Collins, because the ERP system allow the complete visibility of all departments and helps eliminate waste in the work flow transition from one department to another. When a company is as large as Rockwell Collins, and for cost reductions, it has its engineering, production, sales, accounting, and manufacturing located in different sites, an ERP system is very important and efficient way to manage production, order processing, and inventory management. When a sale is made and the order has begins to be processed, managers from the various departments are able to plan accordingly depending on the status of the ERP system. If inventory level are running low and new product need to be produced to meet an order, the proper department will be able to see the shortfall and notify production to build the certain item that needs to meet the order. These real time updates help increase productivity, shortens lead times and allow for the better control of all materials which improve quality and reduce time. All these improved elements of the whole business process and being able to have real time updates will enable companies to stay competitive by managing all aspects of their business. When it comes to the gathering of consumer personal data companies have a great responsibility to not only protect it, but to also respect what they do with all that information. In the era of the internet, companies spend lots of money to collect data on consumers. And as a result, consumer personal information that has been gathered is often sold so companies can track your habits and activities to compile a complete picture of your trends. I believe that the gathering of my personal information without my consent is a violation of my privacy. I don't like the idea of companies painting a picture of me and my activities and I have absolutely no access to that information. I also don't like how these companies profit off of my information and I don't get any compensation for it, but I guess this is the price we pay for receiving free services. Sometimes it is easy to forget what we are giving up in order to receive free stuff. This puts me in a hypocritical situation because I do give some of my personal information in return for a variety of year long magazine subscriptions. I guess it's worth it to me to get free magazines in return to fill out a survey. On the other hand, I think it is a complete violation of personal privacy when companies in the health industry gather information on consumers based on their medical history which include prescription medicines, test results, and possible preexisting conditions and sell it to health insurance companies. Not only will this cause a potential customer to receive higher rates based on this information, but they could see them being denied coverage altogether. I suppose it depends on what my personal information is actually used for, that I can react bias towards one way or the other. When it comes to your personal information, the decision of company responsibility will vary depending on the person. That is why the topic of privacy and data will take some time until laws are passed on what is acceptable to the consumer.