What is an information system? How does it work? What are its management, organization, and technology components? Why arecomplementary assetsessential for ensuring that information systems provide genuine value for organizations? Possible topics include:

• Define an information system and describe the activities it performs.
• Discuss the three elements of an information system (hardware, software, and persware) that managers must consider.
• List and describe some of the organizational, management, and technology dimensions of information systems.
• Distinguish between data and information and between information systems literacy and computer literacy.
• Explain how the Internet and the World Wide Web are related to the other technology components of information systems.
• Define complementary assets and describe their relationship to information technology.
• Describe the complementary social, managerial, and organizational assets required to optimize returns from information technology investments.