CHAPTER 7 : STORING ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION


INFORMATION is is stored in databases.

DATA is maintains information about
various types of;
↪ objects (inventory) 
↪ events(transactions)
↪ people (employees)
↪ places (warehouses)

DATABASE MODELS INCLUDE ;
↪Hierarchical database model – information is
organized into a tree-like structure (using
parent/child relationships) in such a way that it

cannot have too many relationships

↪Network database model – a flexible way of
representing objects and their relationships

↪Relational database model – stores information
in the form of logically related two-dimensional
tables

Entity 
↪a person, place, thing, transaction, or event about
which information is stored

↪The rows in each table contain the entities
EX: Dave’s Sub Shop and Pizza
Palace entities

Attributes (fields, columns) 
↪characteristics or
properties of an entity class

↪The columns in each table contain the attributes
EX: attributes for CUSTOMER include Customer ID,
Customer Name, Contact Name

Primary keys and foreign keys identify the

various entity classes (tables) in the database

Primary key – a field (or group of fields) that uniquely
identifies a given entity in a table


Foreign key – a primary key of one table that
appears an attribute in another table and acts to

provide a logical relationship among the two tables

Potential relational database for Coca-Cola

Database advantages from a business
perspective include;

↪Increased flexibility

↪Increased scalability and performance

↪Reduced information redundancy

↪Increased information integrity (quality)

↪Increased information security


A well-designed database should:

↪Handle changes quickly and easily

↪Provide users with different views

↪Have only one physical view
Physical view – deals with the physical storage of information on a storage device


↪Have multiple logical views
Logical view – focuses on how users logically

access information

A database must scale to meet increased
demand, while maintaining acceptable

performance levels

Scalability – refers to how well a system can adapt to
increased demands

Performance – measures how quickly a system

performs a certain process or transaction


Databases 
↪reduce information redundancy

Redundancy – the duplication of information or

storing the same information in multiple places


Inconsistency 
↪one of the primary problems with redundant information

Information integrity – measures the quality of
information

Integrity constraint – rules that help ensure the
quality of information

↪Relational integrity constraint
↪Business-critical integrity constraint

Information is an organizational asset and must be
protected



Databases offer several security features including:


↪Password – provides authentication of the user
↪Access level – determines who has access to the different types
of information
↪Access control – determines types of user access, such as

read-only access

Database management systems (DBMS)
↪software through which users and application programs interact with a database

Data-driven Web sites – an interactive Web site
kept constantly updated and relevant to the needs of its customers through the use of a database

Data-Driven Web Site Business Advantages
Development;

↪Content Management

↪Future Expandability

↪Minimizing Human Error

↪Cutting Production and Update Costs

↪More Efficient

↪Improved Stability

BI in a data-driven Web site

Integration – allows separate systems to
communicate directly with each other

Forward integration – takes information entered into
a given system and sends it automatically to all
downstream systems and processes

Backward integration – takes information entered
into a given system and sends it automatically to all

upstream systems and processes

Forward Integration

Backward Integration

Building a central repository specifically for

integrated information