Business informatics (BI) is a discipline combining economics, the economics of digitization, business administration, accounting, internal auditing, information technology (IT), and concepts of computer science. Business informatics centers around creating programming and equipment frameworks which ultimately provide the organization with effective operation based on information technology application. [1] The focus on programming and equipment boosts the value of the analysis of economics and information technology. The BI discipline was created in Germany (in German: Wirtschaftsinformatik). [2] It is an established academic discipline, including bachelor, master, diploma, and PhD programs in Austria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey, and is establishing itself in an increasing number of other countries as well, including Finland, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, India and South Africa.
Business informatics shows similarities to information systems (IS), which is a well-established discipline originating in North America. However, there are a few differences that make business informatics a unique discipline:
Information systems (IS) focus on empirically explaining the phenomena of the real world. Information systems has been said to have an "explanation-oriented" focus in contrast to the "solution-oriented" focus that dominates business informatics. Information systems researchers make an effort to explain the phenomena of acceptance and influence of IT in organizations and society by applying an empirical approach. In order to do that, usually qualitative and quantitative empirical studies are conducted and evaluated. In contrast to that, business informatics researchers mainly focus on the creation of IT solutions for challenges they have observed or assumed, and thereby they focus more on the possible future uses of IT. [3]
Tight integration between research and teaching following the Humboldtian ideal a major goal in business informatics. Insights gained in actual research projects become part of the curricula quite quickly since most researchers are also lecturers at the same time. [4] The pace of scientific and technological progress in business informatics is quite rapid; therefore, subjects taught are under permanent reconsideration and revision. [5] In its evolution, the business informatics discipline is fairly young. Therefore, significant hurdles have to be overcome in order to further establish its vision. [6]
Specialists in business informatics can work both in research and in commerce. In business, there are various uses, which may vary depending on professional experience. Fields of employment may include:
In consulting, a clear line must be drawn between strategic and IT consulting.
An information system (IS) is a formal, sociotechnical, organizational system designed to collect, process, store, and distribute information. From a sociotechnical perspective, information systems comprise four components: task, people, structure, and technology. Information systems can be defined as an integration of components for collection, storage and processing of data, comprising digital products that process data to facilitate decision making and the data being used to provide information and contribute to knowledge.
An academic discipline or field of study is a branch of knowledge, taught and researched as part of higher education. A scholar's discipline is commonly defined by the university faculties and learned societies to which they belong and the academic journals in which they publish research.
The Open University of Israel is a distance-education university in Israel. It is one of ten public universities in Israel recognized by the Council of Higher Education (CHE). The Open University does not require a matriculation certificate, psychometric exam, or other entrance exam for admission to undergraduate studies.
Community informatics (CI) is an interdisciplinary field that is concerned with using information and communication technology (ICT) to empower members of communities and support their social, cultural, and economic development. Community informatics may contribute to enhancing democracy, supporting the development of social capital, and building well connected communities; moreover, it is probable that such similar actions may let people experience new positive social change. In community informatics, there are several considerations which are the social context, shared values, distinct processes that are taken by members in a community, and social and technical systems. It is formally located as an academic discipline within a variety of academic faculties including information science, information systems, computer science, planning, development studies, and library science among others and draws on insights on community development from a range of backgrounds and disciplines. It is an interdisciplinary approach interested in using ICTs for different forms of community action, as distinct from pure academic study about ICT effects.
A business analyst (BA) is a person who processes, interprets and documents business processes, products, services and software through analysis of data. The role of a business analyst is to ensure business efficiency increases through their knowledge of both IT and business function.
University of Economics in Katowice is a public higher education institution in Katowice, Poland.
The University of Michigan School of Information is the informatics and information science school of the University of Michigan, a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It offers baccalaureate, magisterial, and doctoral degrees.
The College of Information Sciences and Technology, also known as the College of IST at Pennsylvania State University was established in 1999. Headquartered at the University Park campus in University Park, Pennsylvania, the college's programs are offered at 21 Penn State campus locations. Dr. Andrea Tapia currently serves as the college's interim dean.
Master of Business Informatics (MBI) is a postgraduate degree in Business Informatics (BI). BI programs combine information technology (IT) and management courses and are common in central Europe. The first master programs in Business Informatics were offered by the University of Rostock, as a face-to-face program, and by the Virtual Global University (VGU) together with the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) as an online program . An MBI programme, which includes inter-cultural studies affecting business operations in European markets, was first offered by Dublin City University. Within the Bologna process, many Central European universities have been, or are in the process of, setting up master programmes in Business Informatics. Due to legal frameworks and restrictions, however, most of these programs are forced to award an M.Sc. degree instead of an MBI degree.
The Virtual Global University (VGU) is a virtual university offering online distance education or virtual education on the Internet.
The Höhere Berufsfachschule für Wirtschaftsinformatik (HBFS-WI) located in Saarbrücken, Germany is a school providing higher vocational education in information technology and economics awarding the designation "Staatlich geprüfte(r) Wirtschaftsinformatiker(in)". According to the German Qualifications Framework, the designation is at the same level to a university-level bachelor's degree.
The Engineering Doctorate is a Dutch degree awarded to graduates of a Technological Designer (engineering) program that develop their students' capabilities to work within a professional context. These programs focus on applied techniques and design, in their respective engineering fields. The technological EngD designer programs were initiated at the request of the Dutch high-tech industry. High-tech companies need professionals who can design and develop complex new products and processes and offer innovative solutions. All programs work closely together with high-tech industry, offering trainees the opportunity to participate in large-scale, interdisciplinary design projects. With this cooperation, EngD programs provide trainees a valuable network of contacts in industry. Each program covers a different technological field, for example managing complex architectural construction projects, designing mechanisms for user interfaces for consumer products or developing high-tech software systems for software-intensive systems. Participation in a program that awards the abbreviation EngD requires either a Master's degree in a related field or an accredited B.Sc. degree in computer science combined with min. 5 years of relevant academic work experience.
Industrial engineering is an engineering profession that is concerned with the optimization of complex processes, systems, or organizations by developing, improving and implementing integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information and equipment. Industrial engineering is central to manufacturing operations.
Informatics is the study of computational systems. According to the ACM Europe Council and Informatics Europe, informatics is synonymous with computer science and computing as a profession, in which the central notion is transformation of information. In some cases, the term "informatics" may also be used with different meanings, e.g. in the context of social computing, or in context of library science.
Collaborative decision-making (CDM) software is a software application or module that helps to coordinate and disseminate data and reach consensus among work groups.
The Institute for Management Information Systems is a research institution of the Department of Information Systems and Operations, at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). The WU is the largest university having a business and economics focus in Europe. The master's program "Information Systems" provided by the department is ranked 4th by "The Eduniversal Best Masters Ranking" in Western Europe.
The Swiss Informatics Society, short "SI", is a Swiss organization of computer science educators, researchers, and professionals.
The Mannheim School of Computer Science and Mathematics (MSCM) is among the younger of the five schools comprising the University of Mannheim, located in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The School of Computer Science and Mathematics, established in 1967, covers the fields of Computer Science, Business Informatics and Mathematics. The Department of Computer Science at the University of Mannheim is considered as a leading public institution for computer science/business informatics in Germany. It has been consistently ranked among the top computer science programs in recent years. In the past 15 years, researchers from University of Mannheim Department of Computer Science have made developments in the fields of algorithms, computer networks, distributed systems, parallel processing, programming languages, robotics, language technologies, human-computer interaction and software engineering.
Behavior informatics (BI) is the informatics of behaviors so as to obtain behavior intelligence and behavior insights. BI is a research method combining science and technology, specifically in the area of engineering. The purpose of BI includes analysis of current behaviors as well as the inference of future possible behaviors. This occurs through pattern recognition.
Key Pousttchi is a professor of Business Informatics and Digitalization, author and entrepreneur. From 2015 to 2020 he held the SAP Endowed Chair at the University of Potsdam's Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, where he was also the director of their Master of Science program in digital transformation, in co-operation with the Hasso-Plattner Institute. His research focuses on the impact of digitalization on everyday life, economy and society as well as on digital transformation strategies for traditional industries.