Key Trends and Disruptive Technologies in Information Systems

Posted on Oct 8, 2025 in Business Administration and Management (BAM)

Future Trends in Information Systems

The landscape of information systems is rapidly evolving, driven by several key global trends:

  • Global: The use of the internet is growing worldwide, increasing the reliance on digital infrastructure.
  • Social: Social media growth continues to be a major trend influencing communication and data flow.
  • Personal: Users expect to be able to modify their information system experiences to meet their personal needs.
  • Mobile: The growth of mobile technology has been trending for many years and continues to do so.
  • Wearable: Technologies such as hearing aids, Bluetooth devices, and smartwatches are becoming increasingly integrated.
  • Collaborative: It is easier than ever to collaborate across distances using modern systems.
  • Printable: 3D printing is one of the most amazing and disruptive technologies emerging today.
  • Findable: Information is easier than ever to find because of the internet and advanced search capabilities.
  • Autonomous: With the advance of technologies, some robots realize specific tasks automatically.

Strategic Planning Framework (Esquema)

Effective IT management requires a structured planning framework, encompassing:

  • Goals: Defining SMART objectives.
  • Strategy Orientation: Determining core strategies (e.g., cost leadership, product differentiation).
  • Tactical Plan: Detailed plans covering marketing operations, human resources, and finance.
  • Implementation: Executing the tactical plan.
  • Control: Monitoring performance using metrics (e.g., balanced scorecard, scope management).

Cloud Technology Impact

Cloud technology illustrates rapid rates of technology improvement and diffusion. It impacts various groups, products, and resources, creating illustrative pools of economic value.

Potentially Economically Disruptive Technologies

These technologies are reshaping industries and creating new economic opportunities:

  • Automation of Knowledge: Intelligent software systems that can perform complex cognitive work automatically.
  • The Internet of Things (IoT): Networks of low-cost sensors and actuators used for data collection, monitoring, decision-making, and process optimization.
  • Cloud Technology: The use of computer hardware and software resources on the Internet, often delivered as a service.
  • Advanced Robotics: Increasingly capable robots with enhanced senses, dexterity, and intelligence used to automate tasks or augment human capabilities.
  • Autonomous and Near-Autonomous Vehicles: Vehicles that can operate without human intervention.
  • Next Generation Genomics: Fast, low-cost gene sequencing, advanced big data analytics, and synthetic biology.
  • Advanced Materials: Materials designed to have superior characteristics (e.g., strength, conductivity, lightness).
  • Renewable Energy: Generation of electricity from renewable sources with reduced harmful climate impact.

The Role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO)

The CIO is a general IT manager with technology and business leadership experience. Working with the organization’s executive management team, the CIO ensures the alignment of IT resources with business goals and plans for the integration of IT for strategic advantage.

The two primary responsibilities of the CIO are:

  1. Computer and communication operations.
  2. Acquiring and maintaining application software.

Information Systems as Planned Organizational Change

The process of building a new information system is planned, and system builders need to understand how this change will affect the organization. The four types of organizational change driven by IT systems are:

  1. Automation: Enables employees to perform their tasks more efficiently.
  2. Rationalization of Procedures: Eliminates obvious bottlenecks to make processes more efficient.
  3. Business Process Reengineering (BPR): Analyzes and simplifies business processes radically to reduce costs.
  4. Paradigm Shift: A radical rethinking of the fundamental nature of the business.

The Information Security Triad (CIA)

The CIA triad defines the three core goals of information security:

Confidentiality
When protecting information, we restrict access to authorized users. Everyone else should be disallowed from learning anything about its content.
Integrity
It is the assurance that the information being accessed has not been altered and truly represents what is intended.
Availability
Means that information and systems can be accessed and used by authorized users when needed.