Information Technology Management 14 Valerie Bryan Practitioner Consultants Florida Atlantic University Layne Young Business Relationship Manager Indianapolis, IN Donna Goldstein GIS Coordinator Palm Beach County School District Information Technology is a fundamental force in • IT as a management tool; reshaping organizations by applying investment in • understanding IT infrastructure; and computing and communications to promote competi- • ȱǯ tive advantage, customer service, and other strategic ęǯȱǻȱǯȱǰȱŗşşŚǼ ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ¢Ȃȱ not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road. ǻ ȱǼ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǯȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ- ¢ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ǰȱ What is IT? because technology changes so rapidly, park and recre- ation managers must stay updated on both technological A goal of management is to provide the right tools for ȱȱȱȱǯ ěȱ ȱ ě¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱ recreation organization may be comprised of many of terms crucial for understanding the impact of tech- ȱȱȱȱǯȱȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ - ȱȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱǻ Ǽȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȬȬ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱǯȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱǻǰȱŗşŞśǼǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱĞȱȱȱȱ ǻȱ¡ȱŗŚǯŗȱ Ǽǯ ě¢ȱȱȱȱǯ Information technology is an umbrella term Details concerning the technical terms used in this that covers a vast array of computer disciplines that ȱȱȱȱȱȱȬȬęȱ ȱȱ permit organizations to manage their information ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȭȱ ¢ȱ ǯȱ¢ǰȱȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱ ǯȱȱȱȱȱȬȱ¢ȱ a fundamental force in reshaping organizations by applying ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ investment in computing and communications to promote ȱȱ¢ǯȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ competitive advantage, customer service, and other strategic ȱ ǻȱ ȱ ŗŚȬŗȱ ęȱ ȱ DZȱ ęȱǻǰȱŗşşŚǰȱǯȱřǼǯ ȱ Ǽǯ ȱ¢ȱǻ Ǽȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ¢ǯȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱ ȱȱǯȱ ȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱ ȱDZ ȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱȱȱȱǯȱ It lets people learn things they didn’t think they could • ȱȱȱ¢ǵ ȱǰȱȱǰȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ • the manager’s responsibilities; ǻȱǰȱȱ¡ȱĜȱȱĞǰȱȱ • information resources; ǷȱǯȱȱȱřŗǰȱŘŖŖŞǰȱ • disaster recovery and business continuity; ȱĴDZȦȦ ǯ ǯǼ Information Technology Management 305 Exhibit 14.