the competitors are accepting of each other’s presence. Porter’s five forces are used to analyze an industry to determine the average profitability of a company within that industry. Adding in Porter’s analysis of the Internet to his Five Forces results in the realization that technology has lowered overall profitability. 4 Using Information Systems for Competitive Advantage Having learned about Porter’s Five Forces and their impact on a firm’s ability to generate a competitive advantage, it is time to look at some examples of competitive advantage. A strategic information system is designed specifically to implement an organizational strategy meant to provide a competitive advantage. These types of information systems began popping up in the 1980s, as noted in a paper by Charles Wiseman entitled “Creating Competitive Weapons from Information Systems.” 5 A strategic information system attempts to do one or more of the following: • Deliver a product or a service at a lower cost; • Deliver a product or service that is differentiated; • Help an organization focus on a specific market segment; • Enable innovation. Here are some examples of information systems that fall into this category. Business Process Management Systems Information Systems for Business and Beyond (2019) pg. 151
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