Information Technology VS Information Systems

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENECES BETWEEN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS?

The main difference between information technology and information systems (IS) is :

Ø IS personal are  business oriented and focus on the applications and implications of computing in the business domain. IT does not focus on a single domain in which IT is practiced, but instead focuses on the selection, integration and deployment of computing technology.\

Ø IS requires the business skills to thrive in the Board Room and learn enough about the technology to make sound strategic decisions. On the other hand IT generally consists of planning and deploying networking infrastructure or integrate databases or build significant Web sites.

Ø Information Systems is a large umbrella referring to systems designed to create, store, manipulate, or disseminate information. Example of an information system is a pencil and a piece of paper. The two objects themselves are just tools, but together they create a system for writing (information). The term Information systems has been around a lot longer than the computer, or the term information technology. These days the two are sometimes thought to be synonymous, but that, in most cases is a misconception. 

Ø Information technology falls under the information systems umbrella, but has nothing to do with systems per say. IT deals with the technology involved in the systems themselves, e.g. an information system like wiki.answers.com contains many information technologies.

Ø Information technology can be considered as a subset of information systems. It deals with the technology part of any information system, and as such deals with hardware, servers, operating systems and software etc.

Ø A system is always a combination of people, machines, processes and technology. And IT is just a part of the system. Since a part can never be identical to whole, information systems is never going to be identical to information technology. Designing of a system takes much more than technology as people and processes are also involved.

Ø Information systems is in essence bridging the gap between business and the ever growing field of computers. On the other hand, information technology is all about managing technology and making use of it for the betterment of business.

In brief :
• Information systems and information technology are parts of a broader computer science.
• Whereas information systems focuses on the system making use of technology, information technology focuses on technology and how it can help in disseminating information.
• However, Information technology and information systems are not necessarily two fields of study, even though, there can be fields of studies on these terms.