MIS 535 Final Exam Questions and Answers latest edition

FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS 1. (TCO A) Which of the following decisions require knowledge based on collaboration and interaction? (Points : 4) How long will it take to manufacture this product? Should we work with outside vendors on new products and services? In which geographical locations are our products garnering the most sales? Which product design is the most efficient for the user in terms of energy use? 1. (TCO A) The costs for firms operating on a global scale have been drastically reduced by (Points : 4) networking technology. investments in organizational complementary assets. cloud computing the rise of digital content. 1. (TCO A) Which of the following objectives best describes the business strategy behind the development of smart grid initiatives by power companies, as discussed in the chapter case? Operational excellence 2. (TCO B) Which of the following businesses use the market creator business model? (Points : 5) an online auction house an online newspaper a video-sharing site an online bookseller 2. (TCO B) are visual tools for presenting performance data in a BI system. (Points : 5) Dashboards and scorecards Parameterized reports Reports and the drill­down feature Scenarios and models 2. (TCO B) Which of the following describes how the Simon framework of decision making works in high- velocity decision environments? (Points : 5) all four steps of the process are handled by software algorithms; humans are eliminated from the decisions because they are too slow the first three steps of the process are handled by software algorithms and the final step is handled by experienced managers the first two steps of Simon’s framework are eliminated and the final steps are handled by software algorithms all four steps are performed by humans with the support of high-speed, high-volume DSS and ESS 3. (TCO C) The type of logical database model that treats data as if they were stored in two-dimensional tables is the (Points : 4) OODBMS. pre-digital DBMS. relational DBMS. hierarchical DBMS. 3. (TCO C) A field identified in a record as holding the unique identifier for that record is called the (Points : 4) primary key. key field. primary field. unique ID. 4. (TCO D) The telephone system is an example of a network. (Points : 4) peer-to-peer wireless packet-switched circuit-switched 4. (TCO D) To use the analog telephone system for sending digital data, you must also use (Points : 4) a modem. a router. DSL. twisted wire. 5. (TCO E) Enterprise applications have become easier to install because: (Points : 5) they have been reduced in function vendors have modularized the applications so they can be rolled out a module at a time vendors have changed their design to make the application more adaptable to diverse business processes Users have become more familiar with how to use the applications 5. (TCO E) Which of the following factors provides an understanding of why computing resources today are ever more available than in previous decades? (Points : 5) network economics law of mass digital storage and Moore's law declining communications costs, universal standards, and the Internet all of the above 6. (TCO F) Agile Methodologies (Points : 4) were developed because traditional methodologies did not work because software development is unlike any other development activity users seldom know what they want when the project starts all of the above 7. (TCO G) A salesperson clicks repeatedly on the online ads of a competitor in order to drive the competitor's advertising costs up. This is an example of (Points : 4) phishing. pharming. spoofing. click fraud. 1. (TCO A) You work for an auto manufacturer and distributor. How could you use information systems to achieve greater customer intimacy? The information system would enable me to get a better understanding of the customers’ needs and preferences at Ford Company. An information system can also help me process a customer’s orders faster, as the database would contain information on due dates, the list of parts, and the technical problems that can occur. In addition, I can integrate the information system into a website where customers would be able to communicate with other car owners and with the company’s support personnel and where they can customize the cars they want to order. I can also create an automated e-mail service that sends car owners reminders about having their car periodically checked. In addition, I can use the information system to track customer preferences within specific localities to ensure that the company is able to provide customers in those localities with what they need and want. (Laudon 14) Laudon, Ken Laudon and Jane. Management Information Systems, 12/e for DeVry University, 12th Edition. 2. (TCO A) You have been hired to work with 10 salespeople from different branches of a national business in creating an online training site for new Sales employees. Identify six collaboration tools that are available to help the team work together. Which single tool would be the most helpful for the project, in your opinion, and why? The six collaboration tools that would be available to help teams work together are virtual worlds, wikis, social networking, smart phones and cell phones, email and instant messaging, and Internet-based collaboration environments. Of these, the best collaboration tool would be the Wikis. A Wiki would allow the participants to share information through a Web site. They can have discussions on the Wiki page, which would eliminate the need for frequent meetings. This is especially helpful if the participants have different schedules or are located in different time zones. This would make it quite difficult to find a time when everyone would be available. With a Wiki page, the participants will also be able to upload or share files, and the changes made on the page are tracked with a revision history. Having all of the information available via the Wiki page would also serve as a good way to document the project so that it can be used as a reference for future projects or for when creating a project report for senior management. In addition, the Wiki page serves as a single fountain for all project information, which enables the participants to easily find the information they need no matter where they are. (Laudon 60) Laudon, Ken Laudon and Jane. Management Information Systems, 12/e for DeVry University, 12th Edition. 3. (TCO A) Assess at least two benefits of using enterprise systems. Append An enterprise system integrates the company’s key business processes in human resources, logistics, finance, and sales into one software system that would enable information to flow throughout the company, in turn improving the decision making, efficiency, and coordination within the company. The enterprise system enables the creation of a more uniform company where everyone uses the same information and processes and measures their work based on company-wide performance standards. The coordination of the company’s most important business processes enables the company to be more responsive to the customers’ demands. The benefits of enterprise systems can also be classified into the following dimensions: Operational, Managerial, Strategic, IT infrastructure, and Organizational. Enterprise systems provide operational benefits in that they help increase the output and cut costs through the automation of basic and repetitive operations. They also enable processes to be streamlined and transactions to be automated; thus, allowing the completion of processes to speed up. In addition, they serve as substitutes for manual labor when operation volumes increase. These in turn result in a higher level of quality and better customer service. As for their managerial benefits, the built-in data analysis capabilities and the centralized databases of enterprise systems help managers with the planning and the decision-making processes. In particular, with managers having access to real-time information, they are better able to manage resources and improve performance in the organization’s various operating divisions. As well, enterprise systems provide organizations with strategic benefits in that they enable organizations to gain a competitive advantage through the differentiation of products and services, which is accomplished by customizing them for individual customers at a lower cost, and through the fostering of strong relationships with customers and other related business parties. Enterprise systems then enable organizations to achieve external linkages, differentiation, reduced costs, innovation, alliance, and business growth. As for the enterprise system’s IT infrastructure benefits, the enterprise system provides the organization with an infrastructure that supports the following: 1.) improved capability for the economic and prompt implementation of new applications; 2.) decreased IT costs and marginal costs of each business unit’s IT; and 3.) the business’ flexibility for changes in the future. Lastly, enterprise systems provide organizations with organizational benefits in that they help organizations facilitate the flattening of the organization’s structure; support customer services; foster the development of user empowerment and a common vision; improve communication among the employees; and help create integrated processes. In addition, enterprise systems facilitate organizational learning and a shift in the organization’s culture. (Laudon 51) Laudon, Ken Laudon and Jane. Management Information Systems, 12/e for DeVry University, 12th Edition. (Laudon 54) Laudon, Ken Laudon and Jane. Management Information Systems, 12/e for DeVry University, 12th Edition. 4. (TCO B) You are advising the owner of Small town Computer, a new, local computer repair store that also builds custom computers to order. What competitive strategies could Small town Computer exert? Which ones will it have difficulty exercising? One strategy would be try to keep their operational costs low so that they may be able to offer their products and services at a price lower than their competitors (Low-cost leadership). They should also be able to respond quickly to their customers’ needs. For example, they should be able to quickly complete repairs and deliver the ordered custom-made computers. This would also include providing customers with the capability to place their orders via a toll-free number or the company’s website. In addition, they should try to differentiate their products and services. If possible, they should try to ensure that only they provide those products or services or that at least they’re the pioneers for such. As well, it would help if they can focus on a market niche, which would allow them to tailor their products and services especially for that niche. Moreover, they should develop good relationships with their suppliers and customers, in turn developing customer loyalty. I think that the most difficult for them to implement will be the lowering of their operational costs and prices. Being a newly established company, they would really need to earn profits as soon as possible so that they can quickly realize their ROI and use these profits to sustain the business. However, if everything is done manually then these would lead to increased overhead costs. More staff will be needed to complete the different tasks for running the business (e.g. taking customers’ orders, coordinating with the suppliers, informing the customer of their order’s status, and others), which would lead to increased operational costs, in turn making it difficult to lower the prices of the company’s products and services. (Laudon 96) Laudon, Ken Laudon and Jane. Management Information Systems, 12/e for DeVry University, 12th Edition. 5. (TCO B) Describe four types of application that are especially well-suited for mobile- commerce