COM 491 Chapter 5-8 Answers 12th edition with rationale
E-commerce 2016: Business. Technology. Society., 12e (Laudon)
Chapter 4 Building an E-commerce Presence: Web Sites, Mobile Sites, and Apps
1) Offline media is typically used for all of the following marketing activities except:
A) education.
B) exposure.
C) conversation.
D) branding.
Answer: C
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
2) The cost of hardware, software, and telecommunications services needed to build
a Web site have over the last decade.
A) increased dramatically
B) increased moderately
C) decreased dramatically
D) decreased slightly
Answer: C
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
3) Which of the following types of e-commerce presence is best suited for creating an
ongoing conversation with one's customers?
A) Web site
B) e-mail
C) social media
D) offline media
Answer: C
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
,COM 491 Chapter 5-8 Answers 12th edition with rationale
4) In developing an e-commerce presence, what questions must be asked and
answered about the firm's target audience?
Answer: Without a clear understanding of a firm's target audience, it is difficult to
develop a successful e-commerce presence. There are two primary questions: who is the
target audience and where can they best be reached? A target audience can be described
in a number of ways: demographics, behavior patterns (lifestyle), current consumption
patterns (online vs. offline purchasing), digital usage patterns, content creation
preferences (blogs, social networks, sites like Pinterest), and buyer personas (profiles of
your customer). Understanding the demographics of the firm's target audience is usually
the first step. Demographic information includes age, income, gender, and location.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge; Written and oral communication
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
5) What are the phases, activities, and milestones for developing an e-commerce presence
for a typical start-up Web site over a one-year period?
Answer: A one-year e-commerce presence timeline might include the following phases,
activities, and milestones. Phase 1/Planning, in which an e-commerce presence would be
envisaged and personnel developed, with a milestone of creating a mission statement;
Phase 2/Web site development, in which content would be acquired, a site design
developed, and hosting arranged for the site, with a milestone of creating a Web site plan;
Phase 3/Web implementation, in which keywords and metatags would be developed,
search engine optimization strategies deployed, and potential sponsors identified, with a
creation of a functional Web site as the milestone; Phase 4/Social media plan, in which
appropriate social platforms and content for products and services would be identified,
with the creation of a social media plan as the milestone; Phase 5/Social media
implementation, in which a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media presence
would be developed, with a functioning social media presence as the milestone; and
Phase 6/Mobile plan, in which a mobile plan would be developed with options for porting
the Web site to the mobile platform considered, and with a mobile media plan as the
relevant milestone. Phase 6/Mobile plan might also be the first phase for a firm that
wanted to employ mobile first design.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge; Written and oral communication
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
,COM 491 Chapter 5-8 Answers 12th edition with rationale
6) Your e-commerce design company has received an RFP to help create an e-
commerce presence for Tucci's, a renowned gourmet and specialty butcher that now
wishes to sell goods over the Internet. Describe the elements you will include in your
proposal to Tucci's.
Answer: Student answers will vary, but should include the following:
Elements that will be in the proposal include the (1) business goals, or vision, or mission
statement, (2) identification of the target audience, (3) description of the marketspace, (4)
a strategic analysis or SWOT analysis, (5) the content to be included, (6) a development
timeline, and (7) a budget. Other recommendations that the student should mention
include using social, local, or mobile marketing.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking; Information technology; Written and oral communication
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
7) What are the two most important management challenges in building a successful e-
commerce presence?
A) developing a clear understanding of business objectives and knowing how to
choose the right technology to achieve those objectives
B) having an accurate understanding of your business environment and an achievable
business plan
C) building a team with the right skill sets and closely managing the development process
D) identifying the key components of your business plan and selecting the right software,
hardware, and infrastructure for your site
Answer: A
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
8) In order from beginning to end, the major steps in the SDLC are:
A) systems analysis/planning; systems design; building the system; testing;
and implementation.
B) systems design; testing; building the system; and implementation.
C) systems analysis/planning; systems design; building the system; implementation;
and testing.
D) systems analysis/planning; implementation; building the system; and
testing. Answer: A
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
, COM 491 Chapter 5-8 Answers 12th edition with rationale
9) are the types of information systems capabilities needed to meet business
objectives.
A) Information requirements
B) System functionalities
C) System design specifications
D) Physical design
specifications Answer: B
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
10) Which of the following basic system functionalities is used to display goods on a
Web site?
A) product database
B) digital catalog
C) shopping cart system
D) customer database system
Answer: B
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Information technology
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
11) Which system functionality must your Web site have in order to be able
to personalize or customize a product for a client?
A) an ad server
B) a site tracking and reporting system
C) an inventory management system
D) customer on-site tracking
Answer: D
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Information technology
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
12) Which of the following are the two main components of a systems design?
A) logical design and physical design
B) behavioral design and technological design
C) business objectives and technology requirements
D) front-end systems and back-end
systems Answer: A
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Information technology
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
E-commerce 2016: Business. Technology. Society., 12e (Laudon)
Chapter 4 Building an E-commerce Presence: Web Sites, Mobile Sites, and Apps
1) Offline media is typically used for all of the following marketing activities except:
A) education.
B) exposure.
C) conversation.
D) branding.
Answer: C
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
2) The cost of hardware, software, and telecommunications services needed to build
a Web site have over the last decade.
A) increased dramatically
B) increased moderately
C) decreased dramatically
D) decreased slightly
Answer: C
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
3) Which of the following types of e-commerce presence is best suited for creating an
ongoing conversation with one's customers?
A) Web site
B) e-mail
C) social media
D) offline media
Answer: C
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
,COM 491 Chapter 5-8 Answers 12th edition with rationale
4) In developing an e-commerce presence, what questions must be asked and
answered about the firm's target audience?
Answer: Without a clear understanding of a firm's target audience, it is difficult to
develop a successful e-commerce presence. There are two primary questions: who is the
target audience and where can they best be reached? A target audience can be described
in a number of ways: demographics, behavior patterns (lifestyle), current consumption
patterns (online vs. offline purchasing), digital usage patterns, content creation
preferences (blogs, social networks, sites like Pinterest), and buyer personas (profiles of
your customer). Understanding the demographics of the firm's target audience is usually
the first step. Demographic information includes age, income, gender, and location.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge; Written and oral communication
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
5) What are the phases, activities, and milestones for developing an e-commerce presence
for a typical start-up Web site over a one-year period?
Answer: A one-year e-commerce presence timeline might include the following phases,
activities, and milestones. Phase 1/Planning, in which an e-commerce presence would be
envisaged and personnel developed, with a milestone of creating a mission statement;
Phase 2/Web site development, in which content would be acquired, a site design
developed, and hosting arranged for the site, with a milestone of creating a Web site plan;
Phase 3/Web implementation, in which keywords and metatags would be developed,
search engine optimization strategies deployed, and potential sponsors identified, with a
creation of a functional Web site as the milestone; Phase 4/Social media plan, in which
appropriate social platforms and content for products and services would be identified,
with the creation of a social media plan as the milestone; Phase 5/Social media
implementation, in which a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media presence
would be developed, with a functioning social media presence as the milestone; and
Phase 6/Mobile plan, in which a mobile plan would be developed with options for porting
the Web site to the mobile platform considered, and with a mobile media plan as the
relevant milestone. Phase 6/Mobile plan might also be the first phase for a firm that
wanted to employ mobile first design.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge; Written and oral communication
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
,COM 491 Chapter 5-8 Answers 12th edition with rationale
6) Your e-commerce design company has received an RFP to help create an e-
commerce presence for Tucci's, a renowned gourmet and specialty butcher that now
wishes to sell goods over the Internet. Describe the elements you will include in your
proposal to Tucci's.
Answer: Student answers will vary, but should include the following:
Elements that will be in the proposal include the (1) business goals, or vision, or mission
statement, (2) identification of the target audience, (3) description of the marketspace, (4)
a strategic analysis or SWOT analysis, (5) the content to be included, (6) a development
timeline, and (7) a budget. Other recommendations that the student should mention
include using social, local, or mobile marketing.
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Analytical thinking; Information technology; Written and oral communication
LO: 4.1: Understand the questions you must ask and answer, and the steps you should
take, in developing an e-commerce presence.
7) What are the two most important management challenges in building a successful e-
commerce presence?
A) developing a clear understanding of business objectives and knowing how to
choose the right technology to achieve those objectives
B) having an accurate understanding of your business environment and an achievable
business plan
C) building a team with the right skill sets and closely managing the development process
D) identifying the key components of your business plan and selecting the right software,
hardware, and infrastructure for your site
Answer: A
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
8) In order from beginning to end, the major steps in the SDLC are:
A) systems analysis/planning; systems design; building the system; testing;
and implementation.
B) systems design; testing; building the system; and implementation.
C) systems analysis/planning; systems design; building the system; implementation;
and testing.
D) systems analysis/planning; implementation; building the system; and
testing. Answer: A
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
, COM 491 Chapter 5-8 Answers 12th edition with rationale
9) are the types of information systems capabilities needed to meet business
objectives.
A) Information requirements
B) System functionalities
C) System design specifications
D) Physical design
specifications Answer: B
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Application of knowledge
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
10) Which of the following basic system functionalities is used to display goods on a
Web site?
A) product database
B) digital catalog
C) shopping cart system
D) customer database system
Answer: B
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Information technology
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
11) Which system functionality must your Web site have in order to be able
to personalize or customize a product for a client?
A) an ad server
B) a site tracking and reporting system
C) an inventory management system
D) customer on-site tracking
Answer: D
Difficulty: Difficult
AACSB: Information technology
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
12) Which of the following are the two main components of a systems design?
A) logical design and physical design
B) behavioral design and technological design
C) business objectives and technology requirements
D) front-end systems and back-end
systems Answer: A
Difficulty: Moderate
AACSB: Information technology
LO: 4.2: Explain the process that should be followed in building an e-commerce
presence.
