MIS Ch 5

While Gordon Moore's paper originally stated that Moore's Law meant a doubling of transistor density roughly every two years, the managerial definition of Moore's Law that you'll often see appearing in the trade press is: ______________________.

Chip performance per dollar doubles every 18 months.

MOORE'S LAW

Chip performance per dollar doubles every eighteen months.

Why does packing pathways tightly together creates problems associated with size, heat, and power.

Chip starts to melt when the processor gets smaller.

_____ refers to replacing computing hardware that a firm might otherwise purchase with a service delivered online.

Cloud computing

Supercomputers

Computers that are among the fastest of any in the world at the time of their introduction

Cluster computing

Connecting server computers via software and networking so that their resources can be used to collectively solve computing tasks.

Multicore microprocessors

Contain two or more calculating processor cores on the same piece of silicon.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM)

small memory chips that form a memory module; Fast, chip-based volatile storage in a computing device.

The multiple-brain approach to solving problems is not suitable for problems:

that are linear.

The advancing price/performance curve of technology is empowering the planet. Underscoring this, economist Jeffrey Sachs has stated that "____________ is the single most transformative technology for world economic development

the cell phone

Moore's Law occurs because:

the distance between pathways inside silicon chips is getting smaller.

ARM chips are generally not as powerful as desktop chips, however Moore's law is making these chips powerful enough for server tasks, bringing with them the added benefit of requiring less energy to operate.

true

An exabyte is bigger than a petabyte

true

As Wired points out, bitcoin straddles the line between transparency and privacy. All transactions are recorded in the open, via the blockchain, but individuals can be anonymous.

true

Bitcoin also has a reputation problem. Being embraced by drug dealers, tax evaders, and fringe libertarians doesn't instill a lot of confidence. And it doesn't help that bitcoin was created by a mysterious, unknown entity referred to as Satoshi Nakamoto

true

Bitcoin also opens up the possibility of micro-payments (or small digital payments) that are now impractical because of fees (think of everything from gum to bus fare to small donations).

true

Bitcoin could also be a boon for international commerce, especially for cross-border remittance and in expanding e-commerce in emerging markets.

true

Bitcoin has the potential for lowering payment transaction fees in a way that would be attractive to retailers.

true

Bitcoin is the transaction method favored by cybercriminals and illegal trade networks like the Silk Road, an online drug bazaar that was shut down

true

Bitcoins are transferred from person to person like cash. Instead of using a bank as a middleman, transactions are recorded in a public ledger (known as a block-chain in bitcoin speak) and verified by a pool of users called miners.

true

Consumer benefit needs to be stronger. While international remittance customers and those otherwise left out of the banking and credit card system can see immediate benefit from bitcoin, most of the population isn't impacted by this market. For most, bitcoin is difficult to understand and often difficult to use tech that offers little benefit

true

Experts advise firms hedge against disruptive technology by developing a portfolio of technology options, giving the firm the right (but not the obligation) to continue and increase funding as a technology shows promise.

true

Flash memory is non-volatile memory.

true

Flash memory is solid-state memory.

true

Getting rid of card companies cuts out transaction fees (usually by 10 to 20 cents), which can top 3 percent.

true

Moore's Law will likely come to an end during your lifetime.

true

The U.S. government has ruled that bitcoin is property (U.S. Marshals have auctioned off bitcoins seized from crooks)

true

There's also no central organization to "freeze" a bitcoin account. If a bitcoin transaction is not permitted in your country, go abroad and you've got full access to everything in your wallet.

true

While no crystal ball exists to identify disruptive technologies with perfect accuracy, firms that have external conversations with innovative external groups, as well as improving internal communication with technologies can help.

true

bitcoin is a protocol for exchanging value over the Internet without an intermediary

true

Internet of Things

A vision where low-cost sensors, processors, and communication are embedded into a wide array of products and our environment, allowing a vast network to collect data, analyze input, and automatically coordinate collective action.

SEMICONDUCTORS

Substance such as silicon dioxide used inside most computer chips that is capable of enabling and inhibiting the flow of electricity

The phrase ____________________ is often used to refer to the emergence of technology in products where low-cost sensors, computing, and communication put embedded smarts in all sorts of mundane devices so that these products can communicate with one another for data collection, analysis, and collective action.

The Internet of Things

Which of the following facts is true with respect to the current electronic waste scenario?

There is more gold in one pound of electronic waste than in one pound of mined ore.

Silicon wafer

Thin, circular slice of material used to create semiconductor device

Intuit has avoided disruption in the shift away from packaged software by developing products that leverage cloud computing, some of which are intially provided for free

True

It allowed a vast network to collect data, analyze input, and automatically coordinate collective action. T/F

True

Low latency systems are faster systems. T/F

True

Modern supercomputing is done by massively parallel processing: Computers designed with many microprocessors that work together, simultaneously, to solve problems. T/F

True

Moore's Law is possible because the distance between the pathways inside silicon chips gets smaller with each successive generation. T/F

True

Moore's Law will likely hit its physical limit soon, but still-experimental quantum computing could make computers more powerful. T/F

True

Quantum tunneling kicks in when chips get smaller. T/F

True

Rapid obsolescence of technology products contributes to the growing problem of e-waste management.

True

Supercomputing was once considered the domain of governments and high-end research labs. T/F

True

Grid computing:

Uses special software to enable several computers to work together on a common problem as if they were a massively parallel supercomputer.

The public ledger that records transactions and ownership of bitcoins is known as the:

blockchain

ARM hash been so successful because its chip designs can run any software originally designed to run on Intel chips.

false

Despite the hype, no online retailers accept bitcoin due largely to security concerns.

false

Disruptive innovations are often so damaging because the new technology has better margins than the incumbent technology being displaced.

false

Firms that listen to their customers are more likely to be able to counteract the onslaught of potentially disruptive technologies

false

Minicomputers are the next generation of personal computing, smaller than today's laptops and notebook machines.

false

Multicore processors have been a boon to technology firms, since any software executing on a multi-core system runs faster by a multiple of the number of cores (e.g. quad core chips run traditional software 4 times as fast).

false

Technology products are considered to be price inelastic.

false

The exchange rate for bitcoin has proven to be more stable over in recent years than many 'real world' currencies, including the U.S. Dollar, the Euro, and the Japanese Yen. [.5 pt.]

false

The price/performance curves shown in this chapter allow the manager to calibrate precise estimates on future computing capabilities and costs.

false

Cameras, MP3 players, USB drives, and mobile phones often use _____ which holds data even when the power is off.

flash memory

With _____, firms place special software on its existing PCs or servers that enable these computers to work together on a common problem.

grid computing

Technology such as the Vitality Corp. GlowCap applies technology to:

improve patient adherence to prescription schedules.

The process of separating out the densely packed materials inside tech products, so that value in e-waste can be effectively harvested is an extremely _____ process.

labor-intensive

Vision of embedding______ into a wide array of products and the environment. (known as pervasive computing)

low-cost sensors, processors, and communication

The _____ is considered the brain of a computing device.

microprocessor

Moore's Law typically applies to _____.

microprocessors and chip-based storage

E-waste

Discarded, often obsolete technology associated with negative externalities

What is the 'creosote bush effect'?

Managers can act like the rival-killing creosote bush, pulling high-quality engineers off emerging projects if a firm's top offerings need staff or other resources to grow.

Server farms

Massive network of computer servers running software to coordinate their collective use.

FLASH MEMORY

Nonvolatile, chip-based storage.

MICROPROCESSOR

Part of the computer that executes the instructions of a computer program; The central processing unit that is generally made from a single integrated circuit.

______ is the rate at which the demand for a product or service fluctuates with price change.

Price elasticity

Which of the following is the temporary storage that provides fast access for executing computer programs and files

Random-access memory

Price elasticity

Rate at which the demand for a product or service fluctuates with price change.

Cloud computing

Replacing computing resources with services provided over the Internet.

Microprocessors with two or more (typically lower power) calculating processor cores on the same piece of silicon are known as:

multicore processors.

Storage that retains data even when powered down is called

nonvolatile memory.

Which of the following refers to a substance such as silicon dioxide that is used inside most computer chips and is capable of enabling as well as inhibiting the flow of electricity?

Semiconductor

Fabs

Semiconductor fabrication facilities

SOLID STATE ELECTRONICS

Semiconductor-based devices.

Big firms fail to see disruptive innovations as a threat because

...

Managers looking for advice on properly dealing with obsolete technology hardware can:

1. consult the e-Stewards program 2. seek advice from the International Association of Electronics Recyclers 3. look for partners with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications 4. investigate resources provided by the Basel Action Network

Evolving waves of computing

1960s - Mainframe computers 1970s - Minicomputers 1980s - PCs 1990s - Internet computing 2000s - Smartphone revolution 2010s - Pervasive computing

The price/performance improvements in Moore's Law apply to:

Silicon based computing and storage components

This firm's processor designs power the majority of smart phones on the planet.

ARM

VOLATILE MEMORY

Storage that is wiped clean when power is cut off from a device

NONVOLATILE MEMORY

Storage that retains data even when powered down

Latency

Delay in networking and data transfer speeds.

Moores law applies to all types of technology

False

Random access memory is an example of nonvolatile memory

False

Silicon chips are preferred over solid state electronics devices which are more likely to fail and draw greater amounts of power. T/F

False

The multiple brain approach is best suited for problems of linear nature

False

What are the two characteristics of disruptive innovations (sometimes referred to as disruptive technologies)?

First, they come to market with a set of performance attributes that existing customers don't value. Second, over time the performance attributes improve to the point where they invade established markets

Software as a service (SaaS)

Form of cloud computing where a firm subscribes to a third party software and receives a service that is delivered online.

OPTICAL FIBER LINE

High-speed glass or plastic-lined networking cable used in telecommunications

Why big firms fail

a) Failure to see disruptive innovations as a threat. b) Start-ups amass expertise quickly.

E-waste could be

a) May be toxic since many components contain harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. b) It also contains small bits of increasingly valuable metals such as silver, platinum, and copper. c) Requires recycling, which is extremely labor intensive. Most of the waste is exported for recycling, d) Managers must consider and plan for the waste created by their: e) Products, services, and technology used by the organization. f) Managers must audit disposal and recycling partners with the same vigor as their suppliers and other corporate partners.

Multicore microprocessors can:

a) Multicore chips outperform a single speedy chip, while running cooler and drawing less power. b) Now mainstream, most PCs and laptops sold have at least a two-core (dual-core) processor. c) Can run older software written for single-brain chips by using only one core at a time.

Recognizing Potentially Disruptive Innovations:

a) Remove short-sighted, customer-focused, and bottom-line-obsessed blinders. b) Have conversations with those on the experimental edge of advancements. c) Increase conversations across product groups and between managers and technologists. d) If employees are quitting to join a technology, it might be worth considering.

Firms are radically boosting speed and efficiency of chips by:

a) Taking chips from being paper-flat devices to built-up 3-D affairs. b) Transistors: Super-tiny on-off switches in a chip that work collectively to calculate or store things in memory

Disruptive Innovations:

a) They come to market with a set of performance attributes that existing customers do not value. b) Over time the performance attributes improve to the point where they invade established markets.

In the chip industry, 'fabs' are:

chip manufacturing plants

Firms that manufacture products where silicon-based components represent a large portion of the product's cost of goods are likely to carry as little inventory as possible because:

depreciation rates of chip-based electronics are high

Discarded, often obsolete, technology is more generally known as _____.

electronic waste