Acct 460 Chp1

1. A set of two or more interrelated components that interact to achieve a goal is: a) A system b) An accounting information system c) Data d) Mandatory information

1. A

10. The value of information can best be defined as a) how useful it is to decision makers. b) the benefits produced by possessing and using the information minus the cost of producing it. c) how relevant it is. d) the extent to which it maximizes the value chain.

10. B

11. The benefit produced by the information minus the cost of producing it. a) Goal congruence b) Information c) Information overload d) Value of information

11. D

12. An accounting information system (AIS) processes __________ to provide users with __________. a) data; information b) data; transactions c) information; data d) data; benefits

12. A

13. How many components are found in an AIS? a) three b) four c) five d) six

13. D

14. An accounting information system in part consists of a) People, hardware and programs. b) Information, programs and computers. c) People, procedures, data, software and information technology infrastructure. d) Internal controls and accounting records.

14. C

15. Information that reduces uncertainty, improves decision makers' ability to make predictions, or confirms or corrects their prior expectations, is said to be a) Complete b) Relevant c) Reliable d) Timely

15. B

16. Information that is free from error or bias and accurately represents the events or activities of the organization is a) Relevant b) Reliable c) Verifiable d) Timely

16. B

17. Information that does not omit important aspects of the underlying events or activities that it measures is a) Complete b) Accessible c) Relevant d) Timely

17. A

18. When two knowledgeable people acting independently each produce the same information, this information is said to be a) Complete b) Relevant c) Reliable d) Verifiable

18. D

19. Data must be converted into information to be considered useful and meaningful for decision-making. There are six characteristics that make information both useful and meaningful. If information is free from error or bias and accurately represents the events or activities of the organization, it is representative of the characteristic of a) Relevancy b) Timeliness. c) Understandability d) Reliability

19. D

2. This results when a subsystem achieves its goals while contributing to the organization's overall goal. a) Goal conflict b) Goal congruence c) Value of information d) Systems congruence

2. B

20. The primary consideration when producing this type of information is that its benefits exceeds its costs. a) Discretionary information b) Essential information c) Mandatory information d) Value of information

20. A

21. An AIS is a system of six interrelated components that interact to achieve a goal. One of these components, which includes both manual and automated activities that involve collecting, processing, and storing data, is known as a) Information or data b) Procedures and instructions c) Software d) Information technology infrastructure

21. B

22. An accounting information system must be able to perform which of the following tasks? a) collect transaction data b) process transaction data c) provide adequate controls d) all of the above

22. D

23. Which of the following is not an example of a common activity in an AIS? a) buy and pay for goods and services b) sell goods and services and collect cash c) summarize and report results to interested parties d) recording of sales calls for marketing purposes

23. D

24. Which of the following is not one of the components of an AIS? a) Internal controls and security measures b) People c) Procedures and instructions d) Software and hardware

24. D

25. An AIS must be able to fulfill three important functions in any organization. One such function is the collecting and storing of data about activities performed by the organization. One group that relies on both the adequate collection and transformation of data for decision-making purposes for an organization is a) management. b) interested outsiders. c) competitors. d) the government.

25. A

26. The primary objective of accounting is to a) implement strong internal controls. b) provide useful information to decision makers. c) prepare financial statements. d) ensure the profitability of an organization.

26. B

27. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), in its Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 2, has defined accounting as a) an information identification, development, measurement, and communication process. b) a way to provide adequate controls to safeguard an organization's assets. c) being an information system. d) a way to collect and transform data into useful information.

27. C

28. Which activity below would not be considered to be a "top" accountant work activity? a) process improvement b) input into future product marketing initiatives c) long-term strategic planning d) computer systems and operations

28. B

29. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has recognized the importance of AIS and the major impact information technology has on the area of accounting. To recognize individual CPAs who have met educational and experiential requirements in this area, the group formally created the designation known as a) the Certified Management Accountant. b) the Certified Information Technology Professional. c) the Certified Internal Auditor. d) the Certified Data Processing Professional.

29. B

3. Goal conflict may result when a) A decision or action of a subsystem is inconsistent with the system as a whole. b) A subsystem achieves its goals while contributing to the organization's overall goal. c) Duplicate recording, storage and processes are eliminated. d) The data exceeds the amount the human mind can absorb and process.

3. A

30. An analysis conducted by the Institute of Management Accountants shows that the most important activities performed by corporate accountants relate to a) customer and product profitability. b) internal consulting. c) process improvement. d) accounting systems and financial reporting.

30. D

31. The primary focus of an AIS course, as opposed to other IS courses, is on a) application of information technology. b) use of accounting software. c) understanding how information technology can be used to improve AIS processes. d) preparation of financial statements.

31. C

32. The AIS must include controls to ensure a) safety and availability of data. b) marketing initiatives match corporate goals. c) information produced from data is accurate. d) both A and C

32. D

33. A change in the AIS that makes information more easily accessible and widely available within an organization is most likely to first influence the a) organizational culture. b) customer base. c) external financial statement users. d) production activity.

33. A

34. The process of creating value for customers is the result of nine activities (five primary and four support) that taken together form a a) value chain. b) profitable operation. c) successful business. d) support system.

34. A

35. The value chain concept is composed of two types of activities known as a) primary and support. b) primary and secondary. c) support and value. d) technology and support.

35. A

36. Which of the following is a primary activity in the value chain? a) infrastructure b) technology c) purchasing d) marketing and sales

36. D

37. In value chain analysis, what is the activity of arranging the delivery of products to customers called? a) outbound logistics b) inbound logistics c) shipping d) delivery

37. A

38. An AIS provides value by a) improving products or services through information that increases quality and reduces costs. b) providing timely and reliable information to decision makers. c) creating new products. d) both A and B

38. D

39. In Chapter 1, Figure 1-2 shows the factors that influence the design of AIS. The diagram shows a bi-directional arrow between the organizational culture and the AIS. The reason for this two-way interchange between organizational culture and AIS is a) that the AIS should not influence the values of the organizational culture. b) because the organization's culture influences the AIS, and likewise the AIS influences the organization's culture by controlling the flow of information within the organization. c) due to the transfer of managers between the two corporate elements. d) the AIS impacts the organization's key strategies.

39. B

4. Facts that are collected, recorded, stored and processed by an information system a) Information b) Data c) Systems d) Mandatory information

4. B

40. The objective of the majority of organizations is to provide value to their customers. The activities that support such an objective can be conceptualized as forming a value chain. Within this value chain, logistics plays an important role. Logistics is both inbound and outbound in nature. An example of inbound logistics would consist of a) the activities that transform inputs into final products or services. b) the activities that help customers to buy the organization's products or services. c) the activities that provide post-sale support to customers. d) the activities that consist of receiving, storing, and distributing the materials used as inputs by the organization to create goods and/or services it sells.

40. D

41. A good example of how an AIS is used to share knowledge within an organization is a) the use of an expert system to help staff identify the relevant experts who can help with a particular client. b) the use of laptop computers to access a network for messaging worldwide. c) the monitoring of production equipment to watch for defects. d) the use of point-of-sale data to determine hot-selling items.

41. A

42. Within the value chain conceptual framework, organizations also perform a number of other support activities that enable the five primary value chain activities to be performed efficiently and effectively. One such support activity is research and development. This activity can be identified as a a) firm infrastructure activity. b) human resources activity. c) technology activity. d) purchasing activity.

42. C

43. Within the value chain conceptual framework, AIS is shown as a support activity. The AIS is of value to an organization when it provides accurate and timely information to help support the five primary value chain activities. When the AIS provides information in a timely and accurate manner, it stands as an example of a) improved decision making. b) improving the quality and reducing the costs of products or services. c) improving efficiency. d) All of the above

43. D

44. A decision situation that is non-routine and for which no established framework exists for making the decision is called a(n) __________ decision. a) structured b) semistructured c) unstructured d) strategic

44. C

45. A decision that is repetitive, routine and well understood is a) structured b) semistructured c) unstructured d) strategic

45. A

46. Which of the following is an example of a strategic planning decision? a) setting financial and accounting policies b) conducting a performance evaluation c) budgeting d) developing human resource practices

46. A

47. Decisions about the effective and efficient execution of specific tasks are concerned with a) operational control. b) management control. c) strategic planning. d) tactical planning.

47. A

48. Budgeting and human resource practices are examples of a) operational control b) management control c) strategic planning d) tactical planning

48. B

49. Accounting information plays major roles in managerial decision making by a) identifying situations requiring management action. b) reducing uncertainty. c) providing a basis for choosing among alternative actions. d) all of the above

49. D

5. Information is a) What happens when the data exceeds the amount the human mind can absorb. b) The benefit produced by the information minus the cost of producing it. c) Facts that are collected, recorded, stored, and processed by an information system. d) Data that have been organized and processed to provide meaning to a user.

5. D

50. Business activities that pertain to product pricing, discount and credit terms, and identifying the most and least profitable items are part of the __________ activity in the organization's value chain. a) service b) marketing and sales c) operations d) inbound logistics

50. B

51. A principal focus of AIS is to assist with the decision-making function of an organization. The degree of support AIS can provide depends on the type of decision being made. Decisions are categorized in terms of the degree of existing structure or the effect of their scope. From the items below, select the description that is an example of a semi-structured decision. a) selecting basic research projects to undertake b) setting a marketing budget for a new product c) extending credit to an established customer d) hiring a senior manager

51. B

52. Regarding decision scope, which statement below is true? a) Operational control is concerned with the effective and efficient use of resources for accomplishing organizational objectives. b) Management control is concerned with the effective and efficient performance of specific tasks. c) Strategic planning is concerned with establishing organizational objectives and policies for accomplishing those objectives. d) There is no real correlation between a manager's level in an organization and his or her decision-making responsibilities.

52. C

53. A well-designed AIS can improve the decision-making function within the organization. Which statement below would describe a limitation, rather than a benefit, of an efficient AIS? a) An AIS reduces uncertainty, and therefore accounting information can provide a basis for choosing among alternative courses of action. b) An AIS identifies situations requiring management action. c) An AIS provides to its users an abundance of information without any filtering or condensing of such information. d) An AIS provides information about the results of previous decisions which provides decision makers with feedback that can be used in future decision making.

53. C

54. A strategic position is important to the success and growth of any organization. Harvard professor Michael Porter has identified three basic strategic positions. Which statement below is false regarding these basic strategic positions? a) The three basic strategic positions are mutually exclusive of each other. b) Part of a needs-based strategic position is to identify a target market. c) An access-based strategic position involves serving a subset of customers who differ from other customers in terms of geographic location or size. d) A variety-based strategic position involves producing or providing a subset of the industry's products or services

54. A

55. A strategic position is important to the success and growth of any organization. Harvard professor Michael Porter has identified two basic business strategies. Which statement below is false regarding these basic strategies? a) A product differentiation strategy entails adding features or services not provided by competitors to a product so customers can be charged a premium price. b) A low-cost strategy entails striving to be the most efficient producer of a product or service. c) Sometimes a company can succeed in both producing a better product and achieving low costs. d) The two basic strategic positions are mutually exclusive.

55. D

56. According to Michael Porter, to be successful in the long run, a company must a) deliver greater value to customers and/or create comparable value at a lower cost. b) maximize profits. c) maximize shareholder value. d) both B and C

56. A

57. A variety-based strategic position involves a) trying to serve most or all of the needs of a particular group of customers. b) serving a subset of customers who differ from other customers. c) providing a subset of the industry's products or services. d) serving all needs of all customers.

57. C

58. A needs-based strategic position involves a) trying to serve most or all of the needs of a particular group of customers. b) serving a subset of customers who differ from other customers. c) providing a subset of the industry's products or services. d) serving all needs of all customers

58. A

59. An access-based strategic position involves a) trying to serve most or all of the needs of a particular group of customers. b) serving a subset of customers who differ from other customers. c) providing a subset of the industry's products or services. d) serving all needs of all customers.

59. B

6. Data are a) facts entered, stored, and processed by an information system. b) processed output that is useful to decision makers. c) another word for information. d) quantitative facts that are not qualitative by nature.

6. A

60. The Internet has changed the way many processes are performed in business today. The Internet has had a material effect on the five primary characteristics in the value chain and on the strategy adopted by businesses that incorporate use of the Web into their business systems. Which statement below is true regarding the Internet relative to a strategic position that a business may adopt? a) Use of the Internet has reduced the power of buyers. b) The Internet has increased the barriers to entry in many industries. c) Use of the Internet reduces pressure to compete on price. d) The most important effect of the development of the Internet in business is the increased importance of adopting a viable business strategy.

60. D

7. Which of the following statements below shows the contrast between data and information? a) Data is the output of an AIS. b) Information is the primary output of an AIS. c) Data is more useful in decision-making than information. d) Data and information are the same.

7. B

8. Information is a) basically the same as data. b) raw facts about transactions. c) potentially useful facts when processed in a timely manner. d) data that has been organized and processed so that it's meaningful.

8. D

9. Humans can absorb and process only so much information. Information __________ occurs when those limits are passed. a) overload b) excess c) anxiety d) discretion

9. A