Test 1 Review
__________ can be defined technically as a set of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and distribute information to support decision making and control in an organization.
An information system
During which step of the BPM process are existing business processes modeled and documented, noting inputs, outputs, resources, and the sequence of activities, and then redundant steps, paper-intensive tasks, bottlenecks, and other inefficiencies identified?
Analyze existing processes.
A logically related set of activities that defines how specific business tasks are performed and represents a unique way in which an organization coordinates work, information, and knowledge is called __________.
a business process
The four changes that present challenges in management information systems (MIS) include the growth of cloud computing, the use of Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT), the mobile platform, and the application of ________ to help managers understand their business and products.
artificial intelligence (AI)
From a business perspective, an information system provides a solution to a problem or challenge facing a firm and represents a combination of people, organization, and technology elements. The technology dimension of information systems consists of __________.
computer hardware, software, data management technology, and networking/telecommunications technology, including the Internet
Examining a map that depicts different colors based on flu outbreaks is an example of a digital ____________.
dashboard
New ________ require that accountants have intimate knowledge of databases, reporting systems, and networks to trace financial transactions.
public laws
Worldwide, non-U.S. expenditures for information technology exceeded ________ trillion in 2019.
$3.8
Which capability of social software allows users to use real-time information streams, status updates, and announcements?
Feeds and notifications
An antique dealer buying items and hoping to sell them for more than he or she paid for them is the very definition of a(n) ________.
business
The order fulfillment process involves which of the following functional areas of a business?
Sales, accounting, and manufacturing and production
A government website that allows citizens to purchase fishing licenses is an example of ________.
e-government
Research shows that the return on an investment in collaboration technology is greatest for the ________ functions.
sales, marketing, and research and development
Which of the following is NOT an example of the information system skills and knowledge essential in business careers?
Ability to circumvent the ethical, social, and legal issues raised by systems
Which strategy concentrates financial management and control out of a central home base while decentralizing production, sales, and marketing operations to units in other countries?
A multinational strategy
In which strategy are nearly all the value-adding activities managed from a global perspective without reference to national borders, optimizing sources of supply and demand wherever they appear and taking advantage of any local competitive advantage?
A transnational strategy
Which of the following best defines business process management (BPM)?
BPM combines and streamlines the steps in a business process to eliminate repetitive and redundant work and to achieve dramatic improvements in quality, service, and speed.
_______________ is an emerging area where data is organized in a meaningful way to help managers at all levels make more informed decisions.
Business intelligence
A ________ is a senior manager who oversees the use of IT in the firm.
CIO
Which of the following statements about collaboration and social business are TRUE?
Collaboration and social business have become increasingly important in business because of globalization and the decentralization of decision making. Collaboration and social business have become increasingly important in business because of growth in jobs where interaction is the primary value-adding activity. Collaboration and social business enhance innovation, productivity, quality, and customer service.
Which type of business problem falls under the organizational dimension?
Complexity of task
An automobile rental company interested in learning and adapting to the needs of its clients is focusing on which business driver?
Customer intimacy
Which type of enterprise application tracks all the ways in which a company interacts with its customers and analyzes these interactions to optimize revenue, profitability, customer satisfaction, and customer retention?
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
_____________ is the largest single group in the U.S. business labor force, and this group dramatically benefits from information to help with the decision-making process.
D. Management
Which field deals with behavioral issues as well as technical issues surrounding the development, use, and impact of information systems used within an organization?
D. Management information systems
___________ is a way for individuals to provide feedback and reviews about products and services.
Social commerce
In its simplest form, ___________ represents streams of raw facts with limited usefulness until organized.
data
There is a simple, four-step model of problem solving that you can use to help you understand and solve business problems using information systems. What are the four steps (in sequence) involved in the problem-solving process?
1. Problem identification 2. Solution design 3. Solution evaluation and choice 4. Implementation
Match the following changes in technology with the appropriate management challenge 1. A flexible collection of computers on the Internet begins to perform tasks traditionally performed at corporate data centers. 2.Businesses look for insights in huge volumes of data from web traffic, email, social media, and Internet-connected machines. 3.Involves computer programs that help identify patterns in large databases that can help managers understand their business, and provide better products
1.Cloud computing 2.Big Data 3.Artificial Intelligence
Which of these focuses primarily on hardware and software?
A. Information technology
Which of the following is FALSE about the information systems occupations through 2026? A. The fastest-growing occupations in this category are for software and web developers. B. Explosive growth of business information systems is due to the fact that information technologies are essential for achieving business firms' key objectives. C. The information systems field is one of the most fast-changing and dynamic of all the business professions. D. Offshore outsourcing will decrease demand in the U.S. for managerial IS positions. Your answer is correct. E. There will be a 13 percent growth rate in information systems managers and employees in the U.S.
D. Offshore outsourcing will decrease demand in the U.S. for managerial IS positions.
Which of the following is NOT a part of the firm's environment? A. Competitors B. Suppliers C. Employees Your answer is correct. D. Customers E. Stockholders
Employees
An information system can be defined technically as a set of interrelated components that collect (or retrieve), process, store, and distribute information to support which of the following?
Decision making and control in an organization
Which of the following statements about how information systems are transforming business is FALSE? Due to the economic slowdown, e-commerce and Internet advertising have been slower to expand than expected. Smartphones, texting, email, and online conferencing have all become essential tools of business. Supply chains have become more fast-paced, with companies of all sizes depending on just-in-time inventory to reduce their overhead costs and get to market faster. Businesses are starting to use social networking tools to connect their employees, customers, and managers worldwide. Many Fortune 500 companies now have Twitter accounts.
Due to the economic slowdown, e-commerce and Internet advertising have been slower to expand than expected.
Which of the following best describes enterprise applications?
Enterprise applications are systems that span functional areas, focus on executing business processes across the business firm, and include all levels of management.
Which of the following is NOT an application of social business?
General ledgers
Which of the following is a file storage and synchronization service for cloud storage, file sharing, and collaborative editing?
Google Drive
Which of the following is NOT a reason that collaboration and teamwork are more important today than ever?
Growth of outsourcing
There is a simple, four-step model of problem solving that you can use to help you understand and solve business problems using information systems. Purchasing or building hardware and software, testing the software, providing employees with training and documentation, managing change as the system is introduced into the organization, and measuring the outcome describes which step in the four-step model of problem solving?
Implementation
Verizon Corporation uses a web-based digital dashboard to provide managers with precise real-time information on customer complaints, network performance for each locality served, and line outages or storm-damaged lines. Using this information, managers can immediately allocate repair resources, inform consumers of repair efforts, and restore service fast. This scenario is a good example of a business using information systems to achieve which of the following strategic business objectives?
Improved decision making
If a company decides to use a CAD system, it is using which of the following strategies to promote quality?
Improving quality and precision in design and production
Business firms invest heavily in information systems to achieve six strategic business objectives: operational excellence, new products, services, and business models, customer and supplier intimacy, improved decision making, competitive advantage, and survival. Which of the following is a good example of the relationship between information systems and operational excellence?
In 2019, Walmart achieved $514 billion in sales in large part because of its Retail Link system, which digitally links its suppliers to every one of Walmart's stores. As soon as a customer purchases an item, the supplier monitoring the item knows to ship a replacement to the shelf.
How does this example illustrate the way in which information systems affect business processes?
Information systems automate many steps in business processes that were formerly performed manually.
REVIEW QUESTION REVIEWING 10 OF 22 There are three activities in an information system that produce the information that organizations need to make decisions, control operations, analyze problems, and create new products or services. What are these three activities?
Input Processing Output
Which of the following statements about information systems and globalization is FALSE? Internet service firms, such as Google and eBay, are able to replicate their business models and services in multiple countries with only a redesign of their information systems infrastructure. Communication between businesses in different parts of the world is now instant and virtually free. Customers can now shop in a worldwide marketplace, obtaining price and quality information reliably 24 hours a day. Firms producing goods and services on a global scale achieve extraordinary cost reductions by finding low-cost suppliers and managing production facilities in other countries.
Internet service firms, such as Google and eBay, are able to replicate their business models and services in multiple countries with only a redesign of their information systems infrastructure.
Which of the following statements about information systems and globalization are TRUE? Internet service firms, such as Google and eBay, are able to replicate their business models and services in multiple countries without having to redesign their expensive fixed-cost information systems infrastructure. Customers can now shop in a worldwide marketplace, obtaining price and quality information reliably 24 hours a day. Firms producing goods and services on a global scale achieve extraordinary cost reductions by finding low-cost suppliers and managing production facilities in other countries. Communication between businesses in different parts of the world is now instant, but expensive.
Internet service firms, such as Google and eBay, are able to replicate their business models and services in multiple countries without having to redesign their expensive fixed-cost information systems infrastructure. Customers can now shop in a worldwide marketplace, obtaining price and quality information reliably 24 hours a day. Firms producing goods and services on a global scale achieve extraordinary cost reductions by finding low-cost suppliers and managing production facilities in other countries.
__________________ are designed to capture critical processes, procedures, and experience to ensure this critical content isn't lost when someone leaves the organization.
Knowledge management systems
Which of the following best describes knowledge management systems?
Knowledge management systems support the creation, capture, storage, and dissemination of firm expertise and knowledge.
Which of the following is NOT a career focus that needs an understanding of how information systems help firms achieve major business objectives?
Literature
Which is an example of a business using information systems for customer intimacy?
Mandarin Oriental Hotel's customer-preference tracking system
In the past five years, which field has undergone the most change because of technology?
Marketing
How does the ability to download an e-book from Amazon, buy a computer online at Best Buy, and download a song from iTunes illustrate the way in which information systems affect business processes?
New information technology frequently changes the way a business works and supports entirely new business models.
This scenario is a good example of a business using information systems to achieve which of the following strategic business objectives?
Operational excellence
Which of the following is a business driver which focuses on ways to achieve better efficiencies to increase profits?
Operational excellence
There is a simple, four-step model of problem solving that you can use to help you understand and solve business problems using information systems. Understanding what kind of problem is being presented, and identifying people, organizational, and technology factors describes which step in the four-step model of problem solving?
Problem identification
Which term refers to converting raw data into a more meaningful form?
Processing
Which of the following best describes a programmer's responsibilities?
Programmers are highly trained technical specialists who write the software instructions for computers.
Which of the following is NOT an element of critical thinking?
Providing iterative feedback
________________ commonly involves sites like Twitter and Facebook to collaborate with customers.
Social business
Which of the following statements about collaboration and social business are TRUE?
Social business can enhance collaborative work. Collaboration and social business have become increasingly important in business because of globalization, the decentralization of decision making, and growth in jobs where interaction is the primary value-adding activity. Collaboration and social business enhance innovation, productivity, quality, and customer service.
Which of the following best describes social business?
Social business is the use of social networking platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and internal corporate social tools, to engage employees, customers, and suppliers, and enhance collaborative work.
Creating several alternative solutions to the problem that has been identified describes which step in the four-step model of problem solving?
Solution design
There is a simple, four-step model of problem solving that you can use to help you understand and solve business problems using information systems. Which of the following best describes the solution design step?
Solution design involves creating several alternative solutions to the problem that has been identified.
Which of the following best describes supply chain management systems?
Supply chain management systems automate the flow of information between a firm and its suppliers in order to optimize the planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery of products and services.
If a business competitor introduces an effective product or service (i.e., when Citibank first introduced the ATM), your need to follow is considered an example of which business driver?
Survival
_________________ are information systems professionals who help bridge the relationships between technical specialists and end users to identify requirements for improved systems.
Systems analysts
Which of the following best describes a systems analyst's responsibilities?
Systems analysts constitute the principal liaisons between the information systems groups and the rest of the organization. It is the systems analyst's job to translate business problems and requirements into information requirements and systems.
Business firms invest heavily in information systems to achieve six strategic business objectives. Which of the following is NOT one of those business objectives?
Technological superiority
Business firms invest heavily in information systems to achieve six strategic business objectives: operational excellence, new products, services, and business models, customer and supplier intimacy, improved decision making, competitive advantage, and survival. Which of the following is a good example of the relationship between information systems and customer and supplier intimacy?
The Mandarin Oriental hotel in Manhattan keeps track of guests' preferences, such as their preferred room temperature and television programs, in a large data repository. Individual rooms are networked to a central network server computer, so that when a customer arrives, the system automatically changes the room conditions to meet each customer's specifications.
For more and more businesses, computing is moving from PCs and desktop machines to tablets and smartphones. Managers are increasingly using these devices to coordinate work, communicate with employees, and provide information for decision making. These developments are part of which technology changes affecting information systems?
The emerging mobile digital platform
Which department is responsible for maintaining the hardware, software, data storage, and networks that comprise the firm's IT infrastructure?
The information systems department
From a business perspective, an information system provides a solution to a problem or challenge facing a firm and represents a combination of people, organization, and technology elements. Training, job attitudes, and management behavior are part of which dimension of information systems?
The people dimension
____________ focus on day-to-day operations of a business including managing sales, payroll, and receipts.
Transaction processing systems
Which of the following best defines transaction processing systems (TPS)?
Transaction processing systems are systems serving operational management, such as payroll or order processing, that track the flow of the daily routine transactions necessary to conduct business.
After implementing an information system, organizations must redesign business processes and then figure out how to encourage employees to adapt to these new ways of doing business. This is referred to as ________.
change management
For PCL Construction, implementing new information technologies ________.
changed its business operations
Google Sites/Google Apps, Microsoft SharePoint, and IBM Notes are all examples of __________.
collaboration platforms
A secretary assisting management is considered a _________ worker.
data
Systems that support management decisions that are unique and rapidly changing, using advanced analytical methods are called __________.
decision-support systems (DSS)
A __________ is an increasingly popular tool used to articulate key performance indicators to help with decision making within an organization.
digital dashboard
Amazon.com is an example of ___________ because it sells products over the Internet.
electronic commerce
Firms use ________ systems to integrate business processes in manufacturing and production, finance and accounting, sales and marketing, and human resources into a single software system.
enterprise resource planning
Sharp Corporation implemented a(n) __________ system to help employees share ideas and opinions freely with each other.
enterprise social networking
Salesforce Chatter, Microsoft's Yammer, Jive, and IBM Connections, which connect the members of an organization through profiles, updates, and notifications, are examples of __________.
enterprise social networking tools
Systems for senior management that provide data in the form of graphs, charts, and dashboards delivered via portals using many sources of internal and external information are called __________.
executive support systems (ESS)
The __________ strategy, such as McDonald's, includes creation of a product in the home country, but then relies on foreign personnel to assist with remote marketing and sales.
franchiser
This scenario is an example of __________.
how information systems help businesses use core competencies to achieve competitive advantage
The four major functions of a business include manufacturing/production, sales/marketing, finance/accounting, and _________________.
human resources
When a manager does not receive forecasts, sales projections, or appropriate dashboards, the business objective of ______________ is not achieved.
improving decision making
A key benefit of collaboration is _______________, which focuses on deriving better and more unique ideas for products and services.
innovation
The ________ perspective of business problems includes a consideration of the firm's management as well as employees and their interrelationships in workgroups.
people
Inbound logistics (receiving and storing materials for distribution to production), operations (transforming inputs into finished products), outbound logistics (storing and distributing finished products), sales and marketing, and service, are all __________.
primary activities
A business ________ is a logically related set of activities that defines how specific business tasks are performed.
process
In the problem-solving model, the phase where you identify as many possible solutions as possible would represent the ___________ phase.
solution design
The problem-solving model consists of problem identification, solution design, ________________, and implementation.
solution evaluation and choice
The domestic exporter strategy __________.
tends to focus core business activities such as production, sales, and human resources in the home country of an organization
From a business perspective, an information system provides a solution to a problem or challenge facing a firm and represents a combination of people, organization, and technology elements. The organization dimension of information systems consists of __________.
the organization's hierarchy, functional specialties, business processes, culture, and political interest groups
Enterprise social networking tools are best defined as __________.
tools that create business value by connecting the members of an organization through profiles, updates, and notifications, similar to Facebook features, but tailored to internal corporate uses
Which of the following is NOT considered an aspect of the technology dimension of a business problem?
wrong incentives
With new laws requiring the storage of emails and other important documents, information systems storage now exceeds approximately 4.7 ________.
zettabytes