Management Information Systems - Fall 2021 - Chapter 3

In allocating weights to the decision criteria, which one of the following is most helpful to remember?

Assign the most important criterion a score, and then assign weights against that standard.

Functions Performed by the Operating System

Control common computer hardware functions Provide a user interface and manage input/output management Provide a degree of hardware independence Manage system memory Manage processing tasks Provide networking capability Control access to system resources Manage files

Define the term "sphere of influence," and describe how it can be used to classify software.

Every organization relies on the contributions of individuals and groups across the enterprise to achieve its business objectives. One useful way of classifying the many potential uses of information systems is to identify the scope of the problems and opportunities that the software addresses. For most companies, the spheres of influence are personal, workgroup, and enterprise.

Common Hardware Functions

Get input from the keyboard or another input device Retrieve data from disks Store data on disks Display information on a monitor or printer

A banker opts for short-term gain despite indications that his decision might not pay off in the long run. Which error or bias is the banker guilty of?

Immediate Gratification

enterprise sphere of influence

Information systems that operate within the enterprise sphere of influence support an organization in its interactions with its environment, including customers, suppliers, shareholders, competitors, special-interest groups, the financial community, and government agencies. The enterprise sphere of influence for a company might include business partners such as suppliers that provide raw materials, retail companies that store and sell a company's products, and shipping companies that transport raw materials to the plant and finished goods to retail outlets. Many organizations use SAP enterprise resource planning software to capture customer orders, manage inventory, plan and ship customer orders, bill customers, and manage accounts payable and accounts receivable.

If Shana's company decides to open a new operation in Germany that has local managers and is run locally but still exists under the umbrella of the home company, it would be considered a ________.

Multidomestic Corporation

A manager chooses to ignore a rigorous decision-making process and selects TV monitor A over monitor B because he "trusts" company A more than company B. If the decision he made was rational, which one of the following is true?

The manager should have included "trust" as a criterion.

personal sphere of influence

The sphere of influence that serves the needs of an individual user.

personal productivity software

These information systems help users improve their personal effectiveness, increasing the amount and quality of work they can do. For example, VIP Organizer is personal productivity software designed to help users develop to do lists, categorize tasks, keep notes and records in a single database, report on performance, and set deadlines and priorities.

Single computer with a single user.

This system is commonly used in personal computers, tablets, and smartphones that support one user at a time. Examples of OSs for this setup include Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Google Android.

Special-purpose computers

This type of system is typical of a number of computers with specialized functions, such as those that control sophisticated military aircraft, digital cameras, or home appliances. Examples of OSs designed for these purposes include Windows Embedded, Symbian, and some distributions of Linux.

Multiple computers with multiple users

This type of system is used in computer networks, including home networks with several computers attached as well as large computer networks with hundreds of computers attached, supporting many users, who may be located around the world. Network server OSs include Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server, Windows Server, and Mac OS X Server.

Single computer with multiple simultaneous users.

This type of system is used in larger server or mainframe computers that support hundreds or thousands of people, all using the computer at the same time. Examples of OSs that support this kind of system include UNIX, z/OS, and HP-UX.

True or False: An operating system can control one or more computers, or it can allow multiple users to interact with one computer.

True

Workgroup

When two or more people work together to achieve a common goal, they form a workgroup. Workgroups include large, formal, permanent organizational entities, such as sections or departments, as well as temporary groups formed to complete a specific project.

Which one of the following defines a problem in the decision-making process?

a discrepancy between what exists and what the decision maker desires to exist

What is a heuristic?

a shortcut or rule of thumb that is used for decision making

Which one of the following would NOT be called an "American company"?

a transnational that originated in New York City with operations in six countries

User Interface

allows people to access and interact with the computer system. The first user interfaces for mainframe and personal computer systems were command based.

Application software

consists of programs that help users solve particular computing problems. Examples include a spreadsheet program or a program that captures and displays data that enables monitoring of a manufacturing process.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

displays pictures (called icons) and menus that people use to send commands to the computer system. GUIs are more intuitive to use than command-based interfaces because they try to anticipate the user's needs and they provide easy-to-recognize options.

Which one of the following is usually found in the final stage of an organization's global evolution?

exporting products to other countries outsourcing jobs to foreign countries establishing strategic alliances with partners licensing products in foreign countries

One legislator sees decreased tax revenue as the key problem in the budget. A second legislator sees increased spending as the problem. Each of these legislators has a(n) ________.

framing bias

Khalid, a buyer for a U.S. firm, is shopping the globe for components for use in his firm's products. He finds the best price at a Canadian company. When he buys them, he will be ________.

franchising offshoring onshoring nearshoring

If Shana's company decides to open operations in France but maintain company management in the United States, it would be considered a ________.

global corporation

Which one of the following is NOT a key characteristic of a global organization?

has a home country in which all decisions are made and all profits flow

A manager is considering purchasing new computers for her department. The manager spends time assessing the computers her department now has. Which stage of the decision-making process is she going through?

identification of decision criteria

Decision making begins with ________.

identifying a problem

System software

includes operating systems, utilities, and middleware that coordinate the activities and functions of the hardware and other programs throughout the computer system.

operating system (OS)

is a set of programs that controls a computer's hardware and acts as an interface with application software

The kernel,

is the heart of the OS and controls its most critical processes. The kernel ties all of the OS components together and regulates other programs.

What is the role of the operating system

is to act as an interface between application software and hardware.

What is the primary role of system software

is to control the operations of computer hardware. System software also supports the problem-solving capabilities of application programs.

A fully global organization might set up a ________ with a foreign company to create a new, independent company that produces a specific product.

joint venture

System software can be divided into three types:

operating systems, utility programs, and middleware

Which choice constitutes the typical first step for an organization that is "going global"?

outsourcing

command-based user interface

requires you to give text commands to the computer to perform basic activities. For example, the command ERASE 00TAXRTN would cause the computer to erase a file named 00TAXRTN. RENAME and COPY are other examples of commands used to rename files and copy files from one location to another.

A manager is determining what kind of new computers she should purchase for her department. She has made a list of five different computer models for consideration. Which stage of the decision-making process is this?

selection of an alternative identification of decision criteria development of alternatives analysis of alternatives

Joint ventures are a type of ________.

strategic alliance

Identify and briefly describe the functions of two basic kinds of software.

systems software and application software

If Shana's company reorganizes based on industry groups with no designated home country, the entire organization would be considered a ________.

transnational organization strategic alliance multidomestic corporation global corporation

Which one of the following is LEAST likely to be a decision criterion for a high-tech bicycle buyer who cares primarily about performance?

warranty

Which one of the following would be a fairly objective criterion by which a bicycle buyer could assess different bike models?

weight

The OS

which plays a central role in the functioning of a computer system, is usually stored on a hard drive in general-purpose computers and in solid state memory on mobile computers such as tablets and smartphones.

workgroup sphere of influence

An information system in the workgroup sphere of influence helps workgroup members attain their common goals. Microsoft Outlook is an example of an application in the workgroup sphere of influence