MIS Chapter 1
93) A good information system is one that provides the users with more information than what is required.
false
83) Sandra is a production manager at a soda manufacturing and bottling plant. One of her duties is to create a monthly inventory report based on the list of material received from the supplier on delivery. Sandra's report for the previous month, however, turned out to be invalid as the supplier provided an erroneous list. In this scenario, her report cannot be considered good information as it was lacking in ________. A) accuracy B) effectiveness C) method D) content E) quantity
a
20) Abstract reasoning is the ability to ________. A) develop ideas and plans with others when performing tasks B) make and manipulate models C) act quickly on a problem D) provide and receive critical feedback E) identify the crux of an argument
b
76) A furniture manufacturer keeps details of its current inventory including weight, quantity, and price. These details can be called ________. A) an analysis B) data C) information D) an assessment E) knowledge
b
82) Which of the following is a critical characteristic of good information? A) abundance of details B) accuracy C) inexpensive D) ease of creation E) quantity
b
85) John Carter, the CEO of Carter Steels, is concerned about the sudden rise in employee attrition in his organization. He asks Walter, the human resources manager, to provide him with the last quarter's report showing the rate of attrition. Walter, however, sends the salary details of the new hires for the last quarter. This report is of no use to Carter as it is ________. A) inaccurate B) not timely C) irrelevant D) miscalculated E) uncleaned
c
89) Information is considered inefficient if ________. A) it is highly accurate B) it is made available ahead of time C) it is sufficient D) it is out of context E) it is relevant
d
solutions, evaluating those possibilities, and developing the most promising ones, consistent with the resources one has. A) Troubleshooting B) Abstract reasoning C) Problem-solving D) Experimentation E) Cognition
d
95) What are the five characteristics of good data?
(1) Accurate—Good information is based on correct and complete data, and it has been processed correctly as expected. (2) Timely—Good data is produced in time for its intended use. (3) Relevant—Good data is relevant both to the context and to the subject. (4) Just barely sufficient—Good data is sufficient for the purpose for which it is generated, but just barely so. (5) Worth its cost—For good data to be worth its cost, there must be an appropriate relationship between the cost of data and its value.
18) Which of the following is categorized as a nonroutine cognitive skill? A) symbolic thinking B) marketing knowledge C) tax accounting D) systems thinking E) data entry
d
10) The Information Age is a period in history where the production, distribution, and control of information is the primary driver of the economy.
true
17) ________ is most likely to be outsourced to the lowest bidder. A) Ability to experiment B) Routine skill C) Ability to collaborate D) Abstract reasoning skill E) Systems thinking
b
21) ________ is the ability to model the components of a system, to connect the inputs and outputs among those components into a sensible whole that reflects the structure and dynamics of the phenomenon observed. A) Abstract reasoning B) Systems thinking C) Collaboration D) Experimentation E) Function modeling
b
31) Which of the following is an example of computer hardware? A) a monitor B) a browser C) a spreadsheet D) an operating system E) a variable
a
32) The storage controllers in a computer are an example of the ________ component of information systems. A) hardware B) software C) intangible D) virtual E) bootable
a
43) Define the terms system, information system, and management information system.
Answer: A system is a group of components that interact to achieve some purpose. An information system (IS) is a group of components that interact to produce information. A management information system is defined as a system that helps organizations achieve their strategies.
33) An operating system like Windows or Linux is an example of the ________ component of an information system. A) software B) hardware C) tangible D) physical E) virtual
a
4) Which of the following ratios has fallen as a result of Moore's Law? A) price/performance B) demand/supply C) profit/loss D) debt/equity E) price/earnings
a
24) After making minor changes to a team report, Jeff felt like he had done enough work on the project. When he was asked to contribute more, he got offended and quit responding to requests from some team members. Jeff's inability to receive critical feedback indicates a lack of ________ skills. A) systems thinking B) collaboration C) abstract reasoning D) experimentation E) ideation
b
35) A customer relationship management (CRM) system contains the names and phone numbers of customers. Such details stored in a CRM system are part of the ________ component. A) hardware B) data C) procedure D) programming E) process
b
37) Noel creates a table listing the number of students in his biology class, their names, age, and phone numbers. His table is an example of the ________ component of an information system. A) program B) data C) information D) hardware E) process
b
38) The ________ component of the five-component framework of an information system includes individuals who maintain the data and support the networks of computers. A) procedural B) people C) data D) networking E) storage
b
72) Which of the following is a common description of information? A) collection of unprocessed data B) unbiased, unrelated data C) knowledge derived from data D) list of recorded facts or figures E) an array of related variables
c
73) Which of the following best describes data? A) information presented in a meaningful context B) processed information C) recorded facts or figures D) knowledge derived from facts or figures E) the ability to use knowledge
c
52) Which of the following pairs of components constitutes the computer side of information systems? A) software and data B) data and hardware C) people and procedures D) hardware and software E) data and memory
d
57) Which of the following would be the most disruptive to an organization when implementing an information system? A) installing new hardware components B) creating new databases C) developing new programs D) changing reporting relationships E) setting up online data backups
d
58) It is generally more difficult to make changes to the ________ of an information system than to the database itself. A) software B) hardware C) programs D) procedures E) memory
d
40) According to the five-component framework, the five components of an information system are present in every information system.
true
41) The five-component framework applies to simple and complex information systems.
true
42) Information systems exist to help people who work in an organization to achieve the strategies of that business.
true
61) In the five-component model of an information system, data is the bridge between the computer and the human sides.
true
9) Gordon Moore was the inventor of Ethernet.
false
30) Explain the four nonroutine cognitive skills that are key to a successful career today.
(1) Abstract reasoning—the ability to make and manipulate models. (2) Systems thinking—the ability to model the components of a system, to connect the inputs and outputs among those components into a sensible whole that reflects the structure and dynamics of the phenomenon observed. (3) Collaboration—the activity of two or more people working together to achieve a common goal, result, or work product. (4) Ability to experiment—making a reasoned analysis of an opportunity, envisioning potential solutions, evaluating those possibilities, and developing the most promising ones, consistent with the resources you have.
55) Which of the following components of an information system is the easiest to change and results in the least amount of organizational disruption? A) hardware B) software C) database D) procedures E) protocols
a
75) ________ skills determine the ability to conceive information from data. A) Cognitive B) Abstract reasoning C) Symbolic thinking D) Experimentation E) Spatial
a
15) State Nielsen's Law. What is the implication of Nielsen's Law for managers?
Answer: According to Nielsen's Law, "network connection speeds for high-end users will increase by 50 percent per year." Because of this law, the types of services and applications that can be provided over networks (i.e. the Internet) have changed radically. Therefore, it is important for managers to realize that, because of Nielsen's Law, networks will become faster, new companies, new products, and new platforms will emerge.
96) Explain why data accuracy is crucial to the success of an information system.
Answer: Good information is conceived from accurate, correct, and complete data that has been processed correctly as expected. The IS function can develop a bad reputation in the organization if a system is known to produce inaccurate data. In such a case, the information system becomes a waste of time and money as users develop work-arounds to avoid the inaccurate data.
36) Zach follows the instructions that show him how to create a custom Web site in his school's learning management system. These steps that he follows are examples of the ________ component of an information system. A) procedure B) data C) software D) hardware E) memory
a
5) In 1972, computer scientist ________ recognized that digital devices would change the world as they evolved and became widely used. A) Gordon Bell B) Robert Metcalfe C) Gordon Moore D) Jakob Nielsen E) Sam Flynn
a
50) BigBank uses a custom customer management system to manage all of its interactions with retail clients. This system is an ________ of the company's information system. A) instruction on the computer side B) actor on the human side C) instruction on the human side D) actor on the computer side E) instruction for the hardware
a
19) Dallas is an analyst at an online retailer. He is great at creating representative diagrams showing the relationships between customer purchases, billing, and shipment. This indicates that he has ________ skills. A) abstract reasoning B) collaborative C) experimental D) systems thinking E) spatial intelligence
a
3) ________ states that network connection speeds for high-end users will increase by 50 percent per year. A) Nielsen's Law B) Kryder's Law C) Moore's Law D) Bell's Law E) Metcalfe's Law
a
impact of each marketing campaign on overall sales. She routinely tries novel promotional offers to reach first-time customers. Which of the following skills does Cami exhibit? A) systems thinking B) experimentation C) abstract reasoning D) collaboration E) troubleshooting
b
1) ________ states that the number of transistors per square inch on an integrated chip doubles every 18 months. A) Nielsen's Law B) Faraday's Law C) Moore's Law D) Newton's Law E) Metcalfe's Law
c
91) Caroline asks her secretary to send information on the meetings that she needs to attend next month. Her secretary, Joanne, provides her with the details immediately, but leaves out certain additional details that are irrelevant to Caroline's requirements. Which of the following statements is TRUE about this scenario? A) The information that Joanne provided was partly good, as it was timely but inaccurate. B) Joanne provided adequate and timely information, but the information was of no value to Caroline. C) The information that Joanne gave was accurate and sufficient for Caroline's purpose. D) The information that Caroline obtained through Joanne was not timely or worth its cost. E) The information that Caroline obtained through Joanne was not accurate.
c
6) ________ states that the value of a network is equal to the square of the number of users connected to it. A) Moore's Law B) Metcalfe's Law C) Bell's Law D) Nielsen's Law E) Flynn's Law
b
71) Which of the following is considered as information rather than mere data? A) a list of property prices in a neighborhood B) the return on investment of an advertising campaign C) the total number of students in a school D) the price of a company's shares on a given day E) the weight of a car
b
77) Silway Travels organizes tours to a number of cities in Illinois. The manager of the company examines a spreadsheet which is an annual record of airfares to different cities from Chicago. The contents of the spreadsheet will be used to determine the difference in peak season and off-season airfares. The spreadsheet, in this case, represents ________. A) a survey B) data C) information D) an analysis E) a system
b
87) In the context of information systems, which of the following statements is TRUE of data characteristics? A) Data generated should be in excess of what is required. B) An appropriate relationship should exist between the cost of data and its value. C) Data should be relevant to the context, not necessarily to the subject. D) Freely available data is always accurate and timely. E) Larger data sets yield more accurate information.
b
2) According to Moore's Law, the ________. A) price of an integrated chip reduces once in 18 months B) performance of each transistor on a square inch of an integrated chip doubles every year C) number of transistors per square inch on an integrated chip doubles every 18 months D) density of a transistor decreases every year E) rate of innovation increases exponentially
c
23) Lindsay is an analyst at a large power company. She creates a custom spreadsheet showing how cold weather might affect the company's profitability. This shows her ________ skills. A) abstract reasoning B) experimentation C) systems thinking D) problem-solving E) risk ordering
c
25) ________ is the activity of two or more people working together to achieve a common goal, result, or work product. A) Systems thinking B) Abstract reasoning C) Collaboration D) Experimentation E) Competition
c
51) The ________ component in the five-component model of information systems is considered a bridge that connects the computer side and the human side. A) software B) procedure C) data D) hardware E) virtual
c
53) Which of the following pairs of components constitutes the human side of information systems? A) software and procedures B) software and people C) people and procedures D) hardware and people E) instructions and code
c
84) Which of the following statements is TRUE of good information? A) Good information should go well beyond the scope of the purpose for which it is generated. B) Information should be relevant to the subject, not necessarily to the context. C) Good information should be based on correct and complete data. D) Good information is only received from sources that provide data for free. E) Good information comes from large data sets.
c
88) Will decides to gift his wife a house for their 10th wedding anniversary. He contacts his real estate agent about a specific house that he wants to buy. The realtor assures him that he will contact the owners immediately to find out the asking price. The agent, however, informs Will about the price two months after the anniversary. The information provided by the agent is most likely to be useless because it lacked ________. A) sufficiency B) relevance C) timeliness D) accuracy E) precision
c
90) Which of the following is the least critical aspect of good information? A) data accuracy B) timeliness of data C) additional data D) relevance of data E) sufficiency of data
c
34) Skype is an application that provides users with video chat and voice call capabilities. This is an example of ________. A) hardware B) virtualization C) business intelligence D) software E) a process
d
97) Explain the concept of "just barely sufficient" data.
Answer: Data needs to be sufficient for the purpose for which it is generated, but just barely so. We are inundated with data; one of the critical decisions that each of us has to make each day is what data to ignore. The higher one rises into management, the more data one will be given, and because there is only so much time, the more data one will need to ignore. So, data should be sufficient, but just barely. Answer: Data needs to be sufficient for the purpose for which it is generated, but just barely so. We are inundated with data; one of the critical decisions that each of us has to make each day is what data to ignore. The higher one rises into management, the more data one will be given, and because there is only so much time, the more data one will need to ignore. So, data should be sufficient, but just barely.
16) What job prospects are available for professionals who know how to use information systems (ISs)?
Answer: Information systems and computer technology provide job and wage benefits beyond just IS professionals. As the price of computer technology plummets, the value of jobs that benefit from it increases dramatically. For example, plentiful, high-paying jobs are available to business professionals who know how to use information systems to improve business process quality, or those who know how to interpret data mining results for improved marketing, or those who know how to use emerging technology like 3D printing to create new products and address new markets.
45) Why do businesses develop information systems? Also, point out some of the wrong reasons businesses sometimes cite for developing information systems.
Answer: Information systems exist to help people who work in an organization achieve the strategies of the organization. Information systems are not created for the sheer joy of exploring technology. They are not created so that the company can be "modern" or so that the company can show it has a social networking presence on the Web. They are not created because the information systems department thinks it needs to be created, because the company is "falling behind the technology curve."
69) Which is the most important component of an information system? Why?
Answer: People are part of every information system that they use. The user's mind and thinking are not merely a component of the information systems they use; they are the most important component. This is so because, even if users have the perfect information system, if they do not know what to do with the data that it produces, they are wasting both their time and money. The quality of users' thinking is what determines the quality of the information that is produced.
14) Discuss the Digital Revolution.
Answer: The Digital Revolution was the conversion from mechanical and analog devices to digital devices. This shift to digital devices meant monumental changes for companies, individuals, and the society as a whole. The problem was, people couldn't really understand how, or even why, this shift was going to affect them. Much like people today, they based their future projections on past events. They knew factories, bureaucracies, mass production, and operational efficiency. But this knowledge didn't prepare them for the changes that were coming. The Digital Revolution didn't just mean that new "digital" equipment was replacing old mechanical, or analog, equipment. These new digital devices could now be connected to other digital devices and share data among themselves. They could also work faster as processor speed increased.
46) According to the five-component model of information systems, the ________ component provides instructions for the people who use information systems. A) software B) data C) hardware D) procedure E) storage
d
44) List and briefly explain the five-component model of an information system with examples.
Answer: The five components described in the model are: computer hardware, software, data, procedures, and people. These five components are present in every information system, from the simplest to the most complex. For example, when one uses a computer to write a class report, he/she is using hardware (the computer, storage disk, keyboard, and monitor), software (Word, WordPerfect, or some other word-processing program), data (the words, sentences, and paragraphs in the report), procedures (the methods used to start the program, enter the report, print it, and save and back up the file), and people (the user).
70) Explain how the five components of an information system are arranged in terms of ease of change and organizational disruption.
Answer: The five components of the information systems framework are: computer hardware, software, data, procedures, and people. The five components are arranged in order of ease of change and the amount of organizational disruption. It is usually a simple matter to order new hardware and install it. Obtaining or developing new programs is more difficult. Creating new databases or changing the structure of existing databases is still more difficult. Changing procedures, requiring people to work in new ways, is even more difficult. Finally, changing personnel responsibilities and reporting relationships and hiring and terminating employees are both very difficult and very disruptive to an organization.
80) Discuss the common definitions of information.
Answer: The most common definition of information is that information is knowledge derived from data, whereas data is defined as recorded facts or figures. Another common definition is that information is data presented in a meaningful context. A third definition of information that one often hears is that information is processed data, or sometimes, information is data processed by summing, ordering, averaging, grouping, comparing, or other similar operations. The fundamental idea of this definition is that individuals do something to data to produce information.
81) Explain the relation between data and information.
Answer: The relation between data and information can be understood with the help of a graph. The graph is data that humans perceive, and from that perception conceive information. In short, if it's on a piece of paper or on a digital screen, it's data. If it's in the mind of a human, it's information. The quality of thinking, or ability to conceive information from data, is determined by one's cognitive skills. The data is just the data; the information conceived from it is the value that one adds to the information system. People have different perceptions and points of view, not surprisingly, then, they will conceive different information from the same data.
100) What are some of the key speculations about the nature of workplaces and schools in the future?
Answer: The social implications of advancements in technology and information systems could change workplaces and schools in the future. Since information systems do not depend on physical proximity, employees may band together in temporary teams, work together, and then band together in another way. They may not need organizations in the future. The same concept can be applied to classrooms. The prospect of obtaining education without going to a classroom seems highly plausible with the increased use of information systems. Further, this system would also reduce the cost of education but allow students to obtain the same degree.
54) Which of the following is an example of a low-tech information system? A) an inventory tracking system that stores millions of records and produces reports every 24 hours B) a file of email addresses stored in an email program C) a customer support system that keeps track of product issues D) a decision support system that analyzes multiple variables E) an enterprise data loss prevention system that monitors the flow of data over a network
B
47) In the five-component model, the process of automation is a process of moving work from ________. A) processes to procedures B) procedures to people C) the digital mode to the analog mode D) the human side to the computer side E) processing to storage
d
49) The hardware components of an information system will act as a(n) ________. A) bridge between the computer side and the human side B) actor on the human side C) instruction on the computer side D) actor on the computer side E) functional anchor on the human side
d
68) Ordering additional hardware creates the least amount of organizational disruption compared to changes in the four components of an information system.
true
78) Data becomes information when it is presented in a meaningful context.
true
79) The statement that the average computer network architect makes $98,430, is information.
true
94) Data is worth its cost when an appropriate relationship exists between the cost of data and its value.
true
99) By 2027, huge networks of computers would be required to process image data in real time.
true
22) A manager will essentially require ________ skills to test ideas clearly on a small scale, before taking bigger risks or committing significant resources to a larger project. A) collaboration B) experimentation C) interpersonal D) systems thinking E) social
b
39) Which of the following statements is TRUE of business users who administer the development of information systems? A) It is mandatory that they hold a degree in database management. B) They should take an active role in the system's development. C) They should refrain from specifying the system's requirements. D) When the system fails, they must refrain from performing tasks related to system recovery. E) They are skilled programmers.
b
48) In the five-component model of information systems, which of the following components is considered an actor? A) software B) hardware C) data D) procedure E) information
b
92) Robert is a strategic planner for a consulting firm. He receives countless reports for daily analysis, but he avoids being inundated with information by selecting only the few reports that actually serve his purpose. Which principle of data characterization is Robert following? A) Information should be just barely sufficient for its purpose. B) Data that arrives after a prolonged period of time is of the highest quality. C) Information needs to be relevant to the subject, not necessarily to the context. D) Freely available data is always accurate and timely. E) Collecting as much data as possible is always preferable.
a
98) Which of the following statements is TRUE about the changes and developments foreseen by the year 2027? A) Traditional classrooms will be replaced by classrooms in a box. B) Desktop and portable computers will increase in popularity. C) Processing image data would be difficult. D) Mobile devices would be cheaper and powerful. E) Mainframes will overtake servers.
a
56) Drudgen Fitness Inc. is a fitness equipment provider that markets its products through a chain of retail outlets in four states. As part of its expansion strategy, the company decides to open outlets in four more states and decides to revise its existing business processes. According to the five-component model of information systems, which of the following processes will be the least disruptive to the organization? A) collecting demographic data from the new markets B) developing new CRM software for the existing and new outlets C) relocating existing employees and hiring new employees D) buying and installing new computers in the new outlets E) changing the sales, reporting, and compensation procedures
d
59) A large retailer loses millions of customer records in a major data breach. They must develop and implement a new system which includes new hardware, applications, and storage. Which of the following actions will be most difficult to perform when implementing the new information system? A) upgrading the computer systems used by the retail chain B) writing the programs to create the software C) changing the structure of existing databases that reflect supplier and customer data D) training the employees to use and manage the new system E) installing new transaction processing hardware
d
7) Google's Project Loon is a major effort to ________. A) decrease the size of storage devices, while increasing their capacity B) facilitate the use of Internet on submarines, while they are submerged C) promote the use of virtual machines, that operate on voice command D) bring Internet access to everyone using a network of inflated balloons E) reduce the rate of decay in magnetic disks
d
74) Which of the following terms is described as processed data or data presented in a meaningful context? A) questionnaires B) scenarios C) illustrations D) reports E) forms
d
86) The CEO of a large company asks the sales manager to report the sales figures of the previous quarter. The manager immediately sends her the list of products sold in the previous quarter. These details do NOT qualify as good information because they are ________. A) too narrow in scope B) too expensive C) not timely D) not relevant E) too large
d
28) Bryce, a floor manager at an industrial plant, works well with all of his line employees. Bryce's ability to collaborate is a routine skill.
false
29) A person's strong abstract reasoning skills won't be able to easily construct models.
false
60) According to the five-component model of information systems, the data and software components of information systems are capable of performing actions.
false
62) In the five-component model of an information system, hardware and software are part of the human side.
false
63) According to the five-component model of an information system, software is the most important component of an information system.
false
64) The lower the amount of work to be moved from the human side to the computer side of an information system, the higher is the complexity of that system.
false
67) Changing the structure of existing databases causes more organizational disruption than changing working procedures.
false
8) Despite the rapid growth of technology, digital devices fail to impact the industry.
false
11) Bell's Law states that a new computer class forms roughly each decade establishing a new industry.
true
12) The Digital Revolution was the conversion from mechanical and analog devices to digital devices.
true
13) Kryder's Law states that the storage density on magnetic disks is increasing at an exponential rate.
true
65) Obtaining or developing new programs is more difficult than ordering additional hardware.
true
66) Changing personnel responsibilities to suit an information system is more disruptive to an organization than ordering additional hardware for the information system.
true