chapter 11

The information systems (IS) department determines the membership of a steering committee.

FALSE

The steering committee serves an important communication function between the executive group and the users of the information systems (IS).

FALSE

The structure of the information systems (IS) department remains constant across organizations.

FALSE

The terms "information systems" and "information technology" can be used interchangeably.

FALSE

There is seldom any concern about the loss of intellectual capital with outsourcing.

FALSE

To work in the information systems (IS) industry, a network administrator should have in-depth knowledge of one or more programming languages.

FALSE

With the exception of system analysts, all the major job positions in the information systems (IS) industry require business knowledge.

FALSE

Which of the following is a form of outsourcing hardware infrastructure?

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) cloud hosting

Which of the following statements is true about outsourcing?

It saves both direct and indirect management time.

Linela Insurance needs to hire twenty accountants immediately to support its accounts receivable process. The hiring and training of the accountants requires a significant investment of funds and time, which the company cannot afford. Linela decides to hire another accounting firm to manage its accounts receivable process and thereby save time and money. This process is known as ________.

Outsourcing

Which of the following is a function of the technology office in an organization's information systems (IS) department?

investigating new information systems

In an information systems (IS) department, the ________ group manages computing infrastructure, including individual computers, in-house server farms, networks, and communications media.

operations

The acquisition and operation of hardware infrastructure cannot be outsourced.

FALSE

Which of the following is a form of outsourcing?

ANP Infotech acquiring licensed manufacturing software from a vendor

Which of the following is a limitation of aligning information systems (IS) with organizational strategy?

Adapting the IS to new versions of business processes is complex and time-consuming.

The chief executive officer (CEO) and other members of the executive staff usually set up the steering committee's schedule and agenda.

FALSE

Adapting information systems (IS) to new versions of business processes is a quick process.

FALSE

If an organization does not develop programs in-house, then the development group of the information systems (IS) department will include programmers, test engineers, and technical writers.

FALSE

In all companies, the chief information officer (CIO) reports directly to the chief financial officer.

FALSE

In the information systems (IS) industry, a technical writer develops test plans, and designs and writes automated test scripts.

FALSE

It is impossible to cap financial risk by outsourcing.

FALSE

It is reasonable for information systems (IS) users to expect to receive repetitive training and support for the same issue.

FALSE

Maintaining alignment between information systems direction with organizational strategy is a one-time process.

FALSE

Outsourcing does not present any risks related to ending an agreement.

FALSE

Outsourcing neither saves time for direct management, nor for indirect management.

FALSE

Replacing an outsource vendor, who is integrated into the business, can be done without a lot of expenditure or duplication of effort.

FALSE

Developing, operating, and maintaining an organization's computing infrastructure is a major function of the ________ department.

Information systems

Which of the following statements is true about the maintenance group of information systems (IS)?

It involves adapting existing systems to support new features.

Which of the following is a risk of outsourcing information systems (IS)/information technology (IT) functions?

It involves the potential loss of intellectual capital.

Which of the following statements is true of the operations group in an organization's information system (IS) department?

It monitors the user experience and responds to their problems.

Which of the following is an outsourcing alternative in which hardware and both operating system and application software are leased?

Software as a Service (SaaS)

A(n) ________ is a group of senior managers from the major business functions that works with the chief information officer (CIO) to set the information systems (IS) priorities and decide among major IS projects and alternatives.

Steering Committee

A steering committee is a group of senior managers from the major business functions that works with the chief information officer (CIO) to set the information systems (IS) priorities.

TRUE

Acquiring licensed software is a form of outsourcing.

TRUE

An organization reduces implementation risk by outsourcing information systems (IS).

TRUE

An organization should protect a user's computer and its files.

TRUE

Freeing up management time is a reason that some companies choose to outsource.

TRUE

If the outsource vendor's employees have gained significant knowledge of the company, ending the agreement is a major risk.

TRUE

In the context of outsourcing, once a company has chosen a vendor, further risk management is up to that vendor.

TRUE

In the information systems (IS) industry, a business analyst works with business leaders to develop systems that implement business strategy and goals.

TRUE

Information systems (IS) must evolve as the organization merges with other organizations or as divisions are sold.

TRUE

Information systems (IS) users have a responsibility to follow security and backup procedures.

TRUE

Information technology (IT) must be placed into the structure of information systems (IS) before an organization can use it.

TRUE

Installation of unauthorized hardware and programs may interfere with automated maintenance programs used for upgrading a user's computer.

TRUE

It is the chief information officer's responsibility to establish and communicate the information systems (IS) priorities to the executive group.

TRUE

One of the major functions of the information systems (IS) department is to develop, operate, and maintain applications.

TRUE

The chief information officer (CIO) is the representative for information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) issues within the executive staff.

TRUE

The chief information officer (CIO) provides the information systems (IS) perspective during discussions of problem solutions, proposals, and new initiatives.

TRUE

The chief technology officer (CTO) evaluates new technologies and identifies those that are most relevant to the organization.

TRUE

The process of hiring another organization to perform a service is known as outsourcing.

TRUE

The purpose of the data administration group is to protect data and information assets by establishing data standards and data management practices and policies.

TRUE

The steering committee provides a forum for users to express their needs, frustrations, and other issues they have with the information systems (IS) department.

TRUE

To work in the information systems (IS) industry, a consultant should have an entrepreneurial attitude and communications and people skills.

TRUE

Which of the following statements is true about information systems (IS) planning functions?

The chief executive officer (CEO) and other executive staff decide the membership of the steering committee.

Which of the following statements is true about a data administration staff function?

The group establishes standards to protect information assets.

Which of the following statements is true of the information systems (IS) department?

The operations group monitors user experience and responds to user problems.

Which of the following statements is true about the steering committee of the information systems (IS) department?

The steering committee's meetings are conducted by the IS department.

Which of the following statements is true about users of information systems?

They should learn standard techniques and procedures for the applications they use.

Which of the following statements is true of outsourcing?

To achieve quality, it is easier to hire another vendor than it is to fire and rehire internal staff.

If an organization does not develop programs in-house, then the development group of the information system (IS) department will be staffed primarily by ________ who work with users, operations, and vendors to acquire and install licensed software and to set up the system components around that software.

business and systems analysts

In 2005, Marrion International chose a human resources consulting agency to handle its human resource needs for the next 7 years. This is an example of ________ outsourcing.

business function

SFA Inc. has a team of ten information systems (IS) personnel. The personnel are kept busy throughout the day as they help employees solve even the most trivial issues. In which of the following ways can the employees assist the IS personnel in this scenario?

by learning basic computer skills

Outsourcing is done to ________.

cap an organization's financial exposure

Thompson is the chief information officer at a processed food manufacturing company. The information systems used in the company are manufacturing oriented and provide little support to accounting. In this case, Thompson will most likely report to the ________ of the company.

chief executive officer

The ________ is the representative for information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) issues within the executive staff who provides the IS perspective during discussions of problem solutions, proposals, and new initiatives.

chief information officer

The responsibilities of a ________ include advising the chief information officer, executive group, and project managers on emerging technologies.

chief technology officer

In the information system (IS) department, the ________ group manages the process of creating new information systems as well as maintaining existing information systems.

development

The purpose of a ________ group is to protect data and information assets by establishing data standards and data management practices and policies.

data administration

Which of the following is generally a responsibility of users of information systems (IS)?

following security and backup procedures

The responsibilities of a tech support engineer include ________.

helping users solve problems and providing training

KPL Inc. is an outsource vendor. It handles the recruiting process for Numero Uno Computers. KPL recently changed its business strategy to a more profit-oriented one. This modification would require the company to charge more for its services. This change will be a ________ risk for Numero Uno Computers.

loss of control

Every information systems (IS) user has the right to a secure computing environment. This means that the ________.

organization should protect his/her computer and its files

Which of the following is an example of outsourcing an entire business function?

paying another organization to arrange for employee travel

Which of the following is a right of users of information systems?

right to receive effective training

Which of the following is a responsibility of a chief information officer (CIO)?

serving as the principal manager of the IS department

Which of the following is a function of the steering committee for the information systems (IS) department?

setting IS priorities

A ________ works with users to determine system requirements, designs and develops job descriptions and procedures, and helps determine test plans.

system analyst

Jamie's company manufactures 3D printers, and his job is to prepare user manuals for the products. Jamie also prepares training material for the workers who are involved in the manufacturing process. With reference to his job profile, Jamie is a ________.

technical writer

Atlanta Technologies outsourced its information technology (IT) support department to a vendor in China. The vendor company, however, faced repeated instances of software failure and now needs to make some changes to the information systems. Who among the following has control over prioritizing issues related to such changes?

the vendor