Final Review (Chapters 7-12)

What is true about business processes?

1) A business process, is a process that is focused on achieving a goal for a business. 2) Processes are something that businesses go through every day in order to accomplish their mission. 3) Automation through technology helps to make business processes more efficient and effective.

What are the advantages of Agile methodology?

1) A working version of the software is available at the end of each iteration. 2) A lot of emphasis is placed on quality over paperwork. 3) Stakeholders get to see the product at the end of each iteration.

What are advantages of Business Process Management systems?

1) Built in reporting. 2) Enforce best practices. 3) Enforce consistency.

Which of the following jobs can be an administrative support function for a company?

1) Computer Operator 2) Help Desk Administrator 3) Database Administrator

Specifically, a strategic information system is one that attempts to do what?

1) Deliver a product or service at lower cost. 2) Deliver a differentiated product or service. 3) Enable innovation.

What is benefit of ERP?

1) It helps to standardize business processes in a firm. 2) It has best-practices in process management build into it. 3) Having a centralized database helps eliminate the need for data entry and reduces errors.

Describe the job of a project manager.

1) Lead the project, keeping it on time and within budget. 2) Report to upper management and the project team. Communicate constantly. 3) Work with stakeholders to solve their IT problems.

What are some emerging roles in IT?

1) Social media specialist. 2) Data/Business intelligence analyst. 3) Cloud computing specialist.

Which describes the role of a systems analyst?

1) Translate the systems requirements into an information-systems design. 2) Work with people, teams and departments to determine what the business requirements are. 3) Document business processes.

Nicholas Carr

A Harvard professor who wrote his article "IT Doesn't Matter" where he asserts that information technology is so readily available and the software used so easily copied, businesses cannot hope to implement these tools to provide a competitive advantage.

Enterprise Resources Planning

A business process management program that allows an organization to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate many back office functions related to technology, services and human resources.

What is ISO 9000 certification?

A certification for best practices.

Business Process

A collection of linked tasks which end in the delivery of a service or product to a client.

Competitive Advantage

A company is said to have competitive advantage over its rivals when it is able to sustain profits that exceed average for the industry.

Decision Support Systems

A computer program application that analyzes business data and presents it so that users can make business decisions more easily.

Rapid Application Development

A development methodology that focuses on quickly building a working model of the software, getting feedback from users, and then using that feedback to update the working model.

Porter's 5 Force Model

A framework developed by economist Michael E. Porter to determine the profitability and attractiveness of a market or market segment. Includes Industry Rivalry, Bargaining Power of Buyers, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Threat of New Entrants and Threat of Substitute Products.

Agile Methodologies

A group of methodologies that utilize incremental changes with a focus on quality and attention to detail.

Which of the following is NOT a substitute product for a car?

A hybrid vehicle

Fair Use

A limitation on copyright law that allows for the use of protected works without prior authorization in specific cases.

Lean Methodology

A methodology that focuses on taking an initial idea and developing a minimum viable product (MVP).

Join Application Development

A methodology that involves the client or end user in the design and development of an application, through a succession of collaborative workshops called JAD sessions.

Quality Triangle

A model that illustrates the constraints of project management: time,cost, and quality. A manager cannot change one of the constraints without impacting the others.

Intellectual Property (IP)

A n idea, invention, or process that derives from the work of the mind or intellect is assigned to designated owners by law.

Creative Commons

A nonprofit organization that provides legal tools for artists and authors. The tools offered make it simple to license artistic or literary work for others to use or distribute in a manner consistent with the author's intentions. Creative Commons copyrights allow for less restrictive rules than traditional copyright.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)

A nonprofit organization that seeks to increase the understanding of civil liberties and other legal issues in cyberspace, or what it called the electronic frontier.

Computer Operator

A person responsible for monitoring and controlling computer systems.

Trainer

A person that conducts classes to teach people specific computer skills.

Users

A person who uses or operates something, especially a computer or other machine.

HelpDesk

A place or organization that a user of information technology can call to get help with a problem. This can be internal to a company or external to customers outside the company.

NonObvious Relationship Awareness (NORA)

A process of collecting large quantities of a variety of information and then combining it to create profiles of individuals.

ISO 9000

A series of standards, developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), that define, establish, and maintain an effective quality assurance system for manufacturing and service industries.

Value Chain

A set of activities that a firm operating in a specific industry performs in order to deliver a valuable product or service for the market.

Ethical System

A set of moral principles" or "the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.

Implementation Methodology - Pilot Implementation

A subset of the organization starts using the new system before the rest of the organization.

Digital Rights Management (DRM)

A systematic approach to copyright protection for digital media. The purpose of DRM is to prevent unauthorized redistribution of digital media and restrict the ways consumers can copy content they've purchased.

Business Process Management

A systematic approach to making an organization's workflow more effective, more efficient and more capable of adapting to an ever changing environment.

Trademark

A word, phrase, logo, shape or sound that identifies a source of goods or services.

Minimum Viable Product

A working software application with just enough functionality to demonstrate the idea behind the project.

Acceptable Use Policies (AUP)

An acceptable usage policy or fair use policy, is a set of rules applied by the owner, creator or administrator of a network, website, or service, that restrict the ways in which the network, website or system may be used and sets guidelines as to how it should be used.

What is a flattened organization?

An organization that has removed one or more layers of management, creating better communication and faster business processes.

Entry Barrier

Are obstacles that make it difficult to enter a given market.

Change Management

As new systems are brought online and old systems are phased out, it becomes important to manage the way change is implemented in the organization.

Why does Nicholas Carr claim 'IT Doesn't Matter.'

Because information technology is so readily available and the software used so easily copied, businesses cannot hope to implement these tools to provide any sort of competitive advantage.

This person aligns the plans and operations of the information systems with the strategic goals of the organization.

CIO

CIO

Chief Information Officer is the head of the information systems function and aligns the plans and operations of the information systems with the strategic goals of the function.

What components make up the quality triangle?

Cost, flexibility and quality

According to Michael Porter, what is the definition of competitive advantage.

Creating and sustaining superior performance.

Computer Engineer

Designs the computing devices that we use every day.

Which of the following is a semi-structured decision?

Diagnosing a medical condition.

Implementation Methodology - Phased Implementation

Different functions of the new application are implemented in phases, adding functionality as the phases are implemented.

What is one of the criticisms of ERP systems?

ERP systems are inflexible.

Which of the following is not an advantage of outsourcing?

Easily negotiated contracts.

What is meant by 'matrix organization'?

Employees have two managers a functional manager and a project manager.

What is the productivity paradox?

Even though we've added information technology to business, it has not improved productivity. Yet, we cannot think of operating a business without technology.

Support Analyst

First line support for computer users in the company.

Outsourcing

Hiring external labor, usually at lower cost, to accomplish company work. This includes hiring low-cost labor in other countries and cheaper labor in a resident country. Outsourcing can be an effective cost saving strategy when used properly.

Functional Manager

In an IT organization, a functional manager reports to the CIO or other manger, and manages the employees specific to their function. Functional groups might include networking, helpdesk and support services and application development.

Information Security Officer

In charge of setting information system policies for an organization, and then overseeing the implementation of those policies.

ERP Manager

Individual that makes sure that the ERP system is completely up to date, work to implement any changes to the ERP that are needed, and consult with various user departments on needed reports or data extractions.

On the curve of technology adoption, who are the users that are first to adopt a new technology?

Innovators

What does Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) do?

Integrates the supply chain technologically, so that business partners share documents and information regarding production.

Code of Ethics or Professional Conduct

Is a document that outlines a set of acceptable behaviors for a professional or social group; generally, it is agreed to by all members of the group.

What are some advantages of purchasing software instead of building it in-house?

It is available more quickly than building it yourself.

According to our author(s) what is the simplest way to document a process?

Make a simple list of each step in the process.

Maintenance

Making changes, corrections and improvement to a system already in use by a company.

Which of the following is a secondary activity on the value chain?

Marketing and Sales

Technology Adoption Curve

One tool that can be used to understand how users will adopt a new technology.

Collaborative Systems

One where multiple users or agents engage in a shared activity, usually from remote locations.

Programmer

People who write computer programs to support business functions.

What are the steps in the SDLC methodology?

Preliminary Analysis, Systems Analysis, Systems Design, Programming, Test, Implementation, Maintenance.

What does off-the-shelf mean regarding information systems?

Purchasing a system that has already been built.

Cost Advantage

Strategic superiority achieved through factors such as access to cheaper inputs, efficient processes , favorable location , skilled workforce , superior technology , and/or waste reduction or elimination.

End-User Computing

Refers to systems in which nonprogrammers can create working applications.

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

Regulates collecting information from children under the age of thirteen. Enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.

What are the four phases of RAD software development?

Requirements planning, user design, construction and cutover.

Project Managers

Responsible for keeping projects on time and budget and works with other stakeholders of the project to keep the team organized and communicates the statue of the project to management.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Restricts access to student records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

Patent

Set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for detailed public disclosure of an invention.

SAP

Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing. A German multinational software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations.

Which of the following is a primary activity on the value chain?

Technology development

Privacy

The ability to control information about oneself.

Business Process Reengineering

The analysis and redesign of workflows within and between enterprises in order to optimize end-to-end processes and automate non value-added tasks.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

The computer to computer exchange of business documents in a standard electronic format between business partners.

What makes RAD different from SDLC?

The emphasis in RAD is to involve the users heavily in design and get a working system rapidly, then modify it.

Digital Divide

The gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that don't or have restricted access. Newly defined stages of the digital divide defined by Jakob Nielsen include the economic divide, the usability divide and the empowerment divide.

Globalization

The integration of goods, services, and culture among the nations of the world.

Implementation Methodology - Parallel Operation

The old and new system are used simultaneously for a limited period of time.

Implementation Methodology - Direct Cutover

The organization selects a particular date that the old system is not going to be used. On that date, the old system is turned off and the new one is operational.

Copyright

The protection given to songs, computer programs, books, and other creative works. Any work that has an "author" can be copyrighted.

Systems Analyst

This individual will work with a person, team, or department with business requirements and identify the specific details of a system that needs to be built.

Systems Development Life Cycle

This methodology developed in the 1960s to manage the large software projects associated with corporate systems running on mainframes. Phases are Preliminary Analysis, Systems Analysis, Systems Design, Programming, Testing, Implementation and Maintenance.

Database Administrator

This person who plans, develops, monitors and maintains databases that are used as part of applications or the data warehouse.

Differentiation Advantage

Unique benefits or characteristics of a firm, product , or program that set it apart and above its competitors in the customers' viewpoint.

What does a document management system (DMS) control:

Versions, Approval and Communications.

Build vs. Buy Decision

When an organization decides that a new software program needs to be developed, they must determine if it makes more sense to build it themselves or to purchase it from an outside company.

Web Services

When companies have the options to license functions provided by other companies instead of writing the code themselves.

Michael Porter

Wrote the book Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, identifying two primary factors, Cost Advantage and Differentiation Advantage. Developed the 5 force model and the value chain model.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

extended copyright law to take into consideration digital technologies. Two of the best known provisions from the DMCA are the anti-circumvention provision and the "safe harbor" provision.

In general, the Internet has __________________ bargaining power of customers.

increased