information systems practice test questions

Why do we view the contemporary information systems as an integral part of the supply chain management process? Because they ___________.

- aid in product transformation - are a means of producing output - are a means of providing input into the process

Which of the following tasks is (are) typically associated with the systems analyst role?

- conveying system requirements to software developers and network architects - frequently consulting with management and users - assisting in choosing and configuring hardware and software, - matching technology to users' needs

You might be an information systems worker if you _________.

- prefer a fast-paced, dynamic work environment - are comfortable with meeting deadlines and solving unexpected challenges - serve as a translator between business needs and technology-based solutions

How many bits make up a byte?

8

Which of the following statements is true about organizational learning?

All organizations adapt to new conditions.

Suppose you need to advise someone about getting a certification. Which of the following would NOT be an appropriate statement to make?

Certifications are the same as courses offered at universities. Certifications are not the same as courses offered at universities; certifications are a form of endorsement by the certifying authority, they are vendor-specific, and they may open the door to new career possibilities.

"Unfreezing" is the second stage in Lewin's Change Model, which involves learning new work methods, behaviors, and systems.

False

A database, a database management system, and the application programs that use the data make up the communication environment in an organization.

False

Business analytics can be used only for detecting fraud.

False

Everyday operations are managed only by the information systems security analyst.

False

Only organizations that manufacture products have value chains, not other organizations (e.g., those in the service industry).

False

Organizations can have only one value chain.

False

Suppose we have a table that stores Instructors data. Within it, there is a field called "instructorID" that uniquely identifies each instructor record. This field is known as the ID key.

False

The data for BI (business intelligence) comes only from internal sources.

False

When an organization uses cloud computing, it is required to buy and maintain expensive hardware.

False

In OLAP data cubes, you would likely find numeric facts called dimensions, which are categorized numeric data.

False In OLAP data cubes, you would likely find numeric facts called measures, which are categorized by dimensions.

With communal computing, the service provider manages the IT infrastructure, while user organizations (called tenants) access slices of shared resources via the Internet.

False When a service provider manages the IT infrastructure, while user organizations (called tenants) access slices of shared resources via the Internet, it is called cloud computing

A record is typically a name, number, or combination of characters that describes an aspect of a business object, such as a location.

False A field is typically a name, number, or combination of characters that describes an aspect of a business object, such as a location.

In the regression line Y = a + bX + e, b is the intercept of the regression line.

False In the regression line Y = a + bX + e, b is the slope of the regression line.

One drawback to ERP software packages is that organizations must purchase and implement the entire package at one time.

False Most ERP software packages are designed to allow the organization to pick and choose software modules based on their own needs.

The database approach to managing data is not as good as the traditional file-based approach, where each operational system uses its own data files.

False The database approach to managing data is better than the traditional file-based approach because multiple information systems can share a pool of related data.

In the regression line Y = a + bX + e, a is the value of the independent variable.

False X is the independent variable

Records form the smallest piece of information in the data hierarchy.

False bits form the smallest piece

In Lewin's force field analysis, driving forces are those that make it difficult for people to accept or implement change.

False driving forces are beliefs, expectations, and cultural norms that encourage change; restraining forces are those that make it difficult for people to accept or implement change.

In the relational database model, each row of a table represents a record.

False each row represents an entity

A system that processes and records transactions is known as the management information system (MIS).

False it is the TPS (transaction processing system)

Since the 1920s, computers have been used to perform common business applications.

False since 1950's

In any organization, it is possible for information systems and solutions to be built and deployed by departments other than the information systems department, which is known as "siloed IT."

False this is known as shadow IT

Which of the following statements is true of a database?

It can contribute to organizational success by providing timely, accurate, and relevant information built on data.

According to Lewin and Schein's three-stage model of organizational change, which of the following tasks would be found in the "refreezing" stage?

Monitor progress against success criteria

_____ make up the most important element in computer-based information systems.

People The people who design, use, and maintain computer-based information systems are the most important element in the systems.

_____ is a special-purpose programming language for accessing and manipulating data stored in a relational database.

SQL

_____ are responsible for running and maintaining information system equipment and also for scheduling, hardware maintenance, and preparing input and output.

System operators

A DBMS is a group of programs used as an interface between a database and application programs or a database and the user.

True

A collection of data fields that are all related to one object, activity, or individual is called a record.

True

A conversion funnel is a graphical representation that summarizes the steps a consumer takes in making the decision to buy your product and become a customer.

True

A database administrator (DBA) is trained to apply database programming languages to craft a set of databases to meet an organization's needs.

True

A sustaining innovation involves enhancements to existing products, services, and ways of operating.

True

A word cloud can provide an effective visual summary of reviews by customer about a new product.

True

Among the many challenges related to big data is the difficulty in distinguishing relevant data from irrelevant data and then deriving value from that relevant data.

True

An enterprise data model involves modeling the information needs of an entire organization.

True

An individual's attitude towards a system depends on whether he perceives the system to be useful and easy to learn.

True

An information system (IS) is a set of interrelated components that collect, process, store, and disseminate data and information.

True

Business intelligence includes technologies for extraction, integration, and visualization of data.

True

Components of a computer-based information system include people, such as the CIO (chief information officer), and procedures, like travel reimbursements.

True

Data scientists must have a great deal of business acumen.

True

For an organization to get real value from its BI efforts, it must have a solid data governance practice.

True

For someone to be a good CIO, she must be a visionary who would provide direction and leadership to the IS department.

True

If "temperature" is an attribute, then "80 degrees" is a data item.

True

If an organization is taking a "store everything" approach to data, it will save all the data in its raw and unaltered form in a data lake.

True

In the context of the relational database model, joining involves combining two or more tables.

True

Many TPS and MIS systems have failed because they were created with a "silo mentality," meaning that were not designed to share information or processes.

True

Robotics, vision systems, natural language processing, and voice recognition systems are all examples of specialized information systems.

True

Sometimes incomplete, incorrect, inaccurate, or irrelevant data has to cleaned. This can be corrected or deleted through data scrubbing

True

Suppose you are good at programming. Adding math and statistics to your skill-set will be necessary if you want to be a data scientist.

True

System acquisition is the process used to obtain the information system resources so that the services necessary to meet a specific set of needs can be delivered.

True

The term information is used to label a collection of facts that have been organized and processed, such as the height and weight of a patient, along with vital statistics of that patient.

True

To solve the product mix problem that will maximize returns, you can use Excel's Solver add-in.

True

Today's organizations prefer enterprise resources planning (ERP) systems because they support routine business processes, maintain records about those processes, and provide extensive reporting and data analysis capabilities, all of which can be shared across the entire organization.

True

Today, most organizations cannot function or compete effectively without computer-based information systems.

True

When you sell textbooks to another student through an online auction site such as eBay.com, you are involved in e-commerce.

True

With modern reporting tools, users do not need help from the IT function of the organization to create customer reports.

True

Without a database, most computer-based information systems are not of much use.

True

Which of the following is NOT typical of the use of KPIs (key performance indicators)?

a KPI is never dropped

Which of the following is a typical characteristic of a data scientist?

a deep understanding of analytics

In terms of information systems, a company's Web conferencing software would be an example of ________.

a group IS A company's Web conferencing software is an example of a group IS because it improves communication and collaboration among members of a workgroup

In terms of information systems, word-processing software would be an example of ________.

a personal IS

To find the optimal solution to a problem with multiple constraints, a manager would use _____.

a spreadsheet

A dashboard is _____.

a visual presentation of a set of KPIs about the state of a process at a specific point in time

The _______________ allows users to relate data in new ways without having to redefine complex relationships.

ability to link relational tables

An organization is said to be in _____________ when the IS organization and its resources are focused on efforts that support the key objectives defined in the managers' strategic plan for the business.

alignment

Some authoritarian regimes limit citizens' use of certain keywords in search engine searches, which is a form of ___________.

censorship

If you had a job where you were responsible for setting policies and managing the flow of the company's data, from initial acquisition of new data to deletion of old, outdated data, you would be a ________.

data lifecycle manager

In the six-phase CRISP-DM method, what comes after "business understanding"?

data understanding

The ______ theory explains how a new idea or product gains acceptance and spreads through a specific population or subset of an organization.

diffusion of innovation

Important functions of the chief information officer include _______.

employing an IS department's equipment and staff to help the organization reach its goals

Which of the following is an advantage of self-service BI?

end users can gather insights

The goal of a(n) ______________ system is to support and improve decision making.

enterprise resource planning

Which of the following is NOT a positive outcome of reengineering?

expanded delivery time

A clothing store chain tracks the sale of each product at each location. The ______ of the information permits the managers to use this information to calculate the organization's profits, track inventory needs, and determine which styles and fabrics are the most popular among its customers.

flexibility Flexibility is the quality that allows managers and decision makers to use information or data for a number of different purposes and applications. In this example, information is used for calculating profit, tracking inventory, and forecasting sales.

Data mining is used to explore large amounts of data for _________.

hidden patterns

Which of the following activities is NOT part of the supply chain in a manufacturing organization?

human resources management

Suppose you work at a business unit that has a group of people who would take risks and would like to be the first to try new ideas and products. They would be classified as the _________.

innovators

According to the diffusion of innovation theory, the _____ are very conservative and highly skeptical of change.

laggards

Which of these systems would be used to provide monthly production figures to a production manager?

management information system (MIS)

What is the average salary for a data scientist, according to Glassdoor?

more than $100,000

Self-service analytics encourages __________ to make decisions based on facts and analyses rather than intuition.

nontechnical end users

Diego and Mary Ann are seeking _________, available for free, so they can change and improve it.

open source software

In a supply chain, the transformation, movement, and storage of supplies and raw materials are known collectively as _________.

physical flows

Which of the following is a core process associated with data management?

process for data storage

Downsizing involves ________.

reducing the number of employees to cut costs

Each attribute in a ________ model can be constrained to a range of allowable values called a domain.

relational database

The process of converting data to information involves creating _________ among the data elements.

relationships

If you have weekly sales data and you wish to get monthly sales data, then use the ______ feature.

roll up

Which of the following is NOT considered a business intelligence practice?

source data automation

With Database as a Service, the database is stored on a service provider's server and accessed by the client over _______.

the Internet

Which of the following is NOT an ethical issue related to data and information systems?

the high cost of system development

A primary key is a field or set of fields in a record that _______.

uniquely identifies the record

Systems development is the activity of building information systems to meet the ________ needs.

users'

Leila's employer, a major auto manufacturer, has asked her to capture and review the tsunami of social media posts and customer service emails about their company's latest recall. In terms of the characteristics of big data, Leila is dealing with ________.

variety unstructured data from a variety of formats