isqs2340 test 1

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1. Learn the basics of the "Internet Vocabulary Basics"

acket The fundamental unit of data transmitted over the Internet. When a host (PC, workstation, server, printer, etc.) intends to send a message to another host (for example, your PC sends a request to YouTube to open a video), it breaks the message down into smaller pieces, called packets. Each packet has the sender's address, the destination address, a sequence number, and a piece of the overall message to be sent. Different packets in a single message can take a variety of routes to the destination and they can arrive at different times. For this reason the sequence number is used to reassemble the packets in the proper order at the destination. Switch A network device that connects multiple hosts together and forwards packets based on their destination within the local network which is commonly known as a Local Area Network (LAN). Router A device that receives and analyzes packets and then routes them towards their destination. In some cases a router will send a packet to another router. In other cases it will send it directly to its destination. Routers are used to connect one network to another network. IP Address Every device on the Internet (personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, etc.) is assigned a unique identifying number called an IP (Internet Protocol) address. Originally, the IPv4 (version 4) standard was used. It had a format of four numbers with values ranging from 0 and 255 separated by a period. For example, the domain Dell.com has the IPv4 address 107.23.196.166. The IPv4 standard has a limit of 4,294,967,296 possible addresses. As the use of the Internet has grown, the number of IP addresses needed has increased to the point where the use of IPv4 addresses will be exhausted. This has led to the new IPv6 standard.The IPv6 standard is formatted as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits, such as 2001:0db8:85a3:0042:1000:8a2e:0370:7334. The IPv6 standard has a limit of 3.4×1038 possible addresses. For example, the domain LinkedIn.com has an IPv6 address of: [2620:109:c002::6cae:a0a]. You probably noticed that the address has only five groups of numbers. That's because IPv6 allows the use of two semi-colons ( :: ) to indicate groups that are all zeroes and do not need to be displayed. For more detail about the IPv6 standard, see this Wikipedia article. Domain name If you had to try to remember the IP address of every web site you wanted to access, the Internet would not be nearly as easy to use. A domain name is a human-friendly name, convenient for remembering a website. These names generally consist of a descriptive word followed by a dot (period) and the Top-Level Domain (TLD). For example, Wikipedia's domain name is wikipedia.org. Wikipedia describes the organization and .org is the TLD. Other well-known TLDs include .com, .net, and .gov. For a list and description of top level domain names, see this Wikipedia article. DNS DNS stands for "domain name server or system." DNS acts as the directory of websites on the Internet. When a request to access a host with a domain name is given, a DNS server is queried. It returns the IP address of the host requested, allowing for proper routing. Packet-switching When a message's packets are sent on the Internet, routers try to find the optimal route for each packet. This can result in packets being sent on different routes to their destination. After the packets arrive they are re-assembled into the original message for the recipient. For more details on packet-switching, see this interactive web page. Protocol A protocol is the set of rules that govern how communications take place on a network. For example, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) are the communication rules for transferring files from one host to another. TCP/IP, discussed earlier, is known as a protocol suite since it contains numerous protocols.

1. According to the article, how many hours per day does the average person spend interacting with his or her smartphone?

four hours a day

1. How does the Internet of Things work?

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People

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· ERP vs. CRM

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1. According to the article, business value includes which "very specific" things? List and briefly describe each of these.

1. Increase revenue 2. Decrease cost 3. Improve productivity 4. Differentiate the company 5. Improve client satisfaction

1. What are some of the ways the article suggests will help you to create a better relationship with your mobile device? Consider and state how these suggestions will help you specifically (if at all)?

Reframe the way you think about it Ask yourself what you want to pay attention to Set yourself up for success Create speed bumps Pay attention to your body Practice trial separations Use technology to protect yourself from technology Use the sight of other people on their phones as a reminder of your own intentions Get existential about it

1. In your own words, describe what impact the applications of IoT technologies will have on markets?

...

1. Think about your own smartphone usage: Are you below or above the average the article cites? Do you think your own usage is healthy? If not, how do you think you could create a better relationship with your smartphone?

...

Data

Data are facts with symbolic structure adhered to them. Digital Content Attribute-based Order: ▪ data = facts + symbols;▪ information = data + meaning; and▪ knowledge = information + application

Moore's Law, Metcalfe's Law, and Kryder's Law

Driving data processing, storage, communications costs to essentially zero. Any routine skill can, and will, be outsourced to lowest bidder. - And the lowest bidder might be a piece of technology.

1. The reading suggests that CRM is "equal parts strategy and technology," and that it "is about using ____________________________________________________________________."

Equal parts strategy and technology, customer relationship management (CRM) is about using data to understand your customers—and boost sales.

1. In your own words, what does Carlos Sandrea, VP and head of mobile at MediaMath, suggest about new technologies and their impact on mobile?

Mobile will become the predominant media channel and will be defined beyond our smartphones to include wearables, connected cars, VR-power devices, and chatbots."

1. What are the components of SCM? Briefly describe each of these components (in your own words).

Planning Sourcing Making Delivering Returning Enabling

Relational uncertainty

Relational uncertainty(RelU)-• Opportunistic behaviors amongst actors (a concept termed opportunism) between the others with the work ad individual

Resource uncertainty

Resource uncertainty(ResU)-• No unlimited resources (a concept terms asset specificity) between the work with others and the individual

Understanding and application of reducing these uncertainties with IT/ IS

So how does IT help to reduce informational uncertainty, relational uncertainty, and resource uncertainty, such that exchange transactions can come into existence and thus value created? • Informational uncertainty - • e.g., ERP, CRM • Relational uncertainty -• e.g., buyer/ seller ratings, online reviews • Resource uncertainty -• e.g., multi-use IT (server virtualization), 3D printing

1. What does the article suggest is the "real power of the Internet of Things"?

The real power of the Internet of Things arises when things can do both of the above. Things that collect information and send it, but also receive information and act on it.

1. What are the three categories that an IoT device can be put into?

Things that collect information and then send it. Things that receive information and then act on it. Things that do both.

1. What are the two main categories of software? What do each do and how are they different?

Two main categories of software are: Operating Systems and Application software. Operating Systems software provides the interface between the hardware and the Application software. Examples of operating systems for a personal computer include Microsoft Windows and Ubuntu Linux. The mobile phone operating system market is dominated by Google Android and Apple iOS. Application software allows the user to perform tasks such as creating documents, recording data in a spreadsheet, or messaging a friend. Software will be explored more thoroughly in Chapter 3.

Data and the phenomenal (real) world

What is the purpose of a database?- To help track things of interest in the phenomenal (real) world

1. Why are data (singular: datum) important in an information system?

Without data, hardware and software are not very useful! Data is the third component of an information system.

What is CRM and CRM software? What is CRM software used for?

rtainining existing customers and or discover new customers improving customer service providing products or services your customers want increasing cross selling of products helping salespeople close deals faster

1. Understand the concepts of Moore's law (no need to remember names of laws, just the laws themselves and what they mean).

The CPU's processing power is increasing at an amazing rate (see the sidebar about Moore's Law).

Moore's Law

The number of transistors per square inch on an integrated chip doubles every 18-24 months. (True for CPUs, but not GPUs.) Computers are getting exponentially faster. The cost of data processing is approaching zero.

Metcalfe's Law

The value of a network is equal to the square of the number of users connected to it. More digital devices are being connected together. Likewise, the value of digital and social networks is increasing exponentially.

1. According to the article, what are the three key areas in which IT departments need to be aligned with business needs? For each area, why might this alignment be needed?

ensuring security and compliance: companies cannot function without security increasing efficiency and productivity: optimizing systems, streamlining workflows, and making everyone's jobs easier gaining competitive advantage: it must collaborate with the business turning strategy into reality

1. What is an ERP system? What is its scope across an organization?

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software standardizes, streamlines and integrates business processes across finance, human resources, procurement, distribution and other departments.

1. What are key features of ERP systems?

Enterprise-wide integration. Real time (or near real time) operations A common database Consistent look and feel

1. What does the article suggest is the "bottom line"?

The bottom line is that it is all about the business, not about the technology

· Value creation with IoT (how does IoT relate to exchange transactions and uncertainties)

Three general categories of IoT devices: 1. 2. 3. • Things that collect information and then send it. Reality, sensors, and data "These sensors, along with a connection, allow us to automatically collect information from the environment which, in turn, allows us to make more intelligent decisions."-- McClelland (2019) Things that receive information and then act on it. Things that do both (1) and (2). "The real power of the Internet of Things arises when things can do both of the above. Things that collect information and send it, but also receive information and act on it." -- McClelland (2019)

1. What ways does the video suggest that a company can benefit from CRM? Also, what does a recent survey of users suggest is the impact of using CRM technologies (i.e., what are the numbers)?

better organization, enhance communication, share information, catch all leads, know your numbers. 67% crm system 56% improved satisfaction

1. According to the article, which emerging technologies are redefining mobile technology? In what ways are each of these technologies redefining mobile?

facial recognition artificial intelligence

1. What is the goal of CRM?

improve business relationships with customers

· Improving your relationship with mobile technology

• Some strategies to take control:• Reframe your thinking - 'spend more time on your life' • Create speed bumps to checking your phone• Practice trial separations• Use apps to monitor screen time

Data represent reality, and lots is being captured by businesses

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Procedures/ Processes

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Software

A set of instructions and its associated documentation that tells a computer what to do or how to perform a task. What is computer software? - A set of instructions and its associated documentation that tells a computer what to do or how to perform a task. - Software includes all different software programs on a computer, such as applications and the operating system. Differentiating Native Applications from Web Applications - Native applications are software programs that are written to use a particular operating system. - Web applications are applications designed to run within a computer web browser, and can therefore run on most types of computer hardware. • Differentiating Closed-source from Open-source software - Closed-source software (often termed proprietary software) is software whose source code is closed (i.e., only available to trusted employees and carefully vetted contractors). e.g., Microsoft Windows OS - Open-source software is software whose source code is available to the public. e.g., Linux OS Virtualization - What is it? - The process by which one physical computer hosts many different virtual (not literal) computers within it. - One operating system, called the host operating system (OS), runs one or more operating systems as applications. Those hosted operating systems are called virtual machines (VM). - Each VM has disk space and other resources allocated to it. - The host OS controls the activities of the virtual machines it hosts to prevent them from interfering with one another. - With virtualization, each VM is able to operate exactly the same as it would if it were operating in a stand-alone, nonvirtual environment. Virtualization - What is it? (cont.) - Types: ▪ PC virtualization allows for users to run on their computers native applications that were not designed to run on their machines. ▪ Desktop virtualization allows for users to run their own computer environment (OS) regardless of the hardware the user has access to (e.g., running Windows OS on a Mac). ▪ Server virtualization allows for available resources on the host to be used to run multiple virtual computers, thus maximizing the efficiency of the host machine and lowering operating costs.

Change and ensuring successful IT projects with a BDN

Better-ensuring Successful IT Projects and Initiatives • One solution: Use a Benefit Dependency Network (BDN) • What is a BDN?• A change-management tool to help managers et al. to identify and map all the changes that will be required if expected benefits and outcomes are going to be delivered. • Remember a prior quote:• "...itisusefultothinkaboutinvestmentsindigitalasessentiallyinvestmentsinchange." • A BDN illustrates how this change will be enabled and shaped by IT.• The network shows how each of the expected benefits will be delivered through a combination of IT and business changes, and how these are related to each other.

1. Know the meaning behind Metcalfe's Law.

Metcalfe's Law describes the power of networking. Metcalfe's Law states that the value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users of the system, or N2. If a network has 10 nodes, the inherent value is 100, or 102.

1. In what ways are the organizations that make up a supply chain linked together? Describe these ways.

The organizations that make up the supply chain are "linked" together through physical flows and information flows. Physical Flows Physical flows involve the transformation, movement, and storage of goods and materials. They are the most visible piece of the supply chain. But just as important are information flows. Information Flows Information flows allow the various supply chain partners to coordinate their long-term plans, and to control the day-to-day flow of goods and materials up and down the supply chain.

cloud computing

Increasingly, IT infrastructure (hardware, software) is delivered as a service via the Internet, termed Cloud Computing. The services available via cloud computing vary, and include:- Software as a Service (SaaS)- Platform as a Service (PaaS) Increasing number of services offered. - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Server virtualization plays a key role in cloud computing, as it the reduces costs of running computer hardware and providing software applications. IT - Cloud Computing • Comparisons: - Note how the management of IT services shifts as you move from on-premise to cloud provided IT.

Informational uncertainty

Informational uncertainty(IU)-• No perfect information (a concept termed bounded rationality) between the individual with work and others

1. What are some of the benefits of ERP systems?

Internal efficiency. Better decision-making Increased agility. Enhanced security.

1. What should IT managers think about when recommending IT projects? Why?

It's important for IT managers to get into a habit of thinking like a business owner and always ask himself or herself a basic question when recommending projects, "If this were my company, would I spend money and use resources of the company to do it?" When IT managers make recommendations that deliver quantifiable and tangible business value their senior management team sees them in a whole different light. They start seeing us as business partners and not technical managers, and this is a tremendous difference and positive thing.

1. What will 5G do?

Some have speculated that the 5G implementation will lead households to eliminate the purchase of wired Internet connections for their homes, just using 5G wireless connections instead.

Exchange Transactions as the basis for firms, industries, and economies

The exchange transaction - • The underlying structure of the socioeconomic world.

Value creation with mobile technologies (how do mobile technologies relate to exchange transactions and uncertainties)

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· Application of enterprise systems to the Beer Game we played in class

BENEFITS OF IT-ENABLED SCM Benefits include: • Improve visibility of inventory and velocity of its movement. • Why important? • Make supply chain more cost effective and efficient, namely: • Improved network• Minimized delays• Reduced costs and inefficiencies • Increased productivity• Enhanced collaboration and relationships • Improved customer satisfaction

Networking/ communication

Besidesthetechnologycomponents(hardware,software,anddata)whichhavelongbeen considered the core technology of information systems, it has been suggested that one other component should be added: communication." "Technically,thenetworkingcommunicationcomponentismadeupofhardwareand software, but it is such a core feature of today's information systems that it has become its own category." "Aninformationsystemcanexistwithouttheabilitytocommunicate-thefirstpersonal computers were stand-alone machines that did not access the Internet. However, in today's hyper-connected world, it is an extremely rare computer that does not connect to another device or to a network." What is the Internet? • Consider all that it takes to make the Internet what it is! - What does it take for you to browse the course catalog and register for a class? - What does it take for you to check your account balance and your financial institution? - What does it take for you to use your favorite social media app on your phone?

1. What are some of the hidden costs of ERP implementations? Why might ERP projects fail?

Business process change Organization change management. Data migration Custom code failures: Inappropriate package selection. Internal resistance

· CRM - What is it? Purpose? Importance of data?

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM) Some additional thoughts: CRM systems help to increase productivity of sales department and increase sales CRM systems contain functionality (e.g., better data organization, enhanced communication, etc.) that allow companies to (amongst other things): • Learn more about customer (and potential customer) needs and buying behaviors • Combine customer information with market information to enhance the quality and accuracy of marketing plans and sales forecasts

1. Investments in "digital" can be thought of essentially as investments in what? Why might it be important to think about IT projects in this way?

Consequently, it is useful to think about investments in digital as essentially investments in change. It includes changes in how an organization interacts with its customers, citizens, or patients; in operational processes; in business models; in supply chain relationships; and in how employees use information to generate insight.

· Data analytics, data privacy, and security with respect to IoT

Consider some implications of IoT:• Automation of repetitive tasks• Remote accessibility• Better control over maintenance of devices • LOTS of data • Security concerns • Privacy concerns

1. What is a database, and why is it useful?

Data is a valuable resource in the organization. However, many people do not know much about database technology, but use non-database tools, such as Excel spreadsheet or Word document, to store and manipulate business data, or use poorly designed databases for business processes. As a result, the data are redundant, inconsistent, inaccurate, and corrupted. For a small data set, the use of non-database tools such as spreadsheet may not cause serious problem. However, for a large organization, corrupted data could lead to serious errors and destructive consequences. The common defects in data resources management are explained as follows. (1) No control of redundant data People often keep redundant data for convenience. Redundant data could make the data set inconsistent. We use an illustrative example to explain why redundant data are harmful. Suppose the registrar's office has two separate files that store student data: one is the registered student roster which records all students who have registered and paid the tuition, and the other is student grade roster which records all students who have received grades. As you can see from the two spreadsheets, this data management system has problems. The fact that "Student 4567 is Mary Brown, and her major is Finance" is stored more than once. Such occurrences are called data redundancy. Redundant data often make data access convenient, but can be harmful. For example, if Mary Brown changes her name or her major, then all her names and major stored in the system must be changed altogether. For small data systems, such a problem looks trivial. However, when the data system is huge, making changes to all redundant data is difficult if not impossible. As a result of data redundancy, the entire data set can be corrupted. (2) Violation of data integrity Data integrity means consistency among the stored data. We use the above illustrative example to explain the concept of data integrity and how data integrity can be violated if the data system is flawed. You can find that Alex Wilson received a grade in MKT211; however, you can't find Alex Wilson in the student roster. That is, the two rosters are not consistent. Suppose we have a data integrity control to enforce the rules, say, "no student can receive a grade unless she/he has registered and paid tuition", then such a violation of data integrity can never happen. (3) Relying on human memory to store and to search needed data The third common mistake in data resource management is the over use of human memory for data search. A human can remember what data are stored and where the data are stored, but can also make mistakes. If a piece of data is stored in an un-remembered place, it has actually been lost. As a result of relying on human memory to store and to search needed data, the entire data set eventually becomes disorganized. To avoid the above common flaws in data resource management, database technology must be applied. A database is an organized collection of related data. It is an organized collection, because in a database, all data is described and associated with other data. For the purposes of this text, we will only consider computerized databases. Though not good for replacing databases, spreadsheets can be ideal tools for analyzing the data stored in a database. A spreadsheet package can be connected to a specific table or query in a database and used to create charts or perform analysis on that data.

· ERP - What is it? Purpose? Features? Typical time to implement?

ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) Some additional thoughts: • ERP systems integrate software applications• e.g., purchasing, finance, human resources, inventory management • ERP systems contain integrated software modules that:• Communicate and share data• Execute end-to-end business processes• e.g., a sales module that creates and manages contracts, orders and order pricing, and invoicing• ERP systems can be customized to support various industries• ERP systems may be integrated with other enterprise systems (e.g., CRM)

1. What are the salient points about the role of information systems from the "PC Revolution" to the present day ("The Post-PC World, Sort of")? As you read and take notes on this section, think about how we use information technology today compared to our past.

In 1975, the first microcomputer was announced on the cover of Popular Mechanics: the Altair 8800. Its immediate popularity sparked the imagination of entrepreneurs everywhere, and there were soon dozens of companies manufacturing these "personal computers." Though at first just a niche product for computer hobbyists, improvements in usability and the availability of practical software led to growing sales. The most prominent of these early personal computer makers was a little company known as Apple Computer, headed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, with the hugely successful "Apple II." Not wanting to be left out of the revolution, in 1981 IBM teamed with Microsoft, then just a startup company, for their operating system software and hurriedly released their own version of the personal computer simply called the "PC." Small businesses finally had affordable computing that could provide them with needed information systems. Popularity of the IBM PC gave legitimacy to the microcomputer and it was named Time magazine's "Man of the Year" for 1982. IBM PC Because of the IBM PC's open architecture, it was easy for other companies to copy, or "clone" it. During the 1980s, many new computer companies sprang up, offering less expensive versions of the PC. This drove prices down and spurred innovation. Microsoft developed the Windows operating system, with version 3.1 in 1992 becoming the first commercially successful release. Typical uses for the PC during this period included word processing, spreadsheets, and databases. These early PCs were standalone machines, not connected to a network.

1. What does the video suggest are some common business problems that a CRM can help to solve?

too much information, not sure about business, repeated calls, lose leads, no consistency, ads, no prioritization, etc

1. How does the video describe CRM "in its simplest form"?

way to manage leads, people interested in your business, and existing customers

How data are represented in computer hardware

How are data represented in computer hardware? - Several different ways. Enter the bit. • What is a bit?- Bit is short for "binary digit"- An integer in the range from 0 to 1 ▪ i.e., a bit contains a single binary value of 0 or 1

1. Understand the role ERP software and cloud computing have in companies, and list any disadvantages and advantages of the cloud.

in the 1990s the need to bring an organization's information back under centralized control became more apparent. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (sometimes just called enterprise software) was developed to bring together an entire organization within one program. ERP software utilizes a central database that is implemented throughout the entire organization. Here are some key points about ERP. A software application. ERP is an application that is used by many of an organization's employees. Utilizes a central database. All users of the ERP edit and save their information from the same data source. For example, this means there is only one customer table in the database, there is only one sales (revenue) table in the database, etc. Implemented organization-wide. ERP systems include functionality that covers all of the essential components of a business. An organization can purchase modules for its ERP system that match specific needs such as order entry, manufacturing, or planning. Increase Font Size OPENTEXTBOOK.SITE Toggle MenuSearch in book: SEARCH CONTENTS INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR BUSINESS AND BEYOND (2019) Part I: What is an information system? Chapter 3: Software Learning Objectives Upon successful completion of this chapter, you will be able to: define the term software; identify and describe the two primary categories of software; describe the role ERP software plays in an organization; describe cloud computing and its advantages and disadvantages for use in an organization; and define the term open-source and identify its primary characteristics. Introduction The second component of an information system is software, the set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do. Software is created by developers through the process of programming (covered in more detail in Chapter 10). Without software, the hardware would not be functional. Types of Software Software can be broadly divided into two categories: operating systems and application software. Operating systems manage the hardware and create the interface between the hardware and the user. Application software performs specific tasks such as word processing, accounting, database management, video games, or browsing the web. Operating Systems An operating system is first loaded into the computer by the boot program, then it manages all of the programs in the computer, including both programs native to the operating system such as file and memory management and application software. Operating systems provide you with these key functions: managing the hardware resources of the computer; providing the user-interface components; providing a platform for software developers to write applications. All computing devices require an operating system. The most popular operating systems for personal computers are: Microsoft Windows, Apple's Mac OS, and various versions of Linux. Smartphones and tablets run operating systems as well, such as iOS (Apple), Android (Google), Windows Mobile (Microsoft), and Blackberry. Microsoft provided the first operating system for the IBM-PC, released in 1981. Their initial venture into a Graphical User Interface (GUI) operating system, known as Windows, occurred in 1985. Today's Windows 10 supports the 64-bit Intel CPU. Recall that "64-bit" indicates the size of data that can be moved within the computer. Apple introduced the Macintosh computer 1984 with the first commercially successful GUI. Apple's operating system for the Macintosh is known as "Mac OS " and also uses an Intel CPU supporting 64-bit processing. Mac OS versions have been named after mountains such as El Capitan, Sierra, and High Sierra. Multitasking, virtual memory, and voice input have become standard features of both operating systems. Linux Ubuntu desktop The Linux operating system is open source, meaning individual developers are allowed to make modifications to the programming code. Linux is a version of the Unix operating. Unix runs on large and expensive minicomputers. Linux developer Linus Torvalds, a professor in Finland and the creator of Linux, wanted to find a way to make Unix run on less expensive personal computers. Linux has many variations and now powers a large percentage of web servers in the world. Sidebar: Why Is Microsoft Software So Dominant in the Business World? If you've worked in business, you may have noticed that almost all computers in business run a version of Microsoft Windows. However, in classrooms from elementary to college, there is almost a balance between Macs and PCs. Why has this not extended into the business world? As discussed in Chapter 1, many businesses used IBM mainframe computers back in the 1960s and 1970s. When businesses migrated to the microcomputer (personal computer) market, they elected to stay with IBM and chose the PC. Companies took the safe route, invested in the Microsoft operating system and in Microsoft software/applications. Microsoft soon found itself with the dominant personal computer operating system for businesses. As the networked PC began to replace the mainframe computer, Microsoft developed a network operating system along with a complete suite of programs focused on business users. Today Microsoft Office in its various forms controls 85% of the market. [1] Application Software The second major category of software is application software. Application software is utilized directly today to accomplish a specific goal such as word processing, calculations on a spreadsheet, or surfing the Internet using your favorite browser. The "Killer" App Image of Microsoft Excel When a new type of digital device is invented, there are generally a small group of technology enthusiasts who will purchase it just for the joy of figuring out how it works. A "killer" application is one that becomes so essential that large numbers of people will buy a device just to run that application. For the personal computer, the killer application was the spreadsheet. The first spreadsheet was created by an MBA student at Harvard University who tired of making repeated calculations to determine the optimal result on a problem and decided to create a tool that allowed the user to easily change values and recalculate formulas. The result was the spreadsheet. Today's dominant spreadsheet is Microsoft Excel which still retains the basic functionality of the first spreadsheet. Productivity Software Along with the spreadsheet, several other software applications have become standard tools for the workplace. Known as productivity software, these programs allow office employees to complete their daily work efficiently. Many times these applications come packaged together, such as in Microsoft's Office suite. Here is a list of some of these applications and their basic functions: Word processing Users can create and edit documents using this class of software. Functions include the ability to type and edit text, format fonts and paragraphs, as well as add, move, and delete text throughout the document. Tables and images can be inserted. Documents can be saved in a variety of electronic file formats with Microsoft Word's DOCX being the most popular. Documents can also be converted to other formats such as Adobe's PDF (Portable Document Format) or a .TXT file. Spreadsheet This class of software provides a way to do numeric calculations and analysis, displaying the result in charts and graphs. The working area is divided into rows and columns, where users can enter numbers, text, or formulas. It is the formulas that make a spreadsheet powerful, allowing the user to develop complex calculations that can change based on the numbers entered. The most popular spreadsheet package is Microsoft Excel, which saves its files in the XLSX format. Presentation Users can create slideshow presentations using this class of software. The slides can be projected, printed, or distributed to interested parties. Text, images, audio, and visual can all be added to the slides. Microsoft's PowerPoint is the most popular software right now, saving its files in PPTX format. Some office suites include other types of software. For example, Microsoft Office includes Outlook, its e-mail package, and OneNote, an information-gathering collaboration tool. The professional version of Office also includes Microsoft Access, a database package. (Databases are covered more in Chapter 4.) Microsoft popularized the idea of the office-software productivity bundle with their release of the Microsoft Office Suite. This package continues to dominate the market and most businesses expect employees to know how to use this software. However, many competitors to Microsoft Office do exist and are compatible with the file formats used by Microsoft (see table below). Microsoft also offers a cloud-based version of their office suite named Microsoft Office 365. Similar to Google Drive, this suite allows users to edit and share documents online utilizing cloud-computing technology. Utility Software and Programming Software Utility software includes programs that allow you to fix or modify your computer in some way. Examples include anti-malware software and programs that totally remove software you no longer want installed. These types of software packages were created to fill shortcomings in operating systems. Many times a subsequent release of an operating system will include these utility functions as part of the operating system itself. Programming software's purpose is to produce software. Most of these programs provide developers with an environment in which they can write the code, test it, and convert/compile it into the format that can then be run on a computer. This software is typically identified as the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and is provided free from the corporation that developed the programming language that will be used to write the code. Sidebar: "PowerPointed" to Death Screen shot of Tableau (click to enlarge) As presentation software has gained acceptance as the primary method to formally present information to a group or class, the art of giving an engaging presentation is becoming rare. Many presenters now just read the bullet points in the presentation and immediately bore those in attendance, who can already read it for themselves. The real problem is not with PowerPoint as much as it is with the person creating and presenting. Author and chief evangelist Guy Kawasaki has developed the 10/20/30 rule for Powerpoint users. Just remember: 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30 point font."[2] If you are determined to improve your PowerPoint skills, read Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds. New digital presentation technologies are being developed that go beyond Powerpoint. For example, Prezi uses a single canvas for the presentation, allowing presenters to place text, images, and other media on the canvas, and then navigate between these objects as they present. Tools such as Tableau allow users to analyze data in depth and create engaging interactive visualizations. Sidebar: I Own This Software, Right? Well... When you purchase software and install it on your computer, are you the owner of that software? Technically, you are not! When you install software, you are actually just being given a license to use it. When you first install a package, you are asked to agree to the terms of service or the license agreement. In that agreement, you will find that your rights to use the software are limited. For example, in the terms of the Microsoft Office software license, you will find the following statement: "This software is licensed, not sold. This agreement only gives you some rights to use the features included in the software edition you licensed." For the most part, these restrictions are what you would expect. You cannot make illegal copies of the software and you may not use it to do anything illegal. However, there are other, more unexpected terms in these software agreements. For example, many software agreements ask you to agree to a limit on liability. Again, from Microsoft: "Limitation on and exclusion of damages. You can recover from Microsoft and its suppliers only direct damages up to the amount you paid for the software. You cannot recover any other damages, including consequential, lost profits, special, indirect or incidental damages." This means if a problem with the software causes harm to your business, you cannot hold Microsoft or the supplier responsible for damages. Applications for the Enterprise As the personal computer proliferated inside organizations, control over the information generated by the organization began splintering. For instance, the customer service department creates a customer database to keep track of calls and problem reports, and the sales department also creates a database to keep track of customer information. Which one should be used as the master list of customers? Or perhaps someone in sales might create a spreadsheet to calculate sales revenue, while someone in finance creates a different revenue document that meets the needs of their department, but calculates revenue differently. The two spreadsheets will report different revenue totals. Which one is correct? And who is managing all of this information? Enterprise Resource Planning In the 1990s the need to bring an organization's information back under centralized control became more apparent. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (sometimes just called enterprise software) was developed to bring together an entire organization within one program. ERP software utilizes a central database that is implemented throughout the entire organization. Here are some key points about ERP. A software application. ERP is an application that is used by many of an organization's employees. Utilizes a central database. All users of the ERP edit and save their information from the same data source. For example, this means there is only one customer table in the database, there is only one sales (revenue) table in the database, etc. Implemented organization-wide. ERP systems include functionality that covers all of the essential components of a business. An organization can purchase modules for its ERP system that match specific needs such as order entry, manufacturing, or planning. ERP systems were originally marketed to large corporations. However, as more and more large companies began installing them, ERP vendors began targeting mid-sized and even smaller businesses. Some of the more well-known ERP systems include those from SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft. In order to effectively implement an ERP system in an organization, the organization must be ready to make a full commitment. All aspects of the organization are affected as old systems are replaced by the ERP system. In general, implementing an ERP system can take two to three years and cost several million dollars. So why implement an ERP system? If done properly, an ERP system can bring an organization a good return on their investment. By consolidating information systems across the enterprise and using the software to enforce best practices, most organizations see an overall improvement after implementing an ERP. Business processes as a form of competitive advantage will be covered in Chapter 9. Customer Relationship Management A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system manages an organization's customers. In today's environment, it is important to develop relationships with your customers, and the use of a well-designed CRM can allow a business to personalize its relationship with each of its customers. Some ERP software systems include CRM modules. An example of a well-known CRM package is Salesforce. Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Many organizations must deal with the complex task of managing their supply chains. At its simplest, a supply chain is the linkage between an organization's suppliers, its manufacturing facilities, and the distributors of its products. Each link in the chain has a multiplying effect on the complexity of the process. For example, if there are two suppliers, one manufacturing facility, and two distributors, then the number of links to manage = 4 ( 2 x 1 x 2 ). However, if two more suppliers are added, plus another manufacturing facility, and two more distributors, then the number of links to manage = 32 ( 4 x 2 x 4 ). Also, notice in the above illustration that all arrows have two heads, indicating that information flows in both directions. Suppliers are part of a business's supply chain. They provide information such as price, size, quantity, etc. to the business. In turn, the business provides information such as quantity on hand at every store to the supplier. The key to successful supply chain management is the information system. A Supply Chain Management (SCM) system handles the interconnection between these links as well as the inventory of the products in their various stages of development. As discussed previously much of Walmart's success has come from its ability to identify and control the supply chain for its products. Walmart invested heavily in their information system so they could communicate with their suppliers and manage the thousands of products they sell. Walmart realized in the 1980s that the key to their success was information systems. Specifically, they needed to manage their complex supply chain with its thousands of suppliers, thousands of retail outlets, and millions of customers. Their success came from being able to integrate information systems to every entity (suppliers, warehouses, retail stores) through the sharing of sales and inventory data. Take a moment to study the diagram above...look for the double-headed arrow. Notice that data flows down the supply chain from suppliers to retail stores. But it also flows up the supply chain, back to the suppliers so they can be up to date regarding production and shipping. Mobile Applications Just as with the personal computer, mobile devices such as smartphones and electronic tablets also have operating systems and application software. These mobile devices are in many ways just smaller versions of personal computers. A mobile app is a software application designed to run specifically on a mobile device. As shown in Chapter 2, smartphones are becoming a dominant form of computing, with more smartphones being sold than personal computers. A greater discussion of PC and smartphone sales appears in Chapter 13, along with statistics regarding the decline in tablet sales. Businesses have adjusted to this trend by increasing their investment in the development of apps for mobile devices. The number of mobile apps in the Apple App Store has increased from zero in 2008 to over 2 million in 2017.[3] Building a mobile app will will be covered in Chapter 10. Cloud Computing Historically, for software to run on a computer an individual copy of the software had to be installed on the computer. The concept of "cloud" computing changes this. Cloud Computing The "cloud" refers to applications, services, and data storage located on the Internet. Cloud service providers rely on giant server farms and massive storage devices that are connected via the Internet. Cloud computing allows users to access software and data storage services on the Internet. You probably already use cloud computing in some form. For example, if you access your e-mail via your web browser, you are using a form of cloud computing if you are using Google Drive's applications. While these are free versions of cloud computing, there is big business in providing applications and data storage over the web. Cloud computing is not limited to web applications. It can also be used for services such as audio or video streaming. Advantages of Cloud Computing No software to install or upgrades to maintain. Available from any computer that has access to the Internet. Can scale to a large number of users easily. New applications can be up and running very quickly. Services can be leased for a limited time on an as-needed basis. Your information is not lost if your hard disk crashes or your laptop is lost or stolen. You are not limited by the available memory or disk space on your computer. Disadvantages of Cloud Computing Your information is stored on someone else's computer. You must have Internet access to use it. You are relying on a third-party to provide these services. Cloud computing has the ability to really impact how organizations manage technology. For example, why is an IT department needed to purchase, configure, and manage personal computers and software when all that is really needed is an Internet connection?

1. What is the dot com bubble?

In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Internet was being managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF had restricted commercial ventures on the Internet, which meant that no one could buy or sell anything online. In 1991, the NSF transferred its role to three other organizations, thus getting the US government out of direct control over the Internet and essentially opening up commerce online. This new commercialization of the Internet led to what is now known as the dot-com bubble. A frenzy of investment in new dot-com companies took place in the late 1990s with new tech companies issuing Initial Public Offerings (IPO) and heating up the stock market. This investment bubble was driven by the fact that investors knew that online commerce would change everything. Unfortunately, many of these new companies had poor business models and anemic financial statements showing little or no profit. In 2000 and 2001, the bubble burst and many of these new companies went out of business. Some companies survived, including Amazon (started in 1994) and eBay (1995). After the dot-com bubble burst, a new reality became clear. In order to succeed online, e-business companies would need to develop business models appropriate for the online environmen

· History and future of IoT

Inexpensive processors and sensors with low power requirements • Wireless data and broadband internet (connectivity) • RFID Tags• IPv6 (an address for every device) • IPv4 (~4.3 billion addresses) vs IPv6 (~3.4×1038 addresses)

Differences between IT and IS, and the purpose IS

Information technology (IT) 1. Products2. Methods3. Inventions • • • 4. Standards IT components = Hardware + Software + Data IT drives development of new IS Source: Kroenke and Boyle (2018) • "Organizations are interested in new [IT] because it represents potential opportunities or threats to their ability to generate revenue." IS = IT + Procedures + People • Use IT to solve business problems and create value. This is the IS field! So What is the Purpose of an Information System? • Information systems exist to help people achieve business strategies. So What is the Purpose of an Information System? Thus, understanding the business goals and objectives, and how IT can help meet these objectives, solve business problems, and ultimately create value, is what information systems is all about.

Where IT fits within the business

Information technology helps enable business.

Basic understanding of IoT, IoT devices, and how IoT works

IoT refers to internet enabled devices Computers and tablets are not IoT More than 8.4 billion IoT devices in 2017 with more than 20.4 billion expected by 2020

Nielsen's Law

Network connection speeds for high-end users will increase by 50 percent per year. Networkspeedisincreasing. Higherspeeds enable new products, platforms, and companies

Bell's Law

New class of computers establishes a new industryeachdecade. Newplatforms, programming environments, industries, networks, and information systems. New industries. What an industry does and how it does will change. (Also, what you do and how you do it will also change.)

1. What does this reading suggest is "one of the most important things to keep in mind about a CRM system"?

One of the most important things to keep in mind about a CRM system is that it is ultimately less important than the data you put into it.

1. What is one tool the article suggests will help improve the likelihood of IT project success? Briefly describe what this tool does and how it works.

One tool that I have used to great effect to improve the likelihood of a successful result from digital investments is the benefits dependency network (BDN). This tool seeks to get managers to identify and map all the changes that they will be required to make if expected benefits and outcomes are going to be delivered. It also illustrates very clearly how this change will be enabled and shaped by digital technologies. The resultant network shows how each of the expected benefits will be delivered through a combination of technology and business changes and how these are related to each other.

1. What is commoditization of the Personal Computer and what does it mean?

Over the past forty years, as the personal computer has gone from technical marvel to part of everyday life, it has also become a commodity. There is very little differentiation between computer models and manufacturers, and the primary factor that controls their sale is their price. Hundreds of manufacturers all over the world now create parts for personal computers which are purchased and assembled. As commodities, there are essentially little or no differences between computers made by these different companies. Profit margins for personal computers are minimal, leading hardware developers to find the lowest-cost manufacturing methods. There is one brand of computer for which this is not the case - Apple. Because Apple does not make computers that run on the same open standards as other manufacturers, they can design and manufacture a unique product that no one can easily copy. By creating what many consider to be a superior product, Apple can charge more for their computers than other manufacturers. Just as with the iPad and iPhone, Apple has chosen a strategy of differentiation, an attempt to avoid commoditization.

Hardware

Processors and Memory- Central processing unit (CPU) - "the brain" of the computer. ▪ Single- vs. multi-core CPUs - having more than one "brain."▪ Single- vs. multi-threaded CPUs - each "brain" thinking about more than one thing at the same time.- CPUs vary in speed, function, cost.- CPU works in conjunction with main memory (RAM). ▪ CPU reads data and instructions from memory, and stores results of computation in memory. - Data is initially loaded into RAM from long-term storage (e.g., a hard drive) Storage Hardware- Save data and programs - Common storage devices - Non-volatile▪ Magnetic disks (Hard drive) ▪ Solid-state storage (SSD)▪ Thumb drives▪ Optical disks (CD/DVD) - Volatile - cache and main memory • Example of Computer Hardware at work: Data Centers - Large data centers by Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and others cost $1B+ to build, and employ about a total of 50 people to operate. • See Inside a Google Data Center

1. In what ways can an effective CRM strategy help a business increase revenues?

providing services and products that are exactly what your customers want offering better customer service cross selling products more effectively helping sales staff close deals faster retaining existing customers and discovering new ones

1. Understand the following terms and how they are related: big data, data integrity, data model, relational database, primary key, foreign key, data type, SQL, and NoSQL database.

Recently, big data has been capturing the attention of all types of organizations. The term refers to such massively large data sets that conventional data processing technologies do not have sufficient power to analyze them. Data integrity means consistency among the stored data . The data model of a database is the logical structure of data items and their relationships. Currently, relational database systems are commonly used in business organizations with few exceptions. A relational data model is easy to understand and use. In a relational database, data is organized into tables (or relations). A special filed or a combination of fields that determines the unique record is called primary key (or key). A key is usually the unique identification number of the records. When defining the fields in a database table, we must give each field a data type. Structured Query Language Once you have a database designed and loaded with data, how will you do something useful with it? The primary way to work with a relational database is to use Structured Query Language, SQL (pronounced "sequel," or simply stated as S-Q-L). Almost all applications that work with databases (such as database management systems, discussed below) make use of SQL as a way to analyze and manipulate relational data. As its name implies, SQL is a language that can be used to work with a relational database. From a NoSQL arose from the need to solve the problem of large-scale databases spread over several servers or even across the world. For a relational database to work properly, it is important that only one person be able to manipulate a piece of data at a time, a concept known as record-locking. But with today's large-scale databases (think Google and Amazon), this is just not possible. A NoSQL database can work with data in a looser way, allowing for a more unstructured environment, communicating changes to the data over time to all the servers that are part of the database

1. What is one of the biggest issues with IoT? Why?

Security is one the biggest issues with the IoT. These sensors are collecting in many cases extremely sensitive data -- what you say and do in your own home, for example. Keeping that secure is vital to consumer trust, but so far the IoT's security track record has been extremely poor. Too many IoT devices give little thought to the basics of security, like encrypting data in transit and at rest. Flaws in software -- even old and well-used code -- are discovered on a regular basis, but many IoT devices lack the capability to be patched, which means they are permanently at risk. Hackers are now actively targeting IoT devices such as routers and webcams because their inherent lack of security makes them easy to compromise and roll up into giant botnets. Flaws have left smart home devices like refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers open to hackers. Researchers found 100,000 webcams that could be hacked with ease, while some internet-connected smartwatches for children have been found to contain security vulnerabilities that allow hackers to track the wearer's location, eavesdrop on conversations, or even communicate with the user.

1. Understand the two types of software, define them and think of examples of each

Software can be broadly divided into two categories: operating systems and application software. Operating systems manage the hardware and create the interface between the hardware and the user. Application software performs specific tasks such as word processing, accounting, database management, video games, or browsing the web.

1. Supply chain activities cover what?

Supply chain activities cover everything from product development, sourcing, production, and logistics, as well as the information systems needed to coordinate these activities.

1. What is SCM? Also, what is the "extended supply chain"?

Supply chain management enables enterprises to source the materials necessary to create a product or service and deliver that product or service to customers. The extended supply chain includes all companies that contribute to a product. This means that the extended supply chain includes the suppliers to your suppliers as well as the customers of your customers. When companies encounter supply chain problems, the initial action is to ask the supplier about the situation. However, organizations that monitor the extended supply chain have the option of reaching back through the primary supplier to the company that supplies components to the primary supplier. As an example, if a popular baseball hat is not available from the manufacturer, the normal reaction of the store manager is to contact the manufacturer. However, if the retailer monitors the extended supply chain, the store manager would know the manufacturer was having trouble getting the brim. If it appears that additional brims will not be available to the manufacturer quickly, the retailer would have time to seek a different supplier.

1. According to the chapter, how can we define what technology is? What components of an information system are categorized as technology?

Technology can be thought of as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. From the invention of the wheel to the harnessing of electricity for artificial lighting, technology has become ubiquitous in daily life, to the degree that it is assumed to always be available for use regardless of location. As discussed before, the first three components of information systems - hardware, software, and data - all fall under the category of technology. Each of these will be addressed in an individual chapter. At this point a simple introduction should help you in your understanding.

1. This article describes IoT as "a pretty simple concept." What definition of IoT does the article provide in describing this concept?

The Internet of Things is actually a pretty simple concept, it means taking all the things in the world and connecting them to the interne

1. What is the Internet of Things (IoT)? What does the article suggest can be "transformed into an IoT device"? What does the article also suggest are not considered IoT devices?

The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, all collecting and sharing data. Pretty much any physical object can be transformed into an IoT device if it can be connected to the internet to be controlled or communicate information. For this reason, a PC isn't generally considered an IoT device and neither is a smartphone -- even though the latter is crammed with sensors. A smartwatch or a fitness band or other wearable device might be counted as an IoT device, however.

1. Understand the difference between open and closed source. Why would someone choose one over the other?

The Linux operating system is open source, meaning individual developers are allowed to make modifications to the programming code. Linux is a version of the Unix operating. Unix runs on large and expensive minicomputers. Linux developer Linus Torvalds, a professor in Finland and the creator of Linux, wanted to find a way to make Unix run on less expensive personal computers. Linux has many variations and now powers a large percentage of web servers in the world. When the personal computer was first released, computer enthusiasts banded together to build applications and solve problems. These computer enthusiasts were motivated to share any programs they built and solutions to problems they found. This collaboration enabled them to more quickly innovate and fix problems. As software began to become a business, however, this idea of sharing everything fell out of favor with many developers. When a program takes hundreds of hours to develop, it is understandable that the programmers do not want to just give it away. This led to a new business model of restrictive software licensing which required payment for software, a model that is still dominant today. This model is sometimes referred to as closed source, as the source code is not made available to others. There are many, however, who feel that software should not be restricted. Just as with those early hobbyists in the 1970s, they feel that innovation and progress can be made much more rapidly if they share what has been learned. In the 1990s, with Internet access connecting more people together, the open-source movement gained steam.

1. What does the article suggest are the main business benefits to IoT?

The benefits of the IoT for business depend on the particular implementation; agility and efficiency are usually top considerations. The idea is that enterprises should have access to more data about their own products and their own internal systems, and a greater ability to make changes as a result.

1. What are the two core ideas upon which SCM is based?

The first is that practically every product that reaches an end user represents the cumulative effort of multiple organizations. These organizations are referred to collectively as the supply chain. The second idea is that while supply chains have existed for a long time, most organizations have only paid attention to what was happening within their "four walls." Few businesses understood, much less managed, the entire chain of activities that ultimately delivered products to the final customer. The result was disjointed and often ineffective supply chains.

Kryder's Law

The storage density on magnetic disks is increasing at an exponential rate. Storage capacity is increasing exponentially. The cost of storing data is approaching zero.

1. List and define each of the components of an information system. What examples does the chapter use to describe some of these components?

Tnformation systems can be viewed as having five major components: hardware, software, data, people, and processes. The first three are technology. These are probably what you thought of when defining information systems. The last two components, people and processes, separate the idea of information systems from more technical fields, such as computer science. In order to fully understand information systems, you will need to understand how all of these components work together to bring value to an organization.

1. What is a database management system? What are some examples?

To the computer, a database looks like one or more files. In order for the data in the database to be stored, read, changed, added, or removed, a software program must access it. Many software applications have this ability: iTunes can read its database to give you a listing of its songs (and play the songs); your mobile-phone software can interact with your list of contacts. But what about applications to create or manage a database? What software can you use to create a database, change a database's structure, or simply do analysis? That is the purpose of a category of software applications called database management systems (DBMS). DBMS packages generally provide an interface to view and change the design of the database, create queries, and develop reports. Most of these packages are designed to work with a specific type of database, but generally are compatible with a wide range of databases. A database that can only be used by a single user at a time is not going to meet the needs of most organizations. As computers have become networked and are now joined worldwide via the Internet, a class of database has emerged that can be accessed by two, ten, or even a million people. These databases are sometimes installed on a single computer to be accessed by a group of people at a single location. Other times, they are installed over several servers worldwide, meant to be accessed by millions. In enterprises the relational DBMS are built and supported by companies such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and IBM Db2. The open-source MySQL is also an enterprise database. Microsoft Access and Open Office Base are examples of personal database-management systems. These systems are primarily used to develop and analyze single-user databases. These databases are not meant to be shared across a network or the Internet, but are instead installed on a particular device and work with a single user at a time. Apache OpenOffice.org Base (see screen shot) can be used to create, modify, and analyze databases in open-database (ODB) format. Microsoft's Access DBMS is used to work with databases in its own Microsoft Access Database format. Both Access and Base have the ability to read and write to other database formats as well.

1. Understand binary and why it is useful for technology.

Understanding binary is important because it helps us understand how computers store and transmit data. A "bit" is the lowest level of data storage, stored as either a one or a zero. If a computer wants to communicate the number 15, it would need to send 1111 in binary (as shown above). This is four bits of data since four digits are needed. A "byte" is 8 bits. If a computer wanted to transmit the number 15 in a byte, it would send 00001111. The highest number that can be sent in a byte is 255, which is 11111111, which is equal to 27+26+25+24+23+22+21+20.

1. According to the article, why have IT projects generally failed over the years?

We know that when IT projects fail, it is usually not because the technology didn't work (although this can sometimes be the case), but because the changes required at an organizational and employee level weren't managed effectively. Quite simply, adding technology does not automatically confer expected benefits; these benefits have to be unlocked and this can only happen through achieving organizational changes.

· What is data? The distinction between data, information, and knowledge (Foundations 3, slides esp.)

What are data?- Data are facts with symbolic structure adhered to them. • How are data, information, and knowledge related? - Digital Content Attribute-based Order: ▪ data = facts + symbols; ▪ information = data + meaning; and▪ knowledge = information + application - Prior research suggests that these may not be strictly hierarchical, but may be partially intersecting, as seen on the next slide.

Databases: Purpose and Concepts relating to, including understanding relevant terms (e.g., tables, records/ rows, fields/ columns, relationships, primary key, foreign key, SQL, DBMS, etc.)

What is a database? - A collection of interrelated, shared, and controlled data. - A self-describing collection of related tables and other structures. - A collection of interrelated data items that can be processed by one or more application systems. - A shared collection of related data used to support the activities of a particular organization. - A representation of some aspect of the real world or a collection of data (facts + symbols) representing real-world things. • What is a relational database? - A type of database that stores data in relations (perceived by the user as tables). - Each relation is composed of rows (records, tuples) and columns (fields, attributes), similar to a spreadsheet. - A database usually has multiple tables, and each table contains data about a different type of thing. - Each row of a table has data about a particular occurrence or instance of a thing of interest. - Each column of a table stores a characteristic or attributes common to all rows.

1. Difference between Wi-Fi and Mobile Networks

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi takes an Internet signal and converts it into radio waves. These radio waves can be picked up within a radius of approximately 65 feet by devices with a wireless adapter. Several Wi-Fi specifications have been developed over the years, starting with 802.11b in 1999, followed by the 802.11g specification in 2003 and 802.11n in 2009. Each new specification improved the speed and range of Wi-Fi, allowing for more uses. One of the primary places where Wi-Fi is being used is in the home. Home users access Wi-Fi via in-home routers provided by the telecommunications firm that services the residence. Mobile Network As the cellphone has evolved into the smartphone, the desire for Internet access on these devices has led to data networks being included as part of the mobile phone network. While Internet connections were technically available earlier, it was really with the release of the 3G networks in 2001 (2002 in the US) that smartphones and other cellular devices could access data from the Internet. This new capability drove the market for new and more powerful smartphones, such as the iPhone, introduced in 2007. In 2011, wireless carriers began offering 4G data speeds, giving the cellular networks the same speeds that customers were accustomed to getting via their home connection. Beginning in 2019, some part of the world began seeing the implementation of 5G communication networks. Speeds associated with 5G will be greater than 1 GB/second, providing connection speeds to handle just about any type of application. Some have speculated that the 5G implementation will lead households to eliminate the purchase of wired Internet connections for their homes, just using 5G wireless connections instead.

1. Is data privacy an issue for IoT? Why or why not?

With all those sensors collecting data on everything you do, the IoT is a potentially vast privacy and security headache. Take the smart home: it can tell when you wake up (when the smart coffee machine is activated) and how well you brush your teeth (thanks to your smart toothbrush), what radio station you listen to (thanks to your smart speaker), what type of food you eat (thanks to your smart oven or fridge), what your children think (thanks to their smart toys), and who visits you and passes by your house (thanks to your smart doorbell). While companies will make money from selling you the smart object in the first place, their IoT business model probably involves selling at least some of that data, too. What happens to that data is a vitally important privacy matter. Not all smart home companies build their business model around harvesting and selling your data, but some do.

1. What does the article suggest is the "takeaway definition" of IoT? Also, what does the article suggest as to why IoT matters?

Your Takeaway Definition of IoT What is IoT?: The internet of Things, or "IoT" for short, is about extending the power of the internet beyond computers and smartphones to a whole range of other things, processes, and environments. Those "connected" things are used to gather information, send information back, or both. Why does IoT matter?: IoT provides businesses and people better insight into and control over the 99 percent of objects and environments that remain beyond the reach of the internet. And by doing so, IoT allows businesses and people to be more connected to the world around them and to do more meaningful, higher-level work.

1. How did Walmart use information technology competitively?

almart is the world's largest retailer, earn 8.1 billion for the fiscal year that ended on January 31, 2018. Walmart currently serves over 260 million customers every week worldwide through its 11,700 stores in 28 countries.[6]In 2018 Fortune magazine for the sixth straight year ranked Walmart the number one company for annual revenue as they again exceeded $500 billion in annual sales. The next closest company, Exxon, had less than half of Walmart's total revenue.[7] Walmart's rise to prominence is due in large part to making information systems a high priority, especially in their Supply Chain Management (SCM) system known as Retail Link.ing $14.3 billion on sales of $30 This system, unique when initially implemented in the mid-1980s, allowed Walmart's suppliers to directly access the inventory levels and sales information of their products at any of Walmart's more than eleven thousand stores. Using Retail Link, suppliers can analyze how well their products are selling at one or more Walmart stores with a range of reporting options. Further, Walmart requires the suppliers to use Retail Link to manage their own inventory levels. If a supplier feels that their products are selling out too quickly, they can use Retail Link to petition Walmart to raise the inventory levels for their products. This has essentially allowed Walmart to "hire" thousands of product managers, all of whom have a vested interest in the products they are managing. This revolutionary approach to managing inventory has allowed Walmart to continue to drive prices down and respond to market forces quickly. Today Walmart continues to innovate with information technology. Using its tremendous market presence, any technology that Walmart requires its suppliers to implement immediately becomes a business standard. For example, in 1983 Walmart became the first large retailer to require suppliers to the use Uniform Product Code (UPC) labels on all products. Clearly, Walmart has learned how to use I.T. to gain a competitive advantage.

1. Distinguish between the terms: data, information, and knowledge.

ata are the raw facts, and may be devoid of context or intent. For example, a sales order of computers is a piece of data. Data can be quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative data is numeric, the result of a measurement, count, or some other mathematical calculation. Qualitative data is descriptive. "Ruby Red," the color of a 2013 Ford Focus, is an example of qualitative data. A number can be qualitative too: if I tell you my favorite number is 5, that is qualitative data because it is descriptive, not the result of a measurement or mathematical calculation. Information is processed data that possess context, relevance, and purpose. For example, monthly sales calculated from the collected daily sales data for the past year are information. Information typically involves the manipulation of raw data to obtain an indication of magnitude, trends, in patterns in the data for a purpose. Knowledge in a certain area is human beliefs or perceptions about relationships among facts or concepts relevant to that area. For example, the conceived relationship between the quality of goods and the sales is knowledge. Knowledge can be viewed as information that facilitates action.

Exchange Transactions: Creating entity, The Work, Others

exchange transactions are created

1. oT is a "significant driver" of what? Why?

hat means the IoT is a significant driver of big-data analytics projects because it allows companies to create vast data sets and analyse them. Giving a manufacturer vast amounts of data about how its components behave in real-world situations can help them to make improvements much more rapidly, while data culled from sensors around a city could help planners make traffic flow more efficiently.

1. What is the brief history of IoT, and what technologies helped to bring about IoT as we know it today?

he idea of adding sensors and intelligence to basic objects was discussed throughout the 1980s and 1990s (and there are arguably some much earlier ancestors), but apart from some early projects -- including an internet-connected vending machine -- progress was slow simply because the technology wasn't ready. Chips were too big and bulky and there was no way for objects to communicate effectively. Processors that were cheap and power-frugal enough to be all but disposable were needed before it finally became cost-effective to connect up billions of devices. The adoption of RFID tags -- low-power chips that can communicate wirelessly -- solved some of this issue, along with the increasing availability of broadband internet and cellular and wireless networking. The adoption of IPv6 -- which, among other things, should provide enough IP addresses for every device the world (or indeed this galaxy) is ever likely to need -- was also a necessary step for the IoT to scale. Kevin Ashton coined the phrase 'Internet of Things' in 1999, although it took at least another decade for the technology to catch up with the vision.

1. How big is the Internet of Things? What are some of the estimates regarding its growth (i.e., what are the numbers)?

ig and getting bigger -- there are already more connected things than people in the world. Tech analyst company IDC predicts that in total there will be 41.6 billion connected IoT devices by 2025, or "things." It also suggests industrial and automotive equipment represent the largest opportunity of connected "things,", but it also sees strong adoption of smart home and wearable devices in the near term. Another tech analyst, Gartner, predicts that the enterprise and automotive sectors will account for 5.8 billion devices this year, up almost a quarter on 2019. Utilities will be the highest user of IoT, thanks to the continuing rollout of smart meters. Security devices, in the form of intruder detection and web cameras will be the second biggest use of IoT devices. Building automation - like connected lighting - will be the fastest growing sector, followed by automotive (connected cars) and healthcare (monitoring of chronic conditions).

1. The video suggests that "CMR is not a _______________, but a _______________."

not a tactic, but a strategy

1. What are reasons businesses use ERP systems?

providing insights from customer information integrating orders standardizing and speeding manufacturing integrating financial information standardizing procurement

1. Why is SCM important (good answers in reading)?

ver the last twenty years, the supply chains of manufacturers and retailers have become ever more tightly linked. In many industries, retail sales trigger replenishment orders to manufacturers. Manufacturers with a well-tuned, just-in-time supply chain can automatically restock retail shelves as products are sold. As collaboration has increased, additional data from supply chain partners has allowed companies to use advanced analytic tool to further improve results. Examples include: Identifying potential problems before they occur. When a customer orders more product than the manufacturer can deliver, the traditional response has been to short the order. This leaves the buyer feeling unimportant and convinced the manufacturer's service is poor. Manufacturers who anticipate the shortage before the buyer is disappointed may be able to offer a substitute product or other incentive to keep the buyer happy. Optimizing price dynamically. Seasonal products, particularly fashion products, have a limited shelf life. Any that don't sell by the end of the season are scrapped or sold at deep discounts to empty the warehouse. Airlines, hotels, and other companies with a limited, but perishable product, adjust prices dynamically to meet demand. While this is more difficult with clothing and other products where the supply can vary widely, similar forecasting techniques can improve margins. Improving the allocation of available to promise inventory. Today's tools dynamically allocate resources and schedule work based on the sales forecast, actual orders, and promised delivery of raw materials. Manufacturers are able to confirm a product delivery date when the order is placed, significantly reducing incorrectly filled orders.

· Emerging technologies with regards to mobile technology

• Consider some of the possibilities with mobile technologies: • Voice control of mobile devices • Immersive realities• Facial recognition• Artificial intelligence


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