Study Guide Questions

Question 1

In the information systems triangle of people, process, and technology, which is the most difficult to manage?

Answer 1

People, because they resist change and tend to have their own ideas of how to accomplish their tasks.

This highlights the challenges organizations face in managing human resources during transitions.

Question 2

What is the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in an organization?

Answer 2

• Managing technology
• Managing information flow throughout the organization

The CIO is a critical part of organizational executive management.

Question 3

True or false: The CIO reports to the Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for managing the finances of the organization.

Answer 3

FALSE

The CIO is primarily focused on technology and information management, not financial management.

Question 4

Where should information systems courses be taught in universities?

Answer 4

In computer science

This is because software development is a key component of information systems.

Question 5

What is the significance of organizational architecture?

Answer 5

No organization has one

This highlights the complexity and variability of organizational structures.

Question 6

What kind of system is most responsible for moving data into the organization?

Answer 6

• Transaction processing systems
• Management information systems
• Databases and data warehouses
• Executive information systems

Transaction processing systems are crucial as they handle data from customers and suppliers.

Question 7

True or false: The Accounting department was the first to use computers in organizations because they deal with a lot of numbers.

Answer 7

TRUE

Early computers were particularly effective in processing numerical data.

Question 8

Which of these is the best example of outsourcing?

A.) Volkswagen acquires a steel manufacturing plant to reduce operating costs.
B.) Microsoft has a customer service function through Convergys in India.
C.) Audi builds a manufacturing plant in China to better serve the local market there.
D.) Apple sells printers manufactured in Russia.

Answer 8

B.) Microsoft has a customer service function through Convergys in India.

Question 9

Organizations need to create sustained competitive advantages to beat the competition. Which one of these strategies is most likely to create a sustainable competitive advantage?

A.) Lowering your price below your competition.
B.) Developing a secret chicken recipe.
C.) Moving your Manufacturing jobs to Mexico or India.
D.) having a friendly, knowledgeable sales staff.

Answer 9

B.) Developing a secret chicken recipe.

Question 10

Where can information technology have the biggest impact in the organization?

A.) Transaction processing systems, where companies can process customer orders faster.
B.) Information systems where managers can better monitor and manage employee productivity.
C.) Executive Information Systems, where executives can plan better business strategies.
D.) Manufacturing control systems where robots can manufacture products much faster than humans.

Answer 10

C.) Executive Information Systems, where executives can plan better business strategies.

Question 11

When building an information Technology Strategy, it is critical to align technology with business. Which comes first?

A.) Identifying information Technology Strategy should come before business strategy.
B.) Identifying business strategy should come before information Technology Strategy.
C.) Identifying strategic data needs should come before the business strategy.
D.) Day-to-day operations should come first, then information Technology Strategy to make these more efficient.

Answer 11

B.) Identifying business strategy should come before information Technology Strategy.

Question 12

Why do so few organizations have a good information architecture?

Answer 12

Information technology in the organization is usually built from the ground up rather than the top-down.

Question 13

Every organization has an information technology infrastructure. What is it?

Answer 13

It’s how the organizational architecture is actually implemented.

Question 14

DELETE

Question 15

Moore’s Law has been a fact of life for organizations since 1965. Stated briefly, Moore’s Law says what?

Answer 15

Computer processor power doubles every 18 months.

Question 16

Cloud computing is transforming the organizational data center. Why?

Answer 16

Processing and storage can grow and shrink depending on need.

Question 17

The most common measure of disk storage is the gigabyte. This is approximately how many megabytes?

Answer 17

1,000 megabytes

Question 18

What is the cheapest and fastest way to increase the speed of a desktop computer?

Answer 18

Add more memory.

Question 19

What is the difference between information systems and information technology?

A.) The terms information systems and information technology are essentially the same and can be used interchangeably.
B.) The term information systems describes all of the components and resources necessary to deliver its information and functions to the organization. The term information technology refers to the various hardware and software components necessary for the system to operate.
C.) Information technology can contain simply hardware components such as pencil and paper while information systems rely on computer-based technologies.
D.) The term information technologies describes all of the components and resources necessary to deliver its information and function to the organization. The term information systems refers to the various hardware and software components necessary for the system to operate.

Answer 19

B.) The term information systems describes all of the components and resources necessary to deliver its information and functions to the organization. The term information technology refers to the various hardware and software components necessary for the system to operate.

Question 20

A strategic information system is one kind of application software. What is its purpose?

Answer 20

To help give the organization a strategic advantage.

Question 21

The most common type of application software package used to communicate with the World Wide Web is called what?

Answer 21

A Web browser.

Question 22

It takes a great deal of time and effort to build a successful database. The most successful database projects have the developers who are what?

Answer 22

Very good at understanding the organizational processes.

Question 23

What is the purpose of a database?

Answer 23

To store detailed data needed to support organizational operations.

Question 24

In business, all professionals must deal with knowledge. The term “knowledge worker” is very appropriate for those who specialize in knowledge. What is a knowledge worker? They are professionals who do what?

Answer 24

Knowledge workers create, modify, and/or synthesize knowledge as a fundamental part of their jobs.

Question 25

Deep inside the computer there's an electronic circuit that generates pulses at a rapid rate to set the pace for processing events to take place. What is this thing called?

Answer 25

System clock.

Question 26

every computer has one. It's a kind of system software that coordinates the interaction between hardware components, peripherals, application software, and users. What is it?

Answer 26

An operating system.

Question 27

What is a server?

Answer 27

They are used to provide services to users within large organizations or to Web users.

Question 28

Alvin Toffler was famous for creating a "wave theory" that describes the various technological shifts that the world has gone through. According to him, we are now in the "third wave". What happened when the third wave hit?

Answer 28

Information became the currency of the realm.

Question 29

We're now very much in the global economy. Which of the following is an economic change brought about by globalization that has been enables by information technology? A.) Increase in the frequency of worldwide fads and phenomena B.) Development of lost-cost computing platforms. C.) Availability of low-cost communication systems. D.) Increase in the outsourcing of labor.

Answer 29

D.) Increase in the outsourcing of labor.

Question 30

Each level of an organization has different information systems need. Which level of the organization is primarily concerned with the routine, day-to-day business processes and interactions with customers?

Answer 30

Operational

Question 31

There are many levels of management in a typical organization. Tactical managers do some very important work in the organization and make extensive use of information systems. What do tactical managers focus on? A.) Deploying organizational resources to achieve the strategic objectives of the organization. B.) Routine day-to-day business processes and interactions with customers C.) Long-term strategic questions facing the organization. D.) Complex problems with broad and long-term ramifications for the organization.

Answer 31

A.) Deploying organizational resources to achieve the strategic objectives of the organization.