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MIST 595- INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR MANAGEMENT

1. It can be debated that organizational change drives the technology (i.e., technology is a response to organizational needs), the technology drives organizational change (i.e., feasible technology is used to cultivate organizational wants), or that both technology and organizational change evolve together. What are your views on this? ANSWER: Each one of them can drive the other one because many organizations use technology to facilitate growth but also technology might change (improve) due to the need of the organization to growth. Technology speeds up the process of any kind of organization and at the same time any kind of organization can push technology forward. 2. How might an organization implement an intranet on the Internet so as to avoid the security and privacy risks commonly associated with the latter? ANSWER: By using appropriate security measures such as deploying security appliances (firewalls) and security policies. The best way to protect it is by using VPN (virtual private networking). 3. In general, open source software is essentially free, it is readily accessible, it is user modifiable, and it is typically unsupported. Why would an organization select such software for mission critical applications? ANSWER: An organization selects such software in order to reduce the total cost of ownership. Open source is free and accessible by anyone. You dont pay license fees on it .there is no customer support center. 4. What is the main problem in managing data? ANSWER: The major problem in managing data is the inconsistency or integrity. Data need to be up to date and provide useful information. 5. Why was ERP a driving force in getting data into shape in many companies? ANSWER: Enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs) are management information systems (MISs) that integrate and automate many of the business practices associated with the operations or production and distribution aspects of a company engaged in manufacturing products or services.

Enterprise resource planning systems are often closely tied to supply chain management and logistics automation systems. Supply chain management software can extend the ERP system to include links with suppliers.

6. How would it be possible for an organization to use outsourcing to gain a competitive edge on competition? ANSWER: Outsourcing is cheaper and as a consequence it minimizes cost so lower prices. 7. What is the definition of a decision support system? Give an example: computer-based systems that help decision makers. ANSWER: An application primarily used to consolidate, summarize, or transform transaction data to support analytical reporting and trend analysis One of the examples is Clinical decision support system for medical diagnosis. Other examples include a bank loan officer verifying the credit of a loan applicant or an engineering firm that has bids on several projects and wants to know if they can be competitive with their costs. A specific example concerns the Canadian National Railway system, which tests its equipment on a regular basis using a Decision Support System. A problem faced by any railroad is worn-out or defective rails, which can result in hundreds of derailments per year. Under a DSS, CN managed to decrease the incidence of derailments at the same time other companies were experiencing an increase.

8. In the past, people believed that knowledge is power and they sometimes used such knowledge to build empires that resulted in isolated, dysfunctional organizational units. In the new knowledge sharing environment, how could this tendency to hoard knowledge and expertise be minimized or eliminated. ANSWER: Use your knowledge to answer this question.information must be share to have a use

9. There are different categories of computers: mainframes, minicomputers, PCs, etc. How do they differ? What role does each generally play in a business? ANSWER: Mainframe is a super computer dedicated to run critical business applications. It is more expensive and much more powerful than a personal computer. Minicomputers are usually small, inexpensive and relatively limited processing capacity. They are usually responsible for performing trivial (non complicated) tasks. For example, palm pilots, gps, scientific calculators. PC is designed to make the individual user more productive and to help automate different everyday tasks (office communication). 10. What is an operating system? Why are there different operating systems? What are four roles played by the operating system? ANSWER: Operating system is a computer program that controls the components of a computer system and facilitates the operation of applications (Windows, Windows XP, Mac 0S).operating system is the interpreter between the user and the hardware. 1. managing memory 2. managing the CPU 3. managing security 4. controlling peripheral devices There are different operating systems to match different needs.(os for pc and op for phone or different kind of computer). 11. What is a database management system? ANSWER: A database management system (DBMS) is a set of software programs that controls the organization, storage and retrieval of data (fields, records and files) in a database. It also controls the security and integrity of the database 12. Briefly describe how the Internet works, including alternatives for connecting to it and the role of Internet service providers? ANSWER: The Internet, or simply the Net, is the publicly accessible worldwide system of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using a standardized Internet Protocol (IP). It is made up of thousands of smaller commercial, academic, domestic, and government networks. It carries various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, and the interlinked Web pages and other documents of the World Wide Web.

Internet is 1000 of computers connected together each one having its own unique number (just like telephone numbers) that other computers can use in order to communicate, exchange information. In order to connect to Internet you can either use dial up modem, DSL(digital subscriber line) cable, satellite. The role of Internet service providers is that they provide the infrastructure for the Internet to work. Also they sell the service to the end users. 13. What is e-commerce? Identify some of the major challenges companies must overcome to succeed in e-commerce. Identify some successful e-commerce web sites. ANSWER: E-commerce is a form of business conducted through the internet. Some major challenges are: a lot of competition, how to gain the customers trust due to the impersonal nature of the internet and the cost of maintaining the computer systems (IT). Some successful e-commerce web sites are Amazon, E-bay, stables, Best Buy, Circus City, Google (ads). 14. What is artificial intelligence? Briefly describe several applications of artificial intelligence. ANSWER: Artificial Intelligence is the ability of a computer to perform tasks, such as reasoning and learning, that human intelligence is capable of performing. Some of the applications of AI are computer chess (which defeated the champion). 15. What is systems development? List several participants in the system development team. What role is played by these participants? ANSWER: Developing information systems by a process of investigation, analysis, design, implementation and maintenance (life cycle). Participants are the systems analysts, programmers, project managers quality assurance. The role of the participants is that each one of them is responsible for each stage of developing a system. 16. Identify major management challenges to building and using information systems in organizations. ANSWER: Integrity, security, reliability, maintenance cost, user training.

17. How are information technology services delivered in organizations? Describe the role played by programmers, systems analysts, information systems managers and the chief information officer (CIO). ANSWER: A programmer or software developer is someone who programs computers, i.e., one who writes computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to the general mass of programmers working for a software company who implement the bulk of the code in large scale software, whether it be for a large mainframe or a personal computer. The Chief Information Officer or CIO is a job title for a manager responsible for information technology within an organization, such as a listed company or an educational institution. 18. Identify the hardware components in a typical computer system. ANSWER: CPU: central processing unit (the brain) Main Memory: RAM Motherboard: everything is connected on it Hard drive: primary storage Floppy drive: secondary memory Monitor:display device Keyboard and mouse CD ROM: secondary memory Network Interface card and or modem: communication devices 19. Compare and contrast application software with operating systems software. What are their respective functions? What roles do they perform? What is the relationship between application software and operating systems software? ANSWER: Operating system software is used to interface and control the computer hardware and allow other applications to run. Applications on the other hand are designed to run under an operating system and have not direct access to the hardware, perform different tasks for the end user. The relationship between the two of them is that the operating system is the host of application systems.

20. What are some examples of applications and system software? What general types of application software are there? What is an example of open systems software? What are the general types of application software? ANSWER: Examples of applications are word, excel, oulook etc and system software windows, unix, mac etc. 21. Wi-Fi has brought with it a great deal of flexibility for the home and business user, however, there is a price to pay for this flexibility. Discuss the disadvantages to the firm of the implementation of Wi-Fi networks. ANSWER: Wi-Fi (also WiFi, Wi-fi, Wifi, or wifi) is a brand licensed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to products which pass testing demonstrating that they implement a set of product compatibility standards for wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications Wi-Fi was intended to be used for mobile devices and LANs, but is now often used for Internet access. It enables a person with a wireless-enabled computer or personal digital assistant (PDA) to connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point. The geographical region covered by one or several access points is called a hotspot. Wi-Fi = wireless fidelity. The major disadvantage to the firm of the implementation of Wi-Fi networks is security. The reason is that if the network is not properly secure someone from the outside can gain access. Another major disadvantage is the connection reliability. The signal might drop in a critical operation. 22. Information technology helps improve productivity for the business. IT also costs revenue for its operation and maintenance. Give some examples of key performance indicators for information systems. Discuss why IT consolidation and optimization are getting attention from large IT organizations. ANSWER: Information technology (IT) or Information and communication(s) technology (ICT) (also Infocomm, esp. in Asia) is a broad subject concerned with technology and other aspects of managing and processing information, especially in large organizations

In particular, IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and retrieve information. For that reason, computer professionals are often called IT specialists, and the division of a company or university that deals with software technology is often called the IT department. Other names for the latter are information services (IS) or management information services (MIS), managed service providers (MSP). 23. Cutting edge information technology may be used to generate competitive advantage for many organizations. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of implementing cutting edge technologies. ANSWER: Cutting edge-latest technology available. major advantage increase productivity, lowering manufacturing costs, automate business processes. E.g. assembly lines, accounting software or better any soft wares. Disadvantages are costly to implement, maintenance-skill workers-higher wages. 24. Web based technologies have changed the way in which many applications are deployed within organizations. Discuss the benefits of web based interfaces to such applications. ANSWER: Benefits of web based interfaces are easily accessible from anywhere that an internet connection is provided. Usually web applications are platform independent (can work at any platform-operating system), and also are easily upgrade- updated. 25. When deploying applications within an organization, communication with different groups of individuals is essential to the success of the deployment. Discuss the different groups of individuals, the timing of communications and the content of those communications to enhance the success of the deployment. ANSWER:

Software deployment is all of the activities that make a software system available for use. The general deployment process consists of several interrelated activities with possible transitions between them. These activities can occur at the producer site or at the consumer site or both. Because every software is unique, the precise processes or procedures within each activity can hardly be defined. Therefore, "deployment" should be interpreted as a general process that has to be customized according to specific requirements or characteristics. A brief description of each activity will be presented later

Release The release activity is the interface of the deployment process with the development process. It includes all the operations to prepare a system for assembly and transfer to the customer site. Therefore, it must determine the resources required to operate at the customer site and collect information for carrying out subsequent activities of deployment process. [edit] Install The installation is the initial insertion of software into a customer site. Currently, this activity is best supported by specialized tools. The two sub-activities are transfer and configure. The former one is to transfer the product from the producer site to the customer site, while the latter one refers to all the configuration operations that make the system ready for customer uses. [edit] Activate Activation is the activity of starting up the executable component of software. For simple system, it involves establishing some form of command for execution. For complex system, it should make all the supporting systems ready to use. [edit] Deactivate Deactivation is the inverse of activation. It is to shut down every executing component for an installed system. [edit] Update Updating is a process of installing a new version of a system / software. It can be considered as a less complex installation process since many of the needed resource have already been inserted during the installation. So, same to installation, it includes 2 subactivities of transfer and configure. [edit] Adapt The adaptation activity is also a process to modify a software system that has been previously installed. It differs from updating in that adaptations are initialed by local events such as changing the environment of customer site, while updating is mostly started from remote software producer. [edit]

Uninstall Uninstallation is the inverse of installation. It is a remove of a system that is no longer required. It also involves some reconfiguration of other software systems in order to remove the uninstalled system files and dependencies. This is not to be confused with the term "deinstall" which is not actually a word. [edit] Retire Ultimately, a software system is marked as obsolete and support by the producers is withdrawn. It is the end of the life cycle of a software product.