Deck 1: Information Systems in Global Business Today

Question 1

Investment in IT is over 50% of all invested capital.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Government and private sector standards are examples of complementary social assets required to optimize returns from IT investments.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

There are four major business functions: sales and marketing; manufacturing and production; finance and accounting; and information technology.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Knowledge workers assist with paperwork at all levels of the firm.

Question 5

Information systems literacy describes the behavioral approach to information systems, whereas computer literacy describes the technical approach.

Question 6

Computers are only part of an information system.

Question 7

Studies have consistently shown that firms that invest greater amounts in information technology receive greater benefits than firms that invest less.

Question 8

Business processes are logically related tasks for accomplishing tasks that have been formally encoded by an organization.

Question 9

A fully digital firm produces only digital goods or services.

Question 10

Developing a new product, fulfilling an order, and hiring a new employee are examples of business processes.

Question 11

In order to understand how a specific business firm uses information systems, you need to know something about the hierarchy and culture of the company.

Question 12

UPS's use of Web-based tools that allow customers to embed UPS functions such as tracking and cost calculations into their own Web sites was an information systems solution used to achieve customer intimacy.

Question 13

The dimensions of information systems are management, organizations, and information technology.

Question 14

A business model describes how a company produces, delivers, and sells a product or service to create wealth.

Question 15

The behavioral approach to information systems leaves aside technical solutions to instead analyze the psychological, social, and economic impacts of systems.

Question 16

Internet advertising is growing at approximately 10 percent a year.

Question 17

A substantial part of management responsibility is creative work driven by new knowledge and information.

Question 18

A firm that invests in efficient business processes is making an investment in organizational complementary assets.

Question 19

Intranets allow firms to work easily with third-party suppliers and vendors.

Question 20

Information technology (IT) consists of all the hardware that a firm needs to use in order to achieve its business objectives, whereas information systems consist of all the software and business processes needed.

Question 21

The fundamental set of assumptions, values, and ways of doing things that has been accepted by most of a company's members is called its

A) culture.
B) environment.
C) atmosphere.
D) values.

Question 22

The field that deals with behavioral issues as well as technical issues surrounding the development, use, and impact of information systems used by managers and employees in the firm is called

A) information systems literacy.
B) information systems architecture.
C) management information systems.
D) information technology infrastructure.

Question 23

The use of information systems because of necessity describes the business objective of

A) survival.
B) improved business practices.
C) competitive advantage.
D) improved flexibility.

Question 24

The average number of tickets sold daily online is an example of

A) input.
B) raw data.
C) meaningful information.
D) feedback.

Question 25

Verizon's implementation of a Web-based digital dashboard to provide managers with real-time information such as customer complaints is an example of

A) improved flexibility.
B) improved decision making.
C) improved efficiency.
D) customer and supplier intimacy.

Question 26

Order data for baseball tickets and bar code data are examples of

A) raw input.
B) raw output.
C) customer and product data.
D) sales information.

Question 27

The three activities in an information system that produce the information organizations use to control operations are

A) information retrieval, research, and analysis.
B) input, output, and feedback.
C) input, processing, and output.
D) data analysis, processing, and feedback.

Question 28

Which of the following objectives best describes the business strategy behind the technologies implemented in Disney's Operational Command Center, as discussed in the chapter case?

A) operational excellence
B) new products and services
C) competitive advantage
D) customer support

Question 29

Data management technology consists of the

A) physical hardware and media used by an organization for storing data.
B) detailed, preprogrammed instructions that control and coordinate the computer hardware components in an information system.
C) software governing the organization of data on physical storage media.
D) hardware and software used to transfer data.

Question 30

An example of raw data from a national chain of automobile stores would be

A) an average of 13 Toyotas are sold daily in Kentucky.
B) 30 percent increase in Toyota RAV4 sales during September in Kentucky.
C) 1 Toyota RAV4 sold March 3, 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky.
D) all of the above.

Question 31

Converting raw data into a more meaningful form is called

A) capturing.
B) processing.
C) organizing.
D) feedback.

Question 32

In a hierarchical organization, the upper levels consist of

A) managerial and professional employees.
B) managerial, professional, and technical employees.
C) professional and operational employees.
D) managerial, professional, and operational employees.

Question 33

The six important business objectives of information technology are new products, services, and business models; customer and supplier intimacy; survival; competitive advantage; operational excellence; and

A) improved flexibility.
B) improved decision making.
C) improved business practices.
D) improved efficiency.

Question 34

Thomas Friedman's declaration that the world was now "flat" meant that

A) the Internet has reduced the economic advantages of developed countries.
B) globalization is starting to offer less advantage to large corporations.
C) the global economy is increasingly commanded by fewer and larger corporations.
D) global capitalism is homogenizing culture and business practices throughout the world.

Question 35

Output

A) is feedback that has been processed to create meaningful information.
B) is information that is returned to appropriate members of the organization to help them evaluate the input stage.
C) transfers data to the people who will use it or to the activities for which it will be used.
D) transfers processed information to the people who will use it or to the activities for which it will be used.

Question 36

Dell Computer's use of information systems to improve efficiency and implement "mass customization" techniques to maintain consistent profitability and an industry lead illustrates which business objective?

A) improved flexibility
B) improved business practices
C) competitive advantage
D) survival

Question 37

Which of the following is not one of the current changes taking place in information systems technology?

A) growing business use of "big data"
B) growth in cloud computing
C) development of videopresence software
D) emerging mobile platform

Question 38

The move of retail banking to use ATMs after Citibank unveiled its first ATMs illustrates the use of information systems to achieve which business objective?

A) improved efficiency
B) customer and supplier intimacy
C) survival
D) competitive advantage

Question 39

Which of the following choices may lead to competitive advantage: 1. new products, services, and business models; 2. charging less for superior products; 3. responding to customers in real time?

A) 1 only
B) 1 and 2
C) 2 and 3
D) 1, 2, and 3

Question 40

Organizational culture is best described by which of the following statements?

A) It encompasses the sum of beliefs and assumptions by all members.
B) It enables the organization to transcend the different levels and specialties of its employees.
C) It reflects the senior management's perspective on the organization and goals.
D) It is a set of assumptions and values accepted by most members.

Question 41

Which of the following would not be a complementary asset for a solar panel manufacturer?

A) international solar equipment certification standards
B) government funding for green technology
C) centralized hierarchical decision making
D) innovation-driven management team

Question 42

An example of a business using information systems for customer and supplier intimacy is

A) Wal-Mart's RetailLink system.
B) the Mandarin Oriental hotel's customer-preference tracking system.
C) Verizon's Web-based digital dashboard.
D) Apple Inc.'s iPod.

Question 43

A corporation that funds a political action committee, which in turn promotes and funds a political candidate who agrees with the values of that corporation, could be seen as investing in which main category of complementary assets?

A) managerial
B) governmental
C) social
D) organizational

Question 44

From a business perspective, raw data is transformed systematically during various stages, transforming it into valuable information, in a process called

A) the information value chain.
B) the IT value chain.
C) information processing.
D) feedback.

Question 45

Maintaining the organization's financial records is a central purpose of which main business function?

A) manufacturing and accounting
B) finance and accounting
C) sales and manufacturing
D) finance and sales

Question 46

An example of an organizational complementary asset is

A) using the appropriate business model.
B) a collaborative work environment.
C) laws and regulations.
D) all of the above.

Question 47

An example of a social complementary asset is

A) technology and service firms in adjacent markets.
B) training programs.
C) distributed decision-making rights.
D) all of the above.

Question 48

Which of the following best describes the primary reason for implementing a new information system, from a business perspective?

A) The system enables the firm to create new products and services.
B) The system will create new value for the firm, beyond its costs.
C) The system will automate key business processes.
D) The system is in use by our primary competitors.

Question 49

Sociologists study information systems with an eye to understanding

A) how systems affect individuals, groups, and organizations.
B) how human decision makers perceive and use formal information.
C) how new information systems change the control and cost structures within the firm.
D) the production of digital goods.

Question 50

An example of a business using information systems to attain operational excellence is

A) Wal-Mart's RetailLink system.
B) the Mandarin Oriental hotel's customer-preference tracking system.
C) Verizon's Web-based digital dashboard.
D) Apple Inc.'s iPod.

Question 51

Apple Computer dominates the online legal music sales industry primarily because of a failure of recording label companies to

A) invest in technology.
B) adopt a new business model.
C) invest in complementary assets.
D) modernize their information value chain.

Question 52

The discipline that focuses on mathematical techniques for optimizing parameters of organizations, such as transportation and inventory control, is

A) management science.
B) MIS.
C) operations research.
D) utilization management.

Question 53

Networking and telecommunications technologies, along with computer hardware, software, data management technology, and the people required to run and manage them, constitute an organization's

A) data management environment.
B) networked environment.
C) IT infrastructure.
D) information system.

Question 54

In a business hierarchy, the level that is responsible for monitoring the daily activities of the business is

A) middle management.
B) service workers.
C) production management.
D) operational management.

Question 55

All of the following are advantages, for a firm, of cloud computing except

A) ability to support mobile computing.
B) ability to support remote work
C) ability to improve communication.
D) ability to rely on markets to build value.

Question 56

Disciplines that contribute to the technical approach to information systems are

A) computer science, engineering, and networking.
B) operations research, management science, and computer science.
C) engineering, utilization management, and computer science.
D) management science, computer science, and engineering.

Question 57

Psychologists study information systems with an eye to understanding

A) how systems affect individuals, groups, and organizations.
B) how human decision makers perceive and use formal information.
C) how new information systems change the control and cost structures within the firm.
D) the production of digital goods.

Question 58

An example of a business using information systems to create new products and services is

A) Wal-Mart's RetailLink system.
B) the Mandarin Oriental hotel's customer-preference tracking system.
C) Verizon's Web-based digital dashboard.
D) Apple Inc.'s iPod.

Question 59

Which of the following is not one of the primary environmental actors that interacts with an organization and its information systems?

A) sales force
B) regulatory agencies
C) customers
D) suppliers

Question 60

The temp agency that you own is having serious difficulties placing temps because few of them are familiar with Internet research. Investing in training software to enhance your workers' skills is an example of using technology to achieve which business objective?

A) customer and supplier intimacy
B) survival
C) competitive advantage
D) improved decision making

Question 61

Computer ________ consists of the detailed, preprogrammed instructions that control and coordinate the computer hardware components in an information system.

Question 62

Which of the following would not be used as an input for an information system?

A) digital dashboard
B) handheld computer
C) barcode scanner
D) cell phone

Question 63

________ makes long-range strategic decisions about the firm's products and services.

Question 64

A managerial element in the UPS tracking system described in the chapter is

A) taking inventory.
B) providing package status reports to customers.
C) the decision to use automation.
D) in-house package tracking software.

Question 65

A firm that must invest in new information systems capabilities in order to comply with federal legislation can be said to be investing to achieve which business objective?

A) customer intimacy
B) operational excellence
C) survival
D) improved reporting

Question 66

The enormous volume of data generated by Internet activity, such as Web traffic and e-mail, is referred to as ________.

Question 67

________ is output returned to appropriate members of the organization to help them evaluate or correct the input stage.

Question 68

Engineers, scientists, or architects, who design new products or services for a firm, belong to which level of a business hierarchy?

A) middle management
B) production workers
C) knowledge workers
D) data workers

Question 69

Which of the following roles in a firm would be least affected by using mobile devices to access firm information systems?

A) senior executives
B) sales executives
C) production workers
D) operational managers

Question 70

________ is a global network that uses universal standards to connect millions of different networks around the world.

Question 71

Which main business function is responsible for maintaining employee records?

A) sales and marketing
B) human resources
C) finance and accounting
D) manufacturing and production

Question 72

The three principle levels within a business organization hierarchy are

A) senior management, operational management, and service workers.
B) senior management, middle management, and operational management.
C) senior management, operational management, and information systems.
D) senior management, middle management, and service workers.

Question 73

The ________ is a service provided by the Internet that uses universally accepted standards for storing, retrieving, formatting, and displaying information in a page format.

Question 74

Which of the following are key corporate assets?

A) intellectual property, core competencies, and financial and human assets
B) production technologies and business processes for sales, marketing, and finance
C) knowledge and the firm's tangible assets, such as goods or services
D) time and knowledge

Question 75

The key elements of an organization are its people, structure, business processes, politics, and ________.

Question 76

Which field of study focuses on both a behavioral and technical understanding of information systems?

A) sociology
B) operations research
C) economics
D) management information systems

Question 77

Which of the following constitutes an organizational element in the UPS tracking system described in the chapter?

A) the specification of procedures for identifying packages with sender and recipient information
B) monitoring service levels
C) promoting the company strategy of low-cost, superior service
D) the use of handheld computers and networks for managing package delivery

Question 78

In a(n) ________ perspective, the performance of a system is optimized when both the technology and the organization mutually adjust to one another until a satisfactory fit is obtained.

Question 79

________ are private corporate networks extended to authorized users outside the organization.

Question 80

________ is data that has been shaped into a form that is meaningful to human beings.