Deck 13: Decisions in the Organization

Question 1

A system can be defined as a series of interrelated elements with an identifiable boundary, that work together to achieve a common goal.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The concept of synergy states that the whole is equal to the sum of the parts.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A system contains three components: interrelated elements, internal inputs, and subsystems.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Another name for a system element is a subsystem.

Question 5

Boundaries imply that systems can be distinguished via their relationship to other systems.

Question 6

Elements that are not contained within the boundary of a system are part of the system environment.

Question 7

The system environment is not part of the system itself.

Question 8

A self contained system that has very little interaction with the external environment is referred to as an adaptive system.

Question 9

Closed systems are perpetual and self-sustaining.

Question 10

Open systems adapt both internally and externally.

Question 11

Function composition is the process of breaking down systems into more discreet subsystems.

Question 12

A DSS is considered to be a closed system because all of the data stores used are self-contained.

Question 13

One of the advantages of a DSS is that the end-user is always contained with the boundaries of the system, resulting in greater system control.

Question 14

A service level agreement provides a detailed description of each service provision along with reporting requirements for each party to the agreement.

Question 15

Information relevance is synonymous with information precision.

Question 16

The standard for information to be considered timely is that it must be available to the user within 48 hours.

Question 17

Information consistency refers to how quickly and easily its intended user can figure out what to do with it.

Question 18

Information system architecture is a detailed plan that addresses the make, model and characteristics of each physical unit in a system.

Question 19

One of the unique features of a DSS is that the data is highly specialized and rarely used by anyone other than the person who created it.

Question 20

Scalability is the degree to which a platform can be expanded to accommodate increases in processing requirements.

Question 21

Elements is a system are also referred to as:

A) models.
B) subsystems.
C) boundaries.
D) None of the above.

Question 22

_________ and ________ are common classifications of systems.

A) Internal, external
B) Inside, outside
C) Open, closed
D) None of the above.

Question 23

Which term best describes a mechanistic system?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Closed
D) Open

Question 24

Which term best describes an adaptive system?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Closed
D) Open

Question 25

Which type of system tends to be less structured in its operation?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Closed
D) Open

Question 26

The process of continually redefining a system into smaller, more discrete subsystems in referred to as:

A) system identification.
B) functional decomposition.
C) requirements definition.
D) None of the above.

Question 27

Which of the following is not true of a DSS?

A) A DSS is usually associated with more than one data store.
B) A DSS usually serves more end users than a typical transactional system.
C) A DSS can be controlled by its end users.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 28

Which of the following is not needed to define a DSS?

A) The objectives of the DSS application.
B) The definition of the data that resides within the boundaries of the DSS.
C) The definition of the temporal processes contained within the DSS.
D) All of the above are needed.

Question 29

Which of the following is true of a service level agreement?

A) It defines both the scope and level of service expected by the users of the service.
B) it includes a detailed description of each aspect of the service.
C) It identifies reporting obligations for all parties to the service.
D) All of the above.

Question 30

Which of the following is not a factor in determining information quality?

A) Relevance
B) Accuracy
C) Precision
D) None of the above.

Question 31

Which of the following is not a factor in determining information quality?

A) Usability
B) Cost
C) Correctness
D) None of the above.

Question 32

Information that matches the needs of the decision maker is said to be:

A) timely.
B) accurate.
C) relevant.
D) precise.

Question 33

__________ refers to the maximum accuracy with which a piece of information can be represented.

A) Correctness
B) Precision
C) Consistency
D) None of the above.

Question 34

___________ is the degree to which similar pieces of information are stored and presented in a similar and predictable fashion.

A) Consistency
B) Precision
C) Accuracy
D) Relevance

Question 35

Which of the following is not an issue to be considered in the definition of DSS architecture?

A) Interoperability
B) Scalability
C) Compatibility
D) All of the above are issues to consider.

Question 36

Which of the following refers to the degree to which information can be delivered to the exact locus of a decision?

A) Interoperability
B) Compatibility
C) Scalability
D) None of the above.

Question 37

DSS _________ is a cost reduction issue, supporting the growth of a platform as system requirements change.

A) interoperability
B) compatibility
C) scalability
D) None of the above.

Question 38

The issue of ________ focuses on the degree to which a DSS under design will interact effectively with other organizational systems.

A) interoperability
B) compatibility
C) scalability
D) None of the above.

Question 39

Which of the following is included within a well-defined DSS architecture?

A) Databases
B) Models
C) Administration tools
D) All of the above.

Question 40

List the elements of a well-defined DSS architecture.

Question 41

Briefly describe three issues that affect DSS information system architecture.

Question 42

List 8 factors that affect information quality.