Question 1

What is the practice of US firms contracting with countries in Latin America?

Accepted Answer

Nearshoring refers to the practice of US firms contracting with companies or suppliers in nearby countries, particularly in Latin America, instead of outsourcing to countries that are further away, such as Asia. This allows for closer proximity, cultural familiarity, and easier travel for personnel, resulting in more efficient and cost-effective operations.

Question 2

________ is the practice of turning over responsibility of some to all of an organization's information systems applications and operations to an outside firm.

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing is the practice of turning over responsibility of some to all of an organization's information systems applications and operations to an outside firm. Reuse refers to the process of using existing software components to create new applications. Nearshoring is a type of outsourcing where the outside firm is located nearby, typically in the same geographic region or time zone. Time to market refers to the amount of time it takes to develop and bring a product to market.

Question 3

A component of outsourcing is development of applications outside of the organization.

Accepted Answer

Development of applications outside of the organization is a common component of outsourcing.

Question 4

Companies outsource their information systems because they want to reduce their time to market.

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing information systems is typically done to reduce costs, not to reduce time to market.

Question 5

If a company chooses to not to outsource their information technology,their only other option is to build the systems in-house.

Accepted Answer

Companies have multiple options beyond outsourcing or building in-house, such as using cloud services, purchasing off-the-shelf software, or partnering with other firms for technology solutions.

Question 6

Concerning outsourcing,some companies only supply the inputs and outputs.

Accepted Answer

In outsourcing arrangements, some companies indeed only supply the inputs (specifications, requirements) and receive the outputs (finished goods, services) from the outsourcing partner, without being involved in the actual production or service delivery process.

Question 7

Which of the following is a reason why an organization might get rid of its entire information processing unit?

Accepted Answer

Organizations might eliminate their information processing unit due to political reasons, such as mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring that align with new strategic directions or leadership changes.

Question 8

When an organization outsources to a company,the company fires the employees of the original organization.

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing does not necessarily result in the firing of employees of the original organization. The outsourcing company may retain some or all of the employees or may offer them positions within the outsourcing company. However, in some cases, the outsourcing company may decide to let go of some or all of the employees of the original organization.

Question 9

Which of the following is a reason why a company may outsource certain operations?

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing noncore activities allows a company to focus on its core competencies, improving efficiency and potentially reducing costs.

Question 10

Choose the list that represents the top three countries that are used for outsourcing as of 2014.

Accepted Answer

According to a 2014 survey by Deloitte, the top three countries for outsourcing were India, China, and Malaysia. None of the other options listed were in the top three.

Question 11

Today's system analysts only have a few languages to choose from when creating applications.

Accepted Answer

Today's system analysts have a wide range of languages to choose from when creating applications. Some popular choices include Java, Python, C++, and JavaScript, among others.

Question 12

The first administrative information system was developed in the United States by J.Lyons & Sons.

Accepted Answer

The first administrative information system was actually developed by IBM in the United States in the 1960s. J.Lyons & Sons did develop an early commercial computer system for their chain of teashops in the 1950s, but it was not an administrative information system.

Question 13

The city of Grand Rapids Michigan outsourced its computing center in order to better manage its employees.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The city of Grand Rapids Michigan outsourced...

Question 14

What is one action that can happen if a company outsources all of their IT?

Accepted Answer

If a company outsources all of their IT, it is likely that the current IT employees will no longer be needed and may be laid off or fired. It is important for the company to consider the impact on these employees and provide any necessary support or assistance in transitioning to new employment. While lawsuits or re-hiring are possible actions, they are not guaranteed outcomes and would depend on the specific circumstances of the outsourcing decision.

Question 15

What is the practice of a company running a computer application for another organization?

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing is the practice of hiring another company or organization to handle business operations for you. Running a computer application for another organization is a common form of outsourcing in the field of information technology. The other options, such as in-house payroll systems and reusing, do not accurately describe this practice. Information technology development could be related, but it is a broader term that encompasses many other practices beyond running a single computer application for another organization.

Question 16

Because open source software is free,it is impossible to make money with it.

Accepted Answer

While open source software is free to use and distribute, businesses and individuals can still make money by providing services around the software, such as support and customization, or by selling add-ons or specialized versions of the software. Companies like Red Hat and Canonical have built successful businesses around open source software.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a major category of sources of software?

Accepted Answer

The three major categories of sources of software are package software, in-house developers, and cloud computing vendors. Offshore software development is a type of outsourcing where a company hires a third-party vendor located in another country to develop software. While offshore development may be a common practice, it is not considered a major category of sources of software.

Question 18

Which of the following companies did Shell NOT outsource any of its operations to?

Accepted Answer

The other three companies, EDS, IBM, and Accenture, have all been contracted by Shell to outsource some of their operations. There is no record of Shell outsourcing any operations to Nokia.

Question 19

Mexico is often seen as a common alternative to India for outsourcing.

Accepted Answer

Mexico is often seen as a common alternative to India for outsourcing due to its proximity to the United States and its proficiency in Spanish language services.

Question 20

Malaysia is in the bottom ten of countries that organization's use for outsourcing.

Accepted Answer

There is no information given in the statement on where Malaysia ranks in the list of countries used for outsourcing, so it cannot be determined whether it is in the bottom ten or not.

Quiz 2: The Origins of Software