Deck 12: IT Alignment and Strategic Planning

Question 1

What are the four components of the IT asset?

A)Applications,infrastructure,data,IT staff
B)Applications,software,data,hardware
C)Infrastructure,interfaces,data,IT staff
D)Infrastructure,software,hardware,IT staff

Answer 1

Applications,infrastructure,data,IT staff

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics identified by Earl's studies of organizations in the UK with a history of IT excellence?

A)IT planning is not a separate process
B)IT strategic thinking precedes every IT project
C)IT plans emphasize themes
D)All of the above are characteristics

Answer 2

IT strategic thinking precedes every IT project

Question 3

__________involves making decisions about the mission and goals of the organization and the activities and initiatives it will undertake to achieve them.

A)Alignment
B)Strategy
C)Formulation
D)Implementation

Answer 3

Formulation

Question 4

Which vector of IT strategy can be highly speculative and may not require immediate action?

A)Organizational strategy
B)Continuous improvement of core processes and information management
C)Examination of the role of new information technologies
D)Assessment of strategic trajectories

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT an objective of the strategic planning process?

A)Ensure that IT plans and activities align with the plans and activities of the organization
B)Create a communication tool that can inform the organization of the IT initiatives that will and will not be undertaken
C)Establish a political process that helps ensure the plan results have sufficient organizational support
D)All of the above are objectives

Question 6

__________ is the determination of the basic long-term goals and objectives of an organization,the adoption of the course of action,and the allocation of resources necessary to carry out those actions.

A)Alignment
B)Strategy
C)Formulation
D)Implementation

Question 7

Strategy discussions surrounding the application asset as a whole focus on all of these key areas except:

A)Application acquisition
B)Application implementation
C)Application uniformity
D)Sourcing

Question 8

According to Weill and Broadbent,what four areas must the leadership understand and strategically/tactically integrate in order to achieve effective IT alignment?

A)Market position,environment,IT strategy,and IT applications
B)Strategic context,environment,IT strategy,and IT portfolio
C)Strategic context,infrastructure,IT strategy,and IT staff skills
D)Organization objectives,infrastructure,IT strategy,IT portfolio

Question 9

__________ are the systems that users interact with: for example,scheduling,billing,and EHR systems.

A)Interfaces
B)Infrastructure
C)Applications
D)Programs

Question 10

A(n) __________ is the combination of an organization's decisions about what it will do,how it will do it,and why "the what and how" are of such value that customers will pay them.

A)Strategic trajectory
B)Business model
C)Operation plan
D)Framework

Question 11

During which phase of the hype cycle,developed by Gartner Inc.,does interest wane as experiments and implementations fail to deliver on the hype of the peak?

A)Peak of inflated expectations
B)Trough of disillusionment
C)Slope of enlightenment
D)Plateau of productivity

Question 12

__________ involves making decisions about how we structure ourselves,acquire skills,establish organizational capabilities,and alter organizational processes to achieve the goals and carry out the activities we have defined.

A)Alignment
B)Strategy
C)Formulation
D)Implementation

Question 13

All of the following are IT staff members who manage and advance information systems in an organization,day in and day out,except:

A)Analysts
B)Programmers
C)Computer operators
D)Application developers

Question 14

Which term refers to broad properties of the organization's infrastructure such as reliability,security,and agility?

A)Characteristics
B)Capabilities
C)Assets
D)Qualities

Question 15

All of the following are examples of weaknesses that can significantly diminish the likelihood that IT investments will lead to improved organization performance except:

A)Shaky financial state
B)Incompetent leadership
C)Unclear strategies
D)All of the above are weaknesses