Deck 18: Using Advanced Information Technology to Increase Performance

Question 1

A manager spent hours reviewing a comprehensive report to determine that only two brief sections were helpful inputs to a decision that needed to be made. The manager thought that this report

A)lacked relevance and decreased the manager's performance.
B)lacked reliability in supporting a decision.
C)enhanced the decision-making process due to its completeness.
D)took too long to process to provide real-time information.
E)lacked timeliness due to the time wasted on some sections.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What would be characterized as real-time information?

A)the price of a specific brand of chocolate
B)the number of cars sold by a manufacturer since January
C)census data over the last ten years
D)daily production line details
E)literature reviews by a particular research study

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A marketing manager is trying to decide whether or not to lower the price of one product in a product line. A transaction-processing system would be best suited to assist her in making this decision.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Managers cannot effectively plan, organize, lead, or control without access to

A)data.
B)information.
C)metrics.
D)feedback.
E)statistics.

Question 5

Whereas a decision-support system organizes important information for managers, an operations information system gives managers model-building capability and the ability to manipulate information in a variety of ways.

Question 6

While Margaret produced an insightful and comprehensive report comparing the attributes of key competitors' products, she delivered the report one week after the product planning team finalized features for the next production cycle. Margaret's report was lacking the information attribute of

A)relevance.
B)timeliness.
C)creativity.
D)completeness.
E)quality.

Question 7

________ refers to raw, unsummarized, and unanalyzed facts.

A)Brainstorm
B)Data
C)Information
D)Feedback
E)Statistics

Question 8

Management information systems came into existence during the computer age.

Question 9

Before agreeing to discontinue a product, the CEO requested detailed information on recent sales trends, existing customer transition plans, cost projections, and many other aspects related to the product that would best help characterize the pros and cons. The CEO is ensuring the ________ of information available for making this decision.

A)quality
B)timeliness
C)completeness
D)quantity
E)relevance

Question 10

________ determine the quality of information.

A)Accuracy and reliability
B)Timeliness and relevance
C)Relevance and accuracy
D)Completeness and timeliness
E)Availability and reliability

Question 11

A graph of the profitability of each product in an organization's product line over the past three years is an example of

A)raw data.
B)application software.
C)artificial intelligence.
D)transaction processing.
E)information.

Question 12

CEOs make frequent use of decision-support systems in their decision-making.

Question 13

Managers use an operations information system for nonroutine decision-making tasks.

Question 14

Microsoft PowerPoint, a program which facilitates the creation of presentations using text, graphics, and animation, is an example of applications software.

Question 15

Each month, a sales team reviews a report that summarizes monthly sales, compares them to previous years, and projects possible trends going forward. This report is an example of

A)data.
B)knowledge.
C)artificial intelligence.
D)information.
E)facts.

Question 16

________ information correlates to current conditions.

A)Static
B)Useful
C)Real-time
D)Complete
E)Quality

Question 17

When advancing IT leads to the development of a more advanced product, older products become obsolete and enter the decline stage of the product life cycle.

Question 18

During the product life cycle, demand for a product is highest during the growth stage.

Question 19

Realistic information reflects current conditions in the organization.

Question 20

The methods or techniques for organizing, storing, and transmitting information are referred to as information technology.

Question 21

The advent of ________ computers that allow individual employees to access companywide networks composed of hardware and software resources has increased the ability of companies to manage information, control activities, and make better decisions.

A)server
B)client
C)mainframe
D)cloud
E)hub

Question 22

A new product is experiencing some market buzz and sales are slow but beginning to trend upward. This product is in the ________ stage of the product life cycle.

A)maturity
B)mission critical
C)introduction
D)growth
E)decline

Question 23

In reviewing marketing and sales data, top management determines that the majority of a product's sales are to existing consumers. This product is in the ________ stage of the product life cycle.

A)maturity
B)decline
C)introduction
D)growth
E)conception

Question 24

CommNet recently offered a new smartphone featuring the latest in camera technology. Consumers were initially slow to spend on the upgrade, but sales have now taken off and demand is increasing rapidly. The smartphone is in the ________ stage of the product life cycle.

A)creation
B)maturity
C)decline
D)growth
E)conception

Question 25

Large companies that need immense processing power have a ________ computer at the center or hub of the network that can quickly process vast amounts of information.

A)server
B)client
C)mainframe
D)cloud
E)personal

Question 26

The sequence of stages in the product life cycle is

A)introduction, growth, decline, and maturity.
B)introduction, maturity, growth, and decline.
C)introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.
D)growth, maturity, decline, and introduction.
E)growth, introduction, maturity, and decline.

Question 27

________ refers to the set of methods or techniques for acquiring, organizing, storing, manipulating, and transmitting organized and meaningful data.

A)Data harvesting
B)Knowledge management
C)Data mediation
D)Compilation
E)Information technology

Question 28

The ________ is the master computer that controls the operations of all the other types of computers and digital devices as needed and can link them into one integrated system.

A)mainframe
B)client
C)server
D)personal computer
E)ethernet

Question 29

A(n)________ is a line of software code.

A)bit
B)byte
C)processor
D)instruction
E)application

Question 30

Decisions regarding ________ are within the scope of responsibility of top management in a company.

A)production volumes and assembly-line processes
B)supplier selection and inventory levels
C)how individual employees should be trained and compensated
D)allocation of scarce financial resources among competing projects
E)new product design details

Question 31

Establishing measurable standards of performance, measuring actual performance, comparing actual performance against established goals, and evaluating the results and taking corrective action are steps to

A)launch a new product in the market.
B)indicate the life cycle of a product.
C)achieve control over organizational activities.
D)reduce group cohesiveness among members.
E)increase a company's investments in research and development.

Question 32

The client computers that are linked directly to a server constitute a(n)

A)local area network.
B)operating system software suite.
C)artificial intelligence network.
D)global positioning system.
E)content management system.

Question 33

During the ________ of the product life cycle the demand, and therefore sales, for a product are at the lowest levels.

A)introduction
B)maturity
C)growth
D)decline
E)saturation

Question 34

A breakthrough technology is now available that will enable manufacturers to considerably reduce the size and weight of laptop computers. This will cause current products to enter the ________ stage of the product life cycle.

A)introduction
B)conceptual
C)growth
D)maturity
E)decline

Question 35

The first step that managers need to take to achieve control over organizational activities is to

A)measure actual versus perceived performance.
B)establish measurable standards of performance or goals.
C)perform tests to confirm consistency.
D)compare actual performance against established goals.
E)evaluate the results and take corrective action.

Question 36

________ refers to a specific form of IT that managers utilize to generate specific, detailed information they need to perform their roles effectively.

A)Knowledge management
B)Management information system
C)Real-time information
D)Content management system
E)Blockchain technology

Question 37

Kendra's weekly report is known to be extremely accurate and a reliable source of data for making management decisions. Her reports possess the attribute of

A)timeliness.
B)validity.
C)quality.
D)completeness.
E)relevance.

Question 38

To realize any of the benefits of actions taken to achieve control of an organization, managers must

A)measure actual performance.
B)establish measurable standards of performance.
C)perform tests to confirm consistency.
D)compare actual performance against established goals.
E)evaluate the results and take corrective action if necessary.

Question 39

________ software tells the computer hardware how to run.

A)Operating system
B)Diagnostic
C)Application
D)Local area network
E)Wide area network

Question 40

The language used by computers is characterized as

A)geometric.
B)logarithmic.
C)digital.
D)analog.
E)symbolic.

Question 41

A computer software program that is developed for preparing graphs of sales performance over a required period of time is an example of ________ software.

A)applications
B)artificial intelligence
C)expert system
D)decision-support
E)operating system

Question 42

An operations information system typically accesses data gathered by a(n)________ system, and then it converts the data into useful information.

A)transaction-processing
B)artificial intelligence
C)expert
D)executive support
E)decision support

Question 43

Harvard Bank needs a computer system to record deposits and withdrawals from its customers' accounts. The bank is most likely to use a(n)________ system.

A)inventory management
B)transaction-processing
C)expert
D)group decision support
E)artificial intelligence

Question 44

Oscar Groceries, a supermarket chain, uses scanners at the checkout counters, which contain computer software to track inventory levels of products. This store is using a(n)________ system.

A)group decision support
B)artificial intelligence
C)e-commerce
D)executive support
E)transaction-processing

Question 45

An executive support system is a type of ________ system.

A)transaction-processing
B)business support
C)expert support
D)e-commerce
E)decision support

Question 46

A decision support system would be most relevant when

A)reorganizing office cubicle assignments.
B)investing in additional production equipment.
C)placing materials orders.
D)processing accounts payable.
E)reordering printer cartridges.

Question 47

Using a traditional organizational hierarchy to gather information and control activity

A)has become more popular due to technological advancements.
B)minimizes distortion of information when passed through the hierarchy.
C)decreases an organization's response time to changing market conditions.
D)results in a long time for information to reach individual employees.
E)enhances the usefulness of information received.

Question 48

Problems that normally require human expertise are increasingly being addressed by ________ systems, which employ human knowledge embedded in computer software.

A)group decision support
B)expert
C)transaction-processing
D)operations information
E)executive support

Question 49

Expert systems are NOT required to

A)recognize problems.
B)display emotions.
C)formulate solutions.
D)explain solutions.
E)learn from experience.

Question 50

________ is developed for a specific task or use, such as word processing or database management.

A)Operating system software
B)Operating network hardware
C)Applications software
D)Cloud computing
E)Client hardware

Question 51

A decision support system is used by managers to

A)justify decisions previously made.
B)manipulate information in a variety of ways.
C)objectively make decisions.
D)provide a record of decisions made.
E)archive transaction data for future reference.

Question 52

When executive support systems are used to link top managers virtually in order for them to function as a team, it is called a(n)________ system.

A)transaction-processing
B)expert
C)operations support
D)e-commerce
E)group decision support

Question 53

________ is behavior by a machine that closely mimics human logical behavior.

A)Nanotechnology
B)Continuous learning
C)Decision modeling
D)Information technology
E)Artificial intelligence

Question 54

A(n)________ system is a computer system that gathers comprehensive data, organizes it, and summarizes it in ways that are useful to managers for controlling, controlling, and decision-making tasks.

A)transaction-processing
B)artificial intelligence
C)expert
D)operations information
E)decision support

Question 55

________ systems effectively process routine tasks and generate volumes of data but do not summarize the data into a form most valuable for decision making.

A)Decision support
B)Expert
C)Transaction-processing
D)E-commerce
E)Operations information

Question 56

A(n)________ system is designed to handle a large volume of routine and recurring activities.

A)cloud-computing
B)artificial intelligence
C)transaction-processing
D)operations information
E)decision support

Question 57

A decision support system would NOT be a recommended MIS for determining

A)whether to invest in a new production technology.
B)which features to include in a consumer product.
C)a launch strategy for a new promotional campaign.
D)how to expand sales into a new country.
E)which sales personnel missed targets last quarter.

Question 58

Top managers often use a(n)________ system, which provides summary graphics and a user-friendly interface that aids in decision analysis.

A)transaction-processing
B)expert support
C)enterprise resource management
D)e-commerce
E)executive support

Question 59

Executives in a company use an interactive system that analyzes transactional data and generates multiple potential scenarios to help inform market and product development strategies. The executives are using a(n)________ system.

A)decision support
B)artificial intelligence
C)expert
D)transaction-processing
E)operations information

Question 60

A(n)________ system is the most advanced management information system that incorporates artificial intelligence in its design.

A)expert
B)group decision support
C)executive support
D)transaction-processing
E)operations information

Question 61

________ is trade that relies on IT and the Internet to link and coordinate the value chains of different companies.

A)Enterprise resource planning
B)Business-to-business commerce
C)Business-to-customer commerce
D)Business-to-business marketplace
E)Business-to-customer network structure

Question 62

Modern information systems ________ an organization's need for hierarchy and ________ its efficiency.

A)eliminate; decrease
B)decrease; increase
C)increase; increase
D)increase; decrease
E)increase; do not affect

Question 63

Reliable Electronics recently released a new product. Because consumers are buying the product for the first time, demand is low. The marketing manager, however, expects demand will increase rapidly in the ________ stage of the product life cycle.

A)maturity
B)introduction
C)decline
D)growth
E)saturation

Question 64

A(n)________ system handles sales that take place between companies and between companies and consumers using IT and the Internet.

A)enterprise resource planning
B)e-commerce
C)transaction-processing
D)executive support
E)operations information

Question 65

Kendra is heavily dependent on IT to stay aligned with her job assignments, perform her role, and keep connected to her manager. She has an office but seldom uses it. Kendra is part of a

A)boundaryless organization.
B)business-to-business (B2B)marketplace
C)strategic alliance.
D)business-to-business (B2B)network.
E)virtual organization.

Question 66

Rinaldo receives monthly reports from the accounting department that reflect his company's current financial condition. The report Rinaldo receives would be considered

A)complete data.
B)current data.
C)reliable data.
D)decision support information.
E)real-time information.

Question 67

A(n)________ is a company-specific virtual information system that systematizes the knowledge of its employees, facilitates sharing, and integrates their expertise.

A)expert system
B)knowledge management system
C)enterprise resource planning system
D)knowledge economy
E)knowledge market

Question 68

Chen-Chu is compiling a thorough study of competitive products to create new product requirements. She is including only products with a similar use that target the same customer segment and price point. It is the ________ of the information that makes it useful for the company.

A)timeliness
B)completeness
C)relevance
D)accuracy
E)reliability

Question 69

Information that has ________ gives managers all the information they need to make an effective decision.

A)timeliness
B)completeness
C)quality
D)relevance
E)accuracy

Question 70

________ systems are multimodule application software packages that coordinate the various functional activities of organizations.

A)Enterprise resource planning
B)Decision support
C)Transaction-processing
D)Executive support
E)Operations information

Question 71

The platform, referred to as ________, is created to connect buyers and sellers in an industry.

A)business-to-customer commerce
B)e-commerce
C)mainframe networking
D)business-to-business marketplace
E)cloud computing

Question 72

A(n)________ is a formal series of global alliances that one or several organizations create with suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors to produce and market a product.

A)boundaryless organization
B)business-to-business (B2B)network structure
C)enterprise resource planning (ERP)system
D)expert system
E)business-to-business (B2B)marketplace

Question 73

Rapid advances in IT have been associated with a flattening of the organizational hierarchy, which results in a(n)

A)increase in the establishment of boundaryless organizations.
B)move toward vertical information flow.
C)move toward greater centralization.
D)increase in face-to-face communication.
E)increase in the establishment of tall management hierarchies.

Question 74

A factory in Europe has excess manufacturing capability and formally agrees to begin producing and distributing products for a U.S.-based company eager to build a presence in Europe. This is an example of

A)boundaryless organization structure.
B)strategic alliance.
C)business-to-customer (B2C)commerce.
D)business-to-business (B2B)commerce.
E)business-to-business (B2B)marketplace

Question 75

A manufacturer is ready to launch a new line of bedroom furniture. The company expects the demand for the new pieces to be minimal in the ________ phase of the product life cycle.

A)introduction
B)growth
C)maturity
D)decline
E)saturation

Question 76

The use of rapidly advancing IT in business has

A)reduced the need for face-to-face communication.
B)resulted in taller organizational hierarchies.
C)popularized centralized decision making.
D)increased vertical information flow.
E)emphasized the need for vertical communication.

Question 77

Call center employees for an online store use sophisticated software that analyzes customer complaints and proposes solutions based on how customers with similar problems have perceived solutions in the past. This tool is an example of a(n)________ system.

A)online help
B)expert
C)transaction-processing
D)operations information
E)decision support

Question 78

________ is trade that takes place between a company and individual consumers using IT and the Internet.

A)Enterprise resource planning
B)Business-to-business commerce
C)Business-to-customer commerce
D)Business-to-business marketplace
E)Business-to-business network structure

Question 79

When two organizations pool resources, know-how, rewards, and risk in order to produce and market a product, they are

A)establishing a coalition.
B)forming a strategic alliance.
C)engineering a business-to-business network.
D)outsourcing resources.
E)creating a boundaryless organization.

Question 80

Callie creates a spreadsheet to organize quarterly data. She was able to use the ________ to compare the changes in sales volume and costs over a period of time.

A)empirical data
B)information
C)transformed data
D)decision support facts
E)analyzed facts