Question 1

Key information seems to be distributed across a number of computers around the company but is inaccessible to most employees. What technological solution will allow all employees to share key information?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Key information seems to be distributed across...

Question 2

Which of the following is assumed by Marquand?

Accepted Answer

C) Marquand states that businesses benefit tremendously from access to information that they have through current information technology, which they would not have had when current information technology was not available. Choice A: Marquand does not assume that all businesses actually benefit from information technology, just that those who do use it benefit greatly from it. Choices B and E are incorrect because nothing is assumed by Marquand about the importance or prevalence of online selling for businesses. Choice D: Marquand states that businesses benefit from their actual use of information technology, not that the use of information technology in itself draws customers to businesses.

Question 3

The IT department has recommended that Otto's use data mining to build customer profiles and prepare business models to predict future purchasing behavior. Otto's CEO is not in favor of data mining, and argues that it shouldn't be used. Which of the following statements, if True, would support the CEO's argument for NOT using data mining?

Accepted Answer

D) Privacy concerns due to data mining, as indicated by Choice D, remain an ethical issue. Choice D points out a concern about data mining, in that it can reduce unnecessary advertising by more personally targeting the advertising, but also does involve an invasion of privacy that many individuals abhor and that many other individuals are not aware of. Choices A, B, C, and E are all benefits of data mining, and would support the argument made by the IT department. Data mining can be used to create profiles of current customers and help in the identification of new customers (Choice A.) Data mining information can be helpful to in-store sales personnel as well as out-of-store salespeople (Choice B.) Choice C notes the use of cookies to track online behavior to help identify customer interests and needs, while Choice E focuses on the use of data mining to spot trends and patterns in the business.

Question 4

Interstate's head of human resources claims that the company needs to focus on improvements in the software available to employees. Which of the following, if True, would strengthen her position?

Accepted Answer

B) Problems with web browsers is a software issue and therefore indicates that improvements in software are needed. Choice A describes a hardware issue, which improvements in software would not directly address. Choice C suggests that software improvements have been adequately addressed. Choice D describes an external issue that is irrelevant to the company's software. Choice E does not suggest anything directly related to a software issue.

Question 5

The most common type of network used in businesses is a client-server network. Explain what might comprise Worldwide's client-server network.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most common type of network used...

Question 6

Interstate's marketing director thinks that the company's data mining ability should be upgraded. Which of the following, if True, would strengthen his position?

Accepted Answer

E) Effective use of customer info can help a company find new customers. This scenario suggests that the company's data mining ability should be improved. Choice A is an issue dealing with an interactive system, to which data mining is not directly relevant. Choices B and C deal with long-distance communications, which is not directly relevant to data mining. Choice D has to do with customer use of the company's extranet systems, and not with actual mining of data.

Question 7

How can Worldwide benefit from enterprise resource planning (ERP)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can Worldwide benefit from enterprise resource...

Question 8

Which of the following, if True, would best support Marquand's position?

Accepted Answer

A) This would strongly support Marquand's position since it would mean that information technology can be used to greatest competitive edge by a business in planning, as opposed to, for example, sales. Choice B relates mainly to the impact of information technology on consumers and does not specifically support Marquand's position. Choice C may support Stevenson's position since it relates to sales made over the Internet. Choice D relates to consumer choice, although Marquand's focus is businesses' ability to plan. Choice E does not say specifically how businesses use the latest information technology.

Question 9

Worldwide's Vice President for Marketing is planning to fly in his eight area sales managers for a yearly planning session. The company's Vice President for Finance complains that Worldwide is in a weak cash position and looks to Bill for a technological alternative to Ralph's planning session. What can Bill suggest?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Worldwide's Vice President for Marketing is planning...

Question 10

Which of the following, if True, would best support Stevenson's position?

Accepted Answer

B) This suggests that selling online is the single greatest factor that helps a business succeed. Choices A and C merely say that use of information technology helps businesses, but do not say how. Choice D says that the practice of online selling has been increasing, but does not suggest that that is the greatest factor in the success of businesses. Choice E suggests that those businesses that sell easily packaged imperishable consumer goods might benefit the most from Internet selling, but not that it is the most important factor in any business's success using information technology.

Question 11

Which of the following is assumed by Stevenson?

Accepted Answer

E) If businesses have most benefited from information technology by direct selling online as opposed to selling in physical stores, there must be many products that consumers prefer to buy online. Choice A: Many consumers may simply prefer online shopping to traditional shopping without actually disliking shopping at traditional retail stores. Contrary to Choice B, Stevenson assumes that many businesses have been using information technology. Choice C: Purchasing goods may be a relatively minor part of consumer Internet use. Stevenson just assumes that a significant enough amount of sales do come from the Internet that it makes a big difference for business that sell products online. Choice D is incorrect because it may be that consumers benefit more from information technology than businesses do. Stevenson just assumes that businesses do derive an important benefit from it.

Question 12

Cindy has expressed concern over identity theft by hackers gaining access to Worldwide's data. Bill explains that not all identity theft is committed by hackers. How might Bill explain this to Cindy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cindy has expressed concern over identity theft...

Question 13

As Bill proposes increased spending on network technology, Cindy is concerned that Bill is driving the company toward bankruptcy. Bill assures her that this is not the case. How can increased technology improve productivity and performance?

Accepted Answer

The answer of As Bill proposes increased spending on network...

Question 14

Many at Interstate feel that the information systems at the company are not sufficiently tailor-made to each of the functions of the different departments. Which of the following issues is most relevant to deciding whether this should be a priority?

Accepted Answer

A) The degree to which departments differ in their work functions will greatly affect the extent to which their information systems will need to be customized to be most helpful in their work. Choice B is a general issue about hardware that does not directly impact the information systems that departments use. Choice C relates to customers' experience of the company Web site, not directly to the information systems used by Interstate's various departments. Choice D relates to a specific function of one department, and does not tell anything about how the functions of the different departments vary. Choice E is a very general issue that does not bear directly on the state of the information systems of the company.

Question 15

Which of the following questions is most relevant to Retepson's decisions with respect to the viability of its business model?

Accepted Answer

D) Retepson is concerned that its entire business model won't work given advancements in technology. To answer that question, it needs to look outside issues related to its current business, which eliminates Choices A, B, and C. The essential issue is whether people will want to buy those books, because if they don't, then no one will be interested in advertising in them, either. So Choice D gets at the most important issue. Choice E wouldn't help because it makes no sense to try to sell new versions of college guides to people who no longer need them.

Question 16

Which of the following is at issue between Marquand and Stevenson?

Accepted Answer

D) Marquand thinks that the most important effect of information technology on business has been in the area of communication, while Stevenson thinks it is most important in its direct impact on sales. Choice A: Although Stevenson thinks online selling is the most important impact of information technology on business, Marquand does not disagree that it has importance, because Marquand simply says that the area of communications is the most important area of impact. Choice B: Both of them agree that information technology has made a significant impact on business. Choice C: Stevenson does not think that communications are an insignificant area of impact-he merely says that direct selling is the most important area. Choice E: Marquand and Stevenson only disagree about what the most important effect information technology has had on business.

Question 17

Some employees claim that Interstate's intranet needs to be overhauled. Which of the following, if True, would strengthen this position?

Accepted Answer

D) This indicates that intranet functions are very important to the company and that a priority should be placed on them. Choices A, B, C, and E do not indicate anything about the company's intranet functions.

Question 18

Interstate's Chief Information Officer thinks that improvements to the company's wide area network (WAN) should be a priority for the company. Which of the following, if True, would strengthen the CIO's position?

Accepted Answer

A) The company's WAN enables long-distance communication. If the company's various branches in different locations rely heavily on being in touch with each other, then improvements in the company's WAN should be a priority. Choices B and D relate to hardware issues rather than the company's WAN. Choice C: WAN helps with long-distance communication, not communication with workers in the same office. Choice E is incorrect because hiring and training of new employees does not directly relate to the company's WAN.

Question 19

In what way is Worldwide prepared for data mining?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In what way is Worldwide prepared for...

Question 20

Bill has to explain the difference between worms and Trojan horses. What should he say?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Bill has to explain the difference between...

Quiz 13: Information Technology for Business