chapter 9,10

1. Describe the decision-making process proposed by Simon.
Simon proposed a system that used intelligence, design and choice. The intelligence phase; managers examine the situation and identify and define the problem. In the design phase; decision makers construct a model that simplifies the problem. The choice phase, involves selecting a solution, which is tested on paper.

2. Why do managers need IT support?
Managers need IT support, as information is vital in all decision-making processes. The availability of information and making decisions is becoming increasingly difficult due to; the number of alternative information, time pressures, conducting sophisticated analysis and large expenses.

3. Describe the decision matrix.
The three primary classes of problem structure and the three broad categories of the nature of decisions can be combined in the decision support matrix. Lower-level managers usually perform the structured and operational control-orientated tasks.


1. Describe the capabilities of data mining.
Data mining can perform two basic operations; predicting tends and behaviors and identifying previously unknown patterns. Data mining addresses why it is happening and provides predictions of what will happen in the future. Data mining automated the process of finding predictive information in large databases. Data mining can also identify previously hidden patterns in a single step.

1. What are some of the capabilities of digital dashboards?
Some of the capabilities of digital dashboards are drill down, the ability to go into details, Critical success factors (CSFs), Key performance indicators (KPIs), Status success, Trend analysis, Ad-hoc analysis and exception reporting.

Chapter 10 questions

1. What are some problems associated with assessing the costs of IT?
Fixed costs are those costs that remain the same regardless of any change in the activity level. Another complication is that the cost of a system does not end when the system is installed. Costs for debugging and improving the system can accumulate over many years.

2. What difficulties accompany the intangible benefits from IT?
Intangible benefits are hard to quantify.

3. Define NPV and ROI, and business case approaches.
NPV is the net present value calculation for cost-benefit analysis. ROI is return on investment; it measures the management’s effectiveness in generating profits with its available assets.


1. What type of companies provides outsourcing service?
Software companies; (IBM to Oracle), IT outsourcers; (EDS), also large CPA companies and management consultants; (Accenture).

2. Define ASPs and list their advantages to companies using them.
ASPs Application service provider is an agent or vendor who assembles the software needed by enterprises. The advantages; saves expenses in development stage, helps reduce the cost of software maintenance and upgrading and the company can select another software product from the vendor to meet its changing needs.

3. List some disadvantages of ASPs.
Developing and operating IT application in-house can be time consuming and expensive for these entities.


1. List the major steps of selection of a vendor and a software package.
Companies can identify potential software application vendors through various sources: software catalogues, lists provided by hardware vendors, technical and trade vendors, consultants and industry

2. Describe a request for proposal (RFP).
An RFP is a document that is sent to potential vendors inviting them to submit a proposal that describes their software package and explains how it would meet the companies needs.

3. Describe SLAs.
Service level agreement SLAs are formal agreements that specify how work is to be divided between the company and it vendors.

Tech guide 4 questions

1. Compare and contrast the main wired communications channels ?
(Ethernet & Fibre Optic) Fibre Optics consists of thousands of vary thin fragments of glass that transmit information via light pulses generated by lasers. They have a high bandwidth, relatively inexpensive and are difficult to tap into ensuring good security.

2. Describe the two technologies that enable users to send high-volume data over any network.
(ISDN & ADSL). Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is an older international telephone standard for network access that uses existing telephone lines and allows users to transfer voice, video, image and data simultaneously. (ADSL)Provide high-speed data transmitting from homes and businesses over existing telephone lines. Because the existing lines are analog and the transmission is digital, you need a dsl modem.


3. What are the main business reasons for using network?
· Network computer systems allow organizations to be more flexible so that they can adapt to rapidly changing business conditions.
· Networks enable companies to share hardware, computer applications and data across the organization and among organizations.
· Networks make it possible for geographically dispersed employees and work groups to share documents, ideas and creative insights.

4. What is the difference between LANs and WANs?
LANs are a local area network they connect communications devices in a limited geographical region so all devices can communicate. WANs are a network, generally provided by common carriers, that covers a wide geographic area.

5. What is a network protocol?
Computing devices that are connected to the network access and share the network to transmit and receive data. They work together by adhering to a common set of rules that enable them to communicate with one another. This set of rules and procedures that govern transmission across a network is a protocol.

6. Describe TCP/IP protocol. TCP/IP Transmitting Control/Protocol.
A file transfer protocol that can send large files of information across sometimes unreliable networks with the assurance that the data will arrive un corrupted.

Tech Guide 5

1. Describe the various ways that you can connect to the Internet?
· Via an organizations LAN
· Connect with wire line or wireless connections
· An internet service provider (ISP)
· Internet kiosks.
· Cell phones and pagers
· (FTTH) Fibre to the home, involves placing fibre optic cable directly to individual homes.

2. Describe the parts of an Internet address.
· Domain Name: The name assigned to the internet site.
· Top-level domain: Com, edu, mil, gov, org
· TDL: indicating the type of organization that owns the site.


3.What are the roles of browsers? They are software applications through which users primarily access the web .

4.Describe the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web?
· Internet: The massive network that connects computer networks of businesses, organizations and government agencies and schools all around the world, quickly, seamlessly and inexpensively.
· World Wide Web: a system of universally accepted standards for restoring, retrieving, formatting and displaying information via a client/server-architecture; uses the transport functions of the internet.

Tech guide 2 questions

1. What are main differences/distinction between system software and application software?
Systems software is a set of instructions that serves primarily as an intermediary between computer hardware and application programmes. It provides important self-regulatory functions for computer systems, such as loading itself when the computer is first turned one and providing commonly used sets of instructions for all applications, whereas application software is a set of computer instructions that provide more specific functionality to a user.2.

What are the two main types of system software?
Systems control programmes:
Functions of the operating system
Types of operating system
System support programmes:
Systems utilities
System performance monitors.

3. What is the difference between proprietary and open source software?
What considerations should be made when a business selects either software. Proprietary software is software that has been developed by a company and has restrictions on its use, copying and modification. On the other hand open-source software is software who’s source code is available at no cost to developers or users. This software is copyrighted and distributed with license terms ensuring that the source code will always be available. If a business does not have time to train users or does not have in-house technical experts the open-source software become more complex and difficult as they may have to buy maintenance support contracts. Though if the business is capable of the complexity then open-source software is low cost and extremely efficient.
4. What are some of the legal issues involved in acquiring and using software in most businesses/organizations?
The legal issues’ surrounding acquiring and using software in most businesses comes down to software licensing. Copying software is illegal and if the correct licensees for the use of the software are not purchased by the organisation the business can be charged with fraud, which results in high legal costs.

5. What is meant by SaaS? Name some examples of this software.
(Saas) is Software-as-a-Service. This is a method of delivering software in which a vendor hosts the applications. Customers access these applications over a network, typically the internet. Customers do not own the software but pay for using it.
o Google
o Amazon

Tech guide 1 questions

Tech Guide 1 questions

What is computer hardware and what are the major hardware components? Hardware refers to the physical equipment used for the input, processing, output and storage activities of a computer system. The components are:
Central processing unit (CPU).
Primary storage.
Secondary storage.
Input technologies.
Output technologies.
Communication technologies.

What is Moore's Law/what does it mean in relation to computers.
Moore’s Law refers to Gordon Moore’s prediction that the microprocessor complexity would double approximately every two years. As his predictions have been mostly accurate it means that computers are increasing in technology and speed and as an information processing tool they are getting better and better.

In basic terms, describe how a microprocessor functions.
A microprocessor has different parts which perform different functions:
-The Control Unit: sequentially accesses programme instructions, decodes them and controls the flow of data to and from the ALU (arithmetic-logic unit), the registers, caches, primary and secondary storage and various output devices.
-The Arithmetic-logic Unit: performs the mathematic calculations and makes logical comparisons.

What factors determine the speed of the microprocessor?
The clock speed: the preset speed of the clock that times all chip activities in megahertz and gigahertz.
Word length: is the number of binary units (bits) that the CPU can process in one machine cycle.
Bus width: is the size of the physical paths down which the data and instructions travel as electrical impulses.
Line width: is the distance between transistors.

What are the four main types of primary storage?
Registers.
Random Access Memory (RAM).
Cache Memory.
Read-only Memory.

What are the main types of secondary storage?
Magnetic Media (Magnetic tape, Sequential access, Magnetic disks).
Optical Storage Devices (Compact disk, Digital video disk, Holographic memory.
Flash Memory Devices (Memory cards, thumb drive)

How does primary storage differ from secondary storage in terms of speed cost and capacity? Primary storage stores small amounts of data and information that will be used immediately by the CPU. In Primary storage the data has to travel a shorter distance to that of secondary which means it can be processed faster. Primary storage is more expensive then secondary.

What are enterprise storage systems?
The Enterprise storage system is a independent, external system that includes two or more storage devices. They provide large amounts of storage, high performance data transfer, a high degree of availability, protection against data loss and sophisticated management tools.
Distinguish between human data input devices and source data automation. Human data input devices such and a keyboarded or mouse require a certain amount of human effort to input data. Source data automation devices input data with minimal human intervention. Eg. barcode readers.

What is one new technology that will change how we do things?
many types of security technology will be harnessed in the future and make today’s current paperwork somewhat redundant, birth certificates drivers licence etc. this will be in the form of data RID.

Chapter 7,8

Chapter 7
1. Identify common wireless devices and their application to business:
pagers e-mail handhelds, personal digital assistants (PDA’s) and cellular telephones.

2. Describe the various types and general characteristics of wireless transmission media/technologies- microwave, satellite inferred and radio waves: Microwave transmission a wireless system that uses 226 microwaves for high volume, long distance point-to-point communication. Satellite transmission, a wireless transmission system that uses satellites for broadcast communications. Infrared, a type of wireless transmission that uses red light not commonly visible to the human eye. Radio Waves: system that uses radio-wave frequencies to send data directly between transmitters and receivers.

3. What is Bluetooth/how is it used?
Bluetooth chip technology that enables short-range connection between wireless services. It is an industry specification used to create small personal area networks.

4. What are WLAN’S, Wi-Fi, WWAN’s and WiMax? WLAN:
is a computer network in a limited geographical area that uses wireless transmission for communication. Wi-Fi: A set of standards for wireless local area networks based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. WiMax: Worldwide interoperability for Microwave access, popularly known as WiMax . WiMax has a wireless access range of up to 31 miles.

5. What are the drivers of mobile computing and mobile commerce?
Mobile computing was designed for workers who travel outside the boundaries of their organisations or for anyone traveling outside his or her home. M-commerce can be transacted via the internet, private communication lines, smart cards and other infrastructures.

6. Explain the nature of RFID:
RFID is radio frequency identification technology, a wireless technology that allows manufactures to attach tags with antennas and computer chips on goods and then track their movement through radio signals.

7. Identify the 4 main security treats that arise from the use of mobile technologies?
The four major treats to wireless networks are rouge access points, war driving, eavesdropping and radio frequency jamming. A rouge access point is an unauthorized access point to a wireless network; war driving is the act of locating WLAN’s while driving around a city or elsewhere; and eavesdropping refers to efforts by unauthorized users to access data that are traveling over other wireless networks. Radio frequency jamming occurs when a person or a device intentionally or unintentionally interferes with wireless network transmission.

Chapter 8

1. What is a Transactional Processing and the role of TP systems. State the key objective of TP/TPSs.
Transaction processing systems monitor collect store and process data generated from all business transactions. These data are inputs into the business database. TPSs have to handle high volume and large variations in volume efficiently, avoid errors and downtime, record results accurately and securely and also to maintain privacy and security.



1. What is a functional area information system? List its major characteristics. FAISs provide information mainly to lower- and middle level managers in the functional areas. They use this information to help them plan, organize and control operations. The information is provided in a variety of reports routine reports, ad-hoc reports and exception reports.

2. How does an FAIS support management by exception? How does it support on-demand reports? To implement management by exception, management first creates performance standards. The company then sets up systems to monitor performance, compare actual performance to the standards, and identify predefined expectations. Managers are alerted to the exceptions via exception reports.

1. Define ERP and describe its functionalities.
ERP is a systems software that integrates the planning management and use of all resources in the entire enterprise. The major objectives of ERP systems are to tightly integrate the functional areas of the organization and to enable information to flow seamlessly across the functional areas.

2. List some drawbacks of ERP software. They can be extremely complex, expensive, and time consuming to implement. Companies may need to change existing business processes to fit the predefined business process of the software. The company must purchase the entire software package even if they only require a few modules.

Section 8.5 - Before You Go On…

1. Define a supply chain and supply chain management (SCM).
The supply chain refers to the flow of materials, information, money and services from raw material suppliers, through factories and warehouses to the end customers. SCM is to pan organize and optimize the supply chains activities. SCM utilizes information systems

2. List the major components of supply chains.
A supply chain involves three segments upstream, internal and downstream. It also includes tiers of suppliers, and the flow of the supply chain.

3. What is the bullwhip effect?
Refers to erratic shifts in orders up and down the supply chain

4. What are some solutions to supply chain problems?
Vertical integration, Using inventories to solve supply chain problems and information sharing.



1. Define EDI and list its major benefits and limitations.
EDI electronic data interchange (EDI) is a communication standard that enables business partners to exchange routine documents, such as purchasing orders electronically. Benefits: it minimizes data entry errors because each entry is checked by the computer, the length of the message can be shorter and the messages are secured. EDI also reduces cycle time, increases productivity, enhances customer service and minimizes paper usage and storage. Limitations: implementing an EDI system involves a significant initial investment, the ongoing operation costs are high due to the use of expensive, private VANs. It is difficult to make quick changes, EDIs also require a long start up period.

Chapters 5 and 6

Chapter 5

1. Describe the three network applications that we discussed in this section and the tools and technologies that support each one.
· Discovery: involves browsing and information retrieval, and provides users with the ability to view information in databases download it and or process it. Discover tools include search engines, directories and portals.
· Communications: networks provide fast inexpensive communications, via e-mail, blogs, call centers, chat rooms and voice communications

2. What are the business conditions that are leading to the increased importance of videoconferencing?
Businesses are competing in a global market, it is to hard and to expenses to communicate face-to face so through videoconferencing they combat these issues.

Section 5.2 1. Describe the underlying technologies, applications and types of Web sites that comprise Web 2.0.
The information technologies and applications used by Web 2.0 sites include XML, AJAX, tagging, blogs, Wikis, Really Simple Syndication, podcasting and video casting. The websites that comprise Web 2.0 include social media sites, aggregators and mashups.

2. Describe the function of Web services.
Web services are applications, delivered over the internet that users can select and combine through almost any device, from personal computers to mobile phones. By using a set of shared protocols and standards, these application permit different systems to talk with one another- that is , to share data and services without requiring human beings to translate the conversation. 3. Describe the function of service-oriented architectures. A service-orientated architecture (SOA) is an IT architecture that makes it possible to construct business applications using Web services. The Web services can be reused across an organisation in other applications.


Chapter 6

Section 6.1 - 1. Define e-commerce and distinguish it from e-business.
E-commerce describes the process of buying selling, transferring, or exchanging products, services, or information via computer networks, including the internet. E-business is a broader concept. In addition to the buying and selling of goods and services, e-business also refers to servicing customers, collaborating with business partners and performing electronic transactions within an organisation.

2. Distinguish among B2C, B2B, C2C and B2E electronic commerce.
-Business-to-consumer (B2C): the sellar are the organisations and the buyers are the individuals.
-Business-to-business (B2B); In these transactions, both sellers an buyers are business organisations.
-Consumer-to-consumer (C2C): an individual sells products or services to other individuals.
-Business-to-employee (B2E): an organisation uses EC internally to provide information and services to its employees companies allow employees to manage their benefits and to take training classes electronically.

3. List some benefits and limitations of e-commerce.
E-commerce benefits organisation by making national and international markets more accessible and by lowering the costs of processing, distributing and retrieving information. Customer’s benefit by being able to access a vast number of products and services around the clock. The major benefit to society is the ability to easily and conveniently deliver information, services and products to people in cities, rural areas and developing countries. EC has some limitations. Technological limitations include the lack of universally accepted security standards, insufficient telecommunications bandwidth and expensive accessibility. Non-technical limitations include the perceptions that EC is insecure, has unresolved legal issues and lacks a critical mass of buyers and sellers.

Section 6.2 - 1. List the major issues relating to e-tailing.
-Channel Conflict: can alienate the distributors, this can arise in areas such as pricing of products and services and resource allocation.
-Order Fulfilment: This can also be a source of problems for e-tailers. Any time a company sells directly to customers, it is involved in various order-fulfilments activities. It must perform many activities, though it is very difficult to accomplish these activities both effectively and efficiently in B2C, because a company has to ship small packages to many customers and do it quickly. For this reason companies involved in B2C activities often have difficulties in supply chains.

2. What are spamming, permission marketing and viral marketing?
-Spamming: is the indiscriminate distribution of electronic ads without permission of the receiver.
-Permission Marketing: as consumers to give their permission to voluntarily accept online advertising and e-mail.
-Viral Marketing: refers to online “word-of-mouth” marketing. The idea behind viral marketing is to have people forward messages to friends.

Section 6.4 1. List the various electronic payment mechanisms.
-Electronic Checks
-Electronic Credit Cards
-Purchasing Cards
-Electronic Cash
-Digital Wallets

2. What are micropayments?
They are small payments of a few dollars or less. Section 6.5 -1. List some ethical issues in EC.
-Presents some threats to privacy
-Issue of tracking
- It may eliminate the need for some of a company’s employees, as well as brokers or agents.

2. List the major legal issues of EC.
-Fraud on the internet.
- Domain names
- Cybersquatting
-Taxes and other fees
-Copyright

chapter 4

Chapter 4

1. What are some of the difficulties in managing data?

1. The amount of data increases exponentially with time
2. Data are frequently stored in numerous servers and locations and in different computing systems.
3. New sources of data (blogs, podcasts) are unstructured, meaning that there content cannot be truly represented in computer record.
4. Data decays over time
5. Data security and quality are crucial yet are easily jeopardized.


2. What are the various sources for data?
1. Internal sources (inside corperate databases)
2. Personal sources (individual thought, opinions and experiences)
3. External sources (commercial databases, government reports)


3. What is a primary key and a secondary key?
· Primary Key: is the identifier field or attribute that uniquely identifies a record.
· Secondary Key: An identifier field or attribute that has some identifying information, but typically does not identify the file with complete accuracy.

4. What is an entity and a relationship?
· Entity: A person, place, thing or event about which information is maintained in a record.
· Relationship: Is the connection between the entities.


5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of relational databases?
A relational database is made up of related tables. Theses tables can be joined when they contain common columns. This feature allows great flexibility in the variety of queries they can make. Despite these features, this model has some disadvantages. Because large-scale databases can be composed of many interrelated tables, the overall design can be complex and therefore have slow search and access times.

6. What is knowledge management?
Is a process that helps organizations identify, select organize and disseminate and transfer and apply information and expertise that are part of the organization memory and that typically reside within the organization in an unstructured manner.

7. What is the difference between tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge?
Explicit knowledge is the more objective, rational and technical types of knowledge whereas tactic knowledge is the cumulative store of subjective or experiential learning; highly personal and hard to formalize knowledge.