管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 ESS_7E_testbank_CH02
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 CH03-7E
Essentials of Business Information Systems, 7ELaudon & LaudonLecture Files by Barbara J. EllestadChapter 3 Achieving Competitive Advantage with Information SystemsThe changes that have taken place in computing have affected the business environment in a big way. Over 40 percent of business equipment investments in the last decade have been on technology. Organizations are finding more efficient ways to accomplish tasks via networking, either internal networks or by connecting to external networks. Technology has caused many changes in the way businesses connect to their customers, suppliers, and business partners to achieve a competitive advantage.3.1 Using Information Systems to Achieve Competitive AdvantageGoogle, Amazon, e-Bay–the giants of the Internet. They are successful and make loads of money. They could easily rest on their laurels, kick back, and relax. If they are so successful, why do they keep working so hard to continually introduce new products and services and improve the old ones? Because someone, somewhere, is trying to take their place and become the new giant. These companies must keep the competitive advantage and they are using information systems to do so.Type of Competitive AdvantageThere are four ways companies can create or keep the competitive advantage:1.Barriers to entry that restrict the supply: create supply monopolies.2.Demand control: create and control the switching costs customers wouldexperience if they moved to another supplier.3.Economies of scale: keep operating costs low while expanding sales byincreasing the amount of product or service you provide with the same equipment.4.Process efficiency: improve business processes to make them more efficient andcheaper.Some companies use just one of these to maintain a competitive advantage but most companies will use a combination of them.Porter’s Competitive Forces ModelPorter’s competitive forces model contends that much of the success or failure of a business depends on its ability to respond to its external environment. Figure 3-1 shows four external forces that every business must contend with at one time or another.Figure 3-1: Porter’s Competitive Forces Model.It’s important to understand from this model that a firm’s success is not predicated on how well it does internally. It must also pay attention to:•Traditional competitors: always nipping at your heals with new products and services trying to steal your customers.•New market entrants: not constrained by traditional ways of producing goods and services, they can easily jump into your markets and lure customers away with cheaper or better products and services.•Substitute products and services: customers may be willing to try substitute products and services if they decide your price is too high or the quality of yourproducts and services is too low.•Customers: fickle to say the least, they are now armed with new information resources that make it easier for them to jump to your competitors, new marketentrants, or substitute products.•Suppliers: the number of suppliers used may determine how easy or difficult your business will have in controlling the supply chain. Too few suppliers and you losea lot of control.Information System Strategies for Dealing with Competitive ForcesMany companies have found that effective and efficient information systems allow them to deal with external forces in one of four ways: low-cost leadership, product differentiation, focus on market niche, and strengthen customer and supplier intimacy. Low-Cost LeadershipBy using information systems to lower your operational costs you can lower your prices. That will make it difficult for traditional competitors and new market entrants to match your prices. This strategy works best with commodities such as computers or with household products retailers such as Wal-Mart.Efficient customer response systems provide a company and its suppliers with an integrated view of customers. These systems provide instantaneous information to the company and its suppliers. Every staff member can have access to the information in the system to help reduce costs and prices well below that of the competition. Processes such as supply replenishment are automated between companies and suppliers. When products reach a certain re-order point, the system automatically sends a message to the supplier who can quickly send out new stock. These systems help companies achieve low-cost leadership in their industry.Product DifferentiationA very effective use of strategic information systems is to create products or services that are so different that they create barriers for the competition. Product differentiation is at the heart of Dell Computer Corporation’s success. Its competitors, such as Compaq and IBM, have tried to duplicate Dell’s made-to-order strategic business model but have not been quite as successful.Apple uses product differentiation to help market its iPod and online music system to a broad swath of the population and create barriers that its competitors are having difficulty overcoming.People like to feel that they are unique individuals with their own needs and desires. One of the best strategies for dealing with competitors is to offer customers exactly what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. The Internet provides a new outlet for mass customization by allowing customers to order one-of-a-kind products. For instance, by visiting the Ping Golf Club Web site, an individual can step through a series of pages that will help design golf clubs to fit him/her. The customer answers questions on the site about his/her height, arm length, hand size, and level of play. The site then adviseshim/her on the exact type of club that best fits his/her needs and provides all of the information necessary to order the clubs. Once ordered, Ping can produce the product in a matter of hours and use a shipping partner to deliver the clubs in less than five days. The individual feels special and Ping has gained a new customer.Focus on Market NicheIf an organization is in a fiercely competitive market, it can choose to focus on a very narrow segment of the market rather than a broad general audience. Using data mining techniques a firm can gather very specific information about its customers and create a focused differentiation business strategy to market directly to those consumers. Being able to address the needs and wants of a very small market segment is why companies are so intent on gathering as much consumer information from a variety of sources as they can.Apple Computer uses focused differentiation to help sell its computers to a narrow target market of graphic designers and educators rather than the general population of computer users.Strengthen Customer and Supplier IntimacySupply chain management (SCM) systems increase supplier intimacy while customer relationship management systems increase customer intimacy. SCM systems create immense switching costs between a company and its suppliers because of the investment of hardware and software necessary to make the system successful. Customer relationship management systems allow companies to learn details about customers that give them the competitive advantage over traditional competitors and new market entrants.Implementing these competitive strategies requires precise coordination of people, technology and the organization. A company can pursue one or more of these strategies but cannot isolate any of the three dimensions of an information system. They must all work in concert together to have any hope of success.The Internet’s Impact on Competitive AdvantageTry to think of one industry that has not been touched by the Internet. Its impact on Porter’s Competitive Forces Model is apparent from entertainment to retail to travel to financial services. The Internet allows traditional competitors to introduce new products and services and lure customers away. It provides a low cost avenue for new market entrants. Consumers can easily and quickly find substitute products and services through the Internet. Customers can use information provided on the Internet to create new competition between companies while suppliers can increase their market power. Table 3.3 summarizes the impact the Internet is having on many industries.Not all of the news is bad though. The Internet provides new opportunities for companies to increase their customers and markets while reducing their costs. The companies we first mentioned in this section, Google, Amazon, and e-Bay are continually creating new products and services through the Internet. They are successful because they use information systems to continually improve their strategic competitive forces.The Business Value Chain ModelBe better than the competition. That’s the mantra of most companies that are serious about winning the game. Areas of the organization most affected by leveraging technology are in producing the product, getting it to the stores, and making the customer happy. Remember the WorldWide Candy Corporation from Chapter 2? Think of all the activities that go into getting the Cybernuts candy bar made, from procuring raw materials to actual production. Then consider how the candy bar gets from the factory to the store shelves. And what about all those commercials you see? These are primary activities. Just as important are support activities: human resources, accounting, and finance. These functions support the primary functions of production, shipping, and sales andmarketing. The value chain model shown below will help an organization focus on these activities and determine which are critical to its success.Figure 3-2: The Value Chain Model.By effectively using an information system in a strategic role at any, or preferably all, levels of the organization, a digital firm can provide more value in their products than the competition. If they can’t provide more value, then the strategic information system should help them provide the same value but at a lower price.Benchmarking provides a way for businesses to determine how they stand up against their competitors within the same industry. For instance, if the industry standard in producing golf clubs is ten days, Ping can benchmark their production schedule of five days and determine that they are successful. They can also research the best practices of other golf club manufacturers and decide if they should fine tune their business processes to wring even more resources from the production process.Information to formulate benchmarks and best practices can come from internal sources, other companies within the same industry, external industries, university research units, or the government.Extending the Value Chain: The Value WebMore and more companies are incorporating the Internet in their business strategies through the use of value webs. Ford Motor Company is forming many partnerships and alliances via the Web to offer services and products that otherwise would be too difficult, costly, or time-consuming.“Suppliers are an integral part of our business, and our success isinterdependent with theirs. We rely on more than 2,000 productionsuppliers to provide many of the parts that are assembled into Fordvehicles. Another 9,000 suppliers provide a wide range of nonproductiongoods and services, from production equipment to computers toadvertising.” ( Web site)Ford is using value webs to connect itself, suppliers, and business partners and share best practices so that each participant can improve its business processes. That in turn lowers supply costs for Ford and ensures a certain level of standardization through the manufacturing process. Suppliers can collaborate with each other via the value web to enhance their core competencies and improve the entire supply chain. Sharing information through the value web helps not just Ford but the entire vehicle manufacturing industry.Figure 3-3: The Value Web.Synergies, Core Competencies, and Network-Based StrategiesVery seldom will you find a business that provides all of its own services, supplies, and processes throughout the entire chain. It isn’t practical or efficient to do so. Almost every business relies on partnerships with other companies to produce goods and services. The most successful companies will determine the best synergies, core competencies and network-based strategies to reduce costs, improve products and services, and increase profits.SynergiesAOL has provided dial-up Internet access for consumers and businesses since the early 1990s. In addition to providing Internet access it also creates specific content that is available only to its customers. The last few years has seen a huge increase in the demand for broadband access by customers across the U.S. AOL simply doesn’t have the necessary infrastructure to provide what its customers want. But other telecommunications companies such as BellSouth and Verizon can help AOL answer the demand through their networks. AOL, in synergy with the other companies can now provide the services customers want.“David Scobey, President of BellSouth’s Retail Markets, said, “This newrelationship will make it easier for loyal AOL consumers to get all thebenefits of BellSouth DSL without losing their AOL service. We think thispromotion offers a compelling reason for AOL members to move tobroadband.” ( Web site)In early 2006, two telecommunication industry giants, Verizon and MCI, announced a partnership that will provide new services to large corporations and governments.“Verizon has joined forces with MCI to form Verizon Business, a leadingprovider of advanced communications services for large businesses,government, and international organizations. The vision: To create onetruly seamless, local-to-global IP network. One that works alongside oneof the world’s most reliable wireless networks, providing your businesswith every piece of the solution you need, including the most importantone of all: people.Consumers and small businesses will also benefit from combining MCI’sworld-class Internet backbone with Verizon’s broadband offerings,providing opportunities to advance our broadband services and keep pacewith the increasing demands of the multimedia marketplace.” ()Both companies have superior services. However, it would have been impossiblefor either company to alone provide the new service. Rather than forego the opportunity altogether, they combined their synergies to create new services for customers.Enhancing Core CompetenciesWhy did Ford Motor Company form an alliance with UPS instead of continuing its long-time practice of delivering vehicles to dealers itself? Because Ford wanted to concentrate on its core competency of manufacturing vehicles and let UPS concentrate on its core competency of delivering products.UPSLogistics’Web site says “By shaving four days off the delivery cycleand reengineering the network, Ford is realizing a $1 billion dollarreduction in vehicle inventory and more than $125 million in inventorycarrying-cost reductions on an annualized basis. ‘The savings willcontinue to grow as our precision, Web-enabled system reaches maturityand we surface and eliminate more non-value-added activities,’ saidTaylor. Ford and UPS Logistics Group launched the alliance a year ago toreengineer Ford’s vehicle delivery system amid rising consumer demandfor on-time vehicle delivery. UPS Logistics Group created UPSAutogistics as a business unit to manage the project. ‘With a singlenetwork manager in place to analyze any potential problems before theyoccur, we’ve managed to avoid bottlenecks, reduce the amount of assets inthe supply chain, and cut inventory carrying costs,’ said Tom Kolakowski,manager of Ford North Americ an Vehicle Logistics.”Network-Based StrategiesTechnology doesn’t automatically transform organizations. There is no magic wand companies can wave that will solve all their problems just because they installed the latest information system. People using technology efficiently and effectively, however, can transform organizations. Network technology can enhance communications up and down the organization and from one department to another on the same managerial level. Networks also provide a low-cost, efficient way to connect a firm to its external environment.It’s long been known in the economics field that the economics of manufacturing produces a diminishing return on investment at some point in time. But in network economics the opposite is true. Let’s say you have a small company with 15 employees operating on a client/server network. You’ve already paid for the server that can support 25 employees. When you hire the 16th employee, you won’t have to spend much money, if any, to support the new employee on the network. You’re actually increasing the server’s output without an associated increase in cost.Technology makes virtual organizations more feasible, cheaper, and easier to set up and tear down than before. Let’s say you own a small company in northern Arizona that offers white-water rafting trips through the Grand Canyon. You have a fleet of rafts and 35 full-time employees. Rather than you trying to manage the payroll and benefits program for your employees you could use a company that specializes in payroll, employee benefit programs, and even retirement plans. Intuit, who manufactures Quicken and QuickBooks, also provides an online service for businesses that does all of these things. You access Intuit’s Web site, enter the necessary data, and it takes care of the rest of the processes even down to filing the government tax forms. You can concentrate on your rafting business instead.The Boeing Company, manufacturer of airplanes, uses virtual organizations throughoutits design and manufacturing processes. It contracts with other businesses for certain types of work such as the development of new seat configurations. When the process is up, the outside vendor is released from the job.As more companies outsource work to other vendors, virtual organizations are becoming the norm. Network technologies based on Internet standards provide the infrastructure necessary to make them successful. Companies are no longer tied to suppliers and business partners located in specific geographical areas but can find the best service provider or business partner around the world.3.2 Competing on a Global ScaleThe world just keeps getting smaller and smaller. No company can afford to ignore foreign markets or the impact of foreign competition on the domestic business environment. You have to adapt to the changing faces, literally, of your competition and customers and devise a plan to bring your organization into its view.Globalization OpportunitiesThe Internet allows big companies to act small and small companies to act big. It also provides wider markets for products and services, cheaper labor, and reduced production and shipping costs. A rancher in northern Montana traditionally could only sell his beefto local markets. He can now sell his products to anyone in the world through the Internet. Customers access his Web site, make their selections, and the products are shipped overnight to any geographic location. The rancher has a wider market for his products with reduced costs.Other companies can use networks to outsource some or all of their work to far-flung geographic locations. A small entrepreneur can use a company in Poland to producetrinkets cheaper than anyone in the United States. The entrepreneur can use a global Web site to sell the products anywhere.The Internet totally changes the traditional ideas of where work needs to take place and where the customers are located. Online collaboration systems, which we will investigate in future chapters, allow workers to instantly share documents, graphics, messages, and even phone calls over the Internet at significant costs savings.Global Business and System StrategiesOne globe, one company. Daimler-Chrysler is the perfect example of a transnational corporation. Its Web site describes it as “the first automotive, transportation, and services company with a truly global structure.” Corporate headquarters are “located in Stuttgart, Germany and Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.” Daimler-Chrysler did business in 200 countries with 441,500 employees at the end of 1998. Much of this was made possible by system strategies that erase the global lines of demarcation.Information systems that allow a business to “time shift” its work can economize on its fixed capital costs. As their work day ends, employees in New York City can shift projects to employees in Seattle. When the Seattle employees leave for the day they can shift the projects over to Tokyo-based employees. Tokyo can move the project on to Frankfurt, Germany who will continue the work. As so it goes around the clock. Companies can produce information-based products and services almost 24/7 using these kinds of strategies.3.3 Competing on Quality and DesignWho wants to eat a candy bar that tastes horrible, drips all over your hands and clothes, and costs way more than it should? WorldWide Candy Corporation from Chapter 2 avoids those pitfalls better than the competition because it uses information systems to enhance the quality of the company and the product. The customer knows that Cybernuts is far superior to any other candy bar in taste, and it’s not that expensive. The customer doesn’t really focus on the fact that chocolate isn’t melting all over her hands. That’s an intriguing aspect of keeping the customer happy when you think about it. The customer doesn’t consider the quality of a product until it isn’t there. Then it may be too late for the producer to win back the customer.What Is Quality?Total quality management, making quality control everyone’s responsibility, relies onan excellent information system to supply workers and management with the data necessary to improve products and drive down costs. The lack of good, useful information may not be apparent until the organization can’t figure out what it’s doing wrong, or doing right. Data from all the types of information systems we’ve discussed can be fed into quality management programs and make it easier to develop and improve products that blow away the competition.Six Sigma is another initiative companies use to spot problems and correct them before they are too deeply embedded in the company’s processes. It just stands to reason that the longer a flaw is allowed to fester in the system, the more problems it may cause. And the more problems, the higher the costs. If you can identify the defects early on and eliminate them, you can achieve more efficient production at lower costs. That’s the premise behind Six Sigma.Neither of these initiatives should be viewed as one time events but rather as continuing processes.How Information Systems Improve QualityHere are some ways companies can use information systems to achieve total quality management:•Simplify processes by using information to determine what the processes are in the first place•Identify benchmark targets•Gather, process, and store customer feedback in information systems that are available company-wide•Reduce cycle time by providing information earlier in the process•Redesign the process or redesign the product by using information about the process•Improve production processes by using available information from internal and external sourcesComputer-aided design software programs can help a business achieve superior quality by incorporating the ideas above into its work processes. For instance, Ping can use CAD software to design new golf clubs and identify benchmarks used in the production process. The engineers can use customer feedback in the design process to determine what type of clubs sell the best.3.4 Competing on Business ProcessesWe often refer to the three dimensions of an information system: technology, the organization, and people. Nowhere is coordination among the three more important than in business process reengineering.Business Process ReengineeringVery few processes in business are as efficient as they can possibly be. It’s a fact of life. The idea behind successful BPR is to find improvements or even new opportunities. For instance, Federal Express and UPS both have online package tracking systems. That simple process was never economically feasible before the Internet. They had to reengineer their business processes to incorporate this new paradigm shift.In order to make BPR successful, you must first redesign the process, then apply computing power to the new processes. If problems existed in the process before the new system was installed and those problems aren’t resolved, the new system could actually make them worse.New information system software is giving businesses the methodology to more easily redesign their processes. Work flow management offers the opportunity to streamline procedures for companies whose primary business is oriented toward paperwork. Instead of 10 people handling a single bank loan application, you can install software that will speed up the process, allow several people to work on the document at the same time, and decrease the total number of people who handle it. Or, you can migrate the application process to the Web and make it even more efficient and customer-friendly. Wells Fargo Bank allows customers to complete an online application and receive a preliminary approval or disapproval within minutes. Wells Fargo’s computer system is connected to the credit reporting agencies’ computers for quick access of customer credit data. If customers have questions about the application or the types of loans available, they can initiate an instant messaging session with a bank employee and get all their questions answered on the spot. Once the application has been submitted, the customer can check the progress of it online. Once the loan is approved, the money is allocated to the customer through an online account. Wells Fargo processes more bank loans faster and more efficiently. The customer is happier with less effort. And all of this can take place 24/7.Steps in Effective ReengineeringBPR attempts fail 70 percent of the time. That’s an astonishing figure when you think about it. What if your car failed to start 70 percent of the time? Some of the reasons for the high failure rate are lack of planning, management’s inability to fully comprehend the enormity and complexity of the effort, and the fact that BPR usually takes much longer than expected.What can organizations, their managers, and workers do to help make BPR a success? It may be helpful to make a diagram of how your processes work now and then envision how they will work after they are redesigned. Figure 3-5 in the text shows an example of how mortgage processing was redesigned using BPR techniques. Try just a few processes to get your feet wet and then expand it to other units or processes within the organization. Document how much your current processes cost. You’ll be able to measure costs savings (or costs increases) better if you have a baseline for comparison.。
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 Ch12-disc
Chapter 12Answers to Discussion Questions:1.Answers will vary but should include items such as no spamming, no threats, noharassment, no violations of personal privacy, no downloading and redistributingcopyrighted material, and no software copying.2.Answers will vary according to the ISP and the educational institution.3.Answers will vary, but improvements should include ease of communication (e-mail,cell phones); ease of access to information (Internet search); making daily tasks easier (banking online, shopping online). Declines in quality of life: ability to work anytime, anywhere blurs the boundary between work and family life; cell phones everywhere can be intrusive and annoying; e-mail can mean too much time spent combingthrough messages to determine what is important and requires answering.4.Answers will vary, but might include: the federal government should be involved inmonitoring the Internet, should pass federal laws to regulate access, but stay out of decency issues because of the First Amendment; or government should stay away and let the Internet monitor itself.5.Answers will vary, but might include holding those who choose to use a technologyresponsible for the consequences of that technology, not the providers of thetechnology; OR holding that ISPs responsible for the harm that follows because of a breakdown of their equipment, on which businesses and individuals depend; that ISPs should monitor the e-mail sent over their equipment. This is a hard one, because an ISP provides a service, like the phone company, and the phone company is notresponsible for the phone calls people make unless people use the phone to engage in criminal activities like harassment.。
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 ESS_7E_testbank_CH03
Chapter 3Achieving Competitive Advantage with Information SystemsTrue-False Questions1.AnalysisOne type of competitive advantage Amazon was able to implement was that of economies ofscale.Answer: True Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 75-78Analysis in terms of categorize2.AnalysisAmazon’s success in online bookselling illustrates the use of demand control to increaseprofits.Answer: False Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 75-78Analysis in terms of categorize3. A firm can be said to have competitive advantage when they have higher stock marketvaluations than their competitors.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 784.The competitive forces model was created for today’s digital firm.Answer: False Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 795.Customers are one of the competitive forces that affect an organization’s ability to compete.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 806. A transparent marketplace means that there is high product differentiation.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 807.In an efficient customer response system, digital answering systems are used to monitor andrespond to customer inquiries.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 818.Mass customization is a form of mass production.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 82 9.Strong linkages to customers and suppliers decrease switching costsAnswer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 83 10.In the strategy of product differentiation, information systems are used to enable newproducts and servicesAnswer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 85 11.The effect of the Internet has been to raise bargaining power over suppliersAnswer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 87 12.In the age of the Internet, Porter’s traditiona l competitive forces model is still at work, butcompetitive rivalry has become much more intense.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 87 13.In the value chain model, primary activities are most directly related to the production anddistribution of the firm’s products and services that create value for the customer.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 88 14.The idea driving synergies is that when the output of some units can be used as inputs toother units, the relationship can lower cost and generate profits.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 90 15.The value chain model classifies all company activities as either primary or support.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 91 16.The law of diminishing returns always applies to digital, as well as traditional companies.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 91 17.The more people that use Microsoft Office software and related products, the greater itsvalue.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 9218.Studies have shown that probably the best single way to reduce quality problems is to reducecycle time.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9619.Business process reengineering is the radical redesign of business processesAnswer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9720.New mortgage application processes have been made far more efficient by theimplementation of a digital, “desk-to-desk”sequential assembly-line approach.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 9921.Today’s e-business e nvironment involves much closer coordination of a firm’s businessprocesses with those of customers, suppliers, and other business partners than in the past.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 99Multiple-Choice Questions22.AnalysisAmazon’s use of the Internet as a platform to sell books illustrates a tactical use ofinformation services for:a.Low-cost leadershipb.Product differentiationc.Focusing on market niched.Strengthening customer intimacyAnswer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: pp. 75-76, 80-83Analysis in terms of categorize23.The four major types of competitive advantage are:a.Demand control, economies of scale, substitute products and services, and processefficiency.b.Demand control, economies of scale, barriers to entry that restrict supply, andprocess efficiency.c.Demand control, economies of scale, product differentiation, and processefficiency.d.Economies of scale, barriers to entry that restrict supply, substitute products andservices, and process efficiency.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 7824.Demand control is achieved by:a.Preventing competitors from controlling pricing.ing switching costs to keep prices high.c.Reducing operation costs by merging with other firms.d.Reducing the number of competitive products.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 7825.AnalysisA beverage distributor has acquired exclusive U.S. distribution rights for a new Italiansparkling water. What competitive advantage does this illustrate?a.Economy of scaleb.Demand controlc.Barrier to entry that restrict supplyd.Substitute products and servicesAnswer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: pp. 78 Analysis in terms of categorize26.The ______________________ model is used to describe the interaction of externalinfluences, specifically threats and opportunities that affect an organization’s strategyand ability to compete.work economicspetitive forcespetitive advantaged.demand controlAnswer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 7927.Which of the following is not one of the competitive forces:a.suppliers.b.other competitors.c.external environmentd.customers.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: 79-8028.EvaluateA substitute product of most concern for a cable TV distributor is:a.Satellite TVb.Broadcast TVc.Satellite radiod.InternetAnswer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: 79Evaluate in terms of evaluate, assess, appraise29.EvaluateA manufacturer of deep-sea oil rigs may be least concerned about this marketplace force:a.product differentiation.b.traditional competitors.c.low number of suppliers.d.new market entrants.Answer: d Difficulty: Hard Reference: 79Evaluate in terms of evaluate, assess, appraise30.Which of the following industries has a low barrier to entry?a.Automotiveputer-chipc.Restaurantd.AirlineAnswer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p 79 31.Which of the following can force a business and its competitors to compete on pricealone?a.Transparent marketplaceb.High product differentiationc.Poor process efficiencyd.Demand controlAnswer: a Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 8032. A firm can exercise greater control over its suppliers by:a.having more suppliers.b.having fewer suppliers.c.having global suppliers.d.having local suppliers.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 8033.The four basic strategies a company can employ to deal with competitive forces are:a.Increase process efficiency, implement demand control, focus on market niche,and low-cost leadership.b.Strengthen customer and supplier intimacy, focus on market niche, productdifferentiation, and implement demand control.c.Focus on market niche, product differentiation, mass customization, andimplement demand control.d.Strengthen customer and supplier intimacy, focus on market niche, productdifferentiation, and low-cost leadership.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 8034.Wal-Mart’s continuous replenishment system allows it to:a.Provide mass customizationb.Provide an efficient customer response systemc.Strengthen customer intimacyd.Achieve economy of scaleAnswer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p.80-81 35.When a firm provides a specialized product or service for a narrow target market betterthan competitors, they are using a:a.Product differentiation strategy.b.Market niche strategy.c.Mass customization strategy.d.Process efficiency strategy.Answer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.8236.__________________________is the ability to offer individually tailored products orservices using the same production resources as bulk production.a.Mass customizationb.Size customizationc.Magnitude customizationd.Dimension customizationAnswer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 8237.An information system can enable a company to focus on a market niche through:plex trend forecastingb.Tailoring products to the clientc.Intensive product trend analysisd.Intensive customer data analysisAnswer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.8238.Hilton Hotels’ use of customer information software to identify the most profitablecustomers to direct services to is an example of using information systems to:a.Strengthen customer intimacyb.Differentiate their servicec.Focus on market niched.Increase efficiencyAnswer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.8339.AnalysisCemex’s early challenges were:a.Unpredictable distribution methods, difficulties creating product demand, andbargaining power of customers.b.Unpredictable distribution needs, inefficient distribution methods, and difficultiescreating product demandc.Low profits, inefficient distribution methods, and lack of supplier intimacyd.Low profits, inefficient distribution methods, and bargaining power of customers.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.84Analysis in terms of appraise, categorize40.AnalysisCemex’s use of information technology illustrates the use of information syste ms toachieve:a.Low cost leadershipb.Focus on market nichec.Customer intimacyd.Product differentiationAnswer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.84 Analysis in terms of appraise, categorize41.Which industries did the first wave of e-commerce transform?a.Air travel, books, bill paymentsb.Air travel, books, musicc.Real estate, air travel, booksd.Real estate, books, bill paymentsAnswer: b Difficulty: Hard Reference: p.8542.To what competitive force did the printed encyclopedia industry succumb?a.Positioning and rivalry among competitorsb.Low cost of entryc.Substitute products or servicesd.Customer’s bargaining powerAnswer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.85 43.EvaluateSouthwest’s early, limited use of information systems for providing ticketing and reservation is an illustration of:ing the value chain model to highlight the points at which informationtechnology can be used most effectively.ing information systems to enhance core competencies.ing information systems to simplify the product.ing information systems to enhance efficiency.Answer: a Difficulty: Hard Reference: p.85 Evaluate in terms of assess, compare44.Internet technology:a.makes it easy for rivals to compete on price alone.b.imposes a significant cost of entry, due to infrastructure requirements.c.increases the difference between competitors because of the wide availability ofinformation.d.makes it easy to sustain operational advantages.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.8745.The Internet raises the bargaining power of customers by:a.creating new opportunities for building loyal customer bases.b.making more products available.c.making information available to everyone.d.lowering transaction costs.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.8746.The value chain model:a.c ategorizes five related advantages for adding value to a firm’s products orservices.b.sees the supply chain as the primary activity for adding value.c.categorizes four basic strategies a firm can use to enhance its value chain.d.helps a firm identify points at which information technology can most effectivelyto enhance its competitive position.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p.8747.The primary activities of a firm include:a.inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, andservice.b.inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, technology, and service.c.procurement, inbound logistics, operations, technology, and outbound logistics.d.procurement, operations, technology, sales and marketing, and service.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.8848.The secondary activities of a firm include:a.inbound logistics, technology, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, andservice.b.inbound logistics, organization infrastructure, outbound logistics, technology, andprocurement.anization infrastructure, human resources, sales and marketing,, andtechnology.anization infrastructure, human resources, technology, and procurement.Answer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p.8849.Benchmarking:pares the efficiency and effectiveness of your business processes against strictstandards.b.allows industry participants to develop industry-wide standards.c.is used to measure the speed and responsiveness of information technology.d.synchronizes the business processes of customers, suppliers, and trading partners.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p.8950.The most successful solutions or methods for achieving a business objective are called:a.value processes.b.best processes.c.value practices.d.best practices.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p.89 51. A ______________________ is a collection of independent firms that use informationtechnology to coordinate their value chains to produce a product or service for a market collectively.a.value chainb.business networkc.value webd.consortiaAnswer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 8952.How are information systems used at the industry level to achieve strategic advantage?a.Building industry-wide, IT-supported consortia and symposiab.By raising the bargaining power of suppliersc.By encouraging the entry of new competitorsd.By enforcing standards that reduce the differences between competitorsAnswer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p.89 53.When the output of some units can be used as inputs to other units, or if twoorganizations pool markets and expertise that result in lower costs and generate profits it is often referred to as creating:a.value web.b.value chain.c.synergies.d.core competencies.Answer: c Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9054.An information system can enhance core competencies by:a.providing better reporting facilities.b.creating educational opportunities for management.c.allowing operational employees to interact with management.d.encouraging the sharing of knowledge across business units.Answer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 9055.An example of synergy in business is:a.Cemex's use of Internet technology to allow customers to place orders directly.b.merging of JP Morgan Chase and Bank One Corporation.c.Blockbuster combining traditional video rental with online video rental.d.LL Bean’s use of German and Scandinavian styles of order fulfillment systems.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 90 56.The more any given resource is applied to production, the lower the marginal gain inoutput, until a point is reached where the additional inputs produce no additional output is referred to as:a.the point of no return.b.the law of diminishing returns.c.supply and demand.d.inelasticity.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 91work economics:a.applies the law of diminishing returns to communities of users.b.applies traditional economics to networked users.c.sees the cost of adding new members as inconsequential.d.balances the high cost of adding new members to a community against the lowercost of using network infrastructure.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 9158.In network economics, the value of a commercial software vendor’s software products:a.increases as more people use them.b.decreases as more people use them.c.increases due to higher marginal gain in output.d.decreases according to the law of diminishing returns.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9159. A virtual company:es the capabilities of other companies without being physically tied to thosecompanies.es Internet technology to maintain a virtual storefront.es Internet technology to maintain a networked community of users.d.provides entirely Internet-driven services, or virtual products.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9160.Globalization allows:rmation systems to enhance core competencies.b.businesses to sell their products on a global scale.c.businesses to use the capabilities of other companies without being physically tiedto those companies.rmation systems to more fully utilize Internet capabilities.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9361.AnalysisThe greatest impact the Internet has had on globalization is:a.lowering the cost of labor.b.lowering the costs of telecommunications.c.lowering the costs of network infrastructure.d.lowering the cost of entry to global-scale operations.Answer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 93 Analysis in terms of categorization62. A business whose production facilities and sales facilities are in separate nations is a:a.virtual company.b.global organization.c.transnational business.d.micromultinational business.Answer: c Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9463.Psychological aspects play a significant role in the definition of quality for:a.customers only.b.producers only.c.both customers and producers.d.neither customers nor producers.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 95 64.Seeing quality as the responsibility of all people and functions in an organization iscentral to the concept of:a.Six Sigma.b.TQM.c.Quality control.d.Cycle time reduction.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9665.The reduction of errors to 3.4 defects per million opportunities is central to the conceptof:a.Six sigma.b.TQM.c.Benchmarking.d.Cycle time reduction.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9666.Which of the following is not a benefit of implementing CAD systems:a.reducing the time spent on completing a design.b.reducing the time spent on benchmarking.c.ability to review designs for errors prior to production.d.ability to produce design specifications for the manufacturing process.Answer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 9767.Streamlining the steps taken to complete a business task more efficiently is called:a.workflow management.b.workflow reengineering.c.business process management.d.business process reengineering.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9968.Many reengineering projects do not achieve breakthrough gains in performance because:anizational change is difficult to manage.b.it is difficult to streamline many business processes.c.workflow management is difficult to achieve.d.document management is difficult to achieve.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 9969.AnalysisBlockbuster’s move to include online movie rental as a part of its services illustrates the use of information systems for:petitive advantage.b.survival.c.new products and services.d.customer intimacy.Answer: b Difficulty: Hard Reference:Analysis in terms of appraise, analyze, categorize70.AnalysisWhich competitive force best categorizes the threat Netflix posed to Blockbuster?a.Rivalry among traditional competitorsb.Threat of new market entrantsc.Substitute products and servicesd.Bargaining power of customersAnswer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference:Analysis in terms of appraise, analyze, categorize71.AnalysisBlockbuster’s imp lementation of online movie rental is an example of using information technology to enhance which part of the value chain?a.Inbound logisticsb.Operationsc.Sales and marketingd.ProcurementAnswer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference:Analysis in terms of appraise, analyze, categorize72.EvaluateYou are working for a new company, Shazaam Shoes, a retail shoe store. Shazaam willbe selling discount sport shoes in a mall that already has another discount shoe store.Which of the following tactics will help Shazaam attain more demand control?a.Increase promotional effortsb.Sell shoes onlinec.Offer a store card that gives customers deep discounts on future purchasesd.Sell a greater variety of shoes than the competitorAnswer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference:Evaluate in terms of assess, compareFill In the Blanks73.The activity of measuring performance of your business processes against strict standards iscalled benchmarkingp. 8974. A virtual company/virtual organization uses networks to link people, assets, and ideas,enabling it to work with other companies to create products and services without beinglimited by traditional organizational boundaries or physical locations.9275.Business process reengineering /BPR is a radical rethinking of business processes to takeadvantage of information systems.9776.Six Sigma is the measure of quality that represents 3.4 defects per million opportunities9577.Quality control is seen as an end in itself in Total Quality Management (TQM)9578. A CAD/computer aided design system automates and the creation and revision of designsusing computers and sophisticated graphics softwarep. 9679.Mass customization is the ability to offer individually tailored products and services usingthe same production resources as mass production.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 8280.The value chain model highlights the primary or support activities that add a margin of valueto a firm’s products or services where information systems can best be applied to achieve a competitive advantage.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 8781.A(n) primary activity is one that is directly related to the production and distribution of afirm’s products or services.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 8882.A(n) support activity is a part of the organization’s infrastructure, human resources,technology, and procurement that makes the delivery of the firm’s products or servicespossible.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 8883.The value web is a collection of independent firms that use information technology tocoordinate their value chains to collectively produce a product or service for a market.Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 8984.Product differentiation is a competitive strategy for creating brand loyalty by developingnew and unique products and services that are not easily duplicated by competitors.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 8185.Switching costs are the expenses incurred by a customer or company in lost time andresources when changing from one supplier or system to a competing supplier or system.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 7886.A(n) core competency is an activity at which a firm excels as a world-class leader.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 9087.Porter’s competitive forces model illustrates that a firm faces a number of external threatsand opportunities.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 7988.According to the law of diminishing returns the more any given resource is applied toproduction, the lower the marginal gain in output, until a point is reached where theadditional inputs produce no additional outputs.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 91Essay Questions89.Discuss the impact of the Internet on the competitive forces model.The traditional competitive forces are still at work, but the Internet has made competitiverivalry much more intense. Internet technology is based on universal standards that anycompany can use, making it easy for rivals to compete on price alone and for newcompetitors to enter the market. Easy access to information on the Internet raises thebargaining power of customers, who can quickly find the lowest-cost provider on the Web,lowering profits. At the same time, the Internet creates new opportunities for building brandsand building very large and loyal customer bases that are willing to pay a premium for thebrand. The traditional Porter model assumes a relatively static industry environment;relatively clear-cut industry boundaries; and a relatively stable set of suppliers, substitutes,and customers, with the focus on industry players in a market environment. Instead ofparticipating in a single industry, some of today’s firms participate in industry sets andbusiness ecosystems that —collections of industries that provide related services andproducts.90.Value chain analysis is useful at the business level to highlight specific activities in thebusiness where information systems are most likely to have a strategic impact. Discuss thismodel, identify the activities, and describe how the model can be applied to the concept ofinformation technology.The value chain model identifies specific, critical leverage points where a firm can useinformation technology most effectively to enhance its competitive positions. Exactly wherecan it obtain the greatest benefit from strategic information systems – what specific activitiescan be used to create new products and services, enhance market penetration, lock incustomers and suppliers, and lower operational costs? This model views the firm as a seriesor chain of basic activities that add a m argin of value to a firm’s products or services. Theseactivities can be categorized as either primary activities or support activities.•Primary activities – are most directly related to the production anddistribution of the firm’s products and services that create value for thecustomer. Primary activities include inbound logistics, operations, outboundlogistics, sales and marketing, and service.•Support activities – make the delivery of the primary activities possible andconsist of organization infrastructure (administration and management),human resources (employee recruiting, hiring, and training, technology(improving products and the production process), and procurement(purchasing input).Apply Porter’s competitive forces model to the Major League Baseball problems discussed in Chapter 1.petitors: MLB’s major competitor was television: fans would watch games onTV rather than attend in person.2.New Market Entrants: Because of a high barrier to entry, MLB faces little if anycompetition from similar businesses.3.Substitute products and services: In MLB’s case, a low-to-no price substitute isavailable by games being broadcast on TV.4.Customers: The bargaining power of MLB’s customers lies in their ability to choosetelevision broadcasts over live games.5.Suppliers: If baseball players can be seen as a key supplier, the bargaining power ofsuppliers is a constant challenge. The high cost of players results in high ticket costs.Analysis in terms of categorize, examine, analyze92.EvaluateThe text describes Michael Porter’s view of the Internet as somewhat negative. Whatnegative influences does Porter see? Describe several positive influences the Internet has on business. Do these outweigh the negative influences?An answer might be:Porter sees the Internet as creating ever more intense rivalry, through allowing newcompetitors to enter the market, and forcing competition on price alone, raising thebargaining power of customers, and dampening profits.Positive influences of the Internet would be lowering telecommunications costs, creatingnew opportunities for building brands and loyal customer bases, lowering costs ofglobalization. You could also view Porter’s negative take on lowering the barrier to entry asa positive for new companies.The Internet’s influence being negative or positive depends in part on the point of view from which the influence is being seen. For example, a telephone utility is impacted negatively by the emergence of Internet telephony, while other industries may be impacted positivelyeither through the use of this technology or through engaging in Internet telephony as abusiness.Evaluate in terms of assess, compare, evaluate。
《管理信息系统》(第七版)-PPT 第7章 管理信息系统的系统实施
• 一定范围内的网络，可以实现楼宇内部和邻近的几座大楼 之间的内部联系。
广域网（WAN）
• 设备之间的通信，通常利用公共电信网络，实现远程设备 之间的通信。
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第八章 管理信息系统的系统实施
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本章内容
• 第一节 物理系统的实施 • 第二节 程序设计 • 第三节 软件开发工具 • 第四节 程序和系统调试 • 第五节 系统切换
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结构三：
DO CASE
CASE＜条件１＞
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第八章 管理信息系统的系统实施
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本章内容
• 第一节 物理系统的实施 • 第二节 程序设计 • 第三节 软件开发工具 • 第四节 程序和系统调试 • 第五节 系统切换
代码测试
• 调试过程中通常要编写测试数据。 • 1、用正常数据调试 • 2、用异常数据调试 • 3、用错误数据调试
程序功能测试
• 面向程序应用环境，把程序看作一个“黑匣子”； • 认为程序只要满足应用功能上的需求，就是可行的。
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模块测试
系统的应用软件通常由多个功能模块组成， 每个模块由一个或几个程序构成。 在单个程序调试完成以后，尚需进行分调，即将一个功能内所有程序按次序串联起 来进行调试。目的是要保证各程序间具有正确的控制关系，测试模块的运行效率。
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第八章 管理信息系统的系统实施
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 Ch11-disc
Chapter 11Answers to Discussion Questions:1.Elements of managing the implementation of a new information system are the user-designer communications gap, the level of complexity and risk, and the challenge of BPR and ERP. Additional elements are concerned with user involvement andovercoming user resistance, perhaps the biggest challenges management will face. 2.Application software packages are prewritten programs and are convenient for non-techies to use. The system documentation is prewritten and updates to the program are easy to obtain from the vendor. Technical support, updates, bug fixes, andenhancements are available from Web sites.3.Causes of implementation success and failure are user involvement and influence, thelevel of complexity and risk, management support and commitment, and management of the implementation process. Failing to adequately managing these importantelements, along with the fundamental organizational changes will result in a high probability of system failure.4.Answers should reference Table 11-5, The User-Designer Communications Gap, andinclude references to how the techies view projects differently than the non-techies.5.Advantages of using prototyping as an alternative system-building approach includemore rapid development with less cost; more user involvement in definingrequirements and building the application; better user interface with the system.Disadvantages include more costly development if the basic principles of system development are ignored; failing to ensure the prototype fits in with other information systems; the prototype not supporting overall business and organizational plans;creating islands of information from the prototype.。
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 ESS_7E_testbank_CH01
Chapter 1Business Information Systems in Your CareerTrue-False Questions1.Internet advertising is growing at a rate of more than 30 percent a year.Answer: True Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 62. A business model describes how a company produces, delivers, and sells a product or serviceto create wealth.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 7rmation technology (IT) consists of all the hardware that a firm needs to use in order toachieve its business objectives, whereas information systems consist of all the hardware andsoftware needed:Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 10puters are only part of an information system.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 12rmation systems literacy describes the behavioral approach to information systems,whereas computer literacy describes the technical approach.Answer: False Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 126.The dimensions of information systems are people, organizations, and technologyAnswer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 127.In order to understand how a specific business firm uses information systems, you need toknow something about the history and culture of the company.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 138.Developing a new product, fulfilling an order, or hiring a new employee are examples ofbusiness processes.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 139.Business processes are logically related tasks for accomplishing tasks that have beenformally encoded by an organization.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1310.Employee attitudes about their jobs, employers, or technology can have a powerful effect ontheir abilities to use information systems productively.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1411. A network requires at least two computers and a shared resource.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1412.. An IT infrastructure provides the platform on which the firm can build its informationsystems.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1513.(Analysis)UPS’s use of Web-based tools that allow customers to embed UPS functions such as tracking and cost calculations into their own Web sites was an information systems solution used to achieve customer intimacy.Answer: True Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 16Analysis in terms of categorize14.Identifying a problem includes agreeing that a problem exists.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1615.Political conflict is an example of the people dimension of business problems.Answer: False Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 1916.(Analysis) The text’s example of Mitchell Gregory, CIO of Sonic Corporations, illustratesthe need for information systems managers to have an in-depth background in the technology used in their industry.Answer: False Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 23Analysis in terms of examine17.There is no way that firms today can perform even basic accounting functions withoutextensive investment in systems.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2418.An understanding of enterprise –wide systems for customer relationship management is oneof the skills relevant to careers in marketing.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2619.Whereas marketing and financial careers have been transformed by the growth ininformation systems, management has—so far—remained relatively unaffected.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2720.Each of the following career tracks—accounting, finance, marketing, operationsmanagement, management, and information systems—relies heavily in practice on databases.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 29Multiple Choice Questions21.One of the recent critical challenges facing Major League Baseball was:a.poor coordination between local and national sales channels.b.poorly managed sales channels.c.outdated information systems.d.decreasing ticket sales.Answer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 322.The six important business objectives of information technology are new products, services,and business models; customer and supplier intimacy; survival; competitive advantage,operational excellence, and:a.improved flexibility.b.improved decision making.c.improved business practices.d.improved efficiency.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 623.Dell Computer’s use of information systems to improve efficiency and implement “masscustomization” techniques to maintain consistent profitability and an industry lead illustrateswhich business objective?a.Improved flexibilityb.Improved business practicespetitive advantaged.SurvivalAnswer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 824.The use of information systems because of necessity is:a.survivalb.improved business practicespetitive advantaged.improved flexibilityAnswer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 925.(Analysis)Which of the following choices may lead to competitive advantage (1) new products,services, and business models; (2) charging less for superior products; (3) responding tocustomers in real-time?a. 1 onlyb. 1 and 2c. 2 and 3d.1, 2, and 3Answer: d Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 8Analysis in terms of compare26.Verizon’s implementation of a Web-based digital dashboard to provide managers with real-time information such as customer complaints is an example of:a.improved flexibility.b.improved decision-making.c.improved efficiency.d.customer and supplier intimacy.Answer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 827.The move of retail banking to use ATMs after Citibank unveiled its first ATMs illustrates theinformation system business objective of:a.improved efficiency.b.customer and supplier intimacy.c.survival.petitive advantage.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 928.What term is used to refer to all of the computer-based information systems used byorganizations and their underlying technologies?work technologyb.Digital technologyrmation technologyd.Productivity technologyAnswer: c Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1029.An information system can be defined technically as a set of interrelated components thatcollect (or retrieve), process, store, and distribute information to support:a.decision making and control in an organizationmunications and data flowc.managers analyzing the organization’s raw datad.the creation of new products and servicesAnswer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 10 30.The three activities in an information system that produce the information organizations useto control operations are:rmation retrieval, research, and analysis.b.input, output, and feedback.c.input, processing, and output.d.data analysis, processing, and feedbackAnswer: c Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1131.Order data for baseball tickets and bar code data are examples of:a.raw input.b.raw output.c.customer and product data.d.sales information.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1132.(Analysis)The average number of tickets sold daily online is an example of:a.input.b.raw data.c.meaningful information.d.output.Answer: c Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 11Analysis in terms of categorize33.Output:a.is feedback that has been processed to create meaningful information.b.is information that is returned to appropriate members of the organization to help themevaluate the input stage.c.transfers data to the people who will use it or to the activities for which it will be used.d.transfers processed information to the people who will use it or to the activities forwhich it will be used.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1134.Converting raw data into a more meaningful form is called:a.capturing.b.processing.anizing.d.feedback.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1135.Electronic computers and related software programs are the technical foundation, the toolsand materials, of:a.all business procedures.rmation accumulation.c.modern information systems.d.all industrialized countries.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1136.(Analysis)An example of raw data from a national chain of automobile stores would be:a.13 Toyotas sold daily in Kentuckyb.13 Toyota RAV 4s sold during March 2006 in Louisville, Kentuckyc. 1 Toyota RAV4s sold March 3, 2005 in Louisville, Kentuckyd.All of the aboveAnswer: d Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 11Analysis in terms of categorize37.The field that deals with behavioral issues as well as technical issues surrounding thedevelopment, use, and impact of information systems used by managers and employees in the firm is called:rmation systems literacy.rmation systems architecture.c.management information systems.rmation technology infrastructure.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1138.In a hierarchical organization, the upper levels consist of:a.managerial and professional workers.b.managerial, professional, and technical workers.c.professional and operational workers.d.managerial, professional, and operational workers.Answer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1339. A hierarchy:a.is based on a clear-cut division of labor.b.is composed primarily of experts trained for different functions.c.is a pyramid structure or rising authority and responsibility.d.all of the above.Answer: c Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1340.The fundamental set of assumptions, values, and ways of doing things, that has beenaccepted by most of a company’s members is called its:a.culture.b.environment.c.atmosphere.d.values.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1341.Business processes:a.include informal work practices.b.are used primarily for sales and accounting functions.c.are governed by information technology.d.are logically related tasks used primarily by operational personnel.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1342.Data management technology consists of:a.the physical hardware and media used by an organization for storing data.b.the detailed, preprogrammed instructions that control and coordinate the computerhardware components in an information system.c.the software governing the organization of data on physical storage media.d.the hardware and software used to transfer data.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1443.The hardware and software used to transfer data in an organization is called:a.data management technology.working and data management technology.c.data and telecommunications technology.working and telecommunications technology.Answer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 14 working and telecommunications technologies, along with the people required to run andmanage them, constitute an organization’s:a.data management environment.worked environment.c.IT infrastructure.rmation system.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1545.An intranet uses:a.mainframe technology.b.infrared telecommunications systems.c.the telecommunications capacities of fiber optic networks.d.internet technology within the boundaries of the firm.Answer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2246.The first step in the four-step model of business problem solving is:a.agreeing that a problem exists.b.identifying the problem.c.o utlining the problem’s causes.d.assigning the problem to a problem solver.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1847.Inadequate data management is an example of the ___________ dimension of businessproblems.a.technicalanizationalc.peopled.managementAnswer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1848.Legal and regulatory compliance is an example of which dimension of business problem?a.Managementanizationalc.Peopled.EthicalAnswer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 1849.Aging hardware and outdated software are examples of which dimension of businessproblem?a.Technicalb.Infrastructurermation SystemsanizationalAnswer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1850.Poor business processes and unsupportive culture are examples of which dimension ofbusiness problem:a.managementanizationalc.peopled.infrastructureAnswer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1851.(Synthesis)The owners of Speed-EZ, a new bike messenger service, are concerned about how they will manage their messengers once they have left the office. This is a business problem that falls into the:a.management dimension.b.people dimension.anizational dimension.d.technical dimension.Answer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 18Synthesis in terms of bringing knowledge together52.(Synthesis)Flapjack Flats, a new pancake chain, is having difficulty finding pancake chefs. This is abusiness problem that falls into the:a.management dimension.b.people dimension.anizational dimension.d.technical dimension.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 18Synthesis in terms of bringing knowledge together53.In choosing the best solution for a business problem, one of the most importantconsiderations is:a.change management.b.existing resources and skills.c.employee training.d.outcome measurement.Answer: b Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 1954.The failure of NASA’s initial solution to preventing t he space shuttle shedding foamillustrates:a.the importance of training employees on new business processes.b.the need to prepare for measuring outcomes of a business solution.c.the continuous nature of problem solving.d.the need to quickly adapt to new technological innovations.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1955.The final step in the four-step model of business problem solving is:a.outcome.b.implementation.c.change management.d.feedback.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1956. A major criterion in deciding the most important perspectives of a business problem is:a.implementation.b.change management.efulness.anizational perspective.Answer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 2057.One of the most frequent errors in problem solving is:a.rushing to judgment.b.not being aware of personal limitations.c.being too doubtful.d.following a rote pattern of decision making.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2058.An example of a business using information systems to create new products and services is:a.Blockbuster’s creation of a new online movie-rental system similar to that of Netflix.b.Seven-Eleven’s new retail information system analyzing sales data to determinecustomer needs at each location.c.China Telecom’s enterprise system designed to comply with international reportingregulations.d.MLB’s Web sites for online “fantasy” games.Answer: d Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 2159.An example of a business using information systems to attain competitive advantage is:a.Blockbuster’s creation of a new online movie-rental system similar to that of Netflix.b.Seven-Eleven’s new retail information system analyzing sales data to determinecustomer needs at each location.c.China Telecom’s enterprise system designed to comply with international reportingregulations.d.MLB’s Web sites for online “fantasy” games.Answer: a. Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 2160.An example of a business using information systems for survival is:a.Blockbuster’s creation of a new online movie-rental system similar to that of Netflix.b.Seven-Eleven’s new retail information system analyzing sales data to determinecustomer needs at each location.c.China Telecom’s enterprise system designed to comply with international reportingregulations.d.MLB’s Web sites for online “fantasy” games.Answer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 2161.An information skill important for an accounting major would be:a.an understanding of system and network security issues.b.an understanding of product management enterprise systems.c.an understanding of supplier management enterprise systems.d.an understanding of enterprise systems that enhance leadership.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: pp 22-2962.An information skill important for a marketing major would be:a.an understanding of system and network security issues.b.an understanding of product management enterprise systems.c.an understanding of supplier management enterprise systems.d.an understanding of enterprise systems that enhance leadership.Answer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: pp 22-29 63.(Analysis) Sonic’s use of point-of-sales terminals to track purchasing trends at differentoutlets is an example of:ing information systems to create new business processes.b.relegating information systems to a secondary role.ing information systems to achieve competitive advantage.ing information systems to achieve customer intimacy.Answer: d. Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 23Analysis in terms of examine64.One of the very first business applications of information systems was:a.operations management.b.real estate sales.c.accounting.d.operations analysis.Answer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 2465.Maintaining the organization’s financial records is a business function of:a.accounting.b.finance.c.sales.d.marketing.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 2466.Promoting the organization’s products and services is a business function of:a.manufacturing and production.b.finance and accounting.c.human resources.d.sales and marketing.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 2567.Types of marketing managers include:a.sales managers and administrative service managers.b.administrative service managers and sales representatives.c.sales representatives and promotion managers.d.promotion managers and sales managers.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 2568.Operations management as a discipline is directly relevant to three occupational categories:a.industrial production managers, operations analysts, and administrative servicemanagers.b.project managers, production managers, and administrative service managers.c.project managers, production managers, and industrial production managers.d.finance, accounting, and management.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2669.Financial managers work directly with ______________ to ensure investments ininformation systems help achieve corporate goals.a.operations managersb.senior managersc.marketing managersd.accounting managersAnswer: b. Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2470.For the U.S., the most common and successful offshore outsourcing has been:a.technical positions in information systems.b.managerial positions in information systems.c.support positions in operations management.d.managerial positions in operations management.Answer: a. Difficulty: Easy Reference: pp 28-2971.(Evaluation)What was the most important impact of Major League Baseball’s Web site developmentefforts:a.created a strategic advantage for major league baseball.b.increased the efficiency of baseball operations.c.strengthened the relationship with customers and suppliers.d.made it possible for major league baseball to survive.Answer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: pp 3-10Evaluation in the sense of appraise, assess, estimate, judge.72.(Evaluation)Based on your reading of the Sonic case and other examples in the chapter, if you were asked to formulate a plan for a regional drive-in restaurant chain’s efforts to use informationtechnology to attract customers, what would be the best use of information technology from the list below:e IT to increase supplier loyalty.e IT to increase operational efficiency.e IT to create new products and business models.e IT to help survive government reporting requirements.e IT to achieve customer intimacy.Answer: e Difficulty: Hard Reference: p 23Evaluation in the sense of appraise, assess, estimate, judge.The fact that online advertising revenues are growing at 30% a year, while offline traditional advertising is growing at about 5% a year, suggests that:a.internet advertising is very inexpensive.b.offline line traditional advertising is not very effective.c.the Internet is transforming the traditional advertising business model.d.new technologies are more efficient at selling to customers.Answer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 6Analyze in the sense of appraise, distinguish, put facts into a context74.(Synthesize)Assume you work for a package delivery service in a major metropolitan area, and that the business has been losing customers for several years. You have been asked to find a solution to this problem, perhaps one which uses modern information technologies. What is thecorrect way to proceed:a.look for solutions, evaluate the solutions, identify the problem more clearly, and thenimplement the solution.b.think about what solutions can be implemented, look for solution designs, evaluatethe designs, and then implement the solution.c.identify the problem, design alternative solutions, choose the best solution, and thenimplement the solution.d.design solutions, evaluate and identify the problems, choose the best solution, andthen implement the solution.Answer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 18Synthesize in the sense of arrange, assemble, organizeIn the UPS case the company’s culture places service to the customer among the company’shighest business objectives. Based on your reading of Chapter 1, why is “culture” animportant factor to consider when building information system solutions to businessproblems?a.business culture has to be synchronized with new technologyb.the business culture provides the vision and inspiration for information systemsolutionsc.people are a company’s most important assetd.businesses without culture do not understand new technologyAnswer: b Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 13Evaluation in the sense of appraise, assess, estimate, judge.Fill In the Blanksrmation is data that has been shaped into a form that is meaningful to human beingsDifficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1077.Feedback is output returned to appropriate members of the organization to help themevaluate or correct the input stageDifficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1178.The world’s largest and most widely used network is the Internet.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 14puter software/software consists of the detailed, preprogrammed instructions thatcontrol and coordinate the computer hardware components in an information system.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1480.The World Wide Web/Web/WWW is a service provided by the Internet that usesuniversally accepted standards for storing, retrieving, formatting, and displaying informationin a page formatDifficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1581.Extranets are private corporate networks extended to authorized users outside theorganizationDifficulty: Easy Reference: p. 1582.In business problem solving, the three major categories of factors are organization,technology, and people.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1783.Training employees to handle new business processes is an example of changemanagement.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 1984.Being aware of organizational and personal limitations is one of the four elements of criticalthinking.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 2085.Having inadequate resources is a business problem that falls into the organizationaldimension.Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 19Essay Questions86.Define operational excellence. How can information systems help achieve it?Operational excellence is the achievement of higher levels of productivity, efficiency,profitability.Information systems can help achieve operational excellence by improving communicationsto supplier and optimizing the supply chain. Information systems could help managerscommunicate with workers more efficiently, enable technological innovation in products,minimize warehouse overhead, streamline distribution.Reference: p. 6-7You work for an auto manufacturer and distributor. How could you use information systems to achieve greater customer intimacy?You could create a web site that allows customers to customize cars, communicate withsupport personnel and other car owners. You could create an automated e-mail servicereminding car owners to take their car in for periodic check ups. You could have aninformation system that tracks customer pReference:s in local areas, so you can provide cars that reflect local customer needs and desires.Reference: p. 7Synthesis in terms of bringing knowledge together88.What important managerial function is impaired by not having access to timely and accurateinformation? What is the effect of this lack of data?The managerial function is decision-making. Without access to timely and accurateinformation business managers may make mistakes in judging how many goods to produce, in scheduling, and in assessing customer needs.Reference: p. 889.What is the difference between information technology and information systems. Describesome of the functions of information systems.Information technology (IT) consists of all the hardware and software that a firm needs to use in order to achieve its business objectives. Information systems are more complex. Aninformation system can be defined technically as a set of interrelated components that collect (or retrieve), process, store, and distribute information to support decision making andcontrol in an organization.An information system:Supports decision making, coordination, and controlHelps employees analyze problemsHelps employees visualize complex subjectsHelps create new productsReference: p. 10You are a marketing manager for a national movie theater chain. Give an example of datathat your department could use for creating meaningful information. What type ofinformation could that data produce?Movie ticket sales from individual theaters would be an example of raw data. Meaningfulinformation from this would be: average number of tickets sold to seniors on certain days of the week.Reference: p. 11Synthesis in terms of bringing knowledge together91.(Synthesis)Define business process. What might be a business process used at a hospital?A business process is a set of logically related tasks and behaviors for accomplishing work.Hiring a new employee, customer intake, and filing medical records are examples of business processes at a hospital.Reference: p. 13Synthesis in terms of bringing knowledge together92.Describe the four steps taken in solving a business problem.The four steps are:1.Problem Identification. In this step, relevant people in an organization mustagree that a problem exists, about what the problem is and what its causes are, andwhat can be done about the problem given the organization’s resources.2.Solution design: In this step, as many possible solutions should be determined.3.Choice: In this step, you choose the best solution from the list of optionsdetermined in the previous step. It is important to match a choice to existingresources, skills, and feasibility.4.Implementation. In the last step, the solution is put in place. In informationsystems solutions, this may include purchasing hardware or software and testingit. Implementation also includes employee training, change management, andusing a method to measure the outcome.Reference: p. 17-19。
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 Ch7-disc
Chapter 7Answers to Discussion Questions:1.Wireless networks are more susceptible to security problems because they are built onthe 802.11 standard of transmission that allows computing devices to easily connect with each other and transfer data. The service set identifiers (SSID) identifying the access points in a Wi-Fi network are broadcast multiple times and can be picked up fairly easily by intruders’ sniffer programs. Corporations can protect their wireless systems through a combination of Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and virtualprivate network technology.2.Fault-tolerant computer systems promise continuous availability and eliminaterecovery time altogether. High-availability computer systems help firms recoverquickly from a crash.3.Employees pose serious threats to a security system because of lack of awarenessabout security vulnerabilities. Employees fail to adequately safeguard theirpasswords leaving the system open to theft and misuse of data. Employees may enter faulty data into the system or fail to process data correctly. They also can misuse the hardware.4.Three major laws recently passed by the U.S. government to help make data andinformation more secure include the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability &Accountability Act), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.rge corporations might appoint a chief security officer who is in charge of thesecurity group. The group is responsible for educating and training users, keeping management aware of threats, and maintaining tools to implement sound security policies. Security policies should cover acceptable use, user authorization, andauthorization management systems.。
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 Ch10-disc
Chapter 10Answers to Discussion Questions:1.MIS are used for structured decisions with reports based on routine flows of data.DSS are used for semi-structured or unstructured decisions and focus on specificdecisions or classes of decisions. DSS are better for executive decision makingbecause executives’ questions and problems are unstructured and rely on external environmental information as well as internal data.2.ESS must be flexible and easy to use because executives don’t have a lot of time orinclination to learn complex, difficult systems. The system must be as fluid as the information that is gathered. The system must allow executives to scout out problems and new opportunities, and to keep an eye on the competition. Rigid, difficultsystems may not allow that to happen.3.Structured knowledge systems were the first attempts at collecting enterprise-wideknowledge from text documents and reports. Semistructured knowledge systems piggybacked off the earlier systems by gathering knowledge from non-traditional communications such as email, chatrooms, voice mail, and instant messaging.Semistructured knowledge systems are sometimes called digital asset management system and incorporate a wider range of information than is available in structured knowledge systems.4.Expert systems require people to input all decision-making rules into the rule base. Aknowledge engineer pulls information from various sources and fits it into the expert system. A neural network builds upon a base of information and continually learns by itself. Very little human intervention is required for the neural network’sknowledge base to grow.5.Intelligent agents can be used as shopping agents on the Internet. They can also beused to ferret out information in less time than it would take a person to find theinformation.。
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 Ch04-disc
Chapter 4Answers to Discussion Questions:1.Answers should include references to the hardware costs, including cabling,telephone line access charges, and printer costs such as paper and ink cartridges;software costs, including programs, upgrades, and program fixes; and persware costs, which should be calculated using the student’s actual or perceived hourly wage or salary.2. Answers should reference Figure 4-2 and describe the student’s PC as the client. Theserver can be the student’s ISP or the c ampus server.3.On-demand or utility computing allows a company to purchase computing capacityfrom remote, large-scale data processing centers during peak demand periods. Acompany can purchase only the capacity or service necessary to provide scalability.The utility computing companies can also provide new technologies that a business may not be able to provide for itself.4.Java is a new programming language employing the use of applets. Applets areminiature programs that perform very small, specialized, one-at-a-time tasks. Once the task is completed, the applet is “thrown away.” By using Java, users don’t have to purchase and use huge software programs.5.Open-source software provides business value by lowering the cost of purchasingsoftware. Open-source software is based on the premise that it is superior tocommercially produced proprietary software because thousands of programmers around the world working for no pay can read, perfect, distribute, and modify the source code much faster, and with more reliable results than small teams ofprogrammers working for a single software company.4-2。
《管理信息系统》(第七版)-PPT 第17章_管理系统模拟概论-2019修订
日交易量、点击率、好评 率、商户信用、网站响应 速度
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第十七章 管理系统模拟概论
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1.3 管理系统的研究方法和模拟的意义
1. 直接法
• 对实际系统加以试验，或者不经试验就实施对系统的建立或改变。
2. 模型法
• 为管理系统建立一个或一系列描述模型，通过对模型的分析来得 到原来系统的解决方案。
第十七章 管理系统模拟概论
主讲人：XX 邮 箱：
第十七章 管理系统模拟概论
本章内容
• 第一节 管理系统模拟概述 • 第二节 管理系统模拟研究的主要步骤 • 第三节 离散事件模拟 • 第四节 Multi-Agent系统模拟
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1.1 模拟的定义
模拟（Simulation）是通过模型来模仿现实系统及其运行，以实现认识和改进现实系统这一 目标的一种方法。
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3.1 模拟的类型
模拟模型划分为不同的类型：
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• 静态或动态模型；
2
• 确定或随机模型；
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• 连续或离散模型。
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3.2 离散事件模拟的基本要素
3.属性和 全局变量
1.实体
2.资源
4.事件和 活动
5.模拟时 钟
减少盲目物流硬件投资
大型超市库存系统的模拟
降低过期损耗和库存成本
半导体产品供应网络的模拟
合理选择合作伙伴，降低整个
供应链成本
城市信号灯控制系统的协同优化
减少车辆等待，缓解交通压力
通过模拟优化进行飞机跑道调度方案 增加机场运力、减少航班延误
管理信息系统(第7版)PPT+试题库 Ch08-7E
Essentials of Business Information Systems, 7ELaudon & LaudonLecture Files, Barbara J. EllestadChapter 8 Achieving Operational Excellence and Customer Intimacy: Enterprise ApplicationsOver the last decade businesses have come to realize how important it is to totally integrate business processes across the enterprise. We’ve spoken about “islands of information” many times. In today’s fast-paced world, managing information assets is more important than ever before. In this chapter we’ll look at how important it is for information to be available in every nook and cranny in the enterprise.8.1 Enterprise SystemsWe’ve look at enterprise resource planning systems in previous chapters and also discovered the importance of efficiently and effectively maintaining data that businesses can develop into useful information. As we’ve seen, it can be disastrous for an organization to have more than one set of data for customers, employees, and suppliers. The best idea is to have one database that supplies information where and when necessary across functional lines. Everyone from employees to managers, from customers to suppliers, would have the necessary tools to extract the data that they need and present it in the format that fits them best. That’s where enterprise systems come in.What are Enterprise Systems?Enterprise systems aim to correct the problem of firms not having integrated information. Also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, their main goal is to bridge the communication gap among all departments and all users of information within a company. If production enters information about its processes, the data are available to accounting, sales, and human resources. If sales and marketing is planning a new advertising campaign, anyone anywhere within the organization will have access to that information. Enterprise systems truly allow a company to use information as a vital resource and enhance the bottom line.Data integration throughout the firm is the key. Consolidated data from divisions and departments throughout the business, including key business processes, are immediately available to any authorized user.The greatest enticement of enterprise systems is the chance to cut costs firm-wide and enhance the ability to pass information throughout the organization. Take the success of Oracle Corporation as an example. “The company now has an enterprise-wide system for managing customer contacts. Previously, the salesforce used a network that was different from the fulfillment and shipping network. By unifying these networks, salespeople don’t have to duplicate the efforts of others in the organization, and thereby save time and money. At the beginning of the year, the company said that it expected the changeover to save $1.2 billion over the next four quarters. Just three months later, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Henley told analysts that Oracle will save nearly twice that by year-end.” (BusinessWeek, April 6, 2000)How Enterprise Systems WorkMany businesses assume that their operations are totally integrated across functional lines. After all, Manufacturing responds to an order from Sales and produces a product for which Accounting and Finance sends an invoice. A Production manager sends an email to the Human Resources Department requesting five new employees. When the Marketing department decides on a new advertising campaign, a copy of the brochure is included in all employees’ pay envelope at the end of the month. Once a week all department managers meet with the executive staff and review statistics from last month’s business.What’s the problem? Many times, departments will fail to fully communicate with all the other departments about every process that is taking place in a company. They don’t do it on purpose but forget how important total communication about every process and every piece of data is. Sales sends an order to Manufacturing with a shipment date that can’t possibly be met. Accounting and Finance bills for supplies that Production never order. Human Resources holds a training class that interferes with a rush production job. What’s the solution? Enterprise software allows every functional area to share every process and every piece of data. A business can select specific processes in specific areas but eventually everything the company does will be shared across all lines. The software uses predefined processes and requires the company to adapt itself to the software. While many companies may balk at having to change, the software is designed around the best practices for that particular function. The company can benefit from using the most successful solutions in a particular industry to help achieve its objectives. The software helps the organization automate many of the steps in the best practices instead of having to do everything manually. And best of all, the software will help employees remember all of the necessary steps in a process and provide the data to all who need it.While enterprise software can be somewhat modified, it is very expensive and very difficult to do so. Because the software is so complex, changing just one of the processes may disrupt some of the other interdependent modules. However, manufacturers of the enterprise software programs are modifying the software to envelope Internet services andmake the data available to external sources such as suppliers, governmental agencies, and customers.Business Value of Enterprise SystemsDone correctly, enterprise systems can offer big rewards. Conversely, done incorrectly can cause a firm huge headaches, loss of business, employee turmoil, and wasted dollars. The changes in the enterprise will be tremendous:• A more uniform organization: a more disciplined approach to business throughout the entire firm, regardless of physical location and/or organizationalstructure•More efficient operations and customer-driven business processes: all functional areas can focus more on the customer and respond to product demand more efficiently•Management: improved management decision making, with a comprehensive view of performance across all functional areas8.2 Supply Chain Management SystemsOh, for the days when the old saying “the customer is king” was just a catch phrase. Now, it’s an absolute reality and companies that don’t live up to the phrase will get creamed in the marketplace. There are no more separate entities or distinct lines in the sand when it comes to integrating supply chains. It’s more like shifting sand.The Supply ChainA supply chain is similar to a spider’s web. It includes all of the internal functions of an organization, along with suppliers, distributors, retailers, and customers. They are allintertwined and rely on information from each other to effectively meet the business’s objectives.Exactly what are all the activities involved in getting a product from conception to delivery? There are probably many more than you can easily think. And there are many more people involved than you might imagine. It may be helpful to break the supply chain into three distinct groups:•Upstream: suppliers that deal directly with the manufacturer and their suppliers •Downstream: distributors and those that deliver the products to the customers •Internally: the employees that transform the materials, components, and services into the actual productsThink of a mountain stream that starts very small, flows downhill, gathers more water as it combines with other streams, feeds into a river that continues to flow and eventually meets up with other rivers, and on into the ocean. The mountain stream is analogous to the suppliers, the river represents the manufacturer, and the ocean can be compared to the customers.Information and Supply Chain ManagementAs with other functional areas, information is the glue that holds the supply chain together. Lack of or faulty information can wreak havoc on the entire chain from getting supplies into the manufacturing process and getting the final product to the customer.In a perfect world, just-in-time strategies for ordering and delivering supplies would be an ordinary process. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Natural disasters, dock worker strikes, and terrorist activities such as September 11, 2001, can disrupt even the most carefully planned supply chains in an instant. Businesses have to plan as best they can around these kinds of events but they can’t foresee every problem. The bull-whip effect on the supply chain is more natural than you might think and happens in virtually every industry.“PC makers insist their inventories are in good shape. But there are signsof trouble further down the supply chain. Analysts were taken aback tolearn that the Taiwan companies that make the guts of notebooks formarket leaders Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc. saw February salesplunge 10% to 15%.What’s going on? PC makers, encouraged by robust 35% growth in third-quarter notebook unit sales and signs of even stronger holiday demand,ramped up their orders from Taiwan by a staggering 68%, according to theTaipei-based Market Intelligence Center. But while the sales surge keptgoing through the fourth quarter, analysts fear that the sudden drop insupplier orders means that the pace has slipped in the first quarter of thisyear. Analysts add that PC makers incorrectly assumed that laptops wereso hot that they were immune from the post-Christmas sales slump thathas traditionally afflicted desktop s.” (BusinessWeek, March 15, 2004)In the example of the bull-whip effect explained above, if the PC makers had been able to pass timely and accurate information to their parts suppliers, perhaps the sudden swing in supplying computer parts could have been avoided. Many companies don’t want to give up too much of their information because they fear that outsiders will compromise the information. Unfortunately this way of old-style thinking costs too much money in terms of lost opportunities, overstocked and underused parts, and overpriced products. Supply Chain Management ApplicationsSupply chain planning systems can provide information up and down the chain and help everyone involved do a better forecasting job. In the example above, the information could pass more easily between the PC retailers and the parts suppliers. While the retailers were still remiss in accurately forecasting PC sales for the first quarter, the parts suppliers could have altered their manufacturing schedules quicker and avoided the huge inventory build-up.Supply chain planning systems enable firms to•Generate demand forecasts•Develop sourcing and manufacturing plans•Share information about changes easier and faster so work can be better coordinated•Develop better demand planning•Manage the flow of products through distribution centers and warehouses by using supply chain execution systems•Coordinate activities with supply chain partners•Handle complex interdependencies among various supply chain processes•Allow users to balance the costs of transportation, delivery, and handlingSupply Chain Management and the InternetThe islands of information that we’ve frequently mentioned don’t exist just inside the corporation but also exist all up and down the supply chain. Adapting the supply chain software to the Internet and opening up the information to suppliers, logistical experts, and distributors can greatly help a company reduce costs and ensure products are delivered when needed to the right location. It won’t help a company’s bottom line tohave 1000 parkas delivered to Arizona in March when upstate New York is suffering through a difficult winter.The same type of internal collaboration that organizations can generate through intranets can be extended to supply chain partners through extranets. Suppliers can log on to a company’s extranet site and review next week’s production schedule. The supplier can ensure enough production supplies are on hand by the manufacturer without over- or under-extending itself. Changes to the production schedule can be communicated easier to the supplier through Internet-enabled applications. Long-term forecasts can be posted to the extranet and schedules adjusted. No expensive proprietary systems are necessary since all the information is transmitted through ordinary Web-based applications. Anyone internal or external to the organization can view delivery schedules or determine the optimal logistics for moving products through online applications.Figure 8-4 demonstrates how intranets and extranet provide the communication channels necessary to improve supply chain management.Figure 8-4: Intranets and Extranets for Supply Chain Management.Demand-Driven Supply ChainsTraditionally, customers purchase whatever products are available. While the colors, sizes, and prices may have varied somewhat, generally the manufacturer decided what to produce by forecasting what the potential demand would be through a push-based model. That is quickly changing to a pull-based model in which the customer tells the manufacturer ahead of time what he/she wants to buy. One of the best examples of this new pull-based model is Dell Computer’s build-to-order business model. Dell doesn’t build a computer until it receives a customer order. Then it builds the computer to the customer’s specifications. Granted, the customer must choose from a pre-determined list of options, but Dell doesn’t have a huge stock of unsold inventory based on faulty demand forecasting that no one wants.Figure 8-5 below shows the differences between the push-based and pull-based supply chain models.Figure 8-5: Push- Versus Pull-based Supply Chain ModelsAutomobile manufacturers are also adopting pull-based modeling for their customers. A customer in Des Moines can log onto a Web site and select the color, engine, options and kind of tires for his/her new car. The order is sent to the factory in Detroit and the manufacturer’s suppliers simultaneously. While the customer must wait for delivery, at least he/she will get exactly the car they wanted. Figure 8-6 diagrams an Internet-driven supply chain.Figure 8-6: The Future Internet Driven Supply Chain.Business Value of Supply Chain Management SystemsThe benefits of implementing an integrated, networked supply chain management system include:•Match supply to demand•Reduce inventory levels•Improve delivery service•Speed product time to market•Use assets more effectivelyIn turn a company can•Improve customer service and responsiveness•Reduce costs•Utilize cash betterThese last three benefits of implementing a supply chain management system point directly to improving the bottom line for the company. By making the supply chain more efficient a company can save millions of dollars and improve its relationships with its customers.8.3 Customer Relationship Management Systems“Arun Jain, chairman of the marketing department at the Uni versity atBuffalo School of Management, said preserving relationships with existingcustomers is important for businesses because acquiring new ones isexpensive. Once you build a relationship with a customer, then you cansell additional products to them, they recommend you to others, cost ofserving goes down, they become less sensitive to price,” Jain said. “In thebeginning, you may end up paying to acquire them, but if you haveselected the right type of customer, they become profitable.” (USATodayOnline, March 14, 2004)While many companies strive to be “customer-centric” very few have been able to completely focus every functional area on the customer. Largely due to the new avenues of information customers have through the Internet, organizations must fight harder to keep the customers they work so hard to get in the first place.What Is Customer Relationship Management?The goals of customer relationship management systems are to optimize •revenue•profitability•customer satisfaction•customer retention“Since the mid-1990s, companies have been trying to make their enterpriseand customer data pay off. They know this data has value, but they don’tknow how to effectively extract it. In their mining efforts, companies havebuilt huge data warehouses, sunk millions of dollars into CRM systemsand endured painful change management initiatives—often with lacklusterresults.[Four companies were successful in implementing CRM systems: AceHardware, Academic Management Services, Continental Airlines, andKorn/Ferry International.]These companies’ investments succeeded because they first analyzed theirbusiness needs and goals, reengineered existing business processes to takeadvantage of the data they were capturing, and put technology in placethat’s both easy to use and supports the needs of users as well as thecompany’s business objectives. And they haven’t forgotten that it’s thecustomer-facing employee who can make all the difference in whether ornot a customer feels well served—and that no technology, howeversuperior, can make up for that human touch.” (CIO Magazine, Feb 15,2004)Many companies are overloaded with data about customers. Unfortunately, the companies don’t have any useful information that can help them increase customer satisfaction and retention, thereby increasing revenues and profitability. The ability to turn raw data into useful information is where CRM systems shine. CRM systems can gather customer information from all corners of a business, consolidate the information and then provide it to the customer touch points. By offering a consolidated viewpoint of the customer to these touch points, a company can cater to the customer that offers the most profitability.Financial institutions are a prime example of how effective CRM systems can be to help identify the customers that offer the most “bang for the buck.” Most of the larger banks offer more than just checking and savings accounts. They provide investment services, insurance policies, and loans. It’s much cheaper for Wells Fargo bank for instance, to provide its current customers with all of these financial products, rather than trying to attract new customers for each of the product lines. Information gleaned from a CRM system can provide Wells Fargo with information about which customers are more likely to purchase these products and the sales force can target that market better.CRM SoftwareCRM application software ranges in size and complexity making it possible for an organization to select the type of software it needs the most. Modules focusing on partner relationship management or employee relationship management can be integrated into the customer relationship management software at a later date.Partner relationship management systems are a reflection of internal customer relationship management systems but extend past the immediate borders of a firm to its selling partners. For instance, Levi Jeans doesn’t sell directly to its customer but rather through other retail outlets. How Levi’s partners cater to the customer directly affects itsprofitability. Therefore, Levi is very interested in sharing information about its customers with its partners to increase sales of its products. Using partner relationship management systems not only helps Levi but also its retailers.Employee relationship management modules associated with CRM focus more on how employees perform and interact with customers. These modules help a company manage •Employee objectives•Employee performance•Performance-based compensation•Employee trainingSome of the more common capabilities of CRM software are:•Sales force automation: allows the sales force to focus on the most profitable customer. It also reduces the cost per sale for acquiring new customers andretaining old ones•Customer service: gathers information from a variety of sources and makes it available across organizational functions so that data is input only once •Marketing: Allows companies to engage in cross-selling, up-selling, and bundling through better analysis of customer dataFigure 8-9 shows how customer data feeds into these three functions.Figure 8-9: CRM Software Capabilities.Operational and Analytical CRMIt’s important to understand the difference between the operational and analytical aspects of CRM systems. Operational CRM includes everything a company should provide those employees who interface directly or indirectly with the customer: the sales force, call centers, and support activities. Managers and decision makers would use the analytical CRM to help them improve business performance. The analytical CRM uses data from the operational CRM and provides managers with the opportunity to target smaller, specific customer groups or market segmentation. Rather than trying to blanket a huge group of potential customers, many of whom are not interested, managers use the analytical CRM to focus their efforts on those customers who can offer the most profit at the least cost. Table 8.3 will help you differentiate between operational and analytical CRM examples.One of the most important benefits of analytical CRM is the ability to determine the customer lifetime value (CLTV). The text mention that it costs six times more to gain a new customer than to keep an old one. By measuring the CLTV of customers, organizations can calculate customer profitability and determine which customers they should cater to.Business Value of Customer Relationship Management SystemsAs the old saying goes, “We’re wasting half of our advertising budget; we just don’t know which half.” CRM software will help managers better understand their customers thereby helping them make better decisions about product lines and marketing campaigns. CRM systems can also help reduce the customer churn rate and identify which customers are most profitable. Hopefully CRM will help them discover which half of the ad budget is wasted.Once again, the benefits of using CRM systems are worth the challenges you’ll face. Benefits:•Increased customer satisfaction•Reduced marketing costs•More effective marketing•Lower costs for customer acquisition and retention•Increased sales revenue•Better response to customer needs8.4 Enterprise Applications: New Opportunities and Challenges Before implementing enterprise application systems, organizations need a very clear picture of where they are now and where they want to go. Organizations must decide which processes provide the most value and which processes need the most improvement. And, the firm must allocate the organization resources where they are most needed.Challenges and OpportunitiesThe return on investment to companies that implement enterprise systems can be enormous in terms of enhanced information between suppliers, employees, customers, and business partners. The better the information is, the better the decisions. The better the information is, the better the products and services are for the customer. The more customers there are, the higher profits for the company.Hang on for a rough ride:•Daunting Implementation: technological and fundamental changes will pervade every corner of the organization. The organizational structure and culture willchange. The most daunting task will be retraining thousands of workers andconvincing them the change is good. It will be easier to fail than to succeed.•High Up-Front Costs and Future Benefits: There is no such thing as an overnight success when implementing an enterprise system. On average, it takesthree to five years to fully implement an enterprise system. Keeping the firm ontrack and focused on the end result is more difficult than most firms comprehend.•Data Management: It’s more important than ever before. Now that one database serves the entire organization, if data are mismanaged, it will affect the everybusiness function and process.•Inflexibility: Make a change in one area of the business is much more difficult after implementing an enterprise system. The software is just too complex toeasily change.•Realizing Strategic Value: Businesses that rely on unique or cutting-edge processes to gain a competitive advantage will lose that edge with enterprisesystem software. Enterprise systems are not the answer for every firm.Extending Enterprise SoftwareAs companies get more comfortable with supply chain management and customer relationship management programs they realize the importance of branching out to enterprise solutions, enterprise suites, or e-business suites. Software manufacturers are creating these programs and ensuring firms can integrate more easily with customers, suppliers, and business partners.。
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Chapter 6Answers to Discussion Questions:1.The TCP/IP provides a universally agreed-on method for breaking up digitalmessages into packets, routing them to the proper addresses, and then reassembling them into coherent messages. Businesses using the TCP/IP standard can use a wide variety of hardware and software that is readily available thus sidestepping the need to create proprietary software and special hardware. Because of the universalacceptance of the TCP/IP, standard businesses can build networks that anyoneanywhere can use.2. A few of the Internet services available to businesses include e-mail, electronicdiscussion groups, chatting, instant messaging, Telnet, FTP, and of course the World Wide Web. All of these services provide a universal method of connectingemployees, customers, suppliers, and business partners in an inexpensive way.3.Internet Telephony enables companies to use Internet technology for telephone voicetransmission over the Internet or private networks. Voice over IP (VoIP) technology uses the Internet Protocol (IP) to deliver voice information in digital form usingpacket switching, avoiding the tolls charged by local and long-distance telephone networks. IP telephony calls can be made and received with a desktop computerequipped with a microphone and speakers or with a VoIP-enabled telephone.4.Answers will vary but should include information abut the benefits of linkingfunctional areas of an organization to increase communication between co-workers and teams, making information more accessible to employees and suppliers, and reducing costs associated with disseminating information. Answers should address how to integrate wireless technology into the rest of the firm’s IT infrastructure, how to maintain security and privacy, and how the relationships between employees,customers, suppliers, and business partners will change.5.RFID tags provide wireless transmission of more data in a real-time mode than doesbar code technology. The RFID tags can trigger other processes with an information system based on the data contained in the tag. Because RFID tags do not require line-of-sight readers, data transmissions are faster and easier.。
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Chapter 3Answers to Discussion Questions:1.Porter’s Competitive Forces Model describes five competitive forces that shape the fate of a business:traditional competitors, new market entrants, substitute products and services, customers, and suppliers.Depending on the business, each of these can create tremendous problems or new opportunities.2.Four generic strategies for dealing with competitive forces include low-cost leadership, productdifferentiation, focus on market niche, and strengthen customer and supplier intimacies. Information systems can provide data and information that allow businesses to use one or a combination of these strategies to improve products and services, cut costs, and improve profits.3.The Internet allows traditional competitors to introduce new products and services and lure customersaway. It provides a low cost avenue for new market entrants. Consumers can easily and quickly find substitute products and services through the Internet. Customers can use information provided on the Internet to create new competition between companies while suppliers can increase their market power.4.Synergies between businesses allow the output of some units to be used as inputs to other units.Synergistic organizations can use information systems to pool markets and expertise and provide new services or products. Information systems allow a company to concentrate on its core competency and outsource support activities to other companies. Each organization concentrates on that which it is best at. Information systems can provide network economies and provide a low-cost method to createvirtual companies.5.Business process reengineering efforts fail because of the high cost and extended time they take toimplement. Business process reengineering involves rethinking work flows and business processes.Too often businesses fail to plan for the changes their employees and customers will experience.Many businesses simply don’t communicate with their people enough to make it work.。
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Chapter 5Answers to Discussion Questions:1. A DBMS has three capabilities: 1) data definition is the capability to specify thestructure of the content of the data. It’s used to create database tables and define the characteristics of the fields in each table; 2) the data dictionary stores definitions of data elements and their characteristics; 3) the data manipulation language is used to add, change, delete, and retrieve data in the database. Data dictionaries are important because they are a lasting source of information about each data element that helps ensure the credibility and quality of data. Dictionaries for large corporate databases should include information about usage, ownership, authorization, security, business functions, programs, and reports that use each data element.2.Data warehouses and data marts store vast amounts of data available for analysis ofcustomers, suppliers, business partners, and employees. If users analyze these data to see new patterns, relationships, and insights they can make better business decisions and improve a business’s competitive strategies. The tools available for businessintelligence include database query software, multidimensional data analysis, anddata mining.3.Web browsers are easier to use than most database query languages for accessing andcompiling information. An organization can build a Web-based “front-end” to the database without having to rework the database structure itself. No special software for users, other than a browser program, is necessary for accessing databases attached to a Web site.4. A data mart is a small group of data, or subset, extracted from a larger data warehouse.It’s easier and cheaper to sort through a small data mart than to sort through the entire database of a warehouse. An organization can create a data mart focused on a portion of its data for specific purposes, instead of the entire database.5.Managers should focus on three issues regarding data resources: information policies,data administration, and data quality. Information policies are important management tools because they specify rules for sharing, disseminating, acquiring, standardizing, classifying, and inventorying information. Data administration is responsible forspecific policies and procedures through which data can be managed as anorganizational resource. Data quality audits can identify problems with data quality and help rectify errors in the database before they create even more managementproblems.。
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Chapter 8Answers to Discussion Questions:1.Enterprise software uses predefines processes that require a business to adapt itself tothe software. The processes have been created by the software manufacturer based on industry-proven best practices. The processes are difficult to modify because the software is so complex. Any changes to one area make disable or distort another process in a different area.rmation about the demand for a product may be distorted between suppliers andbusinesses. Each entity in the supply chain alters its decisions about product demand and could cause an over- or under-supply of products. By providing immediate and accurate information up and down the supply chain, all partners can adjust theirsourcing, manufacturing, and distribution plans.3.Push-based supply models depend on the forecasts or best guesses of demand forproducts and are pushed to the customer by the manufacturer. Pull-based supplymodels are customer-driven and depend on actual customer orders or purchasesbefore the manufacturer commits to building the product or providing the service.See Figure 8-5 in the text.4.Operational CRM are customer-facing applications, such as sales force automation,call center and customer service support, and marketing automation. Analytical CRM systems analyze customer data to provide information for improving businessperformance. Managers and executives use analytical CRM systems in conjunction with online analytical processing, data mining, and other data analysis techniques to create a total picture of the customer.。
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Chapter 2E-Business: How Businesses Use Information SystemsTrue-False Questions1.Operational management is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations of thebusiness.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 442.Deciding whether to introduce a new product line is the responsibility of an operationalmanager.Answer: False Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 473.Operational-level manufacturing systems deal with the firm’s long-term manufacturinggoals, such as where to locate a new plant.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 484.Transaction processing systems are most commonly encountered at the management level ofan organization.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 51-535. A transaction processing system is a computerized system that performs and records the dailyroutine transactions necessary to conduct business.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 516. A hotel reservation system is a typical example of a management information system.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 517.Management-level systems do not support nonroutine decision making.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 53-558.The decision to grant credit to a customer is normally made by the middle manager.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 539.Transaction processing systems are the basic business systems that serve the operationallevel of the organization.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5310.Managers need TPSs to monitor the status o f internal operations and the firm’s relations withthe external environment.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5311.Most MISs use sophisticated mathematical models or statistical techniques.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5412.Decision-support systems help managers make decisions that are unique, rapidly changing,and not easily specified in advance.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p.5413.Decision-support systems use internal information as well as information from externalsources.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5414.ESSs are designed to serve the middle management of the organization.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5515.ESSs are designed to incorporate data about external events, but they also draw summarizedinformation from internal MIS and DSS.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5516.ESSs are designed primarily to solve specific problems.Answer: False Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 55rmation supplied by an enterprise system is structured around cross-functional businessprocesses.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 58 18.Enterprise systems often include transactions with customers and vendors.Answer: True Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 5919.Supply chain management systems are more externally oriented than enterprise systems.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 59-60 20.Maintaining online directories of employees with special areas of expertise is one applicationof knowledge management systems.Answer: True Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 63Multiple-Choice Questions21.AnalysisKia’s difficulties in getting a complete picture of defects in their cars illustrates:a.the difficulties in creating accurate tracking systems.b.the challenges posed by having multiple information systems that are not linked.c.the difficulties in complying with government regulations.d.the compromises made in drawing accurate reports from poorly plannedinformation systems.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 40Analysis in terms of differentiating22.(Analysis, Synthesis) How would you best categorize the types of systems Kiaimplemented in their defect early warning system?a. A TPS to store basic data about vehicles, parts, sales, and warranties, and an MISto create reports on the data.b. A TPS to store basic data about vehicles, parts, sales, and warranties, and a DSSfor high-level analysis and forecasts.c.An MIS to create reports from existing TPSs and a DSS for high-level analysisand forecasts.d. A production and manufacturing system to record basic data about faulty partsand a DSS for high-level analysis and forecasts.Answer: c Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 39-41Analysis in terms of differentiating, Synthesis in terms of bringing parts of knowledgetogether.23.The five basic entities that make up any business are suppliers, customers, employees,products and services, and:a.its environment.b.manufacturing and production.c.sales and marketing.d.invoices and payments.Answer: d Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 4324.Which of the following is a cross-functional business process?a.hiring an employee.b.identifying a customer.c.fulfilling a customer order.d.creating an invoice.Answer: c Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 4325.Employees that assist with paperwork at all levels of the firm are called:a.data workers.b.knowledge workers.c.operational management.d.service workers.Answer: a Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 4426.The three principal levels of hierarchies within a business organization are:a.management, knowledge workers, and service workers.b.senior management, middle management, and operational management.c.management, data workers, and operational management.d.senior management, middle management, and service workers.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 4427.Key actors in a business’s immediate environment include:a.regulations.b.technology.c.economy.d.politics.Answer: a Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 4528.Promoting the organization’s products or services is a responsibility of the:a.finance and accounting function.b.human resources function.c.manufacturing and production function.d.sales and marketing function.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 4729.Market research is an activity associated with the:a.Finance and accounting functionb.Human resources functionc.Manufacturing and production functiond.Sales and marketing functionAnswer: d Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 4730.Pricing analysis is an example of:a. a sales and marketing information system serving senior management.b. a sales and marketing information system serving management.c. a finance and accounting information system serving senior management.d. a finance and accounting information system serving management.Answer: b Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 4731. A sales and marketing information system aids operational management in:a.tracking sales.b.planning new products and services.c.analyzing sales performance.d.preparing sales forecasts.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 4732. A sales and marketing information system aids middle management employees in:a.tracking sales.b.planning new products and services.c.analyzing sales performance.d.preparing sales forecasts.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 4733.Equipment scheduling and facilities maintenance are functions of:a.Finance and accounting systems.b.Human resources systems.c.Manufacturing and production systems.d.Sales and marketing systems.Answer: c Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 4834.Senior management uses finance and accounting information systems to:a.plan long-term profits.b.decide where to locate new facilities.c.forecast sales trends.d.c ontrol the firms’ financial resources.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 4935.Budgeting is typically a feature of an information system serving:a.operational management.b.sales and marketing.c.senior management.d.middle management.Answer: d Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 4936. A finance and accounting information system aids operational management with:a.establishing long term investment goals.b.profit planning.c.accounts receivable.d.budgeting.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 49pensation analysis is an example of:a.finance and accounting information systems.b.enterprise application information systems.c.human resources information systems.d.sales and marketing information systems.Answer: c Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 5038.TPSs are the basic business systems that serve which level of the organization?a.senior management.b.middle management.c.operational.d.knowledge management.Answer: c Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 5139. A computerized system that performs and records the daily dealings necessary to conductbusiness is classified as a(n):a.executive support system.b.management-level system.c.operational-level system.d.transaction-level system.Answer: d Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 5140. A relocation control system that reports summaries on the total moving, house-hunting,and home financing costs for employees in all company divisions would fall into thecategory of:a.knowledge management systems.b.operational-level systems.c.executive-support systems.d.management-level systems.Answer: d Difficulty:Hard Reference: p. 51-5541.The term “management information systems” designates a specific category ofinformation systems serving:a.integrated data processing throughout the firm.b.transaction process reporting.c.employees with online access to historical records.d.middle management functions.Answer: d Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 5342.The principal purpose of __________________ is to answer routine questions and totrack the flow of transactions through the organization.a.senior management-level systems.b.operational-level systems.c.management-level systems.d.knowledge management systems.Answer: b Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 53 43.Managers need __________ to monitor the status of internal operations and the firm’srelations with the external environment.a.decision support systemsb.knowledge systemsc.transaction processing systemsd.management information systemsAnswer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5344.Management-level systems are information systems that support the:a.long-range planning activities of senior management.b.knowledge and data workers in an organization.c.decision-making and administrative activities of middle managers.d.day-to-day processes of production.Answer: c Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 5345.These systems are designed to summarize and report on the company’s basic operations.a.decision-support systemsb.executive information systemsc.transaction processing systemsd.management information systemsAnswer: d Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 5346.These systems are typically a major source of data for other systems:a.transaction processing systems.b.management information systems.c.executive support systems.d.decision-support systems.Answer: a Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 53 47.Decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance are bestsuited to this type of system:a.management.b.transaction processingc.executive supportd.decision-supportAnswer: d Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 54 48.These systems are especially suited to situations in which the procedure for arriving at asolution may not be fully predefined in advance:a.management information systems.b.transaction processing systems.c.decision-support systems.d.knowledge management systems.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5449.These systems allow users to change assumptions, ask new questions, and include newdata:a.decision-support systems.b.transaction processing systems.c.management information systems.d.executive support systems.Answer: a Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 54-5550.Executive support systems are information systems that support the:a.long-range planning activities of senior management.b.knowledge and data workers in an organization.c.decision-making and administrative activities of middle managers.d.day-to-day processes of production.Answer: a Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 5551.These systems have more analytical power than other types of systems:a.management information systems.b.transaction processing systems.c.decision-support systems.d.executive support systems.Answer: c Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5552.Decision-support systems are often referred to as:a.business information systems.b.business intelligence systems.c.business support systems.d.business model systems.Answer: b Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 5553.ESS are specifically designed to serve this level of the organization:a.operationalb.end-use.c.middle managementd.senior managementAnswer: d Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 5554.These systems often deliver information to senior executives through a portal, whichuses a Web interface to present integrated personalized business content:a.transaction processing systems.b.executive support systems.c.management information systems.d.decision-support systems.Answer: b Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 55 55.These systems are designed to support organization-wide process coordination andintegration.a.Decision-support systemsb.Management information systemsc.CRMd.Enterprise applicationsAnswer: d Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 57 56. A (an) _______________________ collects data from various key business processesand stores the data in a single comprehensive data repository, usable by other parts of the business.a.transaction systemb.enterprise systemc.automatic reporting systemd.management information systemAnswer: b Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 58 57.___________________________ is the process that integrates supplier, manufacturer,distributor, and customer logistics processes.a.Collaborative distributionb.Supply-chain managementc.Reverse logisticsd.Enterprise planningAnswer: b Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 59 58._______________________ uses a set of integrated applications to address all aspects ofthe customer relationship.a.CRMb.MISc.CLEd.CLUAnswer: a Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 60Which type of system would you use to determine what trends in your supplier’s industry will affect your firm the most in five years?a.ESSb.TPSc.MISd.DSSAnswer: a Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 55Analysis in terms of differentiate and appraise60.(Analysis)Which type of system would you use to forecast the return on investment if you usednew suppliers with better delivery track records?a.ESSb.TPSc.MISd.DSSAnswer: d Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 55Analysis in terms of differentiate and appraise61.(Analysis)Which type of system would you use to change a production schedule if a key supplierwas late in delivering goods?a.ESSb.TPSc.MISd.DSSAnswer: b Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 53Analysis in terms of differentiate and appraiseWhich type of system would you use to determine the five suppliers with the worstrecord in delivering goods on time?a.ESSb.TPSc.MISd.DSSAnswer: c Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 53-54 Analysis in terms of differentiate and appraise63.Different firms can work collaboratively on product design, marketing, and productionthrough:a.An intranetb.An extranetc. A KMSd. A CRMAnswer: b Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 63 64.(Synthesis)What type of information system is an intranet most easily adapted to:a.CRMb.MISc.TPSd.KMSAnswer: d Difficulty:Hard Reference: 63Synthesize in terms of bringing information together65. Buying or selling goods over the Internet is called:a.e-commerceb.e-businessc.an intranetd.an extranetAnswer: a Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 6366. (Synthesis)You would recommend that a system interface use a portal when:a.employees need to communicate with clients and vendors.b.employees need to collaborate with suppliers and vendors.c.employees need to reference multiple sources of data.d.employees need to use data from the Internet.Answer: b Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 63Synthesize in terms of brining information together67 The use of digital technology and the Internet to execute the major business processes inthe enterprise is calleda.e-commerceb.e-businessc.enterprise applicationsd.MISAnswer: b Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 64 68 The principal liaison between the information systems groups and the rest of theorganization is a/an:a.Programmerrmation systems managerc.Systems analystd.CIOAnswer: c Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 6469 A __________ is a senior manager who oversees the use of IT in the firm.a.CEOb.CFOc.CIOd.CITAnswer: c Difficulty:Easy Reference: p. 6570 Development and support services for a firms’ business systems are provided by:a.IT educational services.b.IT management services.c.application software services.d.IT standards services.Answer: c Difficulty:Hard Reference: p. 65 71 Policies that determine which information technology will be used, when, and how areprovided by:a.IT educational services.b.IT management services.c.application software services.d.IT standards services.Answer: d Difficulty:Hard Reference: p. 65 72 The advantage of a decentralized arrangement of the information services function, inwhich each functional area of the business has its own information systemsdepartment is:a.more likely to produce more compatible systems and more coherent long-termsystems development plans.b.lower costs of technology purchases.c.systems are built that directly address that funct ion’s business needs.d.systems are built that can function independently and more efficiently.Answer: c Difficulty:Hard Reference: p. 67 73 (Evaluate)What is the most important benefit of an enterprise application:a.enabling speed of communicating.b.enabling business functions and departments to share information.c.enabling a company to work collaboratively with customers and suppliers.d.enabling cost-effective, e-business processes.Answer: b Difficulty:Hard Reference: p. 57-58(Evaluate in terms of appraise, evaluate)74 (Analysis)What does Danaher Corporation’s implementation of e-Kanban illustrate?rmation systems can often reproduce manual business processes in a moreefficient and error-free way.b.Implementing technical solutions is a continuous process, needing themeasurement of benefits against drawbacks.c.Lean manufacturing relies on ever improving production solutions.d.Updating supply chain management systems will transform business processesleading to increased profits across the board.Answer: b Difficulty:Hard Reference: p. 71-73Analysis in terms of analyzing and appraising75 (Evaluate)You manage the Information Systems department at a small startup Internet advertiser.You need to set up an inexpensive system that allows customers to see real-timestatistics such as views and click-throughs about their current banner ads. Which typeof system will most efficiently provide a solution?a.CRMb.Enterprise systemc.Extranetd.IntranetAnswer: c Difficulty:Medium Reference: p. 71-73Evaluate in terms of assess and choose76. (Synthesis)You work for a highly successful advertiser that is just about to expand nationally. Of utmost importance will be fin ding a way to store and disseminate their client’sconstantly updating branding and style guides, which include multiple image filesand text documents, to all of their branches. What system will best serve these needs?a.An intranet with KMS capabilitiesb.An extranet with KMS capabilitiesc. A TPS with KMS capabilitiesd. A sales and marketing information systemAnswer: b Difficulty:Hard Reference:Synthesize in terms of bringing information together77 EvaluateWhat is one of the biggest drawbacks in having separate information systems for separate business functionsa.Cost in upgrading to an enterprise systemck of speed in communicationc.Redundancy of informationck of communication between systemsAnswer: c Difficulty:Hard Reference: p. 58Evaluate in terms of appraise78 (Synthesis)You have been hired by a non-profit agency to implement a system to handle their donations. Event fund-raisers need to be able to quickly access a donor’s informationand history. The marketing department needs to be able to create customized mailinglists, in order to send different messages to different types of donors. What system(s)will best meet these needs?a.TPSb.TPS with DSSc.TPS with MISd.TPS with ESSAnswer: c Difficulty:Hard Reference:Synthesis in terms of bringing information together79 (Synthesis)You have been hired by Inspiration Inc, to help improve their profit margin. Inspiration Inc. is a business communications consultancy that services many clients in differentindustries throughout the U.S. The end products of the company are customizedrecommendations for the best use of a client’s existing resources for improvinginternal communications, typically delivered via documentation in different media.The company has approximately 100 consultants all of whom are located in theircentral headquarters in Chicago. What system do you recommend to improve thecompany’s business processes and increase their profit margin?a.Extranet, to enable quick collaboration over the Internet , minimize the timespent communicating with the client, and minimize the amount of paperworkneededb.CRM, to maintain easily accessible customer records to minimize the time spentlooking for client datac.KMS, for minimizing redundant work on similar clientsd.Marketing system, for improving sales levelsAnswer: a Difficulty:Hard Reference:Synthesis in terms of bringing information togetherFill In the Blanks80.A(n) business process is a set of logically related activities for accomplishing a specificbusiness result.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 4381. A firm depends heavily on its environment to supply capital, labor, customers, newtechnology, services and products, stable markets and legal systems, and general educationalresources.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 4582.Enterprise applications span the entire firm, integrating information from multiple functionsand business processes to enhance the performance of the organization as a whole.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 5783.A(n) decision-support system is used by middle management to combine data andsophisticated analytical models or data analysis tools to support semistructured andunstructured decision making.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 5484.The “economic order quantity” formul a calculates the least expensive quantity to reorder forrestocking inventory.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 4985.The human resources function is responsible for attracting, developing, and maintaining thefirm’s workforce.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 5086.The total elapsed time from the time a purchase requisition is generated to the time thepayment for the purchase is made is called the requisition-to-pay cycle time.Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 5987.Supply chain management systems are one type of interorganizational system because theyautomate the flow of information across organizational boundaries.Difficulty: Medium Reference: p. 6088.Cross-docking enables goods earmarked for a specific customer to move directly from thereceiving dock to the shipping dock without being checked into the system and picked from inventory.Difficulty: Hard Reference: p. 6189.Programmers are highly trained technical specialists who write the software instructions forcomputers.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 6490.End users are representatives of departments outside of the information systems groupfor whom applications are developed.Difficulty: Easy Reference: p. 64Essay Questions91.Identify and discuss the major types of systems in a business from a constituency perspective.What is the relationship between these systems?There are four major types of information systems in contemporary organizations.1.Transaction processing systems, such as payroll or order processing, trackthe flow of the daily routine transactions that are necessary to conductbusiness.2.Management-level systems (MIS) provide the management control levelwith reports and access to the organization’s current performance andhistorical records. Most MIS reports condense information from TPS andare not highly analytical.3.Decision-support systems (DSS) support management decisions when thesedecisions are unique, rapidly changing, and not specified easily in advance.They have more advanced analytical models and data analysis capabilitiesthan MIS and often draw on information from external as well as internalsources.4.Executive support systems (ESS) support senior management by providingdata of greatest importance to senior management decision makers, often inthe form of graphs and charts delivered via portals. They have limitedanalytical capabilities but can draw on sophisticated graphics software andmany sources of internal and external information.The various types of systems in the organization exchange data with one another. TPS are amajor source of data for other systems, especially MIS and DSS. ESSs primarily receivedata from lower-level systems.92.(Evaluation)In your opinion, what are at least three factors that contribute to the difficulty of integratingsystems for different organizational levels and functions within an organization? Supportyour answer.One answer might be similar to this: A business firm is not a simple mechanism, and firmsthat have been in business any length of time will have highly individualized ways ofconducting common business procedures. Even though software programs can becustomized, it will be necessary for the business to change because new procedures arealways required by new software, and these changes are expensive partly because of the timeinvolved. On the other hand, if the company decides to write software to fit the specializedmethods it has developed to conduct its business, it will most certainly find this process to bemuch more expensive and technologically difficult than anyone imagined! Though manycompanies do not realize it, it will be necessary for them to map and to understand theirsystems before they will be able to integrate them. This is another time-consuming andexpensive process, and is not easy to achieve.Evaluation in terms of assess and compare93.. Discuss the difference between the finance function and the accounting function.The finance function is responsible for managing the firm’s financial assets, such as cash,stocks, bonds, and other investments, to maximize the return on these financial assets. The finance function is also in charge of managing the capitalization of the firm. To determinewhether the firm is getting the best return on its investments, the finance function mustobtain a considerable amount of information from sources external to the firm.The accounting function is responsible for maintaining and managing the firm’s financialrecords – receipts, disbursements, depreciation, and payroll – to account for the flow of funds in a firm. The accounting function obtains information from sources internal to the firm. 94.Describe the information systems supporting the major business functions: sales andmarketing, manufacturing and production, finance and accounting, and human resources.•Sales and marketing help the firm identify customers for the firm’s products or services, develop products and services to meet customers’ needs,promote the products and services, sell the products and services, andprovide ongoing customer support.•Manufacturing and production systems deal with the planning, development, and production of products and services, and controlling the flow ofproduction.•Finance and accounting systems keep track of the firm’s financial assets and fund flows.•Human resources systems maintain employee records; track employee skills, job performance, and training; and support planning for employeecompensation and career development.95.(Synthesis, Evaluation)Apex Vacuum, a family-owned manufacturer of budget vacuums, has grown exponentiallyover the last few years. However, they are having difficulty in preparing for future growth.The only information system used at Apex is an antiquated accounting system. The company has one manufacturing plant located in Arkansas, and three warehouses, in Arkansas,Delaware, and California. The Apex sales force is national, and Apex purchases about athird of its vacuum parts and materials from a single overseas supplier. You have been hired to recommend the information systems Apex should implement in order to maintain theircompetitive edge. However, there is not enough money for a full-blown, cross-functionalenterprise application, and you will need to limit the first step to a single functional area or constituency. What will you choose, and why?A TPS focusing on production and manufacturing to keep production costs low whilemaintaining quality, and for communicating with other possible vendors. The TPS wouldlater be used to feed MIS and other higher level systems.Synthesis in terms of arrange, propose. Evaluation in terms of appraise, defend.。