Questions to Answer
1. Foundations of Information Systems:
a. Explain how information technology supports Amazon's business processes and then give two specific, concrete examples to illustrate your explanation.
b. Explain in detail how IS/IT can support Nicholls State University's department heads as they plan course offerings for each semester's schedule (what things does IS/IT do that provide info for department heads to make good decisions)? Give two specific, concrete examples to illustrate your explanation. Please note as clarification examples: Dr. Chadwick is department head for management and marketing, Dr. Chiasson is dept. head of Accounting and Finance, and Dr. Fanguy is department head of BA and CIS.
c. Explain in detail how IS/IT usage at a retail firm such as Kohl's or JC Penney supports the company's efforts to counteract its competitive forces. (1) First identify the main competitive forces any organization has to be aware of, then (2) give two concrete examples of using IS/IT to help Target counteract them.
d. Considering what you have studied in your textbook chapters regarding challenges in information systems, identify and discuss two different reasons even big companies can fail in their adoption and use of new information systems. Support each reason with a clear example.
2. Hardware and Software:
a. Name and discuss two NEW APPLICATION SOFTWARE TRENDS that are currently emerging in the usage of IS/IT in a business environment - you can consider trends in software for home office employees and/or those employees who travel a lot for the business. Do not do trends that are just for fun-keep it business usage focus.
b. Discuss both the pros and the cons of a company paying for subscription based software for its employees instead of installing licensed software on employee computer hardware. What do you perceive to be the driving force in companies moving in this direction? Be sure to support your statements with sound arguments and a specific example.
c. When companies purchase new computer hardware for their employees, explain and discuss two major factors they consider when purchasing besides cost. Explain/defend your answer.
d. Clearly define and distinguish between operating system software and application software. As PART of your answer, also give a detailed explanation of what tasks operating system software conducts.
3. Data resource management :
a. A University the size of Nicholls State University must maintain academic records of thousands of students; employment, payroll, and human resources records on hundreds of employees; records for hundreds of thousands of dollars of transactions for purchases and payments of those purchases, detailed records on dozens of buildings and all the property in each building, and so forth. Thus the organization has huge amounts of data to manage and protect. These various records are used for many different applications throughout any given month. In the 1950 and 1960s organizations used simple computerized file processing, as described in chapter 5, to manage data resources. Today we use database systems for data resource management. Based on chapter 5 and your experience with Access database software, describe/explain how a database approach eliminates three of the specific weaknesses of the older computerized file processing methods. To answer this question successfully, you will need to (1) compare and contrast structure of a database compared to computerized file processing and also (2) discuss the drawbacks of the computerized file processing and explain how the database structure reduces these drawbacks. Be sure to use correct terminology as you learned in chapter.
b. Identify and discuss who in a corporation needs to be involved in the various phases of database planning, development, implementation, and maintenance. Defend your answer with reasons to support their involvement.
c. Finally, explain why database planning, designing, implementation, and maintenance is so challenging for large organizations. Defend your basic answer with strong arguments/support.
4. Further Using IS/IT to support the competitiveness of the organization:
a. Business process reengineering (BPR) has been a hot topic in recent years regarding effective use of information systems and information technology. Provide a clear explanation of what is involved in business process reengineering and then clearly discuss the ways it differs from simply automating existing tasks.
b. Explain why a company should think strategically when they are truly engaged in BPR. Give one specific example to support your answer.
c. Discuss and defend how you perceive all the activities an insurance company now makes available to customers online relates to the topic of business process reengineering in an insurance company.
d. How has development of the Internet, intranets, and extranets supported BPR? Explain/defend your answers.
5. Telecommunications and networks :
a. Identify and discuss the various aspects of the business value driving so many companies to install and extend intranets rapidly throughout their organizations? (Do NOT discuss email, as email in any organization is a "given" in 2016. Develop your discussion about other key values to a business. Clearly define what an intranet is and then explain what the business value is and what it helps a business accomplish. Be sure to include at least one concrete, specific example as part of your explanation/defense.
b. What strategic competitive benefits can a retail company such as WalMartgain from use of extranets? Give two different, specific, concrete examples as part of your support of your answer.
c. Now that you have studied a little about cloud computing, and no doubt use the cloud yourself as a consumer on a daily basis, provide a detailed discussion of the benefits Cloud computing offers a business. Also, clearly discuss the potential risks a company faces when it has converted to extensive use of Cloud computing in its daily business processes and activities.