(PM) Information Management Flashcards
1
Q
What are the five components that make up an information system?
A
hardware, software, data, people, process
2
Q
What are three examples of information system hardware?
A
There are a number of possible answers: a PC, a printer; a mouse, tablets, mobile phones, etc.
3
Q
Microsoft Windows is an example of which of the five components of information systems?
A
It is an operating system, which is a part of the software component.
4
Q
What is application software?
A
Software that does something useful.
5
Q
What (job) roles do people play in information systems?
A
For example; helpdesk support, systems analyst, programmer; and CIO.
6
Q
What is the definition of a process?
A
A process is a series of steps undertaken to achieve a desired outcome or goal.
7
Q
What was invented first, the personal computer or the Internet (ARPANET)?
A
The Internet was activated in 1969; the personal computer was introduced in 1975.
8
Q
What does it mean to say we are in a “post-PC world”?
A
The personal computer is no longer the primary way that people interact and do business with.
9
Q
What is Carr’s main argument about information technology?
A
That information technology is just a commodity and cannot be used to gain a competitive advantage.
10
Q
Write your own description of what the term information systems hardware means.
A
Answers will vary, but should say something about information systems hardware consisting of the physical parts of computing devices that can actually be touched.
11
Q
What is the impact of Moore’s Law on the various hardware components described in this chapter?
A
The student should pick one of the components and discuss the impact of the fact that computing doubles in speed every two years. Most devices are getting smaller; faster; cheaper, and this should be indicated in the answer.
12
Q
What is integrated computing?
A
Computing technology that is integrated in other objects. Think about cars, bicycles, bridges, airplanes, etc.
13
Q
Explain why the personal computer is now considered a commodity.
A
The PC has become commodity in the sense that there is very little differentiation between computers, and the primary factor that controls their sale is their price.
14
Q
The CPU can also be thought of as the …. of the computer.
A
Brain
15
Q
List the following in increasing order (slowest to fastest): megahertz, kilohertz, gigahertz.
A
kilohertz, megahertz, gigahertz
16
Q
What is the bus of a computer?
A
The bus is the electrical connection between different computer components.
17
Q
Name two differences between RAM and a hard disk.
A
RAM is volatile; the hard disk is non-volatile. Data access in RAM is faster than on the hard disk.
18
Q
What are the advantages of solid-state drives over hard disks?
A
The main advantage is speed: an SSD has much faster data-access speeds than a traditional hard disk.
19
Q
How heavy was the first commercially successful portable computer?
A
The Compaq PC was 28 pounds.
20
Q
Come up with your own definition of software. Explain the key terms in your definition.
A
A variety of answers are possible, but should be similar to the definition in the text: Software is the set of instructions that tell the hardware what to do. Software is created through the process of programming.
21
Q
What are the functions of the operating system?
A
The operating system manages the hardware resources of the computer, provides the user-interface components, and provides a platform for software developers to write applications.
22
Q
Which of the following are operating systems and which are applications: Microsoft Excel, Google Chrome, iTunes, Windows, Android, Angry Birds.
A
Microsoft Excel (application), Google Chrome (application), iTunes (application), WIndows (operating system), Android (operating system), Angry Birds (application)
23
Q
What is your favorite software application? What tasks does it help you accomplish?
A
Students will have various answers to this question. They should pick an application, not an operating system. They should be able to list at least one thing that it helps them accomplish.
24
Q
What is a “killer” app?
A
A killer app is application software that is so useful that people will purchase the hardware just so they can run it.
25
What was the killer app for the PC?
The killer app for the PC was the spreadsheet (Visicalc).
26
How would you categorize the software that runs on mobile devices? Break down these apps into at least three basic categories and give an example of each.
There are various ways to answer this question. Students should identify that there are mobile operating systems and mobile apps. Most likely, students will break down mobile apps into multiple categories: games, GPS, reading, communication, etc.
27
Explain what an ERP system does.
An ERP (enterprise resource planning) system is a software application with a centralized database that is implemented across the entire organization. As the name suggests ERP systems are usually used to plan the resources that a firm has available.
28
What is open-source software? How does it differ from closed-source software? Give an example of each.
Open-source software is software that makes the source code available for anyone to copy, contribute to and use. It is free to download, copy, edit and distribute. Closed-source software does not make the source code available and generally is not free to download, copy, and distribute. There are many examples of both, such as: Firefox (open source), Linux (open source), iTunes (closed source), Microsoft Office (closed source).
29
What does a software license grant?
Software licenses are not all the same, but generally they grant the user the right to use the software on a limited basis. The terms of the license dictate users rights in detail.
30
How did the Y2K (year 2000) problem affect the sales of ERP systems?
Organizations purchased ERP software to replace their older systems in order to avoid any problems with the year 2000 in their software.
31
What is the difference between data, information, and knowledge?
Data are the raw bits and pieces of facts and statistics with no context. Data can be quantitative or qualitative. Information is data that has been given context. Knowledge is information that has been aggregated and analyzed and can be used for making decisions.
32
Explain in your own words how the data component relates to the hardware and software components of information systems.
There are numerous answers to this question, but all should be variations on the following: Data is processed by the hardware via software. A database is software that runs on the hardware. Hardware stores the data, software processes the data.
33
What is the difference between quantitative data and qualitative data? In what situations could the number 42 be considered qualitative data?
Quantitative data is numeric, the result of a measurement, count, or some other mathematical calculation. Qualitative data is descriptive. The number 42 could be qualitative if it is designation instead of a measurement, count, or calculation. For example: that player's jersey has number 42 on it.
34
What are the characteristics of a relational database?
A relational database is one in which data is organized into one or more tables. Each table has a set of fields, which define the nature of the data stored in the table. A record is one instance of set of fields in a table. All the tables are related by one or more fields in common.
35
When would using a personal DBMS make sense?
When working on a smaller database for personal use, or when disconnected from the network.
36
What is the difference between a spreadsheet and a database? List three differences between them.
A database is generally more powerful and complex than a spreadsheet, with the ability to handle multiple types of data and link them together.
Some differences:
- A database has predefined field types, a spreadsheet does not.
- A database uses a standardized query language (such as SQL), a spreadsheet does not.
- A database can hold much larger amounts of data than a spreadsheet.
37
Describe what the term normalization means.
To normalize a database means to design it in a way that: 1) reduces duplication of data between tables and 2) gives the table as much flexibility as possible.
38
Why is it important to define the data type of a field when designing a relational database?
A data type tells the database what functions can be performed with the data. The second important reason to define the data type is so that the proper amount of storage space is (pre-)allocated for the data.
39
Name a database you interact with frequently. What would some of the field names be?
The student can choose any sort of system that they interact with, such as Amazon or their school's online systems. The fields would be the names of data being collected, such as "first name", or "address"
40
What is metadata?
Metadata is data about data. It refers to the data used to describe other data. such as the length of a song in iTunes, which describes the music file.
41
Name three advantages of using (and developing) a data warehouse.
The text lists the following (the student should pick at least three of these):
i. The process of developing a data warehouse forces an organization to better understand the data that it is currently collecting and, equally important, what data is not being collected.
ii. A data warehouse provides a centralized view of all data being collected across the enterprise and provides a means of determining data that is inconsistent.
iii. Once all data is identified as consistent, an organization can generate one version of the truth. This is important when the company wants to report consistent statistics about itself, such as revenue or number of employees.
iv. By having a data warehouse, snapshots of data can be taken over time. This creates a historical record of data, which allows for an analysis of trends.
v. A data warehouse provides tools to combine data, which can provide new information and analysis.
42
What is data mining?
Data mining is the process of analyzing data to find previously unknown trends, patterns, and associations in order to make decisions.
43
What were the first four locations hooked up to the Internet (ARPANET)?
UCLA, Stanford, MIT, and the University of Utah
44
What does the term packet mean?
A fundamental unit or block of a total amount of data that is transmitted over the Internet. Each packet has the sender's address, the destination address, a sequence number, and a piece of the overall data to be sent.
45
Which came first the Internet or the World Wide Web?
the Internet
46
What was revolutionary about Web 2.0?
Anyone could post content to the web, without the need for understanding HTML or web-server technology.
47
What was the so-called killer app for the Internet?
electronic mail (e-mail)
48
What makes connection a broadband connection?
A broadband connection is defined as one that has speeds of at least 256,000 bps (0.256mbps).
49
What does the term VoIP mean?
Voice over Internet protocol -a way to have voice conversations over the Internet.
50
What is an LAN?
An LAN is a local network, usually operating in the same building (e.g. at home) or on the same campus (or firm).
51
What is the difference between an intranet and an extranet?
An intranet consists of the set of web pages and resources available on a company's internal network. These items are not available to those outside of the company. An extranet is a part of the company's network that is made available securely to those outside of the company. Extranets can be used to allow customers to log in and check the status of their orders, or for suppliers to check their customers inventory levels.
52
What is Metcalfe's Law?
Metcalfe's Law states that the value of telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users of the system.
53
Define confidentiality
i. Confidentiality: restricting access to those who are allowed to see given information.
54
Define integrity
ii. Integrity: the assurance that the information being accessed has not been altered and truly represents what is intended.
55
Define availability
iii. Availability: information can be accessed and modified by anyone authorized to do so in an appropriate timeframe.
56
What does the term authentication mean?
The process of ensuring that a person is who he or she claims to be.
57
What is multi-factor authentication?
The use of more than one method of authentication. The methods are: something you know, something you have, and something you are.
58
What is role-based access control?
With role-based access control (RBAC), instead of giving specific users access rights to an information resource, users are assigned to roles and then those roles are assigned the access.
59
What is the purpose of encryption?
To keep transmitted data secret so that only those with the proper key can read it.
60
What are two good examples of a complex password?
There are many examples of this. Students need to provide examples of passwords that are a minimum of eight characters, with at least one upper-case letter one special character; and one number.
61
What is a firewall?
A firewall can be either a hardware firewall or a software firewall. A hardware firewall is a device that is connected to the network and filters the packets based on a set of rules. A software firewall runs on the operating system and intercepts packets as they arrive to a computer.
62
What does the term physical security mean?
Physical security is the protection of the actual hardware and networking components that store and transmit information resources.
63
What is the productivity paradox?
The productivity paradox is based on Erik Brynjolfsson's finding, based on research he conducted in the early 1990s, that the addition of information technology to business had not improved productivity at all.
64
Summarize Carr's argument in “IT doesn’t matter."
Information technology is now a commodity and cannot be used to provide an organization with competitive advantage.
65
How is the 2008 study by Brynjolfsson and McAfee different from previous studies? How is it the same?
It is different because it shows that IT can bring a competitive advantage, given the right conditions. It is the same in the sense that it shows that IT, by itself, does not bring competitive advantage.
66
What does it mean for a business to have a competitive advantage?
A company is said to have a competitive advantage over its rivals when it is able to sustain profits that exceed average for the industry.
67
What are the primary activities and support activities of the value chain?
The primary activities are those that directly impact the creation of a product or service. The support activities are those that support the primary activities.
Primary activities: inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, sales/marketing, and service.
Support activities: firm infrastructure, human resources, technology development, and procurement.
Look up the Porter Value Chain.
68
What has been the overall impact of the Internet on industry profitability? Who has been the true winner?
The overall impact has been a reduction in average industry profitability. The consumer has been the true winner.
69
What is EDI?
Electronic Data Interchange is the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents in an electronic format between business partners.
70
How does EDI work?
EDI is the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents in a standard electronic format between business partners.
71
What is a semi-structured decision? Explain what inputs would be necessary to provide assistance in making the decision.
Also, give an example.
A semi-structured decision is one in which most of the factors needed for making the decision are known but human experience and other outside factors may still play a role.
The student should provide an example of a decision that uses an information system to provide information but is not made by the system.
Examples would include: budgeting decisions, diagnosing a medical condition, and investment decisions.
72
What does a collaborative information systems do?
A collaborative system is software that allows multiple users to interact on a document or topic in order to complete a task or make a decision.
73
How can IT play a role in competitive advantage, according to the 2008 article by Brynjolfsson and McAfee?
If managed correctly, IT can deliver competitive advantage through IT-supported process innovation
74
What does the term business process mean?
A process is a series of tasks that are completed in order to accomplish a goal. A business process, therefore, is a process that is focused on achieving a goal for a business.
75
What are three examples of business process from a job you have had or an organization you have observed?
Students can answer this in almost any way. The examples should consist of more than a single step.
76
What is the value in documenting a business process?
There are many answers to this. From the text: it allows for better control of the process, and for standardization.
77
What is an ERP system? How does an ERP system enforce best practices for an organization?
An ERP (enterprise resource planning) system is a software application with a centralized database that is implemented across the entire organization. It enforces best practices through the business processes embedded in the software.
78
What is one of the criticisms of ERP systems?
ERP systems can lead to the commoditization of business processes, meaning that every company that uses an ERP system will perform business processes the same way.
79
What is business process reengineering? How is it different from incrementally improving processes?
Business process reengineering (BPR) occurs when a business process is redesigned from the ground up. It is different from incrementally improving a process in that it does not simply take the existing process and modify it.
80
Why did Business Process Reengineering get a bad name?
Business Process Reengineering became an excuse to lay off employees and try to complete the same amount of work using fewer employees.
81
List the guidelines for redesigning a business process.
The guidelines are as follows:
i. Organize around outcomes, not tasks.
ii. Have those who use the outcomes of the process perform the process.
iii. Include information-processing work into the real work that produces the information. Treat geographically dispersed resources as though they were centralized.
iv. Link parallel activities instead of integrating their results.
v. Put the decision points where the work is performed (have the people that are performing the process decide about the proces), and build controls into the process.
vi. Capture information once, at the source.
82
What is business process management? What role does it play in allowing a company to differentiate itself?
Business process management (BPM) is the intentional effort to plan, document, implement, and distribute an organization's business processes with the support of information technology.
It can play a role in differentiation through built-in reporting, and by empowering employees, enforcing best practices, and enforcing consistency.
83
What does ISO certification signify?
ISO certification shows that you know what you do, do what you say, and have documented your processes.
84
Describe the role of a systems analyst.
To understand business requirements and translate them into the requirements of an information system.
85
What are some of the different roles for computer engineer?
hardware engineer, software engineer; network engineer, systems engineer
86
What are the duties of a computer operator?
Duties include:
- Keeping the operating systems up to date
- Ensuring available memory and disk storage
- Overseeing the physical environment of the computer.
87
What does the CIO do?
The CIO aligns the plans and operations of the information systems with the strategic goals of the organization.
This includes tasks relevant to the information-systems function such as:
- budgeting
- strategic planning
- personnel decisions
88
Describe the job of a project manager.
A project manager is responsible for keeping projects on time and on budget.
Works with the project members to keep them organized and communicates the status to management.
89
Explain the point of having two different career paths (technical / managerial) in information systems.
To allow for career growth for those who do not want to manage other employees but instead want to focus on technical skills.
90
What are the advantages and disadvantages of centralizing the IT function?
There are several possible answers here.
Advantages of centralizing include more control over the company's systems and data.
Disadvantages include a more limited availability of IT resources.
91
What impact has information technology had on the way companies are organized?
The organizational structure has been flattened, with fewer layers of management.
92
What are the five types of information-systems users?
innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, laggards
93
Why would an organization outsource?
Because it needs a specific skill for a limited amount of time, and/or because it can cut costs by outsourcing.
94
What are the steps in the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) methodology?
The steps are:
```
Preliminary Analysis
System Analysis
System Design
Programming
Testing
Implementation
Maintenance.
```
95
What is RAD software development?
Rapid application development (RAD) is a software-development methodology for software development that focuses on quickly building a working model of the software, getting feedback from users, and then using that feedback to update the working model.
96
What makes the lean methodology unique?
The biggest difference between the lean methodology and the other methodologies is that the full set of requirements for the system is not known when the project is launched.
97
What are three differences between second-generation and third-generation programming languages?
Three key differences are as follows:
i. The words used in the language: third generation languages use more English-like words than second-generation languages.
ii. Hardware specificity: third generation languages are not specific to hardware, second-generation languages are.
iii. Learning curve: third generation languages are easier to learn and use.
98
Why would an organization consider building its own software application if it is cheaper to buy one?
They may wish to build their own in order to have something that is unique (different from their competitors), and/or something that more closely matches their business processes. They also may choose to do this if they have more time and/or more money available to do it.
99
What is responsive design?
Responsive design is a method of developing websites that allows them to be viewed on many different types of devices without losing capability or effectiveness. With a responsive website, images resize themselves based on the size of the device's screen, and text flows and sizes itself properly for optimal viewing.
100
What is the relationship between HTML and CSS in website design?
While HTML is used to define the components of a web page, cascading style sheets (CSS) are used to define the styles of the components on a page.
101
What is the difference between the pilot implementation methodology and the parallel implementation methodology?
The pilot methodology implements new software for just one group of people while the rest of the users use the previous version of the software. The parallel implementation methodology uses both the old and the new applications at the same time.
102
What is change management?
The oversight of the changes brought about in an organization.
103
What are the four different implementation methodologies?
direct cutover, pilot, parallel, phased
104
What does the term globalization mean?
Globalization refers to the integration of goods, services, and cultures among the nations of the world.
105
What is Era one of globalization, according to Friedman?
i. "Globalization 1.0" occurred from 1492 until about 1800. In this era globalization was centered around countries. It was about how much horsepower; wind power; and steam power a country had and how creatively it was deployed. The world shrank from size "large" to size “medium".
106
What is Era two of globalization, according to Friedman?
ii. "Globalization 2.0" occurred from about 1800 until 2000. interrupted only by the two World Wars. In this era, the dynamic force driving the change was comprised of multinational companies. The world shrank from size "medium' to size "small.
107
What is Era three of globalization, according to Friedman?
iii. "Globalization 3.0" is our current era, beginning in the year 2000. The convergence of the personal computer; fiber-optic Internet connections, and software has created a "flat-world platform" that allows small groups and even individuals to go global. The world has shrunk from size "small" to size "tiny.
108
Which technologies have had the biggest effect on globalization?
There are several answers to this. Probably the most obvious are the Internet, the graphical interface of Windows and the World Wide Web, and workflow software.
109
What are some of the advantages brought about by globalization?
Advantages include the ability to locate expertise and labor around the world, the ability to operate 24 hours a day, a larger market for products and being able to specialise (in product creation or service delivery), while outsourcing commodified resources to the lowest bidder.
110
What are the challenges of globalization?
Challenges include infrastructure differences, labor laws and regulations, legal restrictions, and different languages, customs, and preferences.
111
What does the term digital divide mean?
The separation between those who have access to the global network and those who do not. The digital divide can occur between countries, regions, or even neighborhoods.
112
What are Jakob Nielsen's three stages of the digital divide?
economic, usability, and empowerment
113
What was one of the key points of The Rise of the Network Society?
There are two key points to choose from:
Older global economic activity was, when the book was published in 1996, being organized around the networks that the new telecommunication technologies had provided.
New global economic activity was different from the past, because "it is an economy with the capacity to work as a unit in real time on a planetary scale".
114
Which country has the highest average Internet speed? How does your country compare?
According to the chart In the chapter; South Korea has the highest Internet speeds. Students will need to look up their own to compare.
115
What is the OLPC project? Has it been successful?
One Laptop Per Child. By most measures, it has not been a successful program.
116
What does the term information systems ethics mean?
There are various ways of answering this question, but the answer should include something about the application of ethics to the new capabilities and cultural norms brought about by information technology.
117
What is a code of ethics? What is one advantage and one disadvantage of a code of ethics?
A code of ethics is a document that outlines a set of acceptable behaviors for a professional or social group.
Answers may differ for the second part, but from the text:
one advantage of a code of ethics is that it clarifies the acceptable standards of behavior for a professional group.
One disadvantage is that it does not necessarily have legal authority.
118
What does the term intellectual property mean? Give an example.
Intellectual property is defined as "property (as an idea, invention, or process) that derives from the work of the mind or intellect.
119
What protections are provided by a copyright? How do you obtain one?
Copyright protections address the following:
- who can make copies of the work
- who can make derivative works from the original work
- who can perform the work publicly
- who can display the work publicly
- who can distribute the work.
You obtain a copyright as soon as the work is put into tangible form.
120
What is fair use?
Fair use is a limitation on copyright law that allows for certain use of protected works without prior authorization in specific cases.
121
What protections are provided by a patent? How do you obtain one?
Once a patent is granted, it provides the inventor with protection from others infringing on the patent.
A patent generally gives the holder the right to exclude other from making, using, selling or from importing an invention for a limited time in exchange for public disclosure of the invention when the patent is granted.
You obtain a patent by filing an application with the patent office. A patent will be granted if the work is deemed to be original, useful, and non-obvious.
122
What does a trademark protect? How do you obtain one?
A trademark protects a word, phrase, logo, shape, or sound that identifies a source of goods or services. You can obtain one by registering with a local Trademark Office. There is also a common-law trademark.
123
What does the term personally identifiable information mean?
Information about a person that can be used to uniquely establish that person's identity is called personally identifiable information, or PII.
124
What protections are provided by HIPAA?
i. HIPAA: protects records related to health care as a special class of personally identifiable information.
125
What protections are provided by COPPA?
ii. COPPA: protects information collected from children under the age of thirteen.
126
What protections are provided by FERPA?
iii. FERPA: protects student educational records.
127
How would you explain the concept of NORA?
There are various ways to answer this. The basic answer is that NORA (nonobvious relationship awareness) is the process of collecting large quantities of a variety of information and then combining it to create profiles of individuals.
128
Which countries are the biggest users of the Internet? Social media? Mobile?
Students will need to look outside the text for this, as it changes all the time. There are also different ways of measurement: number of users, % of population, most active users, etc. Some good sites to use are Internet World Stats, Kissmetrics, and the World Bank
129
Which country had the largest Internet growth (in %) between 2008 and 2012?
A Iran, at 205%
130
How will most people connect to the Internet in the future?
via mobile devices
131
What are two different applications of wearable technologies?
There are many answers to this question; two examples are Google Glass and Jawbone UP.
132
What are two different applications of collaborative technologies?
There are many answers to this; two examples are software that routes us to our destination in the shortest amount of time, and websites that review different companies.
133
What capabilities do printable technologies have?
Using 3-D printers, designers can quickly test prototypes or build something as a proof of concept. Printable technologies also make it possible to bring manufacturing to the desktop computer:
134
How will advances in wireless technologies and sensors make objects "findable"?
Advances in wireless technologies and sensors will allow physical objects to send and receive data about themselves.
135
What is enhanced situational awareness?
Data from large numbers of sensors can give decision makers a heightened awareness of real-time events, particularly when the sensors are used with advanced display or visualization technologies.
136
What is a nanobot?
A nanobot is a robot whose components are on the scale of about a nanometer:
137
What is a UAV?
An unmanned aerial vehicle -a small airplane or helicopter that can fly without a pilot. UAVs are run by computer or remote control.
138
What are the three steps or levels with which an information system has impact on an organization?
In this order: Automate, Informate, Transform
139
What does Piccoli mean with Automate?
Piccoli sees this as the first thing an IS should do in an organization.
Organization aspects that are affected:
Technology and process.
The goals are:
To speed up, to reduce cost, to reduce error.
140
What does Piccoli mean with Informate?
After the first ‘Automate’ step, the next change can affect the people component in an organization. This makes it harder to implement.
Organization aspects that are affected:
Technology, process and people
The goals are:
Interpret data, inform people
141
What does Piccoli mean with Transformate?
This is the last step. After Automating and Informating, the third step is to introduce (IT-enabled) change in the organizational structures. It seeks to transform how the organization operates. It requires significant managerial and executives’ involvement.
Organization aspects that are affected:
Technology, process, people and structure
The goals are:
Change the structure of an organization
142
What is the quality triangle dilemma?
During software development, you can emphasize certain aspects of software development. These aspects are Scope, Cost and Time. You can optimize for any two (and at most two) of these aspects, without compromising on quality.
143
What are possible business models behind Open Source software?
For example: open sourcing infrastructure, but building your own proprietary services on top of that. Or you can open source all the software, but offer support / technical services at a cost.
144
What are Bartel’s Five A’s of Smart Computing?
The Five A’s are five aspects or categories that Bartel suggests vorm Smart Computing. The five A’s are:
```
Awareness
Analysis
Alternatives
Actions
Auditability
```
145
What does Bartel mean with Awareness?
Awareness is the connectivity of the world.
For example as seen in the internet of things. It means the connectivity of sensors, embedded chips, machines, video, etc.
In many scenarios, the closer to real-time that the data transport takes place, the more useful the information will be.
146
What does Bartel mean with Analysis?
Analysis is basically done using standard business intelligence tools. Bartel points out, however, that value of feeding real-time data into these tools.
147
What does Bartel mean with Alternatives?
With Alternatives, Bartel refers to the decision making process. Evaluating options and making decisions. Smart computing should support in the evaluations of options and making of decisions.
148
What does Bartel mean with Actions?
Actions are based on the results of analysis, either automatic or with human intervention. In either case, Bartels suggests: “These actions will be executed through integrated links to the appropriate process applications.” Real-time cloud systems can provide two-way data communication to support the control of actions when required.
149
What does Bartel mean with Auditability?
Auditability is a feedback system to ensure that the action has taken place, and complies with legal regulations and company policies. It also provides a way to evaluate for improvement.
150
Why is IT security not to be treated as an IT problem?
IT Security can not be perfected. This means that there will always be a chance of IT security failing. The most important reason why security should not be treated as an IT problem is because the biggest share of security incidents are caused by people (with only 11% by hackers). This could be due to neglect, falling victim to a social engineering attempt or malicious intent.
Furthermore, security threats can be categorized among two dimensions: risk and impact. In some cases, IT security flaws can be fixed technically. In some other cases, it makes more sense to bear the outfall of a potential threat or to get insured. This means that IT security is not a IT problem. It should be treated like other business threads; as a risk of doing business.
151
What is Language / Action Perspective (LAP)?
It’s an Information System modelling approach where the focus lies with the way people communicate with each-other. There are four aspects (discussed in another flashcard)
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What are the four aspects of Language / Action Perspective?
- It does not start with technology, but it starts with communication between people
- The focus lies on what people do when communicating
- Communication is not primarily transfer of data / information, but the developing of a relationship
- Information systems used by an organization can be defined as the structure by means of which people communicate
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What are the four steps in the lap model? By whom are they performed?
(Customer) Proposal - the customers’ request
(Performer) Agreement - the performers’ commitment
(Performer) Performance - the action performed and the declaration of the result
(Customer) Satisfaction - the acceptance or rejection of the performance.
154
When is an information system strategic?
Three main criteria
- Reduce supplier opportunity cost
- Gain competitive edge
- Increase customer willingness to pay
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What makes a IT-dependent strategic initiative?
Two main criteria:
- It needs to be IT-dependent, so it needs to have IT at its’ core.
- The initiative needs to be strategic of character (increase willingness to buy, gain competitive advantage).
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What makes a network society
Two characteristics:
- The presence of a technology that is sufficiently sophisticated in communication / information distribution that it allows for an array of social, political and economic practices
- The consistent use and institutionalisation of said technology as the basic form of human organization and relationship among those practices.
