Study Unit 11

Question 1

IT

Answer 1

study, design, development, application, implementation, support/mgt of computer based IS

Question 2

Hardware

Answer 2

any physical items that comprises a computer system

-monitor, keyboard, mouse, microchips, disk drive (anything that can be touched)

Question 3

Software

Answer 3

combo of programs (manipulate data) and instruct hardware

• provides instruction to hdwr; serves as input to other software
• intangible

Question 4

Network

Answer 4

collection of hdwr devices interconnected to communicate among themselves
-share and communicate data (internet, intranet)

Question 5

Data

Answer 5

info stored in hdwr

Question 6

BIS

Answer 6

business info system in any combo of hdwr, sftwr, data, ppl, procedures employed to pursue org obj

Question 7

Strategic roles of BIS suppor

Answer 7

business processes and ops
DM (create A/R aging report to know customer’s credit)
mgrs in future planning

Question 8

Stakeholders

Answer 8

those who affect or are affected by output of IS

• interest in effective and efficient functioning
• mgrs, employees, suppliers, customers

Question 9

RSS

Answer 9

rich site summary
allows content of website w/frequent changes to be pulled and fed to user’s computer
-saves time

Question 10

cloud computing

Answer 10

apps and data stored on internet

advantage

• low infrastructure and maint costs
• more mobility
• less personnel and utility costs

disadvantage

• less ctrl
• more difficult to ensure privacy/security
• less compatible with existing tools/sftwr

Question 11

TPS

Answer 11

most common type of system used in BIS
trans is single discrete event that can be stored in IS (movement of RM from storage to production, issue PO, sale)
captures data that reflects economic life of org (example- AIS)

Question 12

Transaction processing modes

Answer 12

way system updated with new data

• batch
• online

Question 13

Centralized IT Structure

Answer 13

central location
users connect to mainframe via "dumb terminals" (monitor and keyboard combo w/o processing pwr)
adv
-consistent processing 
-better more efficient security

Question 14

Decentralized IT structure

Answer 14

each branch stores and processes data onsite and transmits results overnight to mainframe at home office

adv

• more accountability over data process
• no bottlenecks of traffic over ntwk

Question 15

Data capture

Answer 15

entering data into IS
two types
-batch-group of records at one time
-online- single records w/ user getting immediate feedback

Question 16

POS trans help mgt

Answer 16

ID and respond to trends
make sales forecasts
determine product demand
improve customer svc
target products to customer from different demos
evaluate effects of promotions

Question 17

Processing

Answer 17

convert raw data into usable info

performed by hdwr and sftwr

Question 18

Types of data files

Answer 18

master- static (vendor #, name, address) or volatile (general ledger file-holds balances of all accts in ledger)

transaction- reflect ongoing business activity, indiv purchases from vendors or general j.e.

Question 19

REA Processing

Answer 19

Resources, Events, Agents processing
uses double entry (debit and credit) by single entry
uses relational database to store/process trans
each trans (event) stored in table chron and linked to other table with trans details
process thru queries to table
-calculate sales for pd by summing and AR balance for pd end by summing

Question 20

REA

advantages vs disadvantages

Answer 20

advantages

• debits & credits not considered
• no GL is maintained, balances calculated thru queries
• ad hoc reports easily produced (list of customers who purchased products bet certain dates)

disadvantage

• costly
• lots of computer storage and processing needed
• accountants and auditors unfamiiar, training needs are high and acceptance may be low

Question 21

Push reporting

Answer 21

electronic distribution of reports digitally to personnel

Question 22

MIS

Answer 22

receives input from trans processing systems, aggregates it, report in form for mgt
classified by function or activity

-acctg, finance, mfg, logistics, mkting, HR

Question 23

stovepipe systems

Answer 23

single function systems
limited focus
being replaced by integrated systems linking multi business activities, most cmprehensive is ERP

Question 24

AIS

Answer 24

subsystem of MIS
processes routine, highly structured financial/trans data relevant to mgrl/financial acctg

concern

• trans w/ ext parties (follow GAAP)
• internal activies in cost acctg systems, prep of related report/analyses (pro forma, budget)

Question 25

ERP

Answer 25

manage org resources
integrate enterprise wide info systems into 1 database linked to all org’s apps

subsumes traditional MISs

subsystem shares data to coordinate activities

disadvantage
-extent, complexity makes implementing difficult and $$$$

Question 26

Back office functions

Answer 26

subsystem of ERP internal to org

info primariy for internal use

Question 27

Front office functions

Answer 27

connect org with customers, suppliers, owners, creditors

Question 28

Data Warehouse

Answer 28

central dbs for trans level data from more than 1 of org’s TPS

• only query and reporting system, not used for routine ops
• gets input from various TPSs in org

Question 29

OLAP

Answer 29

online analytical processing
graphic tool that can access data warehouse

important component is drill down analysis

Question 30

data mining

Answer 30

search for unexpected relationships among data

Question 31

DSS

Answer 31

Decision Support System

interactive system in solving semistructured problems
-those w/ structured portion and unstructured portion

doesn’t automate a decision; examines relevant data and present mgr with alt courses of action

Question 32

3 basic components of DSS

Answer 32

dtbs -consists of raw data relevant to decision; data from w/in and outside org
model- set of eqns, comparisons, graphs, conditions, assumptions, into which data will be fed
dialog-user interface that allows user to specify appropriate model and set of data to which model applied

Question 33

GDSS

Answer 33

group DSS that aids in collab soln of unstructured problems

Question 34

AI

Answer 34

comp sftwr to perceive, reason, understand

work thru if/then ?s for 2 possible outcomes (Y/N, on/off, etc.)

Question 35

Advantage of AI

Answer 35

work 24 hrs/day
will not become ill, die, or quit
fast processers of data

Question 36

Types of AI

Answer 36

neural, case-based reasoning system, rule-based expert systems, intelligent agents, expert systmes

Question 37

Neural networks

Answer 37

collection of processing elements work together to process info like a brain; can learn from previous situations

Question 38

Case-based reasoning

Answer 38

process similar to that used by human to learn from prvs similar experiences

Question 39

Rule-based expert systems

Answer 39

function on basis of set rules to arrive at answer; can’tn be changed by system, only changed by outside source

Question 40

Intelligent agents

Answer 40

apply builtin or learned knowledge base to perform specific, repetitive, predictable task

Question 41

Expert system

Answer 41

interactive system attempts to initiate reasoning of human expert in a field

Question 42

ESS

Answer 42

Exec Support System, info w/in and outside org
high level DM get info need to set, monitor progress toward org’s LT objectives
-assists DM in nonroutine trans
-provides info about activities of competitors

Question 43

Business Intelligence

Answer 43

gives upper mgt info to know where org is and how to steer in the right direction
-immediate info on critical success factors
replaces older ESS model
bar graphs, pie charts, etc
uses data from w/in and outside org