Question 1

The practice of hiring an outside company to handle all or part of the organization's data processing activities is called
A)outsourcing.
B)prototyping.
C)reengineering.
D)turnkey system.

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing involves hiring an outside company to handle all or part of an organization's data processing activities. Prototyping refers to the process of creating a model or prototype of a system or product. Reengineering is the process of analyzing and redesigning business processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. A turnkey system is a complete system or product that is ready to be used by a customer without needing any further customization or development.

Question 2

What is a disadvantage of an organization's outsourcing of information systems?
A)Many outsourcing goals and benefits are never realized.
B)Outsourcing may result in faster and more efficient systems development.
C)Outsourcing provides access to greater expertise.
D)Outsourcing provides access to more advanced technology.

Accepted Answer

One of the disadvantages of outsourcing information systems is that many of the outsourcing goals and benefits may not be realized. This can be due to various factors such as ineffective communication, lack of control over the outsourced processes, or unmet expectations. This can result in the organization not receiving the intended advantages of outsourcing and may lead to wastage of resources.

Question 3

A company that has outsourced its AIS function can lose a fundamental understanding of its AIS needs and the strategic uses of AIS with the passing of time.What is this risk called?
A)locked-in system
B)loss of control
C)reduced competitive advantage
D)unfulfilled goals

Accepted Answer

The answer of A company that has outsourced its AIS...

Question 4

What is the basic function of a help desk?
A)develop and implement standards and control data
B)provide hot line assistance and serve as a clearinghouse of information
C)train end users and assist with application development
D)All of the above are basic functions of a help desk.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the basic function of a...

Question 5

Despite the fact that many good canned software packages are available to organizations today; many organizations develop their own software.What is a reason for such in-house development?
A)an organization may have unique requirements
B)canned software packages are often less expensive than software developed in house
C)the organization's size and complexity necessitates the in-house development of software
D)A and C above are correct.

Accepted Answer

Organizations may have unique requirements that canned software cannot meet, and their size and complexity may necessitate custom solutions.

Question 6

A company must carefully evaluate each alternative of developing in-house software,buying canned software,or using an outside third party when planning an AIS.Which statement below is true regarding such a decision?
A)Generally the best overall decision is to buy a canned software and hardware system.
B)The most efficient and effective systems are the ones developed in house.
C)Using an outside third party to develop a system always gives the organization a significant competitive advantage.
D)There is no single right answer to the build-or-buy decision.

Accepted Answer

The decision to develop in-house software, buy canned software, or use an outside third party should be based on a thorough analysis of the organization's needs, resources, and capabilities. There is no single right answer, as each option has its advantages and disadvantages. The organization must weigh the costs, risks, and benefits of each alternative before making a decision. Factors to consider include the complexity of the system, the level of customization required, the availability of expertise, the time constraints, and the budget constraints.

Question 7

How does outsourcing improve an organization's utilization of assets?
A)by allowing a company to completely eliminate its IS department,which will reduce its payroll costs
B)by allowing the company to sell assets to outsourcers and improve their cash position
C)by eliminating the expense of keeping up with the latest technology and,thus,eliminate the drain on cash reserves
D)Both B and C above are correct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does outsourcing improve an organization's utilization...

Question 8

Which business process reengineering principle is applied when the traditional approvals for routine purchases are removed and replaced by users placing the orders themselves?
A)have output users perform the process
B)have those who produce the information process it
C)integration of parallel activities
D)organize around outcomes,not tasks

Accepted Answer

This principle, known as "have output users perform the process," involves shifting responsibility to the end-users of a process rather than relying on a separate group to handle it. In this scenario, users are placing the orders themselves rather than going through a separate approvals process, which aligns with this principle.

Question 9

Since the introduction of the computer,there has been an astronomical demand for information systems.Such demand has resulted in many users becoming involved in the hands-on development,control,and employment of information systems.What term is used to refer to this phenomenon?
A)amateur user computing (AUC)
B)competitive intra-organization systems development approach (CIOSDA)
C)end-user computing (EUC)
D)novice information systems development (NISD)

Accepted Answer

End-user computing (EUC) refers to the phenomenon where many users become involved in the hands-on development, control, and employment of information systems. EUC enables users to develop and use their own applications without needing the assistance of IT professionals. A is not a term used in the industry, B is a made-up term, and D refers to novice-level professionals involved in information systems development, which is not the same as end-user computing.

Question 10

What is an important risk to be considered when allowing end users to develop a system?
A)IS resources are freed up for other tasks
B)systems are implemented that have not been adequately tested
C)systems are usually easy to use and modify
D)users control development process and decide what systems are created and implemented

Accepted Answer

Allowing end users to develop a system can lead to the implementation of systems that have not been adequately tested, which can result in serious risks such as security breaches, system failures, and data loss. It is important to have proper procedures in place for testing and quality assurance before any systems are implemented in production.

Question 11

There are certain risks associated with outsourcing.One possible risk is the exposure of the sharing of confidential data with unauthorized parties.This risk can be placed into the category of
A)a locked-in system.
B)a loss of control.
C)a reduced competitive advantage.
D)inflexibility.

Accepted Answer

The risk of sharing confidential data with unauthorized parties falls under the category of a loss of control. This is because when a company outsources certain tasks or operations, they are entrusting the control of those tasks to another party, which can result in a loss of control over sensitive information. It is important for companies to carefully vet and select outsourcing partners who have strong data privacy and security measures in place to mitigate this risk.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about reengineering is inaccurate?
A)The data should be centralized and then dispersed throughout the company.
B)The information should be processed by those who use it.
C)The organization should be based on the different tasks that make up the processes.
D)The processes should be performed by output users.

Accepted Answer

Reengineering focuses on organizing around processes rather than tasks, aiming to improve efficiency and effectiveness by redesigning workflows and eliminating unnecessary tasks.

Question 13

A help desk can encourage,support,coordinate,and control end-user activities.A help desk department may be organized with front-line and second-line analysts and technicians.What would be one duty of second-line help desk personnel?
A)handling complicated queries requiring research
B)provide callers with scripted answers
C)using expert systems to quickly find answers
D)None of the duties listed above pertain to second-line help desk personnel.

Accepted Answer

Second-line help desk personnel are typically more experienced or specialized analysts or technicians who handle more complex or difficult queries that require research and investigation beyond the scope of front-line support. They may also provide training or assistance to front-line analysts.

Question 14

Which of the following is not a benefit of outsourcing?
A)access to greater expertise and more advanced technology
B)greater control
C)improved development time
D)lower costs

Accepted Answer

Outsourcing means delegating certain processes or tasks to external service providers, which in turn means a loss of control over these processes or tasks. This is a potential disadvantage, not a benefit. Access to greater expertise, more advanced technology, improved development time, and lower costs are all benefits of outsourcing.

Question 15

End-user development is inappropriate for some types of systems.What is an example of a system that end users should not be allowed to develop?
A)a payroll processing program
B)a program that performs "what-if" statistical modeling
C)developing an application using prewritten software such as a spreadsheet or database system
D)preparing a schedule or list such as a depreciation schedule

Accepted Answer

End-users should not be allowed to develop payroll processing programs as they involve sensitive information and require strict compliance with legal regulations.

Question 16

Which of the following is not appropriate for end user development?
A)performing statistical analyses
B)preparing schedules and lists
C)retrieving information from databases
D)updating database records

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is not appropriate...

Question 17

The least costly approach to systems acquisition is
A)canned software.
B)custom software.
C)modified software.
D)prototyping.

Accepted Answer

Canned software, also known as off-the-shelf software, is the least costly approach to systems acquisition because it is pre-built software that can be purchased and used immediately without any customization or development. Custom software, modified software, and prototyping all involve some level of development or customization, which adds to the cost.

Question 18

What is an important benefit to be considered when allowing end users to develop a system?
A)systems are developed when they are needed
B)systems are more likely to be incompatible with other systems within the organization
C)systems are more likely to be inefficient
D)systems are often poorly controlled and documented

Accepted Answer

Allowing end users to develop a system ensures that the system is developed only when it is needed, rather than creating a system that may not be necessary or used by the organization. This results in a more efficient use of resources and a system that aligns with the needs of the organization. The other options - B, C, and D - highlight the potential drawbacks of allowing end users to develop a system, which include incompatibility with other systems, inefficiency, and poor control/documentation.

Question 19

Another alternative to buying a canned system or in-house development is to have a third-party vendor develop a custom system.Which guideline below should not be used by the organization to select an outside developer for a custom system?
A)The outside developer should have an in-depth understanding of how the company conducts its business.
B)The outside developer should have experience in the company's industry.
C)The outside developer should possess a good understanding of business in general.
D)The outside developer that charges the least for the system should be chosen over others.

Accepted Answer

Choosing the outside developer that charges the least for the system should not be the sole criteria for selecting an outside developer. Other factors such as experience, expertise, reputation, and compatibility with the organization's culture and values should also be considered. Therefore, option D should not be used to select the outside developer for a custom system. Options A, B, and C are important criteria for selecting an outside developer for a custom system.

Question 20

The success of large corporations that use outsourcing for their information system requirements has motivated other organizations to consider outsourcing.Which advantage of outsourcing,given below,may tend to cause resistance on the part of in-house IS staff and other organization employees?
A)Outsourcing allows a company to better use its assets and scarce resources.
B)Outsourcing can lower a company's overall IS costs.
C)Outsourcing facilitates downsizing.
D)Outsourcing helps eliminate the peaks and valleys of system usage.

Accepted Answer

The advantage of outsourcing that may cause resistance on the part of in-house IS staff and other organization employees is that outsourcing facilitates downsizing. This can lead to job loss and decreased job security for employees who work in the IS department or other areas that may be outsourced. As a result, there may be resistance to outsourcing from employees who fear losing their jobs or having their workload increase due to downsizing.

Quiz 19: Ais Development Strategies

The practice of hiring an outside company to handle all or part of the organization's data processing activities is called

What is a disadvantage of an organization's outsourcing of information systems?

A company that has outsourced its AIS function can lose a fundamental understanding of its AIS needs and the strategic uses of AIS with the passing of time.What is this risk called?

What is the basic function of a help desk?

Despite the fact that many good canned software packages are available to organizations today; many organizations develop their own software.What is a reason for such in-house development?

A company must carefully evaluate each alternative of developing in-house software,buying canned software,or using an outside third party when planning an AIS.Which statement below is true regarding such a decision?

How does outsourcing improve an organization's utilization of assets?

Which business process reengineering principle is applied when the traditional approvals for routine purchases are removed and replaced by users placing the orders themselves?

Since the introduction of the computer,there has been an astronomical demand for information systems.Such demand has resulted in many users becoming involved in the hands-on development,control,and employment of information systems.What term is used to refer to this phenomenon?

What is an important risk to be considered when allowing end users to develop a system?

There are certain risks associated with outsourcing.One possible risk is the exposure of the sharing of confidential data with unauthorized parties.This risk can be placed into the category of

Which of the following statements about reengineering is inaccurate?

A help desk can encourage,support,coordinate,and control end-user activities.A help desk department may be organized with front-line and second-line analysts and technicians.What would be one duty of second-line help desk personnel?

Which of the following is not a benefit of outsourcing?

End-user development is inappropriate for some types of systems.What is an example of a system that end users should not be allowed to develop?

Which of the following is not appropriate for end user development?

The least costly approach to systems acquisition is

What is an important benefit to be considered when allowing end users to develop a system?

Another alternative to buying a canned system or in-house development is to have a third-party vendor develop a custom system.Which guideline below should not be used by the organization to select an outside developer for a custom system?

The success of large corporations that use outsourcing for their information system requirements has motivated other organizations to consider outsourcing.Which advantage of outsourcing,given below,may tend to cause resistance on the part of in-house IS staff and other organization employees?